2017 EDA AWARD WINNERS

“THE SHAPE OF WATER” TAKES THREE AWARDS INCLUDING BEST FILM AND BEST DIRECTOR FOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO AND
BRAVEST PERFORMANCE AWARD FOR SALLY HAWKINS
 

“LADY BIRD” GARNERS THE BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE PRIZE FOR LAURIE METCALF WHILE GRETA GERWIG IS AWARDED
TWO EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS FOR BEST WOMAN DIRECTOR AND BEST WOMAN SCREENWRITER

The women have voted! 

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."

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

AWFJ BEST OF AWARDS

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  

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

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

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS:  AWFJ, a not-for-profit corporation, is an international association of professional female movie critics, reporters and feature writers working in print, broadcast and online media, dedicated to raising the volume on women's voices in the film community by broadening opportunities for women who write about film and supporting films by and about women – both in front of and behind the cameras – through intra-group promotional activities, outreach programs and by presenting EDA awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies. More information about AWFJ, including the membership list, can be accessed at www.awfj.org or sending inquiries to awfjinc@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE EDA AWARDS:  The AWFJ presents EDA Awards to honor women's achievements in front of and behind the cameras.  In addition to the annual end of the year awards, AWFJ presents EDA Awards for Best Female-Directed Films at select film festivals,including IDFA, Whistler Film Festival, DOXA. Edinburgh Film Festival. St. Louis International Film Festival and others. The EDAs are named in honor of AWFJ founder Jennifer Merin's mother, Eda Reiss Merin, a stage, film and screen actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. A dedicated foot soldier in the industry, Eda was one of the founders of AFTRA and a long standing member of AMPAS.