The 2024 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards Nominations
The Gold Diggers Gang are back, honouring the cinematic achievements of the first half of 2024!! As usual, our voting body membership is malleable, shifting and adapting year-to-year. As a raison d’être, our mission statement is to group together a subset of distinct figures and voices within the world of film criticism and to highlight the finest cinematic works of the first half of 2024. Our voting body consists of film critics, film journalists, podcasters, festival programmers, film students and film professors. While selecting our panelists, we here at Gold Diggers prioritize diversity, and our panel represents a mixture of high-minded thinkers from diverse walks of life, with various tastes and identities.
This year, our voting body membership is as followed:
1. Claudio Alves, Senior Columnist / Film Critic, The Film Experience / Magazine HD, International Cinema Society
2. Alfie Amaya, Freelance Writer, High on Films
3. The Cinescape, Freelance Film Critic
4. Cameron Clark, Film Scholar , Fisk University
5. Cyrus Cohen, Freelance Film Festival Worker
6. Scott Cole, Contributor, Music City Drive-In
7. Harris Dang, Film Writer, The AU Review
8. Mat Daniel, PhD Graduate, University of Canterbury
9. Seth Eelen, Editor-In-Chief. Of into:screens
10. Victor Escobar, Associate Producer, Ancient Aliens
11. Jorge Espinoza, Film Critic, La Estatuilla
12. John Lynn Fernandez, Freelance Critic, ICS Member
13. The Film Mufti, Cinephile
14. Eduardo Gomes, Cinephile
15. Patrick Gratton, Editor-In-Chief, Gold Digger / Director’s Guild of Canada Member, Assistant Director Caucus
16. Joshua Gynther, Cinephile
17. Robert Hamer, Associated Writer, Awards Radar
18. Julian Janssen, Film Critic, Obviously Reviews
19. Ankit Jhunjhunwala, Freelance Critic.
20. Adam Klay, Cinephile
21. Shadan Larki, Writer, InSession Film
22. Ray Lewis, Cinephile
23. Kolby Mac, Podcaster, KolbyToldMe
24. Keith MacDonald, Film Student, University of Virginia
25. Kenny Miles, Writer, We Live Entertainment / Pollster, Cinemascore
26. Kip Mooney, Critic, College Movie Reviews
27. Victor Morten, Freelance Film Critic
28. Joey Moser, Writer, The Contenders
29. Tyler Roberto Ortiz, Cinephile
30. C.J. Prince, Freelance Film Critics, bylines include EDGE Media Network & The Film Stage
31. Marc Rob, Podcaster, We Should Do This Again Sometime
32. Zita Short, Film Critic, In Session Film
33. Ronaldo Sosa, Cinephile
34. Nick Taylor, Contributor, The Film Experience
35. Tomas Trussow, Creator, The Lonely Film Critic
36. Samuel Young, Historian, Goodwin & Associates
For the 2024 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards, our voting body membership spent most of their tine deliberating stranded in desert wastelands. Our nominations roster trickles down to a tête-à-tête between not one but two Zendeya vehicles, as Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers led the nominations count with 16 and 15 nominations, respectively. The second part in the Warner Brother blockbuster adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction book series, Dune: Part Two depicts the fall from grace of spiced up Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), as he and his comrades fight against the House of Harkonnen for the fate of the planet Arrakis. The sci-fi epic’s nominations include Best Feature Film, Best Direction, Best Ensemble Cast, three individual acting nominations for Javier Bardem, Austin Butler and Rebecca Fergusen. The film was also a constant fixture in the majority of our artisan categories.
Guadagnino’s Challengers follows the decade long sensual Ménage à trois romantic trials of three tennis colleagues turned lovers turned rivals turned lovers again, was another constant fixture throughout our awards. It’s 15 nominations include Best Feature Film, Best Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography and Editing. The film’s glowing reception does beg the question: do the three individual nominations for its three leads, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor and Zenedeya, and an additional Best Cast Ensemble nomination, equate to nomination overkill? Either way, Zendeya reigned supreme with a total of 4 nominations this year, Best Feature Film as one of Challenger’s producers, two Cast Ensemble Nominations for the aforementioned Challengers and Dune: Part Two, and her Best Leading Actress nomination as Tashi,
Running in third with 10 nominations is Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow, a trans 90s TV nostalgia fantasy fest following Maddy and Owen who grow up to realize that their favourite childhood television series resemble their lives. Jane Schoenbrun marks the first trans filmmaker nominated by our group in the Best Directing category. I Saw The TV Glow also landed nominations for Justice Smith in Best Leading Actor, Best Screenplay, Editing and Cinematography. Sadly, non-binary performer Brigette Lundy-Paine failed to make our ballot due to voting splitting and category confusion. Many of our voting body members placed them on their Best Leading Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress nomination ballots. Had there have a been a more coordinated effort, Lundy-Paine would have definitely been nominated.
