The much-awaited and the biggest night in Cinema is just around the corner. Everyone is waiting or rooting for their favorite star or film to win the respective category. Amidst such excitement, one film that earned five Oscar nominations this year has been accused of plagiarism. Luca and Paddington 2 writer Simon Stephenson claims that Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers has striking similarities to his film.
A still from The Holdovers
The Holdovers’ script has earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Paul Giamatti, Best Supporting Actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Best Original Screenplay for David Hemingson.
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Simon Stephenson sent an email to the Writers Guild of America stating that this favorite-to-win movie clearly copied his unproduced dramedy project.
The Holdovers Accused of...
A still from The Holdovers
The Holdovers’ script has earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Paul Giamatti, Best Supporting Actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Best Original Screenplay for David Hemingson.
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Simon Stephenson sent an email to the Writers Guild of America stating that this favorite-to-win movie clearly copied his unproduced dramedy project.
The Holdovers Accused of...
- 3/10/2024
- by Prantik Prabal Roy
- FandomWire
On the eve of the Oscars, Hollywood has been rocked by allegations that "The Holdovers" -- one of the nominees for Best Screenplay -- was "plagiarized line-by-line" from an unproduced script for a film called "Frisco," by "Luca" screenwriter Simon Stephenson. Plagiarism accusations and lawsuits are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, and rarely come to anything. But the language used by Stephenson in a 33-page document shared by Variety makes it sound like there's a real story here:
The meaningful entirety of the screenplay for The Holdovers has been copied from the Frisco screenplay by transposition. This includes the Frisco screenplay's entire story, structure, sequencing, scenes, sequential sub-beats within scenes, line-by-line substance of action and dialogue, characters, arcs, relationships, theme and tone. A majority of this has been done line-for-line, and a large number of unique and highly specific elements created in Frisco are readily and unequivocally identifiable in The Holdover.
The meaningful entirety of the screenplay for The Holdovers has been copied from the Frisco screenplay by transposition. This includes the Frisco screenplay's entire story, structure, sequencing, scenes, sequential sub-beats within scenes, line-by-line substance of action and dialogue, characters, arcs, relationships, theme and tone. A majority of this has been done line-for-line, and a large number of unique and highly specific elements created in Frisco are readily and unequivocally identifiable in The Holdover.
- 3/10/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Simon Stephenson, a screenwriter whose credits include Paddington 2 and Luca, says Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers is a product of plagiarism.
According to Variety, Stephenson recently reached out to the Writers Guild of America with allegations that the screenplay for The Holdovers “has been plagiarized line-by-line” from his own script for an unmade film called Frisco.
Frisco reportedly centers on a middle-aged children’s doctor who gets stuck looking after a 15-year-old patient, while The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti as a middle-aged boarding school teacher who is forced to look after a 15-year-old student over holiday break.
Stephenson claims that Payne read Frisco in 2013 and again 2019, but both times he passed on the script. Around 2019, Payne began developing The Holdovers with screenwriter David Hemingson.
In a letter sent to the Writers Guild of America board on February 25th, Stephenson wrote, “I can demonstrate beyond any possible doubt...
According to Variety, Stephenson recently reached out to the Writers Guild of America with allegations that the screenplay for The Holdovers “has been plagiarized line-by-line” from his own script for an unmade film called Frisco.
Frisco reportedly centers on a middle-aged children’s doctor who gets stuck looking after a 15-year-old patient, while The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti as a middle-aged boarding school teacher who is forced to look after a 15-year-old student over holiday break.
Stephenson claims that Payne read Frisco in 2013 and again 2019, but both times he passed on the script. Around 2019, Payne began developing The Holdovers with screenwriter David Hemingson.
In a letter sent to the Writers Guild of America board on February 25th, Stephenson wrote, “I can demonstrate beyond any possible doubt...
- 3/9/2024
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Film News
Alexander Payne (Adapted Screenplay Oscar wins for Sideways with Jim Taylor and The Descendants with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) at JFK airport with Anne-Katrin Titze on the Wc Fields poster in The Holdovers: “I remember that. I had that poster in my room growing up.”
In the second instalment with Alexander Payne, director of the Golden Globe-nominated The Holdovers (screenplay by David Hemingson), starring Dominic Sessa and Golden Globe nominees Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, we start out discussing the Oscar-shortlisted score by Mark Orton after my recommendation of Wurzel-Sepp, an apothecary shop in Munich from 1887. From there we move on to the Trapp Family recordings of The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night, plus Cat Stevens in the soundtrack; the influence of Marcel Pagnol’s Merlusse, Marlene Dietrich in Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel, Robert Donat in Sam Wood’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and...
In the second instalment with Alexander Payne, director of the Golden Globe-nominated The Holdovers (screenplay by David Hemingson), starring Dominic Sessa and Golden Globe nominees Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, we start out discussing the Oscar-shortlisted score by Mark Orton after my recommendation of Wurzel-Sepp, an apothecary shop in Munich from 1887. From there we move on to the Trapp Family recordings of The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night, plus Cat Stevens in the soundtrack; the influence of Marcel Pagnol’s Merlusse, Marlene Dietrich in Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel, Robert Donat in Sam Wood’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and...
