{"id":516873,"date":"2022-11-27T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-27T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/gotham-awards-focus-execs-on-how-new-york-shaped-their-artist-first-storytelling-approach\/"},"modified":"2022-11-27T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-11-27T17:00:00","slug":"gotham-awards-focus-execs-on-how-new-york-shaped-their-artist-first-storytelling-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gotham-awards-focus-execs-on-how-new-york-shaped-their-artist-first-storytelling-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"#Gotham Awards: Focus Execs on How New York Shaped Their Artist-First Storytelling Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a401c969129f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a401c969129f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gotham-awards-focus-execs-on-how-new-york-shaped-their-artist-first-storytelling-approach\/#Gotham_Awards_Focus_Execs_on_How_New_York_Shaped_Their_Artist-First_Storytelling_Approach\" >Gotham Awards: Focus Execs on How New York Shaped Their Artist-First Storytelling Approach<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gotham_Awards_Focus_Execs_on_How_New_York_Shaped_Their_Artist-First_Storytelling_Approach\"><\/span>Gotham Awards: Focus Execs on How New York Shaped Their Artist-First Storytelling Approach<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski and vice chairman Jason Cassidy have spent decades in the film industry. Several of their formative years were in New York, and now, as their company celebrates its 20th anniversary, the execs \u2014 now based in L.A. \u2014 are being honored with an industry tribute by the Gotham Awards. It comes as the studio\u2019s drama <em>T\u00e1r<\/em> leads the event\u2019s nominations (with five nods, including for best feature).<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    Ahead of the ceremony, Kujawski and Cassidy spoke to <em>THR<\/em> about how their time in NYC shaped their <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach to film and why Focus has endured.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>What does it mean to be honored by the Gotham Awards?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>PETER KUJAWSKI<\/strong> We both came up in the New York film business, and this is an incredibly meaningful community to us. This award maybe has our individual names on it but has much more to do with Focus as a whole.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>JASON CASSIDY<\/strong> Many of the folks who have won this award before are such big parts of the business, it\u2019s gratifying being part of that conversation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>What role did the city have in your careers?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>KUJAWSKI<\/strong> New York is where I found my passions, and my first mentor in James Schamus. In the early days of Focus, as a New York-based company, I think it was fueled by that energy and ethos that is always present in New York. That still fuels what we do \u2014 that sense of possibility, energy and being a little bit separate from the day-to-day of the Hollywood film business \u2014 into something that is driven by that kind of artist-first point of view.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>CASSIDY<\/strong> It\u2019s such a vibrant city that you feel like you\u2019re part of bold ideas, fresh voices, new perspectives. Certainly the independent film scene was very much reflective of that, so it really opens your eyes to the possibilities of what cinema can be.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   size-large alignnone lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:1000px;\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((500\/1000)*100%);\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Print-Issue-35-bob_gotham-Tar-Publicity-EMBED-2022.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"T\u00e1r\u2019s Cate Blanchett;\" srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"500\" width=\"1000\" decoding=\"\"\/><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-padding-tb-025\"><span class=\"a-font-secondary-s lrv-u-margin-r-025\"><em>T\u00e1r<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>                                    <cite class=\"a-font-accent-uppercase-xs lrv-u-color-grey-dark\">Courtesy of Focus Features<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong><em>T\u00e1r<\/em>, starring Cate Blanchett, is the most nominated film at the Gotham Awards, and the studio\u2019s coming-of-age drama <em>Armageddon Time<\/em> is also nominated.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>CASSIDY<\/strong> Those are just two great <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">movies<\/a> from two very unique filmmakers, which is exactly the reason why we\u2019re in this business.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>KUJAWSKI<\/strong> Both films, in their own ways, are actively looking at power structures of the modern world and asking audiences to think about and discuss that, and that\u2019s always an ethos that we care a ton about, which is getting a cultural conversation going.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure   size-large alignnone lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:1000px;\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<div class=\"lrv-a-crop-16x9\" style=\"padding-bottom:calc((650\/1000)*100%);\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Print-Issue-35-bob_gotham-Armageddon-Time-Publicity-EMBED-2022.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Banks Repeta (left) and Anthony Hopkins in Armageddon Time.\" srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"650\" width=\"1000\" decoding=\"\"\/><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-padding-tb-025\"><span class=\"a-font-secondary-s lrv-u-margin-r-025\"><em>Armageddon Time<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>                                    <cite class=\"a-font-accent-uppercase-xs lrv-u-color-grey-dark\">Courtesy of Anne Joyce\/Focus Features<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>How did the pandemic, during which Focus had some success with premium video on demand, inform your thinking about the streaming vs. theatrical debate?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>CASSIDY<\/strong> It\u2019s about getting people out talking about movies in the world. Getting audiences in theaters is the best way to do that, but at the same time, bringing in PVOD, you\u2019re able to give the consumer choices. If they can\u2019t make it to the theater, they can see it later, and that\u2019s been a robust part of the business for us.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>Focus is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.focusfeatures.com\/20\">celebrating its 20th anniversary this year<\/a>. In that time, we\u2019ve seen specialty film companies come and go. Why do you think the studio has endured?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <strong>KUJAWSKI<\/strong> We know and are grateful that we\u2019re part of an amazing, larger company. The level of support and encouragement that we get from [Universal chairman] Donna Langley to take bold bets on filmmakers who are saying something meaningful, different and unique, that\u2019s just good fortune. If you\u2019re willing to take a swing on the kind of story that feels like something you\u2019ve never seen onscreen before, the kind of point of view that pushes boundaries and asks more questions than gives answers, there\u2019s an audience who wants those movies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <em>Interview edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n    <em>This story first appeared in the Nov. 21 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.hollywoodreporter.com\/sub\/?p=THR&amp;f=saleb_2&amp;s=IH2205THRS\">Click here to subscribe<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" class=\"optanon-category-C0004\">\n!function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) {\nif (f.fbq) return;\nn = f.fbq = function() {n.callMethod ? n.callMethod.apply(n, arguments) : n.queue.push(arguments);};\nif (!f._fbq) f._fbq = n;\nn.push = n;\nn.loaded = !0;\nn.version = '2.0';\nn.queue = [];\nt = b.createElement(e);\nt.async = !0;\nt.src = v;\ns = b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\ns.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s);\n}(window, document, 'script', 'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\nfbq('init', '352999048212581');\nfbq('track', 'PageView');\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Several of their formative years were in New York, and now, as their company celebrates its 20th anniversary, the execs \u2014 now based in L.A&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":516874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Print-Issue-35-bob_gotham-Kujawski-Cassidy-GettyImages-1384687127-H-2022.jpg?w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[5519,34096,113817,136295],"class_list":["post-516873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa","tag-awards","tag-focus-features","tag-gotham-awards","tag-peter-kujawski"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=516873"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516873\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/516874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=516873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=516873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=516873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}