Alliance of Women Film Journalists Announces EDA Awards And SHAPE OF WATER Best Film of 2017

By Michelle McCue | January 10, 2018

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 AWFJ EDA Awards. This year, AWFJ presents EDA Awards in 25 categories, divided into three sections: the standard ‘Best Of’ section, the Female Focus awards and the irreverent EDA Special Mention awards—including Actress Most in Need of a New Agent and the AWFJ Hall of Shame Award.

In the ‘Best Of’ section, this year’s big winner is “THE SHAPE OF WATER”, garnering EDA Awards in two categories including Best Film, Best Director for Guillermo del Toro. The film’s lead actress, Sally Hawkins, was awarded an EDA Bravest Performance Award to make the film’s cume of three awards.

Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” was also honored with three awards that included Best Supporting Actress for Laurie Metcalf and two awards for Gerwig for Best Woman Director and Best Woman Screenwriter.

“The Florida Project” won two EDA Awards for Best Supporting Actor for Willem Dafoe and Best Breakthrough Performance for Brooklynn Prince.

In the EDA Special Mention Categories, documentary filmmaker Agnes Varda was voted the Actress Defying Age and Ageism Award, while receiving the Best Documentary Award for her film “Faces, Places.”  Kate Winslet won the Actress Most in Need of a New Agent for  “Wonder Wheel” and “The Mountain Between Us.”

The AWJF chose to honor Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd and all women who spoke out against sexual harassment with the EDA Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry.

The Annual AWFJ Hall of Shame Award was bestowed upon Sexual Tormentors:  Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, et al.

“This year was an important year for women to feel empowered to speak out and be heard,” states EDA AWARDS and AWFJ founder and film critic Jennifer Merin.  “The need for gender parity and gender diversity in the movie industry is patently clear, and the time to stop sexual harassment in all industries is now.  These goals are fundamental to AWFJ’s mission and it’s core values. I am thrilled that for this year’s awards, our AWFJ members voted to honor such a diverse array of talent and to recognize those who are leading with their voices to put an end to long time misconduct making the 2017 EDA Awards particularly relevant when art and film must be the vanguard of social progress.”

LADY BIRD. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf.  Photo by Merie Wallace, courtesy of A24

Here’s the entire list of this year’s winners:

These awards are presented to women and/or men without gender consideration.

Best Film 

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Best Director 

Guillermo del Toro – THE SHAPE OF WATER

Best Screenplay, Original

GET OUT – Jordan Peele

Best Screenplay, Adapted

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Best Documentary

FACES, PLACES

Best Animated Film  (Tie)

COCO

LOVING VINCENT

Best Actress

Frances McDormand — THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Laurie Metcalf — LADY BIRD

Best Actor

Gary Oldman — DARKEST HOUR

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Willem Dafoe — THE FLORIDA PROJECT

Best Ensemble Cast – Casting Director

MUDBOUND – Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram

Best Cinematography

Roger Deakins — BLADE RUNNER 2049

Best Editing

Lee Smith — DUNKIRK

Best Non-English-Language Film

THE SQUARE

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS

These awards honor WOMEN only.

Best Woman Director

Greta Gerwig — LADY BIRD

Best Woman Screenwriter

Greta Gerwig — LADY BIRD

Best Animated Female

Parvana — THE BREADWINNER

Best Breakthrough Performance

Brooklynn Prince — THE FLORIDA PROJECT

Outstanding Achievement by A Woman in The Film Industry

Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd and all who spoke out against sexual harassment

 
THE FLORIDA PROJECT

EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS

Actress Defying Age and Ageism (name actress and film)

AGNES VARDA — FACES, PLACES

Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Lead and The Love Interest Award

I LOVE YOU DADDY  — Chloe Grace Moretz and John Malkovich

Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent (name actress and film)

Kate Winslet for WONDER WHEEL and THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US

Bravest Performance (name actress and film) (Tie)

Sally Hawkins — THE SHAPE OF WATER

Margot Robbie — I, TONYA

I, TONYA

Remake or Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made

THE MUMMY

AWFJ Hall of Shame Award

Sexual Tormentors: Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, et al