LONDON — Beginning May 1st, FilmLight is accepting entries for its 2023 FilmLight Colour Awards (www.filmlightcolourawards.com). The awards are open to colorists on any grading system and will be presented at the International Film Festival EnergaCamerimage in November.
This year, the awards will celebrate colorists across five categories: theatrical feature, television series/episodic, commercial, music video, and the Spotlight award for colorists working under the constraints of lower-budget projects. As in previous years, the entries will be independently judged by a panel of creatives, cinematographers and colorists. The full 2023 jury details will be released over the coming months, but FilmLight has already announced that it will include award-winning cinematographers, Greig Fraser ACS, ASC, and Daniela Cajías, AEC.
Australian cinematographer Fraser has become a go-to DP for a number of high-profile directors, and is best known for his work on The Batman (2022), Dune (2021), The Mandalorian (2019), Lion (2016) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012).
Cajías, who was born in Bolivia, became the first woman in 2021 to win the best cinematography award at the Goya Awards for her work on La Niñas. Her latest movie, Alcarràs, won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale 2022, and has also seen her nominated for best cinematography at the 37th edition of the Goya Awards 2023.
Also confirmed to be members of the 2023 jury are some of the 2022 Colour Award winners. Picture Shop VP of creative color finishing, Michael Hatzer (winner of theatrical feature); senior colorist and partner at Alter Ego, Wade Odlum (commercial winner); senior colorist Ana Escorse at Studio Feather (music video winner); and senior colorist Aljoscha Hoffmann (Spotlight winner).
“It’s great to see FilmLight step up and help colorists, who work in the shadows most of the time, have their moment in the sun,” says Stephen Lighthill, 2022 Colour Awards jury member, cinematographer and president of the ASC. “They’re a crucial part of the team and their role – much like the role of the cinematographer – is changing virtually every day.”
The Colour Awards are lead and organized by FilmLight, in conjunction with EnergaCamerimage, and are supported by prominent international groups such as the AFC (The French Society of Cinematographers), the ASC (The American Society of Cinematographers), CSI (Colorist Society International), Imago (the International Federation of Cinematographers) and the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC).
“Our goal is to ensure that the effort of colorists around the world is recognized and celebrated,” says Wolfgang Lempp, co-founder and CEO of FilmLight. “The last two years have been a very joyful and gratifying experience, and we continue to receive lots of positive feedback. We’re very grateful for the support of our partners and have every intention of making this a regular fixture in the calendar. We can’t wait to see the 2023 entries.”
Colorists, production companies and facilities are invited to put forward their nominations when entries open on May 1st, with a final deadline for submissions on July 31st.