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5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Utah

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Utah earthquake measuring at a 5.7 is the first since 1992.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit outside Salt Lake City, Utah, early Wednesday morning, according to the governor. This earthquake was the last one since 1992, according to Utah Emergency Management.

Due to the earthquake, the Salt Lake City Airport was shut down, officials reported.

Officials estimate there have been at least six aftershocks ranging from 3.0 to 3.5 magnitude. The Utah Division of Emergency Management issued a statement saying residents will most likely continue to feel aftershocks throughout Wednesday. The agency also recommends residents keep a flashlight and shoes next to their beds and develop a plan that including strapping water heaters to their studs.

In a statement, Gov. Gary Herbert said the Utah Department of Health state lab is analyzing damage, the poison control center has been evacuated, and the Utah Coronavirus Taskforce hotline is down.

The Utah Transportation Association announced all TRAX trains are shut down until further notice. Buses will continue normal operations as usual, but there may be delays. Salt Lake County is working to make sure to limit collateral damage from the earthquake and aftershocks, including gas leaks, power outages, and car crashes.

Earthquake infographic
Richter Earthquake Magnitude Scale and Classes

In related world news, economists predict the economy will get worse due to the coronavirus. Coronavirus is causing a disastrous impact on the economy. Now, Wall Street economists forecast things will get worse in the future.

Ian Shepherdson, a chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, says things will get worse. “We now guesstimate that second-quarter GDP will drop at a 10% annualized rate, after a 2% fall in Q1,” said Ian Shepherdson, said in a note to clients on Monday. His forecast suggests consumer spending will decrease in the next few months. “We are becoming more pessimistic about the near-term economic outlook,” Shepherdson says.

Kevin Durant Says He Tested Positive for Coronavirus

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Kevin Durant reveals he has tested positive for the Coronavirus.

Kevin Durant is one of the biggest stars in the National Basketball Association. Now, at least seven NBA players are known to have tested positive including three of Durant’s teammates on the Brooklyn Nets.

“Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine,” said Durant. “We’re going to get through this.”

“All players and members of the Nets travel party are being asked to remain isolated, closely monitor their health and maintain constant communication with team medical staff,” the Nets team said. The NBA team added it was contacting people who had contact with the players, including other NBA players.

The Nets statement says three of the four players did not show symptoms of the disease.

Currently, it is unknown how many Nets employees have been tested for the Coronavirus, given the fact health officials struggled to find tests. The guidelines issued by the New York City Department of Health say it “strongly recommends against testing persons with mild illness who can be safely managed at home, unless a diagnosis may impact patient management.”

There is a growing conversation over the unequal access of coronavirus testing. It all started after reports of 58 members of the Jazz franchise were also tested following hours of Rudy Gobert’s positive tests.

A spokesman for the NBA suggested players maybe a priority as they travel across the country and are in contact with large groups of people.

“Public health authorities and team doctors have been concerned that, given NBA players’ direct contact with each other and close interactions with the general public, in addition to their frequent travel, they could accelerate the spread of the virus,’’ he said in a statement. “Following two players testing positive last week, others were tested and five additional players tested positive. Hopefully, by these players choosing to make their test results public, they have drawn attention to the critical need for young people to follow C.D.C. recommendations in order to protect others, particularly those with underlying health conditions and the elderly.”

In related coronavirus news, people with type A blood are more vulnerable than other groups, according to a new study.

A new study in China revealed people with blood type A are more susceptible to the coronavirus in comparison to other blood groups.

Researchers took blood group patterns of over 2,000 patients infected with COVID-19 in Wuhan and Shenzhen and compared it with people from other regions. The study concluded people with blood type A were more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and higher chances to develop more severe symptoms.

“People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection,” the researchers wrote, adding, “Sars-CoV-2-infected patients with blood group A might need to receive more vigilant surveillance and aggressive treatment.”

People with Blood Type A are More Vulnerable to the Coronavirus (Study)

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Researchers find people with Blood Type A are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

A new study in China revealed people with blood type A are more susceptible to the coronavirus in comparison to other blood groups.

Researchers took blood group patterns of over 2,000 patients infected with COVID-19 in Wuhan and Shenzhen and compared it with people from other regions. The study concluded people with blood type A were more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and higher chances to develop more severe symptoms.

