Fire: Trophy gala canceled due to fires in Los Angeles

The devastating fires in Los Angeles also have an impact on Hollywood show business. The presenters of the prestigious Critics Choice Awards have postponed their trophy gala in Santa Monica planned for this Sunday due to the fires. “All our thoughts and prayers are with those fighting the destructive fires and with everyone affected by them,” said a statement from association chief Joey Berlin.

With almost 600 members, the Critics Choice Association (CCA) is the largest critics’ association for film and television in the USA and Canada. The 30th Critics Choice Awards gala is now scheduled to take place on January 26th in Santa Monica.

The Vatican thriller “Conclave” by Wolfsburg-born director Edward Berger is one of the top candidates at the Critics Choice Awards with eleven nominations. The film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Wicked” has the same number of chances of winning, followed by the science fiction drama “Dune: Part Two” and the musical film “Emilia Pérez” with ten nominations each.

Film studios have canceled premiere celebrations. Hollywood’s acting association SAG (Screen Actors Guild) canceled a nomination ceremony. The list of nominees was instead announced in writing.

The Universal Studios Hollywood amusement park and the Griffith Observatory on the city’s hill, known from many films, also remained closed for the time being.

According to US media, this is already one of the worst fire disasters in the city’s history. According to the authorities, two deaths have been confirmed so far, at least 1,000 buildings have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have been asked to leave their homes. Extreme winds made extinguishing work difficult.