NBC NEWS & MSNBC’S WILLIE GEIST TO RETURN AS HOST FOR SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW

New York, NY (March 20, 2019) – The National Board of Review announced today that its annual film awards gala will take place Wednesday, January 8th, 2020, with NBC News & MSNBC’s Willie Geist returning as host for the sixth year in a row. The celebration will be held at Cipriani 42ndStreet in New York City, where it has taken place for over a decade. 

The National Board of Review’s awards celebrate excellence in filmmaking with categories that include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Breakthrough Performance, and Directorial Debut, as well as signature honors such as the Freedom of Expression, Spotlight Award, and the William K. Everson Film History Award.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW
Since 1909 the National Board of Review has dedicated its efforts to the support of cinema as both art and entertainment. Each year, this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals and academics of varying ages and backgrounds watches over 250 films and participates in illuminating discussions with directors, actors, producers and screenwriters before announcing their selections for the best work of the year.  Since first citing year-end cinematic achievements in 1929, NBR has recognized a vast selection of outstanding studio, independent, foreign-language, animated and documentary films, often propelling recipients such as George Miller’s visionary 2015 Best Film winner Mad Max: Fury Road into the larger awards conversation. NBR also stands out as the only film organization that bestows a film history award in honor of former member and film historian William K. Everson. In addition, one of the organization’s core values is identifying new talent and nurturing young filmmakers by awarding promising talent with ‘Directorial Debut’ and ‘Breakthrough Actor’ awards as well as grants to rising film students and by facilitating community outreach through the support of organizations such as The Ghetto Film School, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, and Educational Video Center. With its continued efforts to assist up-and-coming artists in completing and presenting their work, NBR honors its commitment to not just identifying the best that current cinema has to offer, but also ensuring the quality of films for future generations to come.

Join the conversation @NBRfilm

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Contacts:
Shawn Purdy / Rachael Trager 
SLATE PR
(212) 235-6814
shawn@slate-pr.comrachael@slate-pr.com