The second summer blockbuster that’s set in a desert wasteland is George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the prequel 2015 cult action film Mad Max: Fury, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing a younger version of Charlize Theron’s Furiosa. The film received 9 nominations including Best Feature Film, Best Feature Film, Best Supporting Actor for Best Supporting Actor for Chris Hemsworth, Best Stunt Choreography, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.
Tied with 9 nominations is Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast, one of the two film adaptations of Henry James’ The Beast in the Jungle to get a US release this year. The other being, Patric Chiha’s The Beast In the Jungle. The Beast follows the ethereal and multi-generational love story of Gabrielle and Louis. Meeting as two strangers in a futuristic 2044, they are two of the few remaining human life forms. Artificial Intelligence has taken hold of culture, with humans rendered as useless and undergoing surgery to strengthen and purify their DNA. Throughout these purification sessions, Gabrielle recalls her previous lives, meeting Louis both in 1910 France and in 2014 Los Angeles. The French-Canadian co-production’s nominations include Best Feature Film, Best Direction and Best Lead Actress for Léa Seydoux.
Elsewhere, we’d like to note the class of the first feature film filmmakers of 2024. All of our five Best Directorial Debut nominees have placed in other categories: Arkashha Stevenson’s The First Omen in Best Leading Actress for Nell Tiger Free, Annie Baker’s Janet Planet in Best Supporting Actress for Sophie Okonedo and Best Acting Newcomer for Zoe Ziegler, Dev Patel’s Monkey Man was also nominated in Best Choreography. Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker got 4 additional nominations Editing, Makeup & Hairstyling, Visual Effects, Best Use of Music and Julio Torres’ Problemista got 3 additional nominations, Best Supporting Actress for Tilda Swinton, Best Screenplay and Best Production Design. A notable Best Directorial Debut snub, Thien An Pham’s Inside the Yellow Coccoon Shell managed to get nominated in Best Cinematography.
Among distributors, A24 leads the pack with 28 nominations for their films, with Warner Bros trailing with 25 and Janus Films and MGM tying for third with 16 nominations apiece.
Our winners will be announced on Friday October 4th . Our full nominations are as follows.
1. Best Feature Film:
The Beast (Janus Films / Sideshow) – Bertrand Bonello & Justin Taurand (Producers
Challengers (MGM / United Artists) – Luca Guadagnino & Rachel O’ Connor & Amy Pascal & Zendeya (Producers)
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World (MUBI) – Radu Jude & Adrian Sitaru & Ada Solomon (Producers)
Dune Part Two (Warner Bros.) – Diala Al Raie & Gergö Balika & Cale Boyter & Amanda Confavreux & Howard Ellis & Adam Goodman & Genevieve Hofmeyr & Fuad Khallid & Tanya Lapointe & Gianluca Leurini & Robbie McAree & Patrick McCormack & Mary Parent & Dennis Villeneuve (Producers)
Evil Does Not Exist (Janus Films / Sideshow) -- Satoshi Takada (Producer)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros) – George Miller & Doug Mitchell (Producers)
Hit Man (Netflix) – Jason Bateman & Mike Blizard & Michael Costigan & Richard Linklater & Glen Powell (Producers)
I Saw the TV Glow (A24) -- Ali Herting & Sam Intill & David McCary & Emma Stone & Sarah Winshall (Producers)
Kinds of Kindness (Searchlight Pictures) – Ed Guiney & Yorgos Lanthimos & Andrew Lowe & Kasia Malipan (Producers)
Love Lies Bleeding (A24) – Andrea Cornwell & Oliver Kassman (Producers)
2. Best Directing:
Bertrand Bonello, The Beast
Rose Glass, Love Lies Bleeding
Luca Guadagnino, Challengers
Jane Schoebrun, I Saw the TV Glow
Dennis Villeneuve, Dune Part Two
3. Best International Film:
