I have a front row seat to the awards show race since I produce The WIN Awards for Women's Image Network (WIN). So it's no surprise that every season, award shows completely overlook deserving actors, films or shows, and these glaring omissions don't simply startle fans who want their favorite actors, films and shows to be embraced. In fact, the missing nominations crush and dishearten even the most seasoned film and show publicists and executives, who truly earn their pay nearly killing themselves during the awards show season.

Yet even if a show that studios want to push is not nominated, many studios and networks attempt to prevail in light of their new dark-horse status. This awards show season the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and (yes, even our little-engine-that-could awards show), The WIN Awards, all have made glaring nomination oversights. While I don't know the Globes' and SAG Awards' specific submission guidelines, The WIN Awards' policies don't allow us to reach into the world to nominate work that our WIN jury favors. The WIN Awards' entry guidelines dictate that only films and shows which are submitted to our show become eligible for nominations. In fact, while 2010 marks our twelfth WIN Awards show, for the first time we scheduled our show in the crowded January calendar so that The WIN Awards could serve as media platform for Oscars, Globes and SAG Awards races.

Calling ourselves to task our show's missing nominations this year include The Kids Are Alright, I Am Love and The Fighter. And because these films simply were not submitted they missed out on our promotional support to applaud the outstanding performances by Annette Bening, Tilda Swinton, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, among others.

That said, even the big boys missed a few exceptional and deserving actresses who were nominated at The WIN Awards 2010, but were overlooked by the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. For instance we invite audiences to see Helena Bonham Carter play a delicious Red Queen in Alice In Wonderland. (Sure Johnny Depp had more screen time in this film, and maybe the Globes jurors overlooked her kill as the queen because jurors want to spread the awards around since Helena received a nomination for her role in The King's Speech). We also favored Secretariat with Diane Lane whose 1960s gal role shows how a woman, despite prevailing social restrictions and expectations, made brave decisions that changed the course of history.

Don't count out this year's dark horse contenders for the Oscars yet. In fact, one of the most outstanding award show season omissions is a little jewel from England, Made In Dagenham, starring the very plucky Golden Globe winner, Sally Hawkins, (Happy-Go-Lucky). Consider that Nigel Cole's film, Made In Dagenham, tells the tale of one very reluctant heroine, who changed not only the corporate culture of a behemoth like Ford Motor corporation, but whose fight for equal pay for equal work altered the laws across Great Britain and in much of the world. For a historical perspective, by 1939 Ginger Rogers had performed nine musicals with Fred Astaire, and never won an Oscar for her many in-reverse, in-high-heels performances. But she refused to stop dancing, until this much-maligned, dark horse ultimately did garner a win an Oscar (her sole career nomination), for being Kitty in Kitty Foyle.

While it is glamorous to walk a red carpet, The WIN Awards are less about awards and more about media advocacy. That said, our diverse 2010 nominee list shows that women are able to express richness and depth at any age and that their value transcends their "beauty" or the number of candles on their birthday cake. This year, The WIN Awards uniquely demonstrate that Girls Are Great From Nine To Ninety as our youngest nominee, Joey King was nine-years-old when filming Ramona And Beezus, and as our most senior female, our Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Suzanne Roberts, is nearly 90-years-old.

Everybody knows that a film's promotional budget helps secure awards and the studios that buy more trade paper ads, hold more screenings and/or place more DVD screeners in voter's hands, usually do win awards more often than do their better funded and/or more ambitious rivals. But naive as this may sound I invite voters to focus on a show's impact, depth and execution. And if some serious error and/or omission was commuted and you were overlooked this awards season, be like Ginger Rogers, strap on a pair, and I don't mean pumps.

