A Statement From the HFPA
The HFPA was founded on the ideals of diversity, with journalists representing countries from around the world. We would never exclude someone from the HFPA based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
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HFPA members Ruben and Janet Nepales make the front cover
HFPA members Ruben and Janet Nepales have been featured in a front page story of the March 11 2013 issue of the Los Angeles Downtown News. Ruben and Janet write for the two most important — and competing– newspapers in the Philippines, the number one Philippine Daily Inquirer (Ruben) and the runner-up Manila Bulletin (Janet), and for five years have been residents of Downtown Los Angeles. As an extra treat, the couple was photographed by the legendary Gary Leonard, who has been taking pictures of LA’s denizens for over 30 years. “ I got to say ‘Take my picture, Gary Leonard’”, says Ruben.
Read More »HFPA throwing a party at the Guadalajara Film Festival
In the theme of Nordic Films, Finnish HFPA members Kirpi Uimonen and Erkki Kanto, together with HFPA’s Vice President Jorge Camara, attended the 38th Guadalajara International Film Festival in Mexico. Several Finnish filmmakers and film industry representatives were also attending. Introducing the Annual Golden Globe Awards to the Finnish film industry, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association arranged a special reception to the attending filmmakers from Finland.
Attending the Golden Globe Awards introductory reception were (from the left, back) Eero Heinonen (producer, director), Erkki Kanto (HFPA), Jasper Paakkonen (actor), Aku Louhimies (director), Kirpi Uimonen (HFPA), Karoliina Martikainen (distributor), (from the left, front) Jaana Puskala (Finnish Film Foundation), Natasha Barhedia (FICG).
HFPA member Mahfouz Doss receives Life Achievement Award
HFPA Gold Card member Mahfouz Doss, will be presented with the 2013 Life Achievement Award from the Egyptian American Organization on February 16. A past President and Chairman of the Board of the HFPA, Doss will receive the award in recognition of his extensive leadership in Journalism, Chemical Engineering and for his excellent service to the community.
A member of the HFPA since 1959, Doss is a highly regarded Egyptian-American with an impressive career that spans over sixty years. In 1952 he started a combined career in Journalism and Engineering. He spent most of his life writing hundreds of film critique columns in several leading local and international newspapers. He served the HFPA throughout the years as a member of the board, vice president, chairman of the board and president.
For many years, Doss served as on the Board of St Mark, St Peter, and St Paul Coptic Orthodox Churches in Los Angeles California. He also served as a Vice President and board member of the National Association of Arab American Los Angeles Chapter. He was the President of the Advisory board of the (AATV) Arab American Television, the OCTV, and the president of the Egyptian Pharaohs Club. A world traveler, Doss visited 113 countries, circling the world several times.
Doss is considered a worldwide authority in manufacturing Chemical Compounds for the construction industry. He was credited for the creationand formulation of several new construction material products which revolutionized the construction industry. In 1977 he founded a Technical Research Center”that advised several US and international companies on chemical compounds for the construction industry. He built plants for Construction Chemical Compounds in Saudi Arabia & Kuwait. He toured most of the United States presenting his research.
The Lifetime Award was first established in 1985, and aims to recognize with the contribution of Egyptian Americans in such fields as the Arts, Sciences, Business, Literature, Education or in Services to the community.
The Egyptian American Organization was established in 1984 in Los Angeles with the objective of serving the Egyptian Americans interests, preservingtheir rich cultural traditions, enhancing interaction between the Egyptian-American community and the rest of the American public and institutions, and supporting Egypt’s efforts toward progress.
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Maureen Dragone, Lifetime HFPA Member, Dies
Maureen Dragone with Sir Anthony Hopkins
HFPA member Maureen Dragone passed away peacefully on Friday, February 8, 2013 in her 94th year. Dragone was recently given a Life Membership by the association. Maureen’s mother founded the HFPA and the Golden Globes, and Maureen was the last person to have attended every Golden Globe Awards in its 70-year history.
Dragone was Founder and Executive Producer of Young Artist Awards , created in 1978 with the name Youth In Film Awards. Her dedication to young actors remained dear to her heart all those years. Through the Awards, she recognized many actors before their careers launched and at the time, were unknown to the general public, including: Diane Lane, Jodie Foster, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page (Pit Pony) and Jodelle Ferland (A Christmas Child, Smallville) and many others.
One of Maureen’s last statements was “ I did everything that I ever wanted to do, and did it my way.” She will be missed, and was loved by so many people.
A memorial service is to be held at a future date.
Read More »HFPA President Aida Takla-O’Reilly Chairs Cinema for Peace Awards
by Elmar Biebl
As keynote speaker at the 11th Cinema for Peace Gala in Berlin, Germany, HFPA-President Dr. Aida Takla-O’Reilly emphasized the powerful role films can play in changing social and political ills and injustices.
The Gala took place on February 9 at the ballroom of the newly established Berlin Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Dr. Takla-O’Reilly welcomed some 300 filmmakers, industry sponsors and luminaries, among them Marga Spiegel, a centenarian Holocaust survivor who has worked for reconciliation between Germans and Jews; Fatou Bensouda, the newly appointed Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; and actress Charlize Theron.
Dr.Takla-O’Reilly presided over an international jury selecting outstanding films and documentaries. Stating that “one of our fiercest battles we faught and are still fighting is slavery” she awarded Steven Spielberg‘s Lincoln the Most Valuable Film of the Year.
The International Green Film Awards, established by former President Mikhail Gorbachev and Leonardo DiCaprio, went to the feature film Bitter Seeds by Micha X. Peled. Documentary awards were given to The Gatekeepers and Searching for Sugarman.
Funds from a live auction– which included works by renowned artists Roy Lichtenstein and Damien Hirst –went to Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project , whose mission is to fight AIDS/HIV in her native country of South Africa.
Ms Theron received the 2013 Cinema for Peace Honorary Award. 
Five HFPA members nominated for the International Media Award
An unprecedented number of HFPA members has been nominated for the 50th International Media Award. Philip Berk (FilmInk-Australia;Galaxie-Malaysia), Jean Cummings (Movie Star; In Rock; Pop! – Japan), Ramzi Malouki (Tunisia and Tahiti), Elisabeth Sereda (ORF Austrian Broadcasting; Live; Kronenzeitung; Skip Movie Magazine – Austria) and Lynn Tso (Behind the Scenes; Catchplay Movie Channel -Taiwan) are the HFPA members distinguished with the honor.
Previous HFPA members who became recipients of the International Media Award include Silvia Bizio, Yanni Begakis, Jorge Camara, Marianne Ruuth, Scott Orlin, Judy Solomon, Jean-Paul Chaillet, Helmut Voss, Anita Weber, Alessandra Venezia, Jenny Cooney Carrillo, Paoula Abou-Jaoude, Mike Goodridge and Anke Hoffman.
The International Media Award is granted each year by Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) in a ceremony that also celebrates local press and Excellence in Unit Still Photography. Lifetime Achievements and special tributes – including a special award to Kirk Douglas- are also part of the event, that will take place on February 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
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