Mouloud Achour
March 8, 2023
Clique TV (Canal+)
The immense director David Fincher granted us a 90-minute exclusive interview with Mouloud Achour. This new Clique X is a masterclass from the American genius about the secrets of his filmography that has become so emblematic over the years: Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network…
In English with subtitles in French.
Virginie Efira, Brad Pitt, and David Fincher (Julien M. Hekimian)
César. Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma / Canal+
February 24, 2023
On February 24, 2023, on the stage of the Olympia in Paris, Director David Fincher received the Honorary César Award of the 48th César Ceremony, broadcast live by Canal+.
The films of David Fincher, including a brief look at The Killer (2023).
Belgian-French actress Virginie Efira, who later won the César for Best Actress, presented the award and introduced a surprise guest, Brad Pitt, who showed his love and admiration for his longtime friend with a touching speech.
Fincher was accompanied by his daughter and his wife and Producer Ceán Chaffin.
Brad Pitt’s speech and David Fincher’s acceptance speech.
Watch Virginie Efira’s speech and Brad Pitt’s speech with a voiceover in French
Watch David Fincher’s acceptance speech with a voiceover in French
David Fincher with his Honorary César Award (ENS Louis-Lumière).
David Fincher (Frank Ockenfels / Netflix)
Translation of the original press release in French:
David Fincher, Honorary César of the 48th César Ceremony
César. Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma / Canal+
Press Release
Paris, December 16, 2022
American filmmaker David Fincher will receive on Friday, February 24, 2023, on the stage of the Olympia, the César d’Honneur of the 48th César Ceremony.
David Fincher is one of those rare directors whose entire filmography has become emblematic over the years. An outstanding technician, a true visionary, his cinema is hypnotic, cerebral, a source of inspiration for countless artists.
He shocked us with “Seven“, kept us on the edge with “The Game“, and hit us again with “Fight Club“. With “Zodiac“, “The Social Network“, “Gone Girl“, his greatest success in cinema, or even “Mank“, he broke his usual codes and received the praise of the international press.
Coming from the world of music videos, David Fincher also produces successful series such as “House of Cards” or “Mindhunter“. He is currently working on his next feature film “The Killer“, which marks his big return to the thriller.
See you on February 24 to pay him a vibrant tribute, in clear, live, and exclusively on Canal+.
Update (in French):
Actress Virginie Efira chosen to present the César d’Honneur to David Fincher
Le Figaro
January 28, 2023
The Netflix animated anthology, which was awarded four juried prizes on Wednesday, stepped out of its comfort zone in Season 2.
Bill Desowitz
August 25, 2021
IndieWire
In Season 2 of Neflix’s “Love, Death & Robots,” the adult animated anthology from executive producers David Fincher and Tim Miller (“Deadpool”) continued its embrace of survival and immortality in strange dystopian environments. However, there were eight shorts instead of 18 and a greater emphasis on philosophizing, with some directors stepping out of their comfort zones.
Indeed, the sci-fi anthology, produced by Blur Studio for Netflix, so impressed the TV Academy that it was awarded four juried prizes on Wednesday: Robert Valley, production designer (“Ice”); Patricio Betteo, background artist (“Ice”); Dan Gill, stop-motion animator (“All Through the House”); and Laurent Nicholas, character designer (“Automated Customer Service”).
“We tried to elevate the stories further and to give deeper explorations of some of these adult themes,” said supervising director Jennifer Yuh Nelson (“The Darkest Minds” and the “Kung Fu Panda”sequels). “So it was very much like a curating process to go from finding these amazing stories and these amazing authors [including Harlan Ellison and J.G. Ballard] and then matchmaking really interesting and talented directors to let them do something [different].”
MANK Accepts the Oscar for Cinematography
Director of Photography Erik Messerschmidt received the statuette at the Academy Awards for his work on Mank.
He had already won the American Society of Cinematographers’ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Feature Film, and the Satellite Award.
The other nominees were Joshua James Richards (Nomadland), Dariusz Wolski (News of the World), Sean Bobbitt (Judas and the Black Messiah), and Phedon Papamichael (The Trial of the Chicago 7).
Mank was nominated in 10 categories: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound and Original Score. Production Designer Donald Graham Burt and Set Decorator Jan Pascale also won in the category of Best Production Design.
Erik’s acceptance speech:
“Wow! I wish I could cut this into five pieces because it’s such an honor to be nominated amongst all of you. It’s an incredible honor. David, thank you for creating an environment where we could do our best work. I got to go home and feel like I gave it my all, every night (David Fincher: ‘You did’). Ceán [Chaffin], thank you for the endless support. Eric Roth, thank you for the guidance. Amanda, Gary, what a privilege and a joy to watch you work. The entire cast, thank you for hitting your marks. It mattered! This really belongs to an extraordinary crew who I could not do anything without: Brian, Will, Alex, Dave, Gary, Dwayne, Danny, Jerry, and all of your team. You make my job easy. Thank you. And thank you to my beautiful wife, Naiara, who tolerates this crazy business and helped me get through this movie. So thank you so much. Thank you.”
