This is the time of year when film geeks (like me) start thinking about awards. First there’s the Golden Globes, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. This year’s awards show is on Sunday, January 16th. And then, on Sunday, February 27th, the undisputed king of awards shows, the Oscars, will be presented. But both of these shows honour mostly American films, with the token “foreign” film award. What about the homegrown film awards in each country? How little we hear about those. Here are a few to check out:
- Since I live in Canada, I’ll start with our own Genie Awards, being handed out April 30th this year.
- India has the National Film Awards handed out by the government’s “Directorate of Film Festivals”, as well as the Manikchand Filmfare Awards (no official site?).
- France awards the Cesars, on February 26th this year.
- In the UK, there are the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, but we just call them the BAFTAs.
- Iceland has the Edda Awards, presented by the Icelandic Film and Television Academy since 1999.
- Spain has presented the Goyas annually since 1987.
- The German Film Awards decided via an online poll in 2001 to name the statuette it hands out each year the “Lola”, named for characters played in films by various German actresses including Franka Potente, Marlene Dietrich and Barbara Sukowa.
- The Hong Kong Film Awards honour the best of that country’s vibrant film industry each year.
- The Awards of the Japanese Academy are the main film awards in a country with a long and storied film history.
- The main film awards in Italy are the David di Donatello awards, the “Davids”, which have been awarded since 1956.
Here’s a handy page that lists these and many many others.