Last year’s best actress winner Brie Larson and WIF president Cathy Schulman hosted Women in Film’s 10th annual pre-Oscar cocktail party at West Hollywood’s Nightingale Plaza honoring all of the women in front of and behind the camera who were honored with nominations. (WIF always chooses a fun, trendy venue in which to hold its bash, with previous locations including Hyde Lounge, Fig& Olive and Cecconi’s.)
This generation’s most “overrated” actress, Meryl Streep—a longtime WIF supporter and of course a total rock star in this crowd, and most others– was introduced by Schulman as the packed crowd waited to hear what she might say after her infamous Golden Globes speech decrying the policies of Donald Trump.
“I feel like never saying anything again,” Streep remarked, sheepishly and with a smile. “Everyone is speaking up and that’s great because with numbers they can’t ignore us.”
Just for the record, Streep holds the record for the most Oscar nominations any actor has ever received. This year’s for “Florence Foster Jenkins” was her 20th.
Ava DuVernay, nominated for her documentary “13th,” also spoke out about her support for Women in Film, which she called a very powerful organization. “Any time that we have like-minded voices coming together to express ourselves – whether it’s dissent, whether it’s welcome, whether it’s invitation, whether it’s revolution – it is an important thing to do.”
Schulman also introduced Emma Stone and Viola Davis before all the 30 honorees on hand posed together for a group picture of the class of 2017 female Academy Award nominees. It was a triumphant moment that spurred joyous smiles and a huge round of flashes going off to record the scene.
So let’s give a round of applause to all the nominees who attended: Ai-Ling Lee (Sound Editing and Sound Mixing, La La Land), Allison Schroeder (Writing – Adapted Screenplay, Hidden Figures), Arianne Sutner (Animated Feature Film, Kubo and the Two Strings), Ava DuVernay (Documentary – Feature, 13th), Cara Speller (Short Film – Animated, Pear Cider and Cigarettes), Carla Hacken (Best Picture, Hell or High Water), Caroline Waterlow (Documentary – Feature, O.J.: Made In America), Consolata Boyle (Costume Design, Florence Foster Jenkins), Daphne Matziaraki (Documentary – Short Subject, 4.1 Miles), Donatella Palermo (Documentary – Feature, Fire at Sea), Donna Gigliotti (Best Picture, Hidden Figures), Emma Stone (Actress in a Leading Role, La La Land), Eva von Bahr (Makeup and Hairstyling, A Man Called Ove), Joanna Johnston (Costume Design, Allied), Joanna Natasegara (Documentary – Short Subject, The White Helmets), Joi McMillon (Film Editing, Moonlight), Julie Goldman (Documentary – Feature, Life, Animated), Kahane Cooperman (Documentary – Short Subject, Joe’s Violin), Kimberly Steward (Best Picture, Manchester by the Sea), Lauren Beck (Best Picture, Manchester by the Sea), Mary Zophres (Costume Design, La La Land), Meryl Streep (Actress in a Leading Role, Florence Foster Jenkins), Mica Levi (Music – Original Score, Jackie), Mildred Iatrou Morgan (Sound Editing, La La Land), Osnat Shurer (Animated Feature Film, Moana), Raphaela Neihausen (Documentary – Short Subject, Joe’s Violin), Renée Tondelli (Sound Editing, Deepwater Horizon), Shawn Levy (Best Picture, Arrival), Viggo Mortensen (Actor in a Leading Role, Captain Fantastic), and Viola Davis (Actress in a Supporting Role, Fences) who wore a gorgeous red Max Mara ensemble.
Among the other entertainment industry VIPs mixing and mingling iwere Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black), Amy Landecker (Transparent), Anika Noni Rose (Power), Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic), Beth Grant (The Mindy Project), Camilla Belle (The Mad Whale), Catherine Hardwicke (Director), Deepika Padukone (xXx: Return of Xander Cage), Edwina Findley Dickerson (Shots Fired), Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals), Freida Pinto (Love Sonia), Gaby Hoffman (Transparent), Gabrielle Union (The Public, Being Mary Jane), Gigi Pritzker (EP, Hell or High Water), Jaime King (Actress) with Kyle Newman, Janet Montgomery (This is Us / Romans), Janina Gavankar (Sleepy Hollow), Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Creator, MTV’s Sweet/Vicious), Jenny Slate (Zootopia, The LEGO Batman Movie), Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Underground), Kate Flannery (Stuck), Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele) with Elisa Pugliese, Keesha Sharp (Marshall / Lethal Weapon), Kiersey Clemons (The Flash), Kirsten Schaffer (WIF Executive Director) in Max Mara, Lorraine Toussaint (Selma), Michelle Dockery (Good Behavior), Miranda Bailey (Producer, Swiss Army Man), Mykelti Williamson (Fences), Nazanin Boniadi (Hotel Mumbai), Nicola Peltz (Bates Motel), Poppy Delevingne (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Priyanka Bose (Lion) in Max Mara, Rachel Shane (EP, Hell or High Water), Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World), Sam Robards (Where Is Kyra?), Sharon Lawrence (Shameless), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences), Zoë Kravitz (Big Little Lies) and Karl Glusman (Nocturnal Animals.)
The soirée presenting sponsors were BMW and MaxMara, with Microsoft and Stella Artois also providing support.