- 1/1/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
One of the most interesting things about two-time Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne‘s new movie “The Holdovers” that’s set in 1970 and ’71 is that it doesn’t just look like a period film but one that was actually shot back then and pulled from a vault more than half a century later. It has the old grainy look that films back then had. Even the Focus Features logo flashed at the beginning has a vintage appearance. It was all part of the plan to create a throwback feel. “God is in the details, as they say,” Payne says. “Don’t forget it’s what’s being shot that helps produce a convincing effect. So locations, production design, costume design, even selection of extras who have the right hair (all contribute). All of that’s important to produce a convincing period film. And then on the technical side, we did shoot digitally.
- 11/30/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Alexander Payne, director of The Holdovers, said he gets pushback for the kinds of films that he makes but he plans to persevere and hopes there will be more space for “human” stories in theaters.
“People ask ‘How is it you’re making these human comedy-dramas? I’m like, ‘Why aren’t other people?’ And I don’t want to say I am the only one. A lot of quality stuff is being done on streamers, both features and series. Now that the superhero kind of hegemon takes up a lot of real estate in theaters, a lot of other writing is taking place on streaming. And I am so grateful for that. But I do wish we had a larger percentage of theatrical real estate dedicated to more human films,” Payne said during a Q&a at Deadline’s Contenders Film event in LA.
“People ask ‘How is it you’re making these human comedy-dramas? I’m like, ‘Why aren’t other people?’ And I don’t want to say I am the only one. A lot of quality stuff is being done on streamers, both features and series. Now that the superhero kind of hegemon takes up a lot of real estate in theaters, a lot of other writing is taking place on streaming. And I am so grateful for that. But I do wish we had a larger percentage of theatrical real estate dedicated to more human films,” Payne said during a Q&a at Deadline’s Contenders Film event in LA.
- 11/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Thank god for Alexander Payne. The filmmaker is, and always has been, a true humanist. A writer-director more interested in human beings, something that has always been the special effect of his movies. A two-time Oscar-winning writer, his latest film, The Holdovers, which had its world premiere on Thursday at the Telluride Film Festival, is one of his rare movies in which he doesn’t have a writing credit. David Hemingson did the screenplay, but the idea, an inspired one, came from Payne, a real film buff who was always intrigued by Marcel Pagnol’s 1935 French film Merlusse about a group of boarding school students stuck over the holidays with a much-despised teacher. The director thought it had the bones for a new story and developed it with Hemingson.
Set in 1970, it is Payne’s first period film after a celebrated career for movies like Sideways, The Descendants and many others.
Set in 1970, it is Payne’s first period film after a celebrated career for movies like Sideways, The Descendants and many others.
- 9/1/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
George Clooney, Pierre Étaix and Tilda Swinton
to receive Silver Medallion Awards Over twenty-five new features plus revival programs
and unique programming from Guest Director Caetano Veloso will be presented as part of the 2011 exhibition
Telluride, Co (September 1, 2011) . Telluride Film Festival (September 2-5, 2011), presented by the National Film Preserve, announces its program for the 38th Telluride Film Festival. Featuring diverse programming from around the globe, Tff once again sets the stage for some of the year.s most highly anticipated films.
Tff opens its 38th year with over twenty-five new feature films plus special artist tributes, Guest Director programs selected by Caetano Veloso, Backlot programs, classics and restorations, shorts, student films, seminars and conversations, each introduced or proceeded with a Q&A by its filmmaker, actors, writer or producer. Telluride Film Festival opens Friday, September 2 and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
The .Show.
38th Telluride Film Festival is proud...
to receive Silver Medallion Awards Over twenty-five new features plus revival programs
and unique programming from Guest Director Caetano Veloso will be presented as part of the 2011 exhibition
Telluride, Co (September 1, 2011) . Telluride Film Festival (September 2-5, 2011), presented by the National Film Preserve, announces its program for the 38th Telluride Film Festival. Featuring diverse programming from around the globe, Tff once again sets the stage for some of the year.s most highly anticipated films.
Tff opens its 38th year with over twenty-five new feature films plus special artist tributes, Guest Director programs selected by Caetano Veloso, Backlot programs, classics and restorations, shorts, student films, seminars and conversations, each introduced or proceeded with a Q&A by its filmmaker, actors, writer or producer. Telluride Film Festival opens Friday, September 2 and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
The .Show.
38th Telluride Film Festival is proud...
- 9/1/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
"Take a close look at the lineup the Telluride Film Festival," advises Eugene Hernandez at indieWIRE. "These are films you’ll be hearing a lot about over the next few weeks during a fall festival swing that begins in Venice, travels to Telluride and continues through to big-city fests in Toronto and then New York. For many movies on the roster, the journey even dates back to Cannes in May."
The festival opens tomorrow and runs through Labor Day; meantime, here's the Show:
Viviana García Besné's Perdida, a look at the Calderon family, a cinema dynasty in Mexico.
Dr. Biju's The Way Home. See the description from the London Indian Film Festival.
Joseph Cedar's Footnote. See the Cannes roundup.
Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey. Trailer (scroll down about halfway).
David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method. Premieres tomorrow (Friday) in Venice.
Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's The Kid with a Bike.
The festival opens tomorrow and runs through Labor Day; meantime, here's the Show:
Viviana García Besné's Perdida, a look at the Calderon family, a cinema dynasty in Mexico.
Dr. Biju's The Way Home. See the description from the London Indian Film Festival.
Joseph Cedar's Footnote. See the Cannes roundup.
Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey. Trailer (scroll down about halfway).
David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method. Premieres tomorrow (Friday) in Venice.
Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's The Kid with a Bike.
- 9/1/2011
- MUBI
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