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World (Romania / Luxembourg / France / Croatia) – Radu Jude & Adrian Sitaru & Ada Solomon (Producers)
Evil Does Not Exist (Japan) – Satoshi Takada (Producer)
Housekeeping for Beginners (North Macedonia / Poland / Croatia / Serbia / Kosovo) – Blerta Basholli & Marija & Dimitrova & Ankica Juric Tilic & Beata Rzeznicek (Producers)
Last Summer (France / Norway) – Saïd Ben Saïd (Producer)
Samsara (Spain) – Leire Apellaniz (Producer)
4. Best Animated Film:
Inside Out 2 – Mark Nielsen (Producer)
Kung Fu Panda 4 – Rebecca Huntley (Producer)
Mars Express – Marc Jousset & Guillaume Natas & Florent Steiner (Co-Producers)
5. Best Non-Fiction Film:
Bye Bye Tiberias – Jean-Marie Nizan (Producer)
Girls State – Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss (Producers)
I Am: Celine Dion – Julie Begey Seureau & Stacy Lorts & Tom Mackay & Irene Taylor (Producers)
Pictures of Ghosts – Emilie Lesclaux (Producer)
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus – Aiko Masubichi & Takashi Numa & Eric Nyari & Norika Sky-Sora & Albert Tholen (Producers)
6. Best Directorial Debut
The First Omen – Arkasha Stevensen (Director); David S. Goyer & Keith Levine (Producers)
Janet Planet – Annie Baker (Director-Producer); Andrew Goldman & Dan Janvey & Derrick Tseng (Producers)
Monkey Man – Dev Patel (Director - Producer); Robert Beaucage & Ian Cooper & Cristine Haebler & Basil Iwanyk & Erica Lee & Anjay Nagpal & Jordan Peele & Win Rosenfeld & Samarth Sanhi & Jamon Thomas (Producers)
The People’s Joker – Vera Drew (Director); Joey Lyons (Producer)
Problemista Julio Torres (Director-Producer); Ali Herting & David McCary & Emma Stone (Producers)
7. Best Ensemble Cast:
Challengers
Francine Maisler (Casting Director); Darnell Appling, Alex Bancila, Doria Bramante, Nada Despotovich, Bryan Doo, Mike Faist, Nahim Garcia, Hailey Gates, Jake Jensen, A.J. Lister, Josh O’Connor, Kenneth A. Osherow, James Sylva, Zendeya (Cast)
Dune Part Two
Francine Maisler (Casting Director); Javier Bardem, David Baustista, Tara Breathnach, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Imola Gáspár, Alison Halsttead, Akiko Hitomi, Giusi Merli, Babs Olusanmokun, Florence Pugh, Charlotte Rampling, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kait Tenison, Christopher Walken, Souhheila Yacoub, Roger Yuan, Zendeya (Cast)
Ghostlight
Alexis Jade Links, Mickie Pascal Jennifer Rudnicke (Casting Directors); Charin Alvarez, Lia Cubilete, Hanna Dworkin, Keith Kupferer, Dolly De Leon, Bradley Grant Smith, Francis Guinan, Antony Irons, Sarab Kamoo, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Charlie Lubeck, Tara Mallen, Tommy Rivera-Vega, Marlene Slaughter, H. B. Ward, Alma Washington, Matthew C. Yee, Dexter Zollicoffer (Cast)
Hit Man
Vicky Boone (Casting Director); Kate Adair, Garrison Allen, Austin Amelio, Adria Arjona, Bath Bartley, Gralen Bryant Banks, Molly Bernard, Murphee Bloom, Martin Bradford, Bryant Carroll, Evan Holtzman, Stephanie Hong, Jordan Joseph, Jonas Lerway, Mike Markoff, Robert Montgomery, Glen Powell, Sanja Rao, Retta, Richard Robichaux, Morgana Shaw, KC Simms (Cast)
Kinds of Kindness
Dixie Chassey (Casting Director); Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Tessa Bourgeois, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Ja’Quan Monroe-Henderson, Jesse Plemmons, Margaret Qualley, Yorgos Stefanakos, Hunter Schafer, Emma Stone (Cast)
8. Best Leading Actress:
Léa Drucker, Last Summer
Nell Tiger Free, The First Omen
Ilinca Manolache, Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
Léa Seydoux, The Beast
Zendaya, Challengers
9. Best Leading Actor:
Keith Kupferer, Ghostlight
Josh O’Connor, Challengers
Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness
Glen Powell, Hit Man
Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow
10. Best Supporting Actress:
Adria Arjona, Hit Man
Rebecca Ferguson, Dune, Part Two
Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding
Sophie Okonedo, Janet Planet
Tilda Swinton, Problemista
11. Best Supporting Actor *** TIE ***
Javier Bardem,Dune: Part Two
Austin Butler, Dune: Part Two
Mike Faist, Challengers
Ed Harris, Love Lies Bleeding
Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Jesse Plemons, Civil War
12. Best Acting Newcomer
Pierette Abode, Mambar Pierette
Alyla Browne, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Samuel Kirchner, Last Summer
Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding
Zoe Ziegler, Janet Planet
13. Best Choreography (Stunts, Dance or Other):
Challengers – John Vincent Mason (Stunt Coordinators); Brad Gilbert & Kim Gilbert (Tennis Advisors); Mam Smith (Intimacy Coordinator)
Dune Part Two – Joseph Baddelem & Henry King Jr. & Domonkos Pardanyi (Stunt Coordinators); Roger Yuan (Stunt Coordinators - Fight Coordinator); Vi-Dan Tran (Fight Coordinator); Jenefer Odell (Intimacy Coordinator); Benjamin Millepied (Sandwalk Choreographer)
The Fall Guy – Keir Beck (Stunt Coordinator); Jonathan Eusebio & Sunny Sun (Fight Coordinators); Caroline Kaspar (Intimacy Coordinator);
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Guy Norris & Mark Teale & Tim Wong (Stunt Coordinators); Yasca Sinigaglia & Jacob Tomuri Karl Van Moorsel (Stunt Sequence Coordinators); Richard Norton (Fight Choreographer- Fight Coordinator); Caroline Kaspar (Intimacy Coordinator);
Monkey Man – Udeh Nans (Stunt Coordinator); Brahim Chab (Fight Choreographer);
14. Best Screenplay:
Bertrand Bonello, The Beast, adapted from the short story The Beast In the Jungle by Henry James
Jane Shoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow
Radu Jude, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
Justin Kuritzkes, Challengers
Julio Torres, Problemista
15. Best Cinematography
Josée Deshaies, The Beast
Đinh Duy Hung, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
Creig Fraser, Dune Part Two
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Challengers
Eric Yue, I Saw the TV Glow
16. Best Editing:
Marco Costa, Challengers
Catalin Cristutiu, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
Vera Drew, The People’s Joker
Sofi Marshall, I Saw The TV Glow
Joe Walker, Dune Part Two
17. Best Production Design
The Beast – Katia Wyszkop (Production Designer); Sophie Martel & Florence Allerie (Set Dressers);
Dune Part Twoc – Patrice Vermette (Production Designers); Zsuzsanna Sipos & Shane Vieau (Set Decorators);
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Colin Gibson (Production Designer); Katie Sharrock (Set Decorator);
I Saw the TV Glow – Brandon Tonner-Connolly (Production Designer); Paige Mitchell (Set Decorator);
Problemista – Katie Byron (Production Designer); Kendall Anderson (Set Decorator)
18. Best Costume Design:
Jenny Beavan, Furisoa: A Mad Max Saga
Pauline Jacquard, The Beast
Megan McLaughlin, Lisa Frankenstein
Michael O’Connor, Firebrand
Jacqueline West, Dune Part Two
19. Best Makeup & Hairstyling:
The Beast – Maïna Militza (Makeup Designer); Miguel Santos (Hair Designer)
Dune: Part 2 – Love Larson & Eva Von Bahir (Prosthetics Designers); Megan Norris (Key Hairstylist); Ruth Haney (Key Makeup Artists); Kata Huszár (Crowd Hair & Makeup Supervisor)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Matteo Silvi & Luca Vannella (Personal Hair & Makeup Designers for C. Hemsworth); Larry Van Duynhoven (Prosthetics Designer); Lesley Vanderwalt (Hair & Makeup Designer)
Love Lies Bleeding – Megan Daum (Hair Department Head); Bryan Perkal (Special Makeup Effects Artists); Frieda Valenzuela (Makeup Department Head)
The People’s Joker –Jake Bennett (Prosthetics); Lane Friedmann (Wig Stylist);
20. Best Visual Effects:
Challengers – Dan Crayer & Brian Drewes & Marco Geracinato & Don Libby & Riaz Patel (Visual Effects Supervisors); John Ruggiere (Special Effects Supervisor)
