Photo: Bill Mechanic, Teresa Palmer, Mel Gibson and Andrew Garfiled
ACCORDING TO SCREENDAILY:
http://m.screendaily.com/5112483.article
The Hacksaw Ridge filmmaker has been named Director Of The Year at the Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival.
Hacksaw Ridge producer Bill Mechanic was in Italy to accept the honour on behalf of Gibson. Mechanic himself received the festival’s Producer Of The Year accolade for his work on the film.
The $40m film is riding high on critical acclaim and has grossed a rousing $100m-plus at the global box office.
Andrew Garfield stars as Desmond Doss, the Seventh-Day Adventist who served as a medic in the brutal Battle of Okinawa during World War II and became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal Of Honor.
Hacksaw Ridge will open in Italy on February 9 through Leone Film Group and Eagle Pictures. IM Global handled international sales and Lionsgate distributes in the US.
ACCORDING TO VARIETY:
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/mel-gibson-director-award-hacksaw-ridge-capri-1201949641/
Mel Gibson has been awarded the Director of the Year honor for World War II drama “Hacksaw Ridge” at the 21st edition of the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival.
Bill Mechanic, one of the film’s producers, accepted the award on Gibson’s behalf. Mechanic has already been honored with the festival’s Producer of the Year award for the movie.
“Hacksaw Ridge” tells the story of Desmond Doss, played by Andrew Garfield, who was a conscientious objector for religious reasons and saved 75 lives in the Battle of Okinawa without firing a single shot. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
“Hacksaw Ridge” premiered at the Venice Film Festival and has grossed $64 million domestically and $40 million internationally since opening in November.
“It took me 15 years to make this movie,” Mechanic said on receiving the award at the Anacapri Cinema Paradiso stage. “Mel will be very happy to receive this award. I always thought he was perfect for this film, but he only accepted the ask on my third request! It was very important to make this movie.”
It’s Gibson’s first directing job since 2006’s “Apocalypto.” His other directing credits are “The Man Without a Face,” “Braveheart” and “The Passion of the Christ.”
“Hacksaw Ridge” will be screened in Italian cinemas beginning Feb. 7 through the Leone Film Group and Eagles Pictures.
ACCORDING TO THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER:
‘Hacksaw Ridge’ producer Bill Mechanic accepted the award on his behalf.
Mel Gibson was named Director of the Year at the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival for Hacksaw Ridge. Bill Mechanic, who was honored as Producer of the Year for the film, accepted the award on Gibson’s behalf on the Italian island off the coast of Naples.
Hacksaw Ridge stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to ever win the Congressional Medal of Honor. Doss saved the lives of 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa during WWII, without having fired a single shot.
The film has been praised widely, racking up multiple Golden Globe and SAG award nominations, and is considered a frontrunner for the Academy Awards. Gibson also won Director of the Year from the Hollywood Film Awards. The Capri, Hollywood festival, held over the New Year, generally is considered to be a key campaign stop on the road to the Oscars.
“It took me 15 years to make this movie,” said Mechanic on the Anacapri cinema Paradiso stage upon accepting the awards. “Mel will be very happy to receive this award. I always thought he was perfect for this movie, but he only accepted the ask on my third request! It was very important to make this movie. As [Israeli singer] Noa, the president of this festival’s edition, said in her speech, ‘Art is more important than ever in this crazy world governed by intolerance. In this work there are open-minded attitudes and values that Hollywood movies often lack.'”
Hacksaw Ridge had its world premiere in Venice earlier this year. After a preview screening in Capri, the film will open in Italy on Feb. 9, distributed by Leone Film Group and Eagle Pictures.
The 21st edition of Capri, Hollywood concludes Jan. 2, when all award winners will be announced.
ACCORDING TO DEADLINE:
The Capri Hollywood International Film Festival is honoring Mel Gibson with its Director Of The Year Award, in recognition of his pacifist WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge. Producer Bill Mechanic, who was already named by the festival as its Producer Of The Year, is accepting the prize on Gibson’s behalf. Hacksaw had its world premiere to great acclaim at the Venice Film Festival this past September and has become a force during awards season.
The story of real-life conscientious objector Desmond T Doss (Andrew Garfield), who saved the lives of 75 men during the battle of Okinawa without ever carrying a gun, the movie crossed the $100M mark at the global box office in mid-December. It is also experiencing a very strong run in China where it’s at nearly $50M through this past weekend.
Among its accolades, Hacksaw won the AFI Movie of the Year Award; swept the Australian Film Academy’s prizes this month; has three Golden Globe nominations and two SAG noms.
Mechanic says, “It took me 15 years to make this movie. Mel will be very happy to receive this award. I always thought he was perfect for this movie, but he only accepted the ask on my third request! It was very important to make this movie.”