Elizabeth Taylor, Selena Gomez Honored at WIN Awards - Tuesday night saw Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Suzanne Roberts among the honorees at the Women's Image Network's WIN Awards, along with thirteen other outstanding film and television nominees. | LookToTheStars.org

WIN Awards: Liz Taylor's a Legend, Bonham Carter's Red Queen a 'Freaky Bitch' Hollywood Reporter

Tuesday night at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, the Women’s Image Network made it official: Dame Elizabeth Taylor, the two-time Academy-Award-winning actress and pioneering AIDS philanthropist, is a Living Legend.
Although Taylor was not able to receive her “Living Legend” trophy in person, she was very much present in the conversation of other award presenters and recipients. Mickey Rooney, 90, who starred with Taylor in National Velvet, her 1945 breakout movie, boasted backstage of their long friendship—67 years. And of the appropriateness to the award that he would later present: “She commands respect. And women deserve respect.” He razzed himself, however: “This show is very long and I am very short.”
Twelve-time Emmy Award winner Carl Reiner also applauded Taylor. “She’s gone through so much and come out smelling so good. I mean, with a perfume that smells good--” he added, alluding to Taylor’s scent empire, including fragrances White Diamonds and Passion. Award-presenter Andrew Sugerman, who produced Conviction, recalled that Taylor was the first actress to receive $1 million for a picture. “She raised the bar for women—or rather, for ‘female actors.’ That’s the way the Screen Actor’s Guild likes to put it,” he said.
Actress and presenter Sally Kirkland, who defiantly proclaims herself a feminist, credits Taylor with her career choice: “She was my inspiration. I saw her in National Velvet and I decided to become an actress.” Coming from Kirkland, the remark gains force. The daughter of a Vogue fashion editor, Kirkland, who grew up among models and film stars, did not suffer for inspiration.
The Women’s Image Network was founded by Phyllis Stuart in 1993 to recognize film and television produced and directed by women, as well as the achievements of women actors. For example, accepting Tuesday’s WIN best actress award on behalf of Red Queen Helena Bonham Carter, Alice in Wonderland writer Linda Woolverton said, “It’s so easy for the villain to become one note and cartoonish. She gave us a peek inside the skin of the sad pathetic heartbroken little girl inside that freaky bitch.”

WIN’s motto reflects its commitment to positive portrayals of women: “See Us in 3D Not Just Double D.” Though Double D is apparently not off limits. When Carl Reiner noticed the attractive young woman who handed trophies to presenters, he requested her to step in front of the podium: “Show your whole body,” he said. “Look at that!”
Nor were award-winners lock-step in their eagerness to declare themselves feminists. Suzanne Roberts, the 90-year-old Philadelphia philanthropist and talk-show host honored for lifetime achievement, preferred to identify as a "parent” rather than a “feminist.” The comment seemed cryptic until members of her family presented her award: her husband, Ralph Roberts, founder of Comcast Corporation, and her son, Brian, its current CEO. Roberts began hosting Seeking Solutions with Suzanne -- a cable program focused on the problems of older people -- ten years ago, when she was 80.
Recognized for producing the comedy series Glee, Alexis Martin Woodhull, one of the younger award-winners, summarized her mission in words that might serve as a motto for the Network itself: “To be an alpha female and to be nice and classy while doing it.”
M.G. Lord is the author of The Accidental Feminist: How Elizabeth Taylor Raised Our Consciousness and We Were Too Distracted By Her Beauty to Notice (Walker/Bloomsbury, Jan. 2012).

Inqlings: Suzanne Roberts a WIN-ner
January 18, 2011|By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Suzanne Roberts, the actress, TV host, and Comcast matriarch, is in Santa Monica, Calif., to pick up a lifetime-achievement award Tuesday from the Los Angeles-based Women's Image Network (WIN).

Roberts, 89, will share a stage with Elizabeth Taylor, who also will get an award. Presenters include a gaggle of red-carpet-walkers, including Diane Lane, Jennifer Aniston, Maggie Smith, Jane Lynch, Susan Sarandon, Jada Pinkett Smith, Carl Reiner, and Mickey Rooney.

Not a bad comeback for Roberts, who broke her neck last summer in a freak accident at home and underwent emergency surgery. She is the award's first recipient from Pennsylvania and is the oldest recipient, to boot.

WIN Awards Winners announced, Dame Elizabeth Taylor Honored| filmindustrynetwork
Posted by Christopher H. Wright on January 20, 2011
SANTA MONICA, USA – The energy was electric last night at the 12th Women’s Image Network (WIN) Awards held on the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

Exclusive: Women Image Network Awards Winners
by DisneyInfonet on January 20th, 2011 at 7:23 am
DisneyWIN Founder, Phyllis Stuart & Bonnie Arnold HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON winner 2 categories.

