The Alliance of Women Film Journalists has announced its EDA awards for 2018. Our categories include general recognition, special awards for women filmmakers, and our Hall of Shame, with awards that include actress most in need of a new agent and most appalling age disparity between the male and female romantic leads.
This year, “The Shape of Water” was the standout, with Best Film, Best Director for Guillermo del Toro, and a Bravest Performance Award for star Sally Hawkins. 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," said 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."
AWFJ BEST OF AWARDSThese 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 WATERBest Screenplay, Original GET OUT – Jordan Peele Best Screenplay, Adapted CALL ME BY YOUR NAMEBest Documentary FACES, PLACESBest Animated Film (Tie) COCO LOVING VINCENTBest Actress Frances McDormand -- THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURIBest Actress in a Supporting Role Laurie Metcalf -- LADY BIRDBest Actor Gary Oldman -- DARKEST HOUR Best Actor in a Supporting Role Willem Dafoe -- THE FLORIDA PROJECTBest Ensemble Cast – Casting Director MUDBOUND – Billy Hopkins and Ashley IngramBest Cinematography Roger Deakins -- BLADE RUNNER 2049Best Editing Lee Smith -- DUNKIRKBest Non-English-Language Film THE SQUARE EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDSThese awards honor WOMEN only.Best Woman Director Greta Gerwig -- LADY BIRDBest Woman Screenwriter Greta Gerwig -- LADY BIRDBest Animated Female Parvana -- THE BREADWINNER Best Breakthrough Performance Brooklynn Prince -- THE FLORIDA PROJECTOutstanding Achievement by A Woman in The Film Industry Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd and all who spoke out against sexual harassment EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDSActress Defying Age and Ageism (name actress and film) AGNES VARDA -- FACES,PLACESMost Egregious Age Difference Between The Lead and The Love Interest Award I LOVE YOU DADDY -- Chloe Grace Moretz and John MalkovichActress Most in Need Of A New Agent (name actress and film) Kate Winslet for WONDER WHEEL and THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN USBravest Performance (name actress and film) (Tie)Sally Hawkins -- THE SHAPE OF WATER Margot Robbie -- I, TONYARemake or Sequel That Shouldn’t Have Been Made THE MUMMYAWFJ Hall of Shame Award Sexual Tormentors: Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, et al