“People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection,” the researchers wrote, adding, “Sars-CoV-2-infected patients with blood group A might need to receive more vigilant surveillance and aggressive treatment.”

Meanwhile, people with blood type O “had a significantly lower risk for the infectious disease compared with non-O blood groups.”

“It might be helpful to introduce ABO blood typing in both patients and medical personnel as a routine part of the management of Sars-CoV-2 and other coronavirus infections, to help define the management options and assess risk exposure levels of people,” the research paper stated.

South China Morning Post interviewed scientists regarding the study. While they were not directly related to the research, they said a larger sample size is required.

“If you are type A, there is no need to panic. It does not mean you will be infected 100 per cent. If you are type O, it does not mean you are absolutely safe, either. You still need to wash your hands and follow the guidelines issued by authorities,” Gao Yingdai, a researcher with the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology in Tianjin, said.

In related Coronavirus news, President Donald Trump advised restricting group interactions and meetings to 10 people or less. The number of municipalities is also calling for people to engage in social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic is rising. On Tuesday, health officials have issued an important message for all Americans to limit social interactions to help healthcare systems prevent a rise of patients. As of Tuesday, 87 Americans have died with 4,490 infections, a rise of 1,000 confirmed infections from Sunday.

Trump Pushes for Stimulus Checks: “We Want To Go Big”

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On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called on Congress to quickly approve a sweeping economic stimulus package. The package would send checks directly to Americans within weeks as large parts of today’s economy is shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We want to go big,” Donald Trump said at a news conference at the White House. Donald Trump said he instructed Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury Secretary, to introduce measures, which would provide more immediate support.

Munichin told Republican senators Tuesday the Trump administration wanted Congress to add about $850 billion in additional stimulus to boost the economy. Mr. Trump signaled he wanted the payroll tax to be a major part of that effort.

“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Mr. Mnuchin said at the White House.

According to The New York Times, the Treasury secretary told Republican senators privately he sees the direct payments covering two weeks of pay and would total $250 billion.

The goal of the checks would be to deliver them by the end of April with additional checks if the national crisis continues, The New York Times reports.

“This is a very unique situation in this economy,” Mr. Mnuchin said on Capitol Hill. “We have put a proposal on the table that would inject $1 trillion into the economy.”

Mnuchin added, “The president wants to put money in the economy now,” he said.

The administration is negotiating with lawmakers over the contents of the stimulus package. Republicans are pushing back and are insisting on a stricter relief package in comparison to the one the House passed last week. Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill, which includes paid leave, unemployment insurance, free coronavirus testing and additional financial aid. A bill both Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi called as a critical first step in providing relief ahead of a larger stimulus plan to boost the American economy.

That said, Senator Mitch McConnel, Republican of Kentucky and the major leader, said the Senate would try to pass the House bill first and then move on to a stimulus package of “larger proportions.”

“What I can tell you is we are not leaving town until we have constructed and passed another bill,” Mr. McConnell said.

Both sides of the aisle are racing to propose a way to boost the economy including direct payments with little support for the payroll tax holiday, which was previously suggested by President Trump.

On Tuesday, Mnuchin said Trump advised him to allow for the deferment of income tax payment, interest-free and penalty-free, for 90 days. People can defer up to $1 million and corporations and can defer up to $10 million in payments.

Mnuchin said they would inject $300 billion into the economy. He added people can file their taxes now should as they would get a tax refund sooner.

The Trump administration is also pushing for a $50 billion in economic relief for the airline industry. The airline industry lobby group publicly made a request earlier this week asking for grants, loan guarantees, and tax relief. The Trump administration is also looking at ways to support the cruise industry.

Boeing, the aviation company that is already facing issues due to the grounding of 737 Max airlines, could receive additional help, according to President Trump.

Widespread travel restrictions are hurting both industries and are expected to lead to major damage to the global economy. The New York Times reports tourism could drop 50% over the next six weeks.

There is a growing sense of urgency at the White House to step in with aggressive measures to help the American economy and ease the growing anxiety many Americans are now experiencing.

Tom Brady Exits the New England Patriots

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Tom Brady is leaving the Patriots.