Hey guys,
We all know that Selena Gomez was suppose to attend this event and was even scheduled to be a presenter of an award according to the WIN Awards website but there is no information as to whether she attended or not. We have the exclusive press release as given to us by  WIN Awards listing all the winners.  Disney’s Helena Bonham Carter won a WIN Award for Alice In Wonderland. Congratulations to her and all the winners.  

[clip... - winners...]

That said, Cimorelli were ideal and stellar musical performers at The WIN Awards 2010. This singing sensation consists of six, smiling sisters who blend their voices in perfect unison as they perform today’s pop hits in an a capella style. In April, 2010 Universal Records signed this stellar sister act to the delight of these lifetime collaborators who are: Christina (20), Katherine (18), Lisa (17), Amy (15), Lauren (12), and Dani (10). 

Since 1993, Women’s Image Network (WIN) has produced The WIN Awards to celebrate men and women who promote gender parity through creativity and leadership. The WIN Awards celebrate those who create dimensional female portrayals in film, television, advertising and interactive media. For more information, visit: http://thewinawards.com. 

A few former WIN Award recipients include: Senator Barbara Boxer, Lily Tomlin, Helen Mirren, Lauren Bacall, Jane Campion, Lynn Redgrave, Pierce Brosnan, Angelina Jolie and Glenn Close. Former hosts, participants and presenters include: Rachel Weisz, Katie Holmes, Raven-Symoné, Seth Rogen, Andrea Bowen, Sally Pressman, Harry Shearer, Kathy Griffin, Brittany Snow, Emile Hirsch, Eric Roberts, Keith David, Paula Poundstone and Jon Peters. 

The WIN Awards 2010 mark the 12th year WIN has celebrated film and television artists who create dimensional, accurate and powerful images of women which reach broad audiences to shape positive public opinion about the value of women and girls. 

In the midst of awards season comes an awards show with a greater purpose
* by Sarah Beston, Shine Staff, on Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:13pm PST

With the glitz and glam of awards season comes an award show refreshingly different from all of the others. And while it may not compare to the glam of the Oscars, the excitement of the Golden Globes or the hype of the Grammys, the Women’s Image Network (WIN) Awards stand for something more than who is wearing what on the red carpet.

WIN founder, Phyllis Stuart agrees: “While it's glamorous to walk a red carpet, The WIN Awards are less about awards and more about media advocacy. That said, our diverse 2010 nominee list shows that women are able to express richness and depth at any age and that their value transcends their “beauty” or the number of candles on their birthday cake. This year, The WIN Awards uniquely demonstrate that Girls Are Great from Nine to Ninety as our youngest nominee, Joey King was nine years old when filming Ramona And Beezus, and as our most senior female, our Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Suzanne Roberts, is nearly 90 years old. By supporting The WIN Awards, which celebrate film and television artists who create dimensional, female media images, you help advance positive public opinion about the value of women and girls”.

Since 1993, The WIN Awards have been celebrating outstanding actors, artists, musicians, athletes and leaders who promote gender parity through creativity and leadership.

This year’s awards, to be presented on January 18th on the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA, will pay tribute to two-time Academy Award winning actress and activist, Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor, in addition to staring in over fifty films has proven herself as a leader in AIDS activism, including her founding role in the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), and establishment of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). Dame Taylor's National Velvet co-star, Mickey Rooner, will present Taylor's tribute and accept the award on her behalf.

WIN will also present award-winning actress, producer, television host and arts patron, Suzanne Roberts with its Lifetime Achievement award. Breakthrough YouTube sensation “Cimorelli” will be performing at the event. The group features six sisters ages 10-20 best known for their extraordinary, multi-part harmonies who are currently recording their major label debut album. Selena Gomez, Sally Kirkland, Rose McGowan, Carl Reiner, Sara Rue, Kahi Lee and Lance Bass will also be on hand as presenters, famed comedienne Wendy Liebman will host and country recording artist Stephanie Quayle will perform.

Thirteen competing outstanding film and television nominees will also receive WIN awards this year. The 2010 nominee list includes films and shows such as Temple Grandin, Glee, Made In Dagenham, Capturing Mary, Secretariat, You Don't Know Jack, and actresses Diane Lane, Sally Hawkins, Hope Davis, Jennifer Aniston, Dame Maggie Smith, Jane Lynch, Susan Sarandon, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sasha Alexander and Selena Gomez.