MANK’s Thank You Cam Speech: Production Design
Erik Messerschmidt Backstage Interview
Erik Messerschmidt ‘Oscars: After Dark’ Winner Interview
MANK Accepts the Oscar for Production Design
Production Designer Donald Graham Burt and Set Decorator Jan Pascale received the statuette at the Academy Awards for their work on Mank.
They had already won the Art Directors Guild Award for Excellence in Production Design, Best Picture and Best Achievement in Decor/Design of a Period Feature Film at the inaugural Set Decorators Society of America Awards, a BAFTA Award and a Critics’ Choice Award.
The other nominees were Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Production Designer Mark Ricker, Set Decorators Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton), The Father (Production Designer Peter Francis, Set Decorator Cathy Featherstone), News of the World (Production Designer David Crank, Set Decorator Elizabeth Keenan), and Tenet (Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Set Decorator Kathy Lucas).
Mank was nominated in 10 categories: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound and Original Score. Director of Photography Erik Messerschmidt also won in the category of Best Cinematography.
Pascale had been previously nominated in 2006, for her work on George Clooney‘s Good Night, and Good Luck (another black & white film) but this was Burt’s second Oscar, after his triumph in 2008 with David Fincher‘s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, so he let Pascale have the full time for her acceptance speech:
“It’s a long way down here! First of all, thank you to David Fincher, Ceán Chaffin, and Don Burt, for trusting me with this amazing project. It was such an honor to work with such an amazing group of people. Thank you to my crew, who worked their tails off on this just to make it right. When I was young, I never realized that this was a career that was even a possibility. There were so many people who helped me along the way, and guided me, and I’m so grateful to all of them, and especially to my wife, Louise, who inspires me every day. Thank you so much.”
Don Burt could give his speech in the backstage:
MANK’s Thank You Cam Speech: Production Design
Mank, Two of Us, The Truffle Hunters, The Mandalorian, Motherland: Fort Salem, The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit take top honors in this year’s ceremony.
Samantha Dillard
April 19, 2021
The American Society of Cinematographers
Hosted by Turner Classic Movie’s Ben Mankiewicz, this year’s ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography celebrated spectacular imagery, masters of the craft, and the ways in which the industry has adapted in the wake of Covid-19.
One such way that was recognized, celebrated and even employed to produce the awards show was virtual production. Cinematography’s biggest night, which typically takes place in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland complex, was instead held in the virtual space on Sunday, April 18, with special live moments captured at the historic ASC Clubhouse. This marked the first time in the show’s history that it was livestreamed to a global audience.
The event kicked off with a performance from the show’s live orchestra while a reel played, showcasing the indelible cinematography captured by ASC members — as well as some of this year’s honorees and nominees. Mankiewicz and ASC Awards Chair Dana Gonzales, ASC then welcomed nominees, guests, sponsors and audience members.
[…]
The final award of the day — in the Feature Film category — was presented by filmmakers Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC and James Deakins to Erik Messerschmidt, ASC for his work on Mank. This category was sponsored by Keslow Camera. This is Messerschmidt’s first ASC nomination and win.
Ted Sarandos (Netflix Chief Content Officer), David Fincher (Director/Executive Producer), Anna Torv, Jennifer Starzyk (Costume Designer), Steve Arnold (Production Designer), Erik Messerschmidt (Director of Photography), Cameron Britton, Laray Mayfield (Casting Director), Holt McCallany, Jonathan Groff. (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)
The notoriously fastidious director discussed his process for the Netflix original series during a panel discussion Friday night.
Ben Travers
June 2, 2018
IndieWire
“Why 75 takes? Cos I’m motherf***ing David Fincher, that’s why” (Eric Charbonneau, REX/Shutterstock/IndieWire)
Gregory Ellwood
June 2, 2018
The Playlist
Fincher being “Rorschached” at the MINDHUNTER Netflix FYSee space (Eric Charbonneau, REX/Shutterstock/IndieWire)
Panel tweets and photos from 6/1/18 event
Diane Gordon (Twitter)
June 2, 2018
Wakelet
Fincher surrenders to the cuddly, adorable, and “hot” bear Cameron Britton (Eric Charbonneau, REX/Shutterstock/IndieWire)
Composite of original photos by Annie Mack (Instagram)
David Fincher (Director & Executive Producer), Laray Mayfield (Casting Director), Jennifer Starzyk (Costume Designer), Erik Messerschmidt (Director of Photography), Steve Arnold (Production Designer), Cameron Britton, Anna Torv, Holt McCallany, Jonathan Groff.
Category I: One Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Series
S1:E1 Episode 1
S1:E4 Episode 4
S1:E9 Episode 9
Steve Arnold
Production Designer
steve-arnold.com
The Fincher Analyst 