Photography by Peter Zachary, Tilt Photo
The American Cinema Editors, ACE Eddie Awards show, is the 3rd oldest awards show in Hollywood, only after the Oscars® and Golden Globes®.
This years Eddie Award for best editing, celebrated its 69th year. The black-tie ceremony, produced by Jenni F. McCormick and directed by Michal Seel, was held in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton with over 1000 in attendance. President of American Cinema Editors, Stephen Rivkin, ACE, presided over the evening’s festivities, while comedian and voice over actor (voice of “Sponge Bob”), Tom Kenny, was the evening’s host.
The American Cinema Editors (ACE) is an honorary society of motion picture editors founded in 1950. Film editors are voted into membership on the basis of their professional achievements, their dedication to the education of others and their commitment to the craft of editing.
The objectives and purposes of the American Cinema Editors are to advance the art and science of the editing profession; to increase the entertainment value of motion pictures by attaining artistic pre-eminence and scientific achievement in the creative art of editing; to bring into close alliance those editors who desire to advance the prestige and dignity of the editing profession.
In addition to the annual ACE Eddie Awards, ACE produces several annual events including EditFest (an international editing festival), and Invisible Art/Visible Artists (annual panel of Oscar® nominated editors). The organization also publishes a quarterly magazine, Cinema Editor, highlighting the art, craft and business of editing and editors.
The ACE organization is also very active in nurturing the next generation of film editors. They have a student-editing award, an Internship program, and several fellowship programs, including, Sally Menke Fellowship, Karen Schmeer Fellowship, and the Eric Zumbrunnen Fellowship. On the evening of the awards show, Eddie’s were handed out for outstanding editing in 11 categories, in film, television, and documentaries. This year, the two top prizes in feature length film, went to John Ottman, ACE, for “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Best Edited Feature Film, Dramatic), and Yorgos Mavropsaridis, ACE for “The Favourite” (Best Edited Feature Film, Comedy).
Other top winners were, Robert Fisher, Jr. for “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (Best Edited Animated Feature Film) and Bob Eisenhardt, ACE, for “Free Solo” (Best Edited Documentary, Feature).
Television winners included Kyle Reiter, for “Atlanta — Teddy Perkins” (Best Edited Comedy Series for Commercial Television), Kate Sanford, ACE, for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Simone” (Best Edited Comedy Series for Non-Commercial Television), Gary Dollner, ACE, for “Killing Eve — Nice Face” (Best Edited Drama Series for Commercial Television), Steve Singleton, for “Bodyguard — Episode 1” (Best Edited Drama Series for Non-Commercial Television), Malcolm Jamieson & Geoffrey Richman, ACE, for “Escape at Dannemora — Episode Seven” (Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television), Hunter Gross, ACE, for “Anthony Bourdain — Parts Unknown: West Virginia” (Best Edited Non-Scripted Series), and Greg Finton, ACE & Poppy Das, ACE, for “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind” (Best Edited Documentary, Non-theatrical).
The ACE Student Editing Award went to Marco Gonzales of Boston University. This year the award was named in honor of the late Anne V. Coates, ACE (“Lawrence of Arabia”). Coates’ daughter, Emma E. Hickox, ACE, presented the award to the winner.
The Career Achievement Awards honored Jerrold L. Ludwig, ACE, (who was not present), and Craig McKay, ACE. The highest honor of the evening, the Golden Eddie Award for Filmmaker of the Year, went to director Guillermo del Toro.
On hand to present awards were Octavia Spencer, who gave a very heartfelt tribute to Guillermo del Toro – he directed her in “The Shape of Water.” Spike Lee, handed out the award for Best Documentary, actor Paul Walter Hauser (“Blackkklansman”) and Tatiana Riegel, ACE, handed out best-edited film, comedy, and “Green Book” director, Peter Farrelly, presented best-edited film, dramatic.
Other presenters included, Angela Sarafyan, of “Westworld,” Jenifer Lewis, from “Blackish,” D’Arcy Carden, “The Good Place,” and from “Crazy Rich Asians,” director Jon M. Chu and actor Harry Shum Junior. Bradley Cooper was there to show support for his editor Jay Cassidy, ACE (“A Star is Born”).
It was a truly memorable evening for all the winners and their families.
There is so much to be said about film editing and the very important role it plays in filmmaking, but I will let some great directors have the last word. “I might say that everything that precedes editing is merely a way of producing film to edit. Editing is the only unique aspect of filmmaking, which does not resemble any other art form – a point so important it cannot be overstated. It can make or break a film.” Stanley Kubrick.
“Cinematography and Editing are at the very heart of our craft. They are not inherited from a theatrical tradition or a literary tradition: they are cinema itself.” Guillermo del Toro
“In the history of Cinema, masterpieces have existed without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No single film has ever existed without cinematography and without editing.” Alfonso Cuaron “I’ve always looked at the editing room as the safe haven of second chances. So if directing is an art form, then film editing, to me, is a fine art form and the final and most important stage in turning something good into something great. Editors! You are my heroes!” Steven Spielberg.
