The publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild, IATSE Local 600, has announced the winners of the 63rd Annual ICG Publicists Awards.
The Maxwell Weinberg Awards for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign and Television Publicity Campaign were awarded to the teams behind the publicity campaigns for Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures) and The Pitt (Warner Bros. Television/HBO), presented by Pete Hammond (film critic and awards analyst) and actor Tia Carrere and Stitch (Lilo & Stitch), respectively.
Chrissy Quesada (Sony Pictures) took home the Les Mason Award for Career Achievement in Publicity, presented by previous Les Mason Award winners.
Michelle Alt (Paramount Pictures) won the Publicist of the Year Award, presented by Marshall Weinbaum (publicist) and one of her long-time clients, Kevin Frazier (Entertainment Tonight).
John Lindley ASC (ICG Local 600 national president) presented Jimmy Kimmel with the President’s Award, an honour that is bestowed only on occasion of “extraordinary circumstances”, ICG said, this year honouring Kimmel’s “steadfast resilience in face of censorship”.
Kimmel also received a pre-recorded video introduction from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in which Affleck said he could think of “no more fitting American, statesman, genius, and comedian” to win the award, while Damon’s remarks consisted primarily of vitriolic expletives.
In his acceptance speech, Kimmel thanked his long-time publicist Lewis Kay, with whom he has worked since 1998, joking, “I’ve never caused him any problems at all.”
He also highlighted all the publicists of the ICG: “The reason I’m here is to thank you for 23 years of partnership and support. I would like to dedicate this to those of you who work so hard to shine a light on everyone other than yourselves.”
Filmmaker and actor Kate Hudson accepted the Motion Picture Showperson of the Year Award, presented by singer and actor Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery), honouring her award-winning career and Academy Award-nominated work in Song Sung Blue.
“Making movies is an extraordinary process, it doesn’t end when we wrap,” said Hudson in her remarks about the meaning of ‘showpersonship’ to the audience of publicists.
“We are also tasked with bringing that magic to audiences, and publicity is a huge part of that. I’m the showperson and you’re the ‘ship’.”
Director and writer John Wells presented the Television Showperson of the Year Award to Noah Wyle, honouring his work as producer and actor on the series The Pitt, as well as his recent activism on behalf of the medical community.
“I am so proud to have brought a television show with John back to this city that I love. A 15-episode show that employs hundreds and hundreds of artisans and artists, and showcases their talents to the world,” said Wyle.
“This town has weathered great changes before, and in fact that is what brought these guilds and unions into existence, the belief in the power of collective, the strength in our solidarity, and primacy of our creativity.”
Actor Arden Cho (KPop Demon Hunters) presented Atsushi Nishijima with the honour for Excellence in Unit Still Photography – Motion Picture and Jake Giles Netter with the award for Excellence in Unit Still Photography – Television.
Kevin McCarthy from On Film . . . With Kevin McCarthy took home the Press Award and Ali Plumb from BBC Radio won the International Media Award, both presented by actor and filmmaker Paul Feig (The Housemaid).
“Marketing campaigns are storytelling. I think of them as extensions of the films themselves,” said McCarthy in his acceptance speech.
Publicist Cynthia Swartz earned the Bob Yeager Award for Community Service, presented by director and producer Tony Gilroy (Andor), while Pamela Golum accepted the Henri Bollinger Award for Special Merit, presented by actor Steven Weber (Chicago Med) alongside president and chief operating officer of Wolf Entertainment Peter Jankowski.
During the ceremony, Sheryl Main and Tim Menke received a special recognition, presented by Sandy Bollinger, celebrating their final year as chairs of the ICG Publicists Awards committee and honouring their eight and 21 years serving as chairs, respectfully.
More information is available on the ICG website.