The son of one of Doss’ fellow veterans of Okinawa recently shared this tribute to the film with Deadline.
The film screens in Capri, which is currently running, and releases in Italy on February 9 via Leone Film Group and Eagles Pictures.
Lionsgate has the film domestically. Principal financiers were Cross Creek, Demarest Films and IM Global. Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight wrote the script.
Capri (Italy), 29 December 2016 – Mel Gibson has been awarded the ‘Director of the Year’ award for Hacksaw Ridge at the 21st edition of Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival.
Bill Mechanic, one of the film’s producers, will accept the award on his behalf, having already been awarded ‘Producer of the Year’ for the movie.
The film recounts the story of an American World War II hero, played by Andrew Garfield (Capri, Hollywood’s 2010 ‘Breakout Actor of the Year’), who saved 75 lives in the Okinawa battle without firing a single shot.
Hacksaw Ridge has already received several Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations and is one of the front runners for the Academy Awards.
“It took me 15 years to make this movie,” said Mechanic on the Anacapri cinema Paradiso stage. “Mel will be very happy to receive this award. I always thought he was perfect for this movie, but he only accepted the ask on my third request! It was very important to make this movie. As Noa, the president of this festival’s edition, said in her speech, ‘Art is more important than ever in this crazy world governed by intolerance. In this work there are open minded attitudes and values that Hollywood movies often lack.'”
The movie will premiere in Capri and be screened in Italian cinemas starting on 9 February 2017 (distributed by Leone Film Group and Eagles Picture).
Through his company, Pandemonium Films, Mechanic has been producing high quality motion pictures with some of the world’s best directors. These include Henry Sellick (the Oscar-nominated “Coraline”), Terrence Malick (“The New World”) and Walter Salles (“Dark Water”). He has forthcoming projects with Paul Verhoeven, David Fincher, John Woo, Gregor Jordan and Ben Lewin. He co-produced the multi-Emmy nominated 82nd Academy Awards with Adam Shankman and currently serves on the Academy ‘s Board of Governors.
Prior to Pandemonium, Mechanic was chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment for seven years. During his tenure at Fox the studio produced six of the top ten grossing movies of all time including “Die Hard With A Vengeance,” “Independence Day” and “Titanic,” and earned 42 Academy Award nominations and two Best Picture Oscars (“Braveheart” and “Titanic”).
The 21st edition of Capri, Hollywood, featuring exclusive international premieres and film reviews, is chaired by Oscar-winning screenwriter Barry Morrow, with the Israeli singer Noa as president and will be dedicated to the subject of “mercy,” and will pay tribute to the iconic Italian producer Dino de Laurentiis.
The festival is organized by the Institute Capri in the World and it is backed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, and of the Campania Region (Department of Tourism and Cultural Heritage).
ACCORDING TO THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER:
The film, billed as Mel Gibson’s comeback, returns to Italy after its world premiere to pick up an award for the man who put it all together.
Industry veteran Bill Mechanic will be feted at the Capri Hollywood Film Festival this year, along with a screening of his latest film, Hacksaw Ridge.
Directed by Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest honor in the U.S. military. The film stars Andrew Garfield, who was honored in 2007 with Capri’s breakout actor of the year, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn and Teresa Palmer. Andrew Knight and Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Schenkkan penned the script.
Hacksaw Ridge had a unanimously positive premiere at Venice Film Fest before debuting stateside in November. The film was over 15 years in the making, going through multiple writers and studios before Mechanic found his winning team.
Actor Franco Nero will present Mechanic with the award on Dec. 30 at the island fest, followed by a screening of the film. The festival, which takes place over the New Year, is considered a key event leading up to the Academy Awards.
“There is no one more deserving than Bill Mechanic to be named our producer of the year,” said festival director Pascal Vicedomini. “His unrelenting 15-year journey in bringing Hacksaw Ridge to the screen has paid off big time thanks to the directorial genius of Mel Gibson and stellar performances by an amazing ensemble cast. We are thrilled to be both honoring Bill and showing this wonderful film at Capri Hollywood.”
“I am appreciative of the honor being afforded me by Pascal and his colleagues at the Capri in the World Institute. But to me, its the film, Hacksaw Ridge, and the amazing team that helped me bring it to the screen, that deserves the kudos,” said Mechanic in a statement. “While I wish it hadn’t taken so long to make, this film needed Mel Gibson’s genius and Andrew Garfield’s stunning performance to truly bring the story to life.”
Mechanic’s other producing credits include Henry Sellick’s Oscar-nominated Coraline, Terrence Malick’s The New World and Walter Salles’ Dark Water. His upcoming slate with company Pandemonium Films includes projects with Paul Verhoeven, David Fincher, John Woo, Gregor Jordan and Ben Lewin.
