JOKER and THE MANDALORIAN Publicity Campaigns Win Top Honors at The 57th Annual ICG Publicists Awards

The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists today announced winners of its 57th Annual ICG Publicists Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. JOKER (Warner Bros. Pictures) won the top honors for the Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Pictures Publicity Campaign, presented by Director Paul Feig (Ghostbusters). THE MANDALORIAN: Season 1 (Disney+) won the Maxwell Weinberg Award for Television Publicity Campaign, presented by actor Jason Lewis (Sex in the City). This year's luncheon, which traditionally occurs the week leading up to the Academy Awards®, was chaired by Tim Menke and co-chaired by Sheryl Main. More than 800 industry leaders attended, including guild members, Hollywood public relations and marketing executives, producers, studio and network executives, celebrities and press.

"Congratulations to all the ICG Publicists Awards nominees and winners today! Together we celebrate and acknowledge their unique achievements and exceptional bodies of work," said Menke.

The Les Mason Award, the highest honor the Publicists can bestow on one of its own members, was given to Stephen Huvane (Slate PR), by a surprise guest presenter and client Jennifer Aniston. The ICG Publicists debuted their inaugural Publicist of the Year Award, which was presented to Rachel Aberly, (42West) by Leslee Dart, 42West Founder and Co-CEO. The Bob Yeager Award for Community Service was given to Rick Markovitz (President of Weissman/Markovitz Communications), presented by Lewis Rothenberg, ICG National President.

Don Mischer received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating his prolific career as an internationally acclaimed producer and director of television and live events. The award was presented by Emmy-winning and Oscar®-nominated actor Seth MacFarlane (The Orville). A wonderful clip reel was shown spotlighting the Spectrum of Mischer's myriad of work earning 15 Emmy Awards and a record 10 Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, among numerous additional accolades. As president of Don Mischer Productions, his credits include the 71st Emmy Awards, 83rd, 84th and 85th Academy Awards, 9/11 Memorial Commemoration at Ground Zero, We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, The Kennedy Center Honors, the ABC special Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America, SUPER BOWL Halftime shows (Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen), the two-hour ABC special Mickey's 90th Spectacular, among many others.

Anthony and Joe Russo, whose critically acclaimed Avengers: Endgame is the highest grossing film of all-time, were honored with the prestigious Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award for their historic contributions to the art of cinema, presented by actor Don Cheadle (Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel). The Russo Brothers are the artists and innovators of some of the world's most successful and iconic blockbuster films. They are the only directors to direct four record-breaking and critically acclaimed films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Avengers: Endgame is the highest-grossing film of all-time, bringing in $2.79 billion, obliterating their own record set with Avengers: Infinity War. Endgame broke more than 100 box office records, including best opening weekend of any movie in history.

Ava DuVernay, award-winning writer, director and producer, was given the esteemed Television Showman of the Year Award, honoring her prolific career as a visionary television producer, presented by actress Dawn-Lyen Gardner (Queen Sugar). Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Ava was an entertainment publicist for 12 years with her own firm and supports the roles of publicists in making a television or movie production. A beautiful clip reel spotlighted DuVernay's award winning directorial work on Selma, 13th, When They See Us, Queen Sugar, Cherish the Day, and A Wrinkle in Time, which made her the highest grossing black woman director in American box office history, among many others. Also highlighted were her many television and film accolades, including her Emmys, BAFTAs and Peabody Awards, as well as her Academy Award nominations.

Sheryl Main, publicity and marketing strategist with over 25 years' experience in both the entertainment and political arenas, received the Henri Bollinger Award, named after the renowned award-winning entertainment industry publicist. This special award was presented in a heartfelt speech by Rebecca Rhine, ICG National Executive Director, and a surprise video message from Arnold Schwarzenegger, in recognition of Main who epitomizes the definition of special merit in the field of entertainment.

Clark Collis, Entertainment Weekly, was honored with The Press Award, presented by veteran publicist Hollace Davids. The International Media Award was presented to Nelson Aspen, Sunrise (Australia) by publicist Charles McKinnies. Honors for Excellence in Unit Still Photography were awarded to Niko Tavernise (Motion Pictures) and Nicole Rivelli (Television) respectively, presented by Jesse Mesa and Mick Mayhew.

