Deadline’s Contenders event in back in London, kicking off movie awards season with panel conversations featuring some of the year’s hottest films in the race.
As all Contenders connoisseurs know, this is a Deadline event specially designed for true movie lovers — so expect juicy teaser clips and star-studded panels packed with creative talent as the event launches Saturday morning. A total of seven films will participate in the in-person-only event, taking place at London’s Ham Yard Hotel. Doors opened at 8:30 a.m. BST and the curtain rises at 9:30.
Speaking of stars, today’s lineup includes Emilia Pérez’s Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña in the house, along with breakout lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón, Adriana Paz and writer-director Jacques Audiard. The film is selected to represent France in the Oscar International Feature Film category, and all four actresses already shared the Best Actress award at Cannes earlier this year.
Another big name on our docket is Denis Villeneuve. He’ll be onstage to discuss Dune: Part Two with producers Mary Parent and Tanya Lapointe, so you will hear all about their approach to a second round of the epic hit sci-fi sequel with its all-star cast.
Malcolm Washington’s debut feature The Piano Lesson tugs at family ties both on and off-screen. He will be joined by his brother, John David Washington, along with Danielle Deadwyler and two-time Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat to talk about a film steeped in generational connection. Also, in the family-tension business, set on this side of the pond, is Mike Leigh. He’s serving up some Hard Truths, along with lead actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
Then there are those other British national treasures: Wallace & Gromit — the cheese-motivated stop-motion duo that kicked off Aardman’s adventures with director Nick Park. The hapless Wallace and his wily hound Gromit cross paths with an errant gnome in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Joining Park on the panel is co-director Merlin Crossingham and executive producer Carla Shelley to talk about their work that delights all ages.
The same goes for The Wild Robot. Chris Sanders wrote and directed DreamWorks Animation’s heartwarming story of a lost robot (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) that must assimilate to life in a forest, and learn some lessons on prejudice, empathy and love along the way. Nyong’o will join Sanders and composer Kris Bowers on our stage.
Taking a very different point of view on a coming-of-age story is RaMell Ross with Nickel Boys — a film based on a harrowing true story that drops you directly into the eyeline of the action. Ross will be joined by stars Ethan Herisse (When They See Us) and Brandon Wilson (The Way Back).
Follow Contenders Film: London throughout the day on Deadline.com and via Deadline’s social channels using #DeadlineContenders, and stay tuned next week when we launch the event’s streaming site featuring the full panel videos.
Here’s today’s lineup of panels (order subject to change):
Contenders Film: London
(all times BST)
BLEECKER STREET / STUDIO CANAL
Hard Truths
Mike Leigh (Writer/Director)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Actor)
Michele Austin (Actor)
WARNER BROS PICTURES and LEGENDARY PICTURES
Dune: Part Two
Denis Villeneuve (Co-Writer/Director/Producer)
Mary Parent (Producer)
Tanya Lapointe (Producer)
ORION PICTURES and AMAZON MGM STUDIOS
Nickel Boys
RaMell Ross (Co-Writer/Director)
Ethan Herisse (Actor)
Brandon Wilson (Actor)
NETFLIX
Emilia Pérez
Jacques Audiard (Writer/Director)
Karla Sofía Gascón (Actor)
Zoe Saldaña (Actor)
Adriana Paz (Actor)
Selena Gomez (Actor)
NETFLIX/BBC
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Nick Park (Director)
Merlin Crossingham (Director)
Carla Shelley (Executive Producer)
NETFLIX
The Piano Lesson
Malcom Washington (Co-Writer/Director)
John David Washington (Actor)
Danielle Deadwyler (Actor)
Alexandre Desplat (Composer)
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
The Wild Robot
Chris Sanders (Writer/Director)
Kris Bowers (Composer)
Lupita Nyong’o (Actor)