The Guardian newspaper has announced a new film awards which it says “puts the movie-goer at the heart of the experience” and rethinks the award categories from the ground up.
Unlike other competitions, the new Guardian Film Awards drops the usual gender split of best actor and best actress and will see both sexes battle it out within categories.
The new awards will also include gongs for favourite marketing campaign, film festival and movie scene.
The paper’s owners, Guardian News and Media,says their awards will give film fans “the chance to have their say in the matter every step of the way – from shaping the shortlists to having a vote at the final judging stage.”
Readers will be able to vote for their favourites in the main nine categories from the longlists chosen by Guardian film editors and writers.
The votes cast will decide the shortlist, which will then be considered by a panel of six expert judges – including Guardian and Observer critics Peter Bradshaw and Xan Brooks and editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger.
The shortlists will be announced on 19 February and winners will collect their awards at a ceremony on 6 March.
The full category list includes:
Best film (this can be in any genre and includes documentaries and foreign-language films)
Best actor (male or female)
Best supporting actor (male or female)
Best director
Best scene
Best line of dialogue
Best film festival
Best marketing campaign
Biggest game-changer
Best cinema (wholly voted by readers)
So-bad-it’s-good film (wholly voted by readers)
Guardian film editor and awards chair Catherine Shoard said: “We want to reconnect the red carpet with the cinema foyer, to reward what really matters when you go to the movies. We’ve played with the categories, and we’ve placed our readers at the heart of our voting and judging process. The Guardian Film Awards are the antidote, not just another back-slapping addition.”
Guardian & Observer film critic and judge Peter Bradshaw said: “The Guardian Film Awards will offer a new slant on the awards season; they will be enjoyable, unpretentious, and user-friendly and let the reader and moviegoer connect more directly with the glittering prizes themselves.”
Readers can vote and participate on the Guardian Film Awards 2014 website: theguardian.com/guardian-film-awards. Voting closes midday February 16 2014.
