2002: FAR FROM HEAVEN
The first feature in Focus’ history is Todd Haynes’ beloved melodrama 'Far From Heaven'. The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival, winning prizes for Julianne Moore and cinematographer Ed Lachman. Both would go on to land two of four Oscar nominations the movie received. With much acclaim and $29 million at the box office, 'Far From Heaven' proved Focus was going to be the real deal.
Other 2002 titles: 'The Pianist'
2003: LOST IN TRANSLATION
Focus Features broke out in 2002 with awards players 'Far From Heaven' and 'The Pianist', but it was Sofia Coppola’s adored 'Lost in Translation' that proved the company wasn’t going to be a one-year wonder. The drama made $120 million worldwide and earned four Oscar nomiantions, including Best Picture. Coppola won for Best Original Screenplay.
Other 2003 Films: 'The Shape of Things', 'Long Time Dead', '21 Grams'
2004: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman’s landmark science-fiction romance is perhaps the most beloved title in Focus’ entire library. The cult following surrounding the movie remains as strong as ever so many years later. Kaufman won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, giving Focus its third awards hit in three years.
Other 2004 Films: 'Ned Kelly', 'Vanity Fair'
2005: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Another year, another awards darling. 'Brokeback Mountain' famously lost the Oscar for Best Picture to 'Crash', but it had a more powerful legacy as one of the first queer films to earn major attention from Hollywood and the box office. Ang Lee’s romance won three Oscars out of eight nominations and made $178 million worldwide.
Other 2005 films: 'The Constant Gardner', 'Pride and Prejudice'
2006: BRICK
2006 marked the first year Focus Features went home without an Oscar, but they did get a major indie cult classic with Rian Johnson’s 'Brick'. The neo-noir mystery drama brought the hardboiled detective story to high school and made Johnson an instant favorite. It also accelerated Joseph Gordon-Levvitt’s rise to Hollywood star.
Other 2006 Films: 'Hollywoodland', 'Catch A Fire'
2007: ATONEMENT
Focus returned to its awards season glory in 2007, most prominantly with Joe Wright’s romantic war drama 'Atonement'. Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, the film grossed $129 million and cemented Keira Knightley’s status as a period drama darling.
Other 2007 Films: 'Talk to Me', 'Eastern Promises'
2008: IN BRUGES
'Milk may have been Focus’ awards powerhouse in 2008, winning Sean Penn the Best Actor prize, but 'In Bruges' has a much more unforgettable legacy. The movie introduced Martin McDonagh’s brilliant filmmaking voice to the world and quickly became an indie favorite thanks to its black humor. Colin Farrell won a Golden Globe for his performance, turning the movie into a dark horse contender.
Other 2008 Films: 'Milk', 'The Other Boleyn Girl', 'Burn After Reading
2009: CORALINE
Focus Features entered the animated movie business by bringing Laika into prominance with the distribution of 'Coraline'. The 3D family movie is one of the most beloved indie animated films ever made. It grossed $124.6 million and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. More importantly, it gave Laika the respect and admiration to make more inventive stop-motion hits.
Other 2009 Movies: '9', 'A Serious Man'
2010: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Lisa Cholodenko’s beloved comedy-drama 'The Kids Are All Right' was a breakout Sundance hit that Focus turned into a four-time Oscar nominee. Another high-profile release that brought an LGBTQ story into the spotlight, the movie earned universal acclaim from top critics.
Other 2010 Movies: 'Greenberg', 'Babies'
2011: PARIAH
Focus Features has such an incredible legacy that even in a more modest year like 2011, they still managed to pull off an Oscar winner and a major indie debut. Dee Rees’ 'Pariah' is a contemporary queer classic that took Sundance by storm.
Other 2011 Films: 'Jane Eyre', 'Hanna', 'Beginners', 'Tinker Tailor Solider Spy'
2012: MOONRISE KINGDOM
Focus Features and Wes Anderson were a match made in indie movie heaven with 'Moonrise Kingdom'. The offbeat coming-of-age drama was a critical darling in 2012, becoming Anderson’s second biggest box office hit at the time and earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Other 2012 Films: 'Being Flynn', 'Anna Karenina'
2013: THE WORLD’S END
Focus Features’ big hit of 2013 was 'Dallas Buyers Club', which brought Jean Marc-Vallee stateside and earned Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. But you got to love Focus for taking a chance and bringing Edgar Wright’s final piece in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy to the U.S. It was confirmation that Focus was still in tune with what movie lovers want.
Other 2013 Films: 'The Place Beyond the Pines', 'Dallas Buyers Club'
2014: THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Focus landed its second consecutive Best Actor victory at the Oscars with Eddie Redmayne in 'The Theory of Everything'. The Stephen Hawking bipoic divided critics, but it was an awards success story and earned the company a hefty $120 million at the worldwide box office.
Other 2014 Films: 'Wish I Was Here', 'Kill the Messenger'
2015: THE DANISH GIRL
Even in a weaker year for Focus, the company still managed to make waves in awards season. Tom Hooper’s 'The Danish Girl became Focus’ darling of the year, winning Alicia Vikander the award for Best Supporting Actress and earning Eddie Redmayne another Best Actor nomiantion.
Other 2015 Films: 'Suffragette'
2016: KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
'Loving' may have been Focus’ prestige offering of last year, but 'Kubo and the Two Strings' was no doubt their 2016 masterpice. IndieWire called it the best animated film of the year, and it confirmed that Laika and Focus have one of the best working relationships in the movies right now.
Other 2016 Films: 'Nocturnal Animals', 'Loving', 'A Monster Calls'
2017: 15 years later, Focus Features shows no signs of slowing down.
The started the year strong with 'The Zookeeper’s Wife', they also brought 'The Beguiled' to Cannes this year, where Sofia Coppola became the second woman in history to win Best Director. Focus has potential awards players with 'Darkest Hour' and 'Victoria and Abdul' later this fall. Best of all: Focus will end the year with perhaps the most anticipated movie of the 2017, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis’ 'Phantom Tread'.