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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 10 February 2020
'The Farewell,' Adam Sandler triumph at Spirit Awards

By JAKE COYLE and "Birdman" — have best personality, an honor
AP Film Writer often lined up. Yet more he compared to his Spirit
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (As- so than in years, the Spirit Award. "As I look around
sociated Press) — At a Film Awards hardly overlapped this room, I realize the Inde-
Independent Spirit Awards with the Oscars this time pendent Film Spirit Awards
that often stood in stark around. "The Farewell" was are the Best Personality
contrast to Sunday's Acad- shutout by the film acade- Awards," Sandler joked. Re-
emy Awards, Lulu Wang's my, which instead heaped ferring to the Oscar nomi-
family drama "The Fare- nominations on bigger- nees he said, "Their hand-
well" took the top prize, budget epics including some good looks will fade
while Adam Sandler and "1917," "Once Upon a Time in time, while our indepen-
the Safdie brothers' "Uncut ... in Hollywood" and "The dent personalities will shine
Gems" also landed awards. Irishman." The Spirits, the on forever."
The win Saturday for "The premier awards ceremony Only one Oscar favorite
Farewell" was a surprise, for indie film, cap nominees among the actors was also
but also a fitting finale to a at a budget of $22.5 million. competing at the Spirits:
Spirit Awards that exalted "The Farewell" also won best Renee Zellweger. She won
female filmmakers and put supporting performance for her performance in From left, Peter Saraf, Daniele Melia, Lulu Wang, Andrew Miano,
forth a far more diverse by a female actor for Zhao the Judy Garland drama Eddie Rubin, Anita Gou pose in the press room with the award for
field of nominees than the Shuzhen, the grandmother "Judy." "Cheers to you from best feature for "The Farewell" at the 35th Film Independent Spirit
film academy. Wang ref- ("Nai Nai") in the film. Many the beach, Ms. Garland," Awards on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif.
erenced the conversation expected the award to Zellweger said. Associated Press
around the dearth of fe- go to Jennifer Lopez ("Hus- And just one movie up for the afternoon, Baumbach supporting performance
male filmmaker nominated tlers"). Wang said Shuzhen, best picture on Sunday was dismissed the idea that in- by a female actor were
by the Academy Awards in a Chinese actress, couldn't nominated for the Spirit dependent film and the women of color.
her speech. attend the show because Awards' top prize: Noah Spirit Awards are "the minor While the Academy
"You don't have to encour- of coronavirus travel restric- Baumbach's "Marriage leagues." "To me the mov- Awards have been criti-
age women. There are lots tions. The boutique studio Story." It won for Baub- ies we're celebrating here cized for again nominating
of women making films, A24 dominated the Spirits, mach's screenplay and today, they are the mov- an all-male field of direct-
in film school," said Wang. winning trophies for "The was awarded the Spirits' ies," said Baumbach. "They ing nominees, Alma Har'el
"What women need is just Farewell," "Uncut Gems" ensemble award, dubbed are as major as anything." ("Honey Boy") and Lorene
the job. Give them the and "The Lighthouse." "Un- the Robert Altman Award. While this year's Oscars Scafaria ("Hustlers") were
freaking job!" The Spir- cut Gems" led all films Baumbach thanked "Para- only feature one acting both among the Spirits'
its, held in an ocean-side with three awards, includ- site" director Bong Joon Ho nominee of color, the Spir- nominees for best director.
tent on the Santa Monica, ing best performance by — the category's expected its nominees — including Olivia Wilde won best first
California, beach the day a male actor for Sandler, co-winner on Sunday — for nominations for Alfre Wo- feature for her high-school
before the Oscars, often best director for Josh and not being nominated for odard ("Clemency"), Octa- comedy "Booksmart." A re-
diverges greatly in tone Ben Safdie, and best edit- best screenplay. (Though a via Spencer ("Luce"), Taylor cently created grant for
from the weekend's oth- ing. Sandler, who received favorite for top awards on Russell ("Waves") and Jona- mid-career female film-
er, more formally attired a standing ovation, com- Sunday, "Parasite" won a than Majors ("The Last Black makers dubbed the Bon-
award show across town. pared his Oscar "snub" to single award at the Spirits, Man in San Francisco") — nie Award was also given
But the winners — includ- losing best looking in high for best international film.) were notably more diverse. to Kelly Reichardt ("Wendy
ing "Moonlight," "Spotlight" school. But he did win In his second speech of All of the nominees for best and Lucy," "First Cow").q

Virus blocks 3 Chinese brands from Milan Fashion Week

By COLLEEN BARRY el period is being sorely felt other fashion industry insid-
Associated Press Fashion in Milan's MonteNapoleone ers also will be absent.
Writer MILAN (Asscociated District of luxury boutiques, The fashion chamber will
Press) — Italian fashion of- where 48 brands have cre- express its solidarity with
ficials on Tuesday forecast ated capsule collections it partners in China with
a nearly 2% drop in first- dedicated to the Year of a digital event, showcas-
half revenues due to the the Rat in anticipation of ing eight Chinese design-
virus emerging from Chi- the usual influx of Chinese ers over video with runway
na, which also is prevent- tourists. shows, backstage peeks
ing three Chinese fashion A drop in big-spending Chi- and interviews. The initia-
houses from traveling to Mi- nese tourists along with the tive, titled ''China, we are
lan Fashion Week later this negative impact on luxury with you,'' will open with a
month. sales in China, where Italian runway show of a Chinese
Chinese consumers are brands have a strong retail designer whose production
the biggest luxury spend- presence, are expected to Dummies are displayed in a fashion shop at the Montenapoleone is mostly in Europe and the
ers in the world, including in decrease first-half revenues shopping district, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. United States, so is unaf-
Italy, where they represent in the Italian luxury indus- Associated Press fected by the virus, Capa-
35% of big-ticket spenders, try by 1.8%. That will in turn "Everyone hoped that we virus, the Chinese fashion sa said. The identity of the
more than Russians, Arabs put a drag on projections would grow this year, but houses Angela Chen, Rico- fashion house was being
and Americans combined, of 3% revenue growth in instead we have this ter- stru and Hui had to cancel kept secret.
according to a 2019 study 2020 over the 90 billion eu- rible setback,'' Capasa said their runway turns during ''We want to confront this
by Global Blue, a tourism ros ($99 billion) posted last Tuesday. ''We hope that Milan Fashion Week, which emergency with a positive
shopping tax refund com- yea r, according to Italian they find a solution and runs from Feb. 18-24, while message, trying to keep ties
pany. Their absence during National Fashion Chamber there is a relaunch.'' an estimated 1,000 Chi- very open with our Chinese
the Chinese New Year trav- president Carlo Capasa. Also due to the corona- nese journalists, buyers and partners,'' Capasa said. q