On Tuesday, Tom Brady revealed his plans to leave the New England Patriots. In a series of posts, the legendary NFL quarterback ended his 20-year run with the NFL team.

Tom Brady did not reveal where he will sign for the 2020 season. He did say he was leaving. He officially hits the NFL’s market Wednesday and could sign a deal as early as Wednesday, when players and clubs can negotiate deals.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Brady has not made a decision where he will play, and he is exploring other options.

“Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments,” he wrote.

Tom Brady won six Super Bowl rings, and 41 playoff starts since 2001. The 42-year-old athlete revealed his plans to play until he was 45. But, he and the Patriots could not reach an agreement on a contract extension last offseason; this allowed for Brady to explore options as a free agent, and after a frustrating 2019 season, he told Westwood One radio he hinted the possibility of leaving the team.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft told NBC sports he hoped Brady would play in New England or retire. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss about Brady’s departure, he said, “Tommy initiated contact last night and came over. We had a positive, respectful discussion. It’s not the way I want it to end, but I want him to do what is in his best personal interest. After 20 years with us, he has earned that right. I love him like a son.”

Shortly after Tom Brady’s Instagram post, the Patriots released statements from Kraft and Belichick. Belichick said, “Tom and I will always have a great relationship built on love, admiration, respect, and appreciation. Tom’s success as a player and his character as a person are exceptional.”

Belichick called it a “privilege to coach Tom Brady for 20 years.”

Kraft said, “While sad today, the overwhelming feeling I have is appreciation for his countless contributions to our team and community.”

Tom Brady will arguably go down in history as one of the best football players to play the game. From ESPN:

  • 3 NFL Most Valuable Player awards 
  • 15 Super Bowl records.
  • 4 Super Bowl MVP awards.
  • Tom Brady has a record of 13 conference title-game appearances.
  • Tom Brady has a record of nine conference championships.
  • Tom Brady has a record 17 division championships (Peyton Manning is second with 12).
  • He was leading the Patriots to at least 12 regular-season wins 13 times, the most all-time.
  • He is the first 42-year-old quarterback in history to start every game in a regular season.

 

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LOVE YOU PATS NATION

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FOREVER A PATRIOT

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Coronavirus: Economists Forecast Things Will Get A Lot Worse

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Coronavirus is causing a disastrous impact on the economy. Now, Wall Street economists forecast things will get worse in the future.

Ian Shepherdson, a chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, says things will get worse.

“We now guesstimate that second-quarter GDP will drop at a 10% annualized rate, after a 2% fall in Q1,” said Ian Shepherdson, said in a note to clients on Monday.

His forecast suggests consumer spending will decrease in the next few months.

“We are becoming more pessimistic about the near-term economic outlook,” Shepherdson says.

“Discretionary consumers’ spending — that is, consumption excluding housing, healthcare, food, and energy — accounts for some 39% of GDP, and some of the major components are set for massive second quarter meltdowns… We are penciling-in a 20% plunge in discretionary consumers’ spending in the second quarter, enough alone to subtract some eight percentage points from GDP growth.”

On Monday, Shepherdson told the New Yorker, the economic hit by the Coronavirus will be “catastrophic.”

On Tuesday, retail sales decreased by 0.5% last month as it was expected to rise by 0.2%; This is the worse retail sales since 2018.

“Shoppers kept their wallets surprisingly closed in February with slower spending on cars, furniture, electronics and restaurants and bars,” said Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.

“With strict measures restraining social activities now in place to contain the coronavirus outbreak, consumer spending is poised for a severe pullback in coming months.”

Many economists believe the world economy will turn into a recession. However, at this time, we do not know for how long.

In related news, President Donald Trump advised limiting social interactions and gatherings to 10 people or less. The number of municipalities calling for people to engage in social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic is rising. On Tuesday, health officials have issued an important message for all Americans to limit social interactions to help healthcare systems prevent a rise of patients. As of Tuesday, 87 Americans have died with 4,490 infections, an increase of 1,000 confirmed infections from Sunday.

Trump: Limit Social Interactions to 10 People or Less Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

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President Donald Trump suggested limiting social interactions and gatherings to 10 people or less. The number of municipalities is also calling for people to engage in social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic is rising. On Tuesday, health officials have issued an important message for all Americans to limit social interactions to help healthcare systems prevent a rise of patients. As of Tuesday, 87 Americans have died with 4,490 infections, a rise of 1,000 confirmed infections from Sunday.

