Higher Ground follows Corrine (Vera Farmiga), a woman who gets shoved into her life at a young age, turns to religion and develops a loyal yet questioning perspective on her belief. The movie takes on big questions like the role of women in religion, marriage and the intangible nature of faith. HollywoodLife.com attended the screening hosted by Peggy Siegal and here are the top 5 reasons you should see Higher Ground:
1. Vera Farmiga: She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Performance in Supporting Role playing Alex in Up In The Air alongside George Clooney. Farmiga’s acting is delicate and genuine which translates into her directing skills. Higher Ground is the first ever movie where the actress directed a film– and starred in it no less!

2. Your childhood shapes you: I fell in love with the little girl who played the young Corrine. The film chronicles a lot of her experiences—small things she has seen, fights with her parents, and lessons at church…the movie shows how everything shapes who you are.

3. Dagamara Dominczyk is hilarious: the Poland born actress adds a whole new dimension to the film – whether it’s messing with the cops or drawing sketches of her husband’s man parts – her character, Annika, livens up the whole film.

4. It makes you think: The main character, Corrine, goes through an emotional and spiritual journey that is ever changing. She does not stay stagnant, and her search for her beliefs really makes you think.

5. It makes you laugh: Sure, the movie takes on important topics but that doesn’t mean it takes itself too seriously. Though there are moments that make you cry, there are also times when the theater erupted in laughter. Vera really focused in on the small moments in life and found humor in them.

– Leemor Nir

The impeccable Vera Farmiga arrived at the NYC premiere of her directorial debut Higher Ground on August 15, beaming in a chic black dress. Not so long ago she was pregnant with her 9-month-old daughter Gytta, taking care of her son Fynn, 2, and both starring in and directing Higher Ground. Vera tells HollyBaby.com how she does it and how you can too!

“You know, it’s impossible to keep all those balls up in the air,” Vera explains at the screening hosted by Peggy Siegal. “Get one or two up, kick the others off to the side, keep your periphery on them, you know, focus on the task at hand, and eventually kick it and volley back the other ball into play. And that’s okay,” she says.

Vera even says that being a mother helps her career. “One informs the other,” she reveals while putting her mommy duties on hold at an after-party at CrossBar hosted by celebrity chef Todd English. “Working makes me a better mother and being a mother makes me better creatively.”

But although she’s well-grounded, the Academy Award-nominated actress, who is married to Renn Hawkey, is still trying to master how to juggle two babies under two-years-old. “The baby just learned how to crawl a week ago,” said Vera, “I need to buy a helmet for her!”

–Leemor Nir

See More On Vera Farmiga

1. Vera Farmiga Gives Birth To A Baby Girl! Congrats!
2. Bump Watch: Beautiful Vera Farmiga Looks Like She’s Ready To Pop!
   
3. First Look At Two New Celeb Babies! So Cute!
   

Rob and Kristen are without question the biggest stars in young Hollywood right now, but Oscar nominee Anna has lined up more work than the two of them combined!

Anna Kendrick may be the least seen and photographed Twilight actor, and for good reason — she’s always working! The 25-year-old actress has three films slated for release in 2012, will star in this summer’s 50/50 alongside Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and is close to landing the role of Jake Gyllenhaal‘s wife in End of Watch, set to shoot this summer. Oh, and did we mention she’s an Oscar nominee?

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have also kept busy, though with less well received films. Of the three, most would be surprised to know it is Anna who has worked with George Clooney, Seth, Angelica Huston, Michael Cera, Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman, to name just a few.

Also helping Anna greatly is the fact that, unlike Rob and Kristen, she is a minor character in the Twilight series. She gets to stop by, steal a few scenes with her always hilarious delivery and be on her way. She will never have the vampire stigma to shake.

Rob and Kristen are of course working hard and booking projects, but these days it seems harder for them to blend in to films with smaller roles, instead needing to take on major parts.

It therefore seems likely that while Rob and Kristen will both enjoy a long career, Anna is set to be the true breakout Twilight star. Do you agree HollywoodLifers?

Get a glimpse of two beautiful babes. Here’s our first look at Vera Farmiga‘s 4-month-old daughter, Gytta and Emily Procter‘s 3-month-old girl, Pippa! How adorable are these little ladies?

Vera, 37, was seen jetting out of Los Angeles International Airport with Gytta and big brother Fynn, 2, yesterday, March 10. Is this Gytta’s first time “up in the air?”

And Emily, 42, was spotted taking a stroll with Pippa and baby daddy Paul Bryan in L.A. on Wednesday, March 9.

Both baby girls are beautiful! Congrats again to the new mommies.