Dune: Part Two – Arnaud Brisebois & Michael Grobe & Stephen James & Rhys Salcombe (Visual Effects Supervisors); Franco Galiano & Gerd Nefzer (Special Effects Supervisors)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Xavier Matia Bernasconi & Dan Bethell & Andrew Jackson & Stephen James & Giacomo Mineo & Jo Plaete Josh Simmonds & Guido Wolter (Visual Effects Supervisors); Lloyd Finnemore & Andy Williams (Special Effects Supervisors); Jabin Dickens (On-Set Special Effects Supervisor: Action Unit)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – Art Bagdasaryan & Mark Gee & Sean Noel Walker & Erik Winquist (Visual Effects Supervisors); Rodney Burke (Special Effects Supervisor)
The People’s Joker – Jake Myers & Jasperi Wirtanen (Special Effects Supervisors)
21. Best Sound Mixing:
Challengers -- Craig Berkey & Paul Carter (Re-recording Mixers)
Civil War -- Howard Bargroff & Adam Scrivener & Mark Timms (Re-recording Mixers)
Dune Part 2 – Doug Hemphill (Re-recording Mixer)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga -- James Ashton & Tom Holkenborg & Robert Mackenzie & Jessica Meier & (Re-recording Mixers)
I Saw the TV Glow -- Daniel Timmons (Re-recording Mixer)
22. Best Sound Editing:
Challengers – Craig Berkey (Supervising Sound Editor)
Civil War – Glenn Freemantle (Supervising Sound Editor)
Dune Part Two -- Richard King (Supervising Sound Editor)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga -- Tom Heuzenroeder & Tara Webb (Sound Effects Editors)
Love Lies Bleeding -- Paul Davies (Supervising Sound Designer)
23. Best Original Score:
Anna Bonello & Bertrand Bonello, The Beast
Alex G, I Saw the TV Glow
Eiko Ishibashi, Evil Does Not Exist
Hans Zimmer, Dune Part Two
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Challengers
24. Best Use of Music
Challengers -- Robin Urdang (Music Supervisor)
The Fall Guy -- -- Rachel Levy (Music Supervisor)
I Saw the TV Glow – Jessica Berndt & Chris Swanson (Music Supervisors); Haley Dahl & Caroline Polachek & A.G. Cook & Emily Spraque (Songwriters)
Love Lies Bleeding --- Simon Astall (Music Supervisor)
The People’s Joker – Vera Dake & Elias Gowins & Justin Krol & Quinn Scharber & Jeff Shirley (Songwriters)
Nomination Summary:
Per Film:
Dune Part Two – 16
Challengers -- 15
I Saw the TV Glow – 10
The Beast – 9
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – 9
Love Lies Bleeding -- 8
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World – 5
The People’s Joker – 5
Hit Man -- 4
Problemista – 4
Civil War -- 3
Evil Does Not Exist –3
Janet Planet -- 3
Kinds of Kindness -- 3
Last Summer -- 3
The Fall Guy – 2
The First Omen – 2
Ghostlight – 2
Monkey Man -- 2
Bye Bye Tiberias – 1
Firebrand – 1
Girls State – 1
Housekeeping for Beginners – 1
I Am: Celine Dion -- 1
Inside Out 2 – 1
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell – 1
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – 1
Kung Fu Panda 4 – 1
Lisa Frankenstein – 1
Mambar Pierette – 1
Mars Express – 1
Pictures of Ghosts – 1
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus – 1
Samsara – 1
Per Studio
A24 – 28
Warner Bros. – 25
Janus Films – 16
MGM – 16
Sideshow – 15
United Artists – 15
Altered Innocence – 5
MUBI -- 5
Universal Pictures – 5
Netflix—4
20th Century Studios – 3
Searchlight Pictures – 3
Focus Features – 2
IFC Films – 2
Apple Original Films – 1
Bendita Films -- 1
GKIDS – 1
Grasshopper Films—1
Icarus Films – 1
Kino Lober -- 1
Pixar – 1
Roadside Attractions – 1
Walt Disney Pictures – 1
Women Make Movies – 1
By Country:
USA – 94
Canada – 33
France – 21
Italy -- 18
Hungary – 16
United Arab Emirates – 16
UK -- 15
Australia -- 12
Croatia -- 5
Japan --5
Luxembourg -- 5
Romania -- 5
Greece – 3
Ireland – 3
Norway – 3
Serbia --3
Singapore – 3
Belgium –2
India – 2
Poland -- 2
Spain – 2
Brazil – 1
Cameroon – 1
China -- 1
North Macedonian -- 1
Palestine --1
Quatar -- 1
Vietnam – 1
