PGA Awards: ‘CODA,’ ‘Succession’ win top honours

Los Angeles, March 20 (IANS): Musical drama ‘Coda’ directed by Sian Heder, took the top film prize at the annual Producers Guild Awards.

What began as a Sundance sales sensation directed by Heder – the heart-tugging story following the only hearing family member in a tribe of charismatic New England fishermen – won the Darryl F. Zanuck award for best motion picture producing, reports Variety.

Other notable film winners at Los Angeles’ Fairmont Hotel were Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ for documentary feature, and the musical juggernaut ‘Encanto’ for best producers of an animated film.

‘Succession’ took home the Norman Felton Award for outstanding episodic drama.

‘Ted Lasso’ continued its trophy collection spree by claiming the Danny Thomas Award for outstanding television comedy. ‘Mare of Easttown’ won the David L. Wolper award for outstanding producer of a limited series.

Power players including Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Chairman Donna Langley, Neon head Tom Quinn, Marvel Studios head of physical and postproduction Victoria Alonso, super-producer Ryan Murphy and more circulated before prizes were handed out.

Early in the evening was the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to Lucasfilm founder George Lucas and present leader Kathleen Kennedy. Long-time collaborator and Hollywood icon Steven Spielberg presented to the duo.

“My wish is you feel the impact he’s had on your life, and the lives of your kids and grandkids. And, yes George, we’re of an age now where the great-grandkids are watching ‘Star Wars’ for the first time,” Spielberg told the audience.

Kennedy, whose body of work has earned a staggering 120 Academy Award nominations, called Lucas “my friend, mentor and the greatest master Jedi of them all.”

EGOT winner Rita Moreno was awarded the Stanley Kramer prize, for her trailblazing career and off-screen life advocating for social justice.

“I am not a person of religious faith. For me, film has often been a sacred text to spur me to follow what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature,” Moreno said.

“Thankfully, filmmakers keep on preaching and never stop advocating for matters of equity and justice.”