WIN Awards Founder Phyllis Stuart ‘Bluffs Way to Success’
by Mari Cartel on January 10, 2011 · Lifescript.com

Phyllis Stuart knew she was onto something when she founded the Women Image Network (WIN) — she just couldn’t have known how time-consuming and costly it would be.
WIN began as a simple women’s advocacy foundation, but didn’t raise enough money to implement projects. Still, Stuart was able to spearhead the foundation into an award luncheon for the likes of famed Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin.
“She’s one of the women on whose shoulders I stand,” Stuart says. “These women in the ‘70s really had to fight. They were very much in the minority of a male-dominated business, and they had to learn to get along. I don’t know how they did it, but they broke through.”
And so did Stuart, as her small project grew. She eventually pitched her WIN Awards to ABC and got it green lit – though she admits she winged a lot of her proposal.
“I was asked questions, and I just bluffed my way through. ‘Was this a clip show?’ and I said, ‘Yes it is.’ I did not know what a clip show was and how expensive they are. I had to buy an hour of time and raise $1.5 million, but we got the show on the air.”
This year the WIN Awards have a volume of notable women not only receiving awards, but also presenting – and that’s a change for the better that has made it all worthwhile for Stuart. The list of recipients and nominees includes Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Aniston, Susan Sarandon, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jane Lynch and Dame Maggie Smith.
However, not all the studios were willing to supply her with screeners (the movies distributed on DVD for award consideration). As a result, actress Annette Bening, who has received kudos and has been recognized for her performance by nearly every critics group in “The Kids Are All Right,” was ineligible because Focus Features never sent the film out and no one in the WIN organization had seen her film.
That was a huge disappointment for Stuart, but Bening, though confused as to why she was overlooked, agreed to appear as a presenter.
“Annette was wondering why she wasn’t nominated, but it’s hard to be the little engine that could,” Stuart says, but she’s also pleased that the options for actresses have morphed considerably from the time when women were cast in roles “as the babe, the bitch, the blonde or the bimbo.”
Now, fans can get involved and even have a chance to attend the WIN Awards via a contest.
“People just need to write down 200 words or less about why they value dimensional female media images,” Stuart says. ”What they win is a chance to interview one of our celebrities on the red carpet, tickets to the show and the after party, and then their interview is shown on our YouTube channel.”
“Like” the WIN Awards Facebook page to recieve details on the contest. Or, for more information, visit www.thewinawards.com.
The WIN Awards take place Jan. 18 at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Calif. Tickets are currently on sale.

Elizabeth Taylor, Selena Gomez Honored at WIN Awards - Tuesday night saw Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Suzanne Roberts among the honorees at the Women's Image Network's WIN Awards, along with thirteen other outstanding film and television nominees. | LookToTheStars.org

Check our Facebook page for more articles and pictures like these:

Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Aniston, Jane Lynch to be Honored by Women’s Image Network - "Glee," "Secretariat" and "Made in Dagenham" also among 2011 WIN Awards nominees for Jan. 18 ceremony | Hollywood Reporter

Dame Elizabeth Taylor to be honored at the WIN Awards | National James Dean | Examiner.com

Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Aniston, Jane Lynch to be Honored by Women’s Image Network | movies.yahoo.com

Taylor to be honoured for her charity work | Female First

Dame Elizabeth Taylor to be honoured with WIN Awards | CineGlitz

Elizabeth Taylor: Elizabeth Taylor To Be Honored For Charity Work | starzlife.com

Indiantelevision.com > All About hollywood...> Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Lynch to be honoured

WIN Honors Elizabeth Taylor and Suzanne Fleisher Roberts 2010/12/06 | losangeles.broadwayworld.com

Susan Sarandon, Maggie Smith , Jane Lynch, Courtney Cox Nominated for WIN Awards - DTV USA Forum | dtvusaforum.com

Selena Gomez nommée aux WIN Awards aux côtés d'Elizabeth Taylor et Jennifer Aniston ! | people.premiere.fr

Glee, Claire Danes, Sally Hawkins, Jane Lynch, Susan Sarandon, Maggie Smith et al. Receive WIN Nomin | theatermania.com

Elizabeth Taylor to be Honored by Women's Network | backstage.com

Dame Elizabeth Taylor to be honoured with WIN Awards | entertainment.oneindia.in