From Sundance to Rome, From Mo'Nique to Mirren

Since when did precursor season begin in October? Every year it seems to push backwards, earlier into the year, despite Oscar pushing forward, delaying itself until March this year. We've already heard from the Gotham Awards and BIFA and this past week more festival prizes came all the way from Rome and Chicago. None of this is unusual I suppose... I guess I'm just not quite ready for it for 2009. Ready for it emotionally, not physically. That's too much to go over right here (especially considering what's coming in about one months time. NBR etcetera...)

Since The Film Experience's famously favorite category is Best Actress, it's worth noting the year's wins in that regard thus far. I'm sure I'm missing foreign wins but I'm on tight deadlines. (Help me fill it out in the comments - previous error fixed. I type too fast. 75 wpm, bitches)


Sundance Festival Mo'Nique, Precious (Like Cannes, their acting prizes don't distinguish between lead and supporting)
Berlin Festival Birgit Minichmayr Alle Anderen (aka Everyone Else)
Cannes Festival Charlotte Gainsbourg, Antichrist
Amanda Awards (Norway) Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Iskyss
Venice Festival Ksenia Rappoport, La Doppia Ora
Sarajevo Festival Aggeliki Papoulia and Mary Tsoni, Dogtooth
Chicago Festival Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Vincere
Ophir Awards (Israel) Irit Kaplan, A Matter of Size

and...
Rome Festival Helen Mirren, The Last Station
(and for the Italian Actress prize: Anita Kavros, Alaza La Testa)

Only one of these leading ladies is eligible in the Oscar race -- unless those VOD releases don't disqualify you and Gainsbourg is allowed to brutalize the gyno field -- and she'll most likely be nominated. Or she'll shoot you, obliterate you verbally, smash all your table ware. Don't mess with the Countess Sofya Andreyevna.