While Angelenos may not
have noticed that the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Festival came and
went from October 17-21, 2013, the world will certainly sit up and take notice
of the corresponding Hollywood Film Awards, handed out on Monday, October 21 at
the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
That’s because somehow,
someway, festival director Carlos de Abreu has positioned that gala as “the
first mandatory stop in the awards season,” and everyone decided to believe
him. And we mean everyone. It doesn’t matter that the winners know ahead
of time that they will take home a trophy; in fact, as “August: Osage County”
star and Best Supporting Actress winner Julia Roberts pointed out, “knowing I
won is the reason my husband is here with me tonight!”
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| Actress Julia Roberts kept those offending shoes on for this photo op. (Photo courtesy HFA2013, Jason Kempin/Getty Images) |
Roberts was something of
a fashion victim, as the bright red Rupert Sanderson spiked-heel pumps she
chose to go with her Elie Saab cocktail dress failed her. She pattered out onto
the stage in her bare feet to accept her prize from Sean Penn.
That moment came after a
surprise visit from Kanye West, who turned up to launch the festivities by
honoring “12 Years a Slave” director Steve McQueen. “I flew in from San
Francisco to give this Breakout Director Award to someone I call my friend,”
West explained breathlessly. He then raced back out the door, flew back to San
Fran and got engaged to Kim Kardashian (it was her birthday).
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| Kanye West and Steve McQueen. (Photo courtesy HFA2013, Kevin Winter/Getty Images) |
West wasn’t the only
star who blew in and out of the evening’s program. Viola Davis gave her co-star
Jake Gyllenhaal the Best Supporting Actor Award for his work in their film
“Prisoners,” then promptly disappeared. “It was an honor to work with you . . .
wherever you are!” Gyllenhaal said with a bewildered look around. “She booked
out,” he laughed.
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| Viola Davis and Jake Gyllenhaal share a brief moment at the 2013 Hollywood Film Awards. (Photo courtesy HFA2013, by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) |
But the stars just kept
on coming in as the glittery night progressed. Jack Black handed Ethan Hawke,
Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater the Screenwriter Award for “Before Midnight”;
Geoffrey Rush honored up-and-comers Michael B. Jordan, Sophie Nelisse and David
Oyelowo with the Hollywood Spotlight Award; and Jennifer Garner actually stayed
onstage after she presented her “Dallas Buyers Club” costar Matthew McConaughey
with his Actor Award.
“In the last couple of
years, I started choosing experiences,” McConaughey explained, “characters who
live on the fringe. I lost money – for the first time in my career, true story
– but I’ve had a hell of a time!”
Then Coldplay lead
singer Chris Martin took the stage, to perform “Atlas,” his band’s Song Award
winner; and it was on to more mega-watt stars. Robert Downey, Jr., snorted as
he gave Jared Leto his Breakthrough Award for his transgender role in “Dallas
Buyers Club,” “to a guy who has been acting for over 20 years.”
Leto got a bit misty as
he admitted that, “I have never received an award for anything I have done on
screen, until now. And to get the Breakout Award at age 41 is amazing.”
And the night wasn’t
over yet. Bruce Willis turned up to give producer Jerry Weintraub the Hollywood
Legend Award; Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner awarded the costume and production
prizes; Jane Fonda and Forest Whittaker handed Lee Daniels the Director Award
for “The Butler,” and Octavia Spencer anointed Sandra Bullock with the Actress
Award for “Gravity.”
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| Sandra Bullock arrives at the 2013 Hollywood Film Awards. (Photo courtesy HFA2013, Jason Kempin/Getty Images) |
“I’m happy that
Hollywood has not sent me out to pasture,” the gorgeous 49-year-old actress
giggled. “I don’t want to go out to pasture, it’s cold out there!”
The night finally wound
down with the last trophy, the Career Achievement Award, going to Harrison
Ford. All in all, it was definitely a posh kickoff to the coming season of
Hollywood celebrating Hollywood, even if no one who attended really knows just
who chooses these particular accolades.
As Julia Roberts said,
“Thank you Carlos, the mysterious Carlos, for the party.”
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