Here is a list of recently issued Coronavirus measures:

  • San Francisco has ordered “shelter in place” guidance, requiring Bay Area residents to stay inside and leave their homes for only essential needs.

    “We know these measures will significantly disrupt people’s day to day lives, but they are absolutely necessary,” the San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said in a Monday statement. “This is going to be a defining moment for our city and we all have a responsibility to do our part to protect our neighbors and slow the spread of this virus by staying at home unless it is absolutely essential to go outside.”

  • Ohio has delayed the presidential primary hours before polls were set to open on Tuesday.
  • New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin banned gatherings of 50 people or more.
  • Miami-Dade County is closing restaurants, while some eating venues are allowing drive-through service.

Coronavirus outbreak could get worse

Public health officials say the United States has reached a tipping point claiming if residents do not take these mandates seriously, the country may have a situation similar to Italy, which went into a complete lockdown and hospitals have been overwhelmed by thousands of cases.

Trump administration officials are pressing Senators to approve a House-passed bill to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic including aid to small businesses and airlines.

The mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio said he will limit all bars, restaurants, and cafes to take out or delivery. “You have to think of this in a wartime world view,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. “You have to think of this as something where you’re going to see a massive mobilization to save lives, to help people through their suffering with this disease.”

“Every state doing their own thing, different cities doing their own thing, it’s confusing, it’s chaos,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday night. “The federal government should come up, step in, and say this is what we’re going to do. This is what we do in schools, this is what we do in businesses, here are the rules and then the states can adjust the rules to their particular circumstances.”

Colorado public health officials ordered restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters, and casinos to shut down for 30 days. Facilities can still sell food and through a drive-through and delivery services.

“Based on the experience of other countries, the state of Washington, and modeling data, the sooner we begin social distancing measures on a large enough scale, the more quickly we can slow transmission of the virus,” Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan said.

New York and Colorado are not alone. States like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin with bans of social gatherings of 50 people or more.

Fitness Trackers are More Popular with Hispanics and Women (Study)

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Fitness trackers are popular among Hispanics and women. According to a new study from the Pew Research Center, approximately one-in-five Americans use a smartwatch or fitness trackers, and women are more likely than men to use a fitness device.

The new Pew study gives businesses, health care companies, and physicians an inside look into the people who use the products and who do not use the devices.

Results of the fitness trackers study:

  • Pew says 21% of Americans who report using a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
  • 18% of men and 25% of women use a fitness tracker
  • 20% of Whites, 23% of blacks and 26% of Hispanics
  • 25% of those 18-49, and 17% of those over 50.
  • 31% of those who make $75,000 or more
  • 20% of those who make between $30,000 $74,999
  • 12% of those who make less than $30,000.

Fitness Trackers Privacy

When asked about privacy and sharing medical data with researchers, 41% said it was acceptable, 35% said it was not, and 22% said they were unsure.

Emily Vogels writes in the Pew Research Center study, “In the Center’s survey, there’s no clear consensus among the public as to whether sharing this information with medical researchers is acceptable or not. About four-in-ten Americans (41%) say it is acceptable for makers of fitness trackers to share users’ data with medical researchers seeking to better understand the link between exercise and heart disease, while a somewhat smaller share (35%) believes this is an unacceptable practice. Another 22% are unsure if this is an acceptable practice or not.”

She adds, ” Americans who use fitness trackers are far more supportive of sharing data from these devices with health researchers than those who don’t use these devices.”

The Wearables Business

It is important to note, thanks to Apple, the number of wearables doubled last year. Thanks to the Apple Watch and AirPods, Apple sold 29.5 million wearables, up from 10 million in the same quarter the previous year.

Related:

2020 Presidential Campaign: Cory Booker Drops Out

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Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker announced Monday he is officially dropping out of the 2020 presidential race.

