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Gia
DVD cover
Written byJay McInerney
Michael Cristofer
Directed byMichael Cristofer
StarringAngelina Jolie
Faye Dunaway
Mercedes Ruehl
Elizabeth Mitchell
ComposerTerence Blanchard
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerJames D. Brubaker
CinematographyRodrigo García
EditorEric A. Sears
Running time126 minutes
Production companyHBO Pictures
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJanuary 31, 1998 (1998-01-31)

Gia is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth Mitchell. It was directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Cristofer and Jay McInerney. The original music score was composed by Terence Blanchard. The film premiered on January 31, 1998 on HBO.

Plot

Gia Carangi is a Philadelphia native who moves to New York City to become a fashion model and immediately catches the attention of the powerful agent Wilhelmina Cooper. Gia's attitude and beauty help her rise quickly to the forefront of the modeling industry. However, her persistent loneliness, especially after the death of Wilhelmina, drives her to use mood-altering drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

She becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Linda, a make-up artist. Their love affair first starts when both pose nude for a photo shoot and make love afterward. Gia tries to get clean and begins taking methadone. However, Gia eventually starts using again and Linda gives her an ultimatum. Gia chooses the drugs.

Failed attempts at reconciliation with Linda and with her mother, Kathleen, drive Gia back to heroin. Although she is eventually able to break her drug habit after much effort, she has already contracted HIV from intravenous drug use, which has progressed to AIDS. She spends the remainder of her life in the hospital.

Cast

Reception

Critical reception

Gia received positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.0/10.[1] Kalamazoo Gazette commented: "Jolie gives it her all in a thoroughly uninhibited and highly effective portrait of a woman living from thrill to thrill."[2] Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com gave the film 3 out of 5 stars.[3] Conversely, Film Freak Central gave the film only 1.5 out of 4 stars and commented: "Gia isn't hagiography, I'll give it that, but it is reductive to a fault."[4]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
1998
Artios Awards Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week Junie Lowry Johnson Won [5]
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [6]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Angelina Jolie Won[a]
Outfest Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film Won [7]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie Marvin Worth, Ilene Kahn Power,
David R. Ginsburg, and James D. Brubaker
Nominated [8]
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Angelina Jolie Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie Jay McInerney and Michael Cristofer Nominated
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or a Movie Libby Goldstein and Junie Lowry Johnson Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Movie Robert Turturice Nominated
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie Eric A. Sears Won
1999
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Two-Hour Movie for Non-Commercial Television Won [9]
Art Directors Guild Awards Excellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-Series David J. Bomba and John R. Jensen Nominated [10]
Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Costume Design for Television Robert Turturice Nominated [11]
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries Michael Cristofer Won [12]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Movie or TV Mini-Series Nominated [13]
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [14]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Angelina Jolie Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Faye Dunaway Won[b]
Satellite Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [15]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Angelina Jolie Won
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Faye Dunaway Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Angelina Jolie Won [16]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Original Jay McInerney and Michael Cristofer Nominated [17]

Notes

  1. ^ Tied with Miranda Richardson for Merlin.
  2. ^ Tied with Camryn Manheim for The Practice.

References

  1. ^ "Gia - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ^ Sanford, James (2003). "James Sanford reviews Gia". Kalamazoo Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  3. ^ Null, Christopher (1998). "Gia Movie Review, DVD Release". Filmcritic.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  4. ^ Chambers, Bill (19 August 2004). "Taking Lives (unrated director's cut - widescreen DVD + Blu-ray Disc) + Gia (unrated DVD)". Film Freak Central. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  5. ^ "1998 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. November 4, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "2nd Annual TV Awards (1997-98)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Outfest: Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 1998". MUBI. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  8. ^ "Gia". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "Nominees/Winners". IMDb. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  10. ^ "3rd Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards". Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  11. ^ "The 1st Costume Designers Guild Awards (1999)". Costume Designers Guild. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  12. ^ "51st DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "Past Winners of the GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. Archived from the original on June 28, 2001. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  14. ^ "Gia – Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "International Press Academy website – 1999 3rd Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on 1 February 2008.
  16. ^ "The 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  17. ^ "WGA Awards 1999". Writers Guild of America Awards. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2015.