Mechanic was previously chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment for seven years, when the studio earned 42 Academy Award nominations and two best picture Oscars for Braveheart and Titanic.
Prior honorees of the Capri Hollywood producer of the year award include Jim Gianopulos, Thomas Langmann, Lawrence Bender, Harvey Weinstein, Mark Canton and Andrea and Raffaella Leone.
The 21st edition of Capri Hollywood takes place Dec. 26, 2016 to Jan. 2. 2017. Other honorees this year include Stephen Frears as European director of the year, Gianfranco Rosi’s Fire at Sea as European movie of the year, and a special tribute to producer Dino de Laurentiis.
ACCORDING TO FILMFESTIVALS.COM:
His Latest Film, ‘Hacksaw Ridge,’ To Screen At Fest On December 30th
Hugely successful industry veteran and independent producer Bill Mechanic has been selected by the board of the Capri in the World Institute to receive the ‘Producer of the Year’ Award at the 2016 edition of Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival, it was announced here today by the Institute’s Honorary President Lina Wertmuller and its Secretary General Pascal Vicedomini. Mechanic’s award will be presented by iconic Italian actor Franco Nero following the December 30th screening of the entrepreneur’s latest film, “Hacksaw Ridge,” directed by Mel Gibson and starring Andrew Garfield, who was previously honored in Capri as 2007 Breakout Actor of the year, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn, Luke Bracey and Teresa Palmer.
Prior winners of the Capri ‘Producer of the Year’ Award include Jim Gianopulos, Harvey Weinstein, Thamas Langman, Lawrence Bender, Mark Canton and Andrea and Raffaella Leone.
“There is no one more deserving than Bill Mechanic to be named our ‘Producer of the Year’,” said Vicedomini in making the announcement. “His unrelenting 15 year journey in bringing ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ to the screen has paid off big-time thanks to the directorial genius of Mel Gibson and stellar performances by an amazing ensemble cast. We are thrilled to be both honoring Bill and showing this wonderful film at Capri, Hollywood.”
Mechanic added: “I am appreciative of the honor being afforded me by Pascal and his colleagues at the Capri in the World Institute. But to me, its the film, ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ and the amazing team that helped me bring it to the screen that deserves the kudos. While I wish it hadn’t taken so long to make, this film needed Mel Gibson’s genius and Andrew Garfield’s stunning performance to truly bring the story to life.
Through his company, Pandemonium Films, Mechanic has been producing high quality motion pictures with some of the world’s best directors. These include Henry Sellick (the Oscar-nominated “Coraline”), Terence Malick (“The New World”) and Walter Salles (“Dark Water”). He has upcoming projects with Paul Verhoeven, David Fincher, John Woo, Gregor Jordan and Ben Lewin. He co-produced the multi-Emmy nominated 82nd Academy Awards with Adam Shankman and currently serves on the Academy ‘s Board of Governors.
Prior to Pandemonium Mechanic was chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment for seven years. During his tenure at Fox the studio produced six of the top ten grossing movies of all time including “Die Hard With A Vengeance,” “Independence Day” and “Titanic,” and earned 42 Academy Award nominations and two Best Picture Oscars (“Braveheart” and “Titanic”).
The 21st edition of Capri, Hollywood, featuring exclusive international premieres and film reviews, is chaired by Oscar-winning screenwriter Barry Morrow, with the Israeli singer Noa as president and will be dedicated to the subject of “mercy,” including a film contest (Cinema For Mercy) for directors under 35. As previously announced, the festival will honor UK helmer Stephen Frears as ‘European Director of the Year’, Gianfranco Rosi’s movie “Fire at Sea” (Italy’s Best Foreign Language Film entry in the Oscar’s) as ‘European Movie of the Year’ and will pay a tribute to the iconic Italian producer Dino de Laurentiis.
The Festival is organized by the Institute Capri in the World and it is backed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, and of the Campania Region (Department of Tourism and Cultural Heritage).
ACCORDING TO ANSA:
NAPOLI, 20 NOV – Sara’ Bill Mechanic, una icona della produzione cinematografica americana (42 nomination e 2 Oscar) e artefice dell’ultimo kolossal di Mel Gibson ‘Hacksaw Ridge’, a ricevere il ”Capri Award – Produttore dell’Anno” il 30 dicembre al termine della proiezione speciale del film in corsa per gli Oscar 2017 (in uscita in Italia a febbraio 2017 con Leone Film Group e Eagles Picture). L’opera dedicata ad un eroe della II guerra mondiale interpretato da Andrew Garfield (già ”Capri- Hollywood 2010” – Breakout Actor) e’ la storia vera di Desmond Doss, l’obiettore di coscienza che senza sparare un colpo salvò 75 uomini nella battaglia di Okinawa.
