ANGELA BASSETT, RIAN JOHNSON AND THE CAST AND CREW OF RRR TO BE HONORED AT THE 6TH ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD CRITICS ASSOCIATION FILM AWARDS

The 6th Annual HCA Film Awards nominations will be revealed on the official HCA YouTube channel, HCA App, and social media channels on Thursday, December 15, 2022, beginning at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET.

“After the tremendous success of the 2022 HCA TV Awards in August, we are excited to be reteaming with DIGA Studios and Content.23 Media for the 6th edition of the HCA Film Awards,” notes HCA Chairman Scott Menzel. “We look forward to celebrating another incredible year of cinema and are thrilled to continue our tradition of honoring some of the best and biggest names in film at our awards ceremony in February.” 

“We are excited to announce Angela Bassett as this year’s HCA Acting Achievement Award recipient,” says HCA President Nikki Fowler. “Angela Bassett is synonymous with talent, beauty, grace, and excellence, with her career spanning decades and beginning with a master’s degree in Fine Arts from Yale to becoming a name that is not only world-renowned for her craft but one that has inspired women from all backgrounds. Angela has especially empowered Black women through her courageous and unforgettable roles, from Tina Turner to setting the screen ablaze in her pivotal role in Waiting to Exhale to the beloved portrayal as Queen of Wakanda. Ms. Bassett epitomizes and exudes radical self-love in an industry that doesn’t always love women back. She is a force of positivity and a change-maker for generations to come.” 

[Media Ready Downloadable Photo of Ms. Basset available here:  – Photo Credit: D’Andre Michael]

Rian Johnson, the mind behind Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the follow-up to his Academy Award-nominated Knives Out, will be honored with this year’s HCA Filmmaking Achievement Award. “Rian Johnson isn’t just one of the best directors working today, but a masterful storyteller that has been expanding, reinventing, and modernizing a plethora of genres his entire career,” notes HCA Vice President Nestor Bentancor. “He has done it again in his latest whodunnit, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.’ The absorbing and dazzling new chapter in his original saga is another crystal-clear proof of his ability to craft powerful and wildly entertaining films with passion and clockwork precision. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate an auteur that, on top of being a unique creative force, is as affable as he is gifted.”

[Media Ready Downloadable Photo of Rian Johnson available here – Photo Credit: Emily Soto]

S. Rajamouli’s RRR will receive the HCA Spotlight Award. HCA Board Member Rasha Goel states, “As a person of Indian descent, it has been surreal to FINALLY see an Indian film become a global phenomenon the way that RRR has. The cultural impact that RRR has had on audiences worldwide makes it the perfect choice for this year’s Spotlight Award. The HCA has worked diligently to elevate and promote underrepresented voices in the industry, and Indian storytellers are amongst some of the most overlooked here in the United States. We, as an organization, couldn’t be happier celebrating this remarkable film and all those who brought this project to life.”

ABOUT DIGA STUDIOS:

DIGA Studios is a next-gen content studio committed to captivating storytelling across formats, genres, and platforms. Founded by former MTV President Tony DiSanto and staffed with a deep bench of industry innovators, DIGA Studios’ productions are marked by a rebellious and sometimes subversive pop sensibility that resonates with audiences worldwide. DIGA content includes scripted series such as Teen Wolf, Scream, and 50 States of Fright, executive produced by the legendary Sam Raimi, and the unscripted series Selling the Hamptons on Discovery+, America’s Big Deal for USA Network and Hot Ones: The Game Show for TruTV. DIGA Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of ALLYANCE Media Group, with more information available at digastudios.com.

ABOUT CONTENT.23 MEDIA:

Content.23 Media is an award-winning production company delivering groundbreaking live and remote projects for clients such as MTV, Comedy Central, IAB, Walmart, LVMH, and Condé Nast, among others. Visit Content23.com for more information.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD CRITICS ASSOCIATION: 

The Hollywood Critics Association was established in 2016 with one goal: to highlight and elevate diverse and underrepresented voices within entertainment criticism and journalism. Since its inception, the HCA has made history as the country’s most diverse group of critics, celebrating groundbreaking entertainment, visionary storytellers, and incomparable artists that reflect today’s multifaceted, global audiences. 

For additional information about the Hollywood Critics Association, please visit: www.HollywoodCriticsAssociation.com or follow us on social media: 

Twitter: @HCACritics 

Facebook: @HollywoodCriticsAssociation 

Instagram: @HollywoodCriticsAssociation 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@HollywoodCriticsAssociation 

Press Contacts:

Lee Meltzer

Rogers & Cowan PMK

[email protected] 

Wadooah Wali

[email protected]