Here are the winners at the 57th Annual ICG Publicists Awards:

MAXWELL WEINBERG MOTION PICTURE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN: The union publicists that worked on publicity campaigns on behalf of:
AVENGERS: ENDGAME - Marvel Studios
THE IRISHMAN - Netflix
***JOKER - Warner Bros. Pictures (winner)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD - Columbia Pictures
ROCKETMAN - Paramount Pictures
US - Universal Pictures

MAXWELL WEINBERG TELEVISION PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN The union publicists that worked on publicity campaigns on behalf of:
CATCH-22 - Casey Spiegel, Paramount Television (streams on Hulu)
FOSSE/VERDON - Nicole Crawford, FOX 21 Television (airs on FX)
***THE MANDALORIAN: Season 1 - Gregg Brilliant, Unit Publicist
(streams on Disney+) (winner)
POSE: Season 2 - Yong Kim, FOX 21 Television (airs on FX)
STRANGER THINGS: Season 3 - Denise Godoy Gregarek, Unit Publicist
(streams on Netflix)
WHEN THEY SEE US - Jackie Bazan, Unit Publicist (streams on Netflix)

THE HENRI BOLLINGER AWARD
***Sheryl Main (winner)

LES MASON AWARD FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLICITY
Gabriela Gutentag - Unit Publicist
***Stephen Huvane - Slate PR (winner)
Maureen O'Malley - Warner Bros.
Peter J. Silbermann - Unit Publicist
David Waldman - Paramount Pictures

PUBLICIST OF THE YEAR AWARD
***Rachel Aberly - 42West (winner)
Michelle Alt - Paramount Pictures
Kira Feola - Walt Disney Studios
Alex Kang - Walt Disney Studios
Carol McConnaughey - Unit Publicist

PRESS AWARD
***Clark Collis - Entertainment Weekly (winner)
Tom O'Neil - Gold Derby
Andy Reyes - Entertainment Tonight
Amanda Salas - FOX 11
Adam Weissler - Extra TV

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARD
Vera Anderson - Cine Premiere/HFPA (Mexico)
***Nelson Aspen - Sunrise (Australia) (winner)
Janet Nepales - Manila Bulletin/HFPA (Philippines)
Gill Pringle - FilmInk.com (UK)
Adam Tanswell - Freelance/HFPA (UK)

EXCELLENCE IN UNIT STILL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD FOR MOTION PICTURES
Matt Kennedy
Justin Lubin
Daniel McFadden
Hopper Stone
***Niko Tavernise (winner)

EXCELLENCE IN UNIT STILL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD FOR TELEVISION
Beth Dubber
Justin Lubin
***Nicole Rivelli (winner)
JoJo Whilden
Nicole Wilder

Also attending the ICG Publicist Awards were Matt Loeb, IATSE International President; Mike Miller, IATSE International Vice President; Lewis Rothenberg, IATSE Local 600, National President; Thom Davis, IATSE 2nd International Vice President; and John Lindley, IATSE Local 600, 2nd National Vice President.

The 57th Annual ICG Publicists Awards gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors including LUMINARY: Disney Television Studios (20th Century FOX Television), Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Netflix, Junket Productions Inc.; LEGEND: Creative Handbook, Deadline Hollywood, Don Mischer Productions, The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix, SAG-AFTRA, Variety; ICON: Disney Television Studios (20th Century FOX Television); STAR: 1 Hotel West Hollywood, DF Studio, Digital Fusion; CELEBRITY: Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, SHOOT, SHOOT Publicity Wire.

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ABOUT THE ICG PUBLICISTS: Entertainment publicists first formed a union in 1937 as the Screen Publicists Guild, later becoming the Publicists Guild. In 2002, the Publicists Guild merged with the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600). The first Publicists Awards Luncheon was held in 1964 and has since grown to an event attended annually by around 800 publicists, press, motion picture and television industry leaders, and other IATSE leaders. Motion Picture and Television Showmanship Awards and Lifetime Achievement Awards have been bestowed upon numerous esteemed actors, directors and executives. Additional awards include the Maxwell Weinberg Awards for a Television Publicity Campaign and for a Motion Picture Publicity Campaign, Les Mason Award for Career Achievement in Publicity, and the Bob Yeager Award for Community Service. The Guild also publishes the Annual ICG Publicists Directory. For more information about the ICG Publicists Awards, visit: www.icg600.com/ABOUT-US/Awards/Publicists-Awards #PublicistsAwards

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHERS GUILD (ICG) IATSE Local 600: The International Cinematographers Guild represents approximately 9,000 members who work in film, television and commercials as directors of photography, camera operators, digital imaging technicians, visual effects supervisors, still photographers, camera assistants, film loaders, all members of camera crews and publicists. The first cinematographers' union was established in New York in 1926, followed by unions in Los Angeles and Chicago, but it wasn't until 1996 that Local 600 was born as a national guild. ICG's ongoing activities include the Emerging Cinematographer Awards and the Publicists Awards Luncheon. The Guild also publishes the award-winning ICG Magazine.

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