While Booker was recognized as a rising leader in the Democratic party, he struggled to gain support in the 2020 race. Recently, he focused his campaign on the lack of diversity in the Democratic party. Following Kamala Harris’ departure from the campaign, Booker said the race had “more billionaires than black people”

Cory Booker’s impact on the Democratic Primary

  1. Cory Booker called out frontrunner former Vice President Joe Biden following Biden’s comments on segregationist senators, and Biden’s history of using President Obama to gain support during the election.
  2. Booker also called out Biden over the legalization of recreational marijuana. During the November debate, Booker argued, “marijuana in our country is already legal for privileged people”
  3. Booker failed to qualify for the December debate. Booker issued an open letter asking the Democratic National Committee to lower the restrictions for upcoming debates.

Cory Booker vs Progressive Standards

The Democratic is moving to more progressive values, Booker had a lot to prove. Booker had a lot to prove. During the 2014 election, he was the largest recipient of money from Wall Street, he was considered a partner with Silicon Valley and the pharmaceutical companies.

Via an email to his supporters, Cory booker said, “I will be doing everything in my power to elect the eventual Democratic nominee for president, whomever that may be, and to elect great Democrats to the Senate and up and down the ballot. 2020 is the most important election of our lifetimes — we have to beat Donald Trump … but beating Trump is the floor, not the ceiling.”

Cory Booker’s Reelection

  • Cory Booker is up for re-election for his New Jersey senate seat in 2020.

In other related news, VICE News is now casting for the 2020 IOWA BROWN & BLACK DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL FORUM in Des Moines, Iowa.

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2020 Academy Award Nominations Are Here + What You Need to Know

The 92nd Annual Academy Award nominations were announced live Monday morning. The Academy Award nominees hor the best movies, actors, actresses, directors, filmmakers, which resonated with influencers in 2019. Actress/filmmaker Issa Rae presented the nominations with actor John Cho.

Joker Leads Academy Award Nominations

The New York City filmed Joaquin Phoenix movie, Joker, led the Academy Awards with 11 nominations. The Irishman and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood landed ten nominations. Among this year’s picks for Best Picture include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Joker, Marriage Story, The Irishman, and Jojo Rabbit. 

Netflix’s dominates Academy Award Nominations

Todd Phillips critically acclaimed Joker was also recognized for Best Actor, Best Director, and Original Score. Netflix had a dominant showing with movies such as Marriage Story and The Irishman. The films were nominated for both Best Picture and several acting categories.

Best Actors

Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie with Quentin Tarantino and Netflix’s The Irishman also landed several award nominations across several categories including director and screenplay. Leonardo DiCaprio and Joaquin Phoenix will face off for Best Actor, while Scarlett Johansson is nominated for Best Actress and Supporting actress in two movies, Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit.

You can find the full list of 2020 Oscar nominations below. Winners for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced Sunday, February 9th and for the second time in a row, the ceremony will air on ABC without a TV host.

Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari/Le Mans ‘66
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

Best Director
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
Todd Phillips – Joker
Sam Mendes – 1917
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time in hollywood
Bong Joon-ho – Parasite

Best Actor
Antonio Banderas – Pain & Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver – Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage story
Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
Charlize Theron – Bombshell
Renee Zellweger – Judy

Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood
Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
Al Pacino – The Irishman
Joe Pesci – The Irishman
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
Laura Dern – Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh – Little Women
Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes

Best Original Screenplay
Knives Out
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

Animated Feature
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4

International Feature Film
Corpus Christi (Poland)
Honeyland (North Macedonia)
Les Miserables (France)
Pain & Glory (Spain)
Parasite (South Korea)

Best Documentary
American Factory
The Cave
The Age of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland

Best Cinematography
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Best Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari/Le Mans ‘66
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Parasite

Makeup and Hairstyling
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
1917

Original Score
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” – Toy Story 4
I’m Gonna Love me Again – Rocketman
I’m Standing With You – Breakthrough
Into the Unknown – Frozen II
Stand Up – Harriet

Production Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

Sound Editing
Ford v Ferrari/Le Mans ‘66
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Sound Mixing
Ad Astra
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Documentary (Short Subject)
In the Absence
Learning to sKATEBOARD IN A wARZONE (iF yOU’RE A gIRL)
live overtakes me
St Louis SUperman
Walk Run Cha-Cha

Short Film (Animated)
Dcera (Daughter)
Hair Love
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister

Short Film (Live Action)
Brotherhood
Nefta Gootball Club
The Neighbours’ Window
Saria
A Sister

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