–Leigh Blickley

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Kelly Preston, Bethenny Frankel, Alicia Keys — these are some red hot mamas! From A-list actresses to hit reality TV stars to R&B singers, these expectant moms looked fabulous showing off their glammed up baby bumps! Whether in curve-hugging cocktail dresses or flowing gowns, pregnancy never looked better! But which of these 10 celebrity mommies showed off the best-dressed baby bump? Vote and let us know!

It looks like Ali Larter bundle of joy will be here any minute!

Heroes star Ali Larter looked absolutely radiant at the amfAR Inspiration Gala on Oct. 27, wearing a sexy black tuxedo jacket dress and sky-high heels, which she refuses to give up! “I love my high heels,” she says. “I’ll kick ass in four inches, pregnant, any day of the week.”

Another star who won’t give up her stilettos? Christina Applegate! But that doesn’t mean she’s a fan of maternity outfits! “Picking something to wear is a disaster,” she told Access Hollywood at the premiere of Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. “I don’t know what Heidi Klum goes through… We’re all so different, we carry so different, so you have to go through a lot of different styles and shapes to see what looks right on you.”

Amy Adams’ post-baby body!

Amy Adams found a gorgoeus navy gown that looked perfect on her, and her bump, at the Academy Awards on March 7 this year. “It’s a big commitment to the bump,” Amy said of leaving behind her regular clothes and switching to maternity wear. She admitted that looking good on the red carpet while you’re pregnant doesn’t come easy! “I have a lot of help.”

Whether they’ve had help or not, these fabulous women truly embraced pregnancy and showcased their beautiful bumps perfectly! Check out the gallery and choose your favorite dressed-up baby belly!

–Leigh Blickley

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The new addition has arrived! Vera Farmiga gave birth to her second child, a beautiful baby girl today, Nov. 4!

Up In The Air actress Vera Farmiga and her husband, Renn Hawkey, welcomed a baby girl, Gytta Lubov on Thursday, Nov. 4, her rep tells People magazine. Gytta, who joins big brother Fynn, 22 months, is “happy and healthy” along with her Academy Award-nominated mommy!

Ali Larter is due next! She’s having a boy!

Vera, 37, opted for a surprise delivery instead of finding out the sex of her expectant child. “We don’t know what we’re having yet. I just want to have a healthy baby,” she said recently. Well, now you know it’s a girl! And we’re sure she is absolutely gorgeous! Congratulations Vera, Renn and big brother Fynn!

–Leigh Blickley

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Only a few short weeks away from delivery, Vera Farmiga steps out for a night at the opera!

Vera Farmiga stepped out with her husband, Renn Hawkey, and showcased her gorgeous baby bump for the Metropolitan Opera season opening at Lincoln Center in NYC on Monday (Sept. 27). The expectant mother wore a stunning white Marchesa dress to the new production of Das Rheingold. “We don’t know what we’re having yet. I just want to have a healthy baby,” Vera tells People Magazine. The baby, who is due in October, will join big brother Fynn, 20 months.

“I get the feeling he’s starting to [realize he’s going to have a sibling] because when I [show him my stomach] and say, ‘Baby. Baby. This is going to be your baby sibling,’ he repeats the word baby. He presses his mouth [to my belly], takes my shirt and goes, ‘Close. Close,’ to kind of distinguish the idea of there being someone else in my life,” Vera explains.

Both Vera and Renn come from large families consisting of seven kids each, but the pair is content with a smaller brood. “The world is [too] overpopulated to go that route and we met 10 years too late for that,” Vera says.

We can’t wait to meet the new addition!

–Leigh Blickley

It may be the most glam night of the year, but some questionable fashion choices are always inevitable! I was really looking forward to seeing Kristen Stewart, Emmy Rossum, and Carey Mulligan, but the second I saw them in their questionable get-ups my anticipation was replaced with disappointment. For starters, Carey looked like she was going to take a school photo in that short Miu Miu frock paired with opaque tights. Last night was one of the warmest nights in NYC, so why she covered up and looked so bland on the boldest fashion night of the year is beyond me! As for Emmy, she always looks so cute, but sadly it looks like someone just threw that Kenneth Cole get-up on her at the last second. Christina Hendricks‘ dress was totally unflattering on the beautiful star and our girl K Stew looked more goth than glam.

Taking chances good be a good thing, but Kristen Stewart (in Chanel), Vera Farmiga (in Sophie Theallet for Gap), Emmy Rossum (in Kenneth Cole), Christina Hendricks in L’Wren Scott, Malin Akerman (in Temperley London), and Carey Mulligan (in Miu Miu) really let me down at the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 3.

-Katrina Mitzeliotis