Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2013 EDA Award Winners

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ), a membership organization of leading women film journalists and critics from across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., has announced the winners of its 8th Annual EDA Awards.

Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” was a clear winner with six total trophies:  starting with Best Film, it swept the AWFJ EDA “Best of” categories with four awards; took another in the female-centric EDA Focus Awards;  and earned its sixth win in the EDA Special Mention section.

Among the “BEST OF” EDA Awards – which parallel those conferred by other voting organizations – Cate Blanchett was honored as Best Actress for “Blue Jasmine,” and Matthew McConaughey earned Best Actor for “Dallas Buyer’s Club.” Supporting role awards went to Lupita Nyong’o for “12 Years a Slave,” and Jared Leto for “Dallas Buyers Club. The Best Ensemble Cast prize went to “American Hustle”; the EDA for Best Documentary went to Sarah Polley’s “Stories We Tell”; and Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg’s “The Hunt” was embraced for Best Non-English-Language Film.

The AWFJ also presents two additional awards categories that reflect the organization’s mission to celebrate women in filmmaking, as well as the perspective of women in film journalism. (I am a member of the AWFJ.)

The EDA Focus Awards pay tribute to achievements in filmmaking by women.  Among the 2013 winners are Nicole Holofcener, who received the Best Female Director and Best Woman Screenwriter Awards for “Enough Said.” Sandra Bullock grabbed the Kick Ass Award For Best Female Action Star for her role in “Gravity,” and Anna, the heroine of “Frozen” voiced by Kristen Bell,  drew Best Animated Female. Lupita Nyong’o received a second EDA for her work in “12 Years a Slave” with the award for Best Breakthrough Performance.

This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry, celebrates the achievement of Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haafia Al-Mansour for making “Wadjda” and challenging the limitations placed on women in her culture.

ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

2013 EDA Awards Winners

AWFJ EDA ‘BEST OF’ AWARDS

 Best Film
“12 Years a Slave”

Best Director (Female or Male)
“12 Years a Slave” – Steve McQueen

Best Screenplay, Original
“Her” – Spike Jonze

Best Screenplay, Adapted
“12 Years a Slave” – John Ridley

Best Documentary
“Stories We Tell” – Sarah Polley

Best Animated Film
“The Wind Rises” – Hayao Miyazaki

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – “Blue Jasmine”

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years a Slave”

Best Actor
Matthew McConaughey – “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jared Leto – “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Ensemble Cast
“American Hustle”

Best Editing
“Gravity” – Alfonso Cuaron and Mark Sanger

Best Cinematography
“Gravity” – Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Film Music Or Score
“Inside Llewyn Davis” – T-Bone Burnett

Best Non-English-Language Film
“The Hunt” – Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
These awards honor WOMEN only.

Best Woman Director
Nicole Holofcener – “Enough Said”

Best Woman Screenwriter
Nicole Holofcener – “Enough Said”

Kick Ass Award For Best Female Action Star
Sandra Bullock – “Gravity”

Best Animated Female
Anna (Kristen Bell) – “Frozen”

Best Breakthrough Performance
Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years A Slave”

Actress Defying Age and Ageism
Sandra Bullock – “Gravity”

AWFJ Award Female Icon Award
Presented to an actress for the portrayal of the most positive female role model, or for a role in which she takes personal and/or career risks to plumb the female psyche and therefore gives us courage to plumb our own, and/or for putting forth the image of a woman who is heroic, accomplished, persistent, demands her rights and/or the rights of others.

Angelina Jolie – for continued commitments to humanitarian causes, and for promoting awareness about breast cancer.

This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry

Presented only when warranted to a female who has had a banner-making, record-breaking, industry-changing achievement during any given year.

Haaifa Al-Mansour – for challenging the limitations placed on women within her culture by making the film “Wadjda”.

Check out the full list of 2013 winners here: http://awfj.org/eda–awards