INDEPENDENT NEWS

2003 Sundance Film Festival Announces Award Winner

Published: Mon 27 Jan 2003 02:06 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2003
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Patrick Hubley
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The Sundance Film Festival is proud to announce the winners of the Independent Feature Film Competition for the 2003 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 16 - 26).
The Documentary Grand Jury Prize was given to CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS, directed by Andrew Jarecki and produced by Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling. The Dramatic Grand Jury Prize was presented to AMERICAN SPLENDOR, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini and produced by Ted Hope.
The Documentary Audience Award was presented to MY FLESH AND BLOOD, directed by Jonathan Karsh and produced by Jennifer Chaiken. The Dramatic Audience Award winner was THE STATION AGENT, directed by Tom McCarthy and produced by Mary Jane Skalski, Robert May, and Kathryn Tucker. The Audience Awards, sponsored by Volkswagen of America, Inc., are given to a documentary and a dramatic film in Competition or American Spectrum, as voted by Film Festival audiences.
The World Cinema Audience Award was given to WHALE RIDER, directed by Niki Caro and produced by Tim Sanders, John Barrett, and Frank Hubner. The World Cinema Audience Award, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, is given to a film in the World Cinema category as voted by Film Festival audiences.
The Directing Award recognizes excellence in directing for dramatic and documentary features. The Documentary Directing Award went to MY FLESH AND BLOOD, directed by Jonathan Karsh. The Dramatic Directing Award was presented to Catherine Hardwicke for THIRTEEN.
The Excellence in Cinematography Award honors exceptional photography in both a dramatic and documentary film at the Film Festival. Dana Kupper, Gordon Quinn, and Peter Gilbert for STEVIE from the Documentary Competition and Derek Cianfrance for QUATTRO NOZA from the Dramatic Competition received the 2003 Cinematography Awards.
The Freedom of Expression Award is given to a documentary film that informs and educates the public on issues of social or political concern. The Documentary Jury awarded the Freedom of Expression Award to WHAT I WANT MY WORDS TO DO TO YOU, directed by Judith Katz, Madeleine Gavin, and Gary Sunshine and produced by Judith Katz.
The Dramatic Jury presents the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award to outstanding achievement in writing. The 2003 prize was given to Tom McCarthy for THE STATION AGENT. The award is sponsored by the Utah Film Commission.
The Documentary Jury bestowed Special Jury Prizes to THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL, directed by Stanley Nelson and produced by Mark Samels and to A CERTAIN KIND OF DEATH, directed and produced by Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock.
The Dramatic Jury bestowed Special Jury Prizes for Outstanding Performance to both Patricia Clarkson, for her work in THE STATION AGENT, PIECES OF APRIL, and ALL THE REAL GIRLS, and Charles Busch for his role in DIE MOMMIE DIE. The Dramatic Jury also presented two Special Jury Prizes for Emotional Truth to ALL THE REAL GIRLS, directed by David Gordon Green, and WHAT ALICE FOUND, directed by A. Dean Bell.
The Shorts Jury presented the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking to TERMINAL BAR, directed by Stefan Nadelman. The Shorts Jury awarded Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking to OCULARIST, directed by Vance Malone; EARTHQUAKE, directed by James Brett; PAN WITH US, directed by David Russo; ASYLUM, directed by Sandy McLeod and Gini Reticker; THE PLANETS, directed by Francesca Talenti; THE FREAK, directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas; FITS & STARTS, directed by Vince Di Meglio; and FROM THE 104TH FLOOR, directed by Serguei Bassine. The Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking is sponsored by American Express.
The 2003 Documentary Competition jurors were Nanette Burstein, Susan Froemke, Avon Kirkland, Lesli Klainberg, and Doug Pray.
The Dramatic Competition jurors for 2003 were Steve Buscemi, Emanuel Levy, David O. Russell, Tilda Swinton, and Forest Whitaker.
The 2003 Shorts Jury were Thérèse DePrez, Scott Foundas, and Ruby Lerner.
The 2003 Sundance Online Film Festival Viewers Awards went to BROKEN SAINTS, by Brooke Burgess (Animation), and ONE, by Stewart Hendler (Short Subject).
The Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award was created to honor and support emerging filmmakers with their next screenplays – one each from the United States, Europe, Latin America and Japan – who possess the originality, talent and vision to be celebrated as we look to the future of international cinema. The winning filmmakers and projects are: Yesim Ustaoglu, WAITING FOR THE CLOUDS from Europe; Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll, WHISKY from Latin America; Michael Kang, THE MOTEL from the United States; and Mai Tominaga, 100% PURE WOOL from Japan.
Yesterday, the 2003 Sundance Film Festival announced that DOPAMINE, directed by first-time director Mark Decena, and co-written by Decena and Tim Breitbach was the winner of the first annual Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. The Prize carries a $20,000 cash award to be split equally between the writer and the director, and is designed to increase the visibility of outstanding independent films on science and technology and to showcase the work of emerging filmmakers tackling compelling topics in science.
“Presenting” sponsors for the 2003 Sundance Film Festival include Entertainment Weekly; Zenith Electronics Corporation; Volkswagen of America, Inc.; and Hewlett-Packard Company. “Leadership” sponsors are American Express; The Coca-Cola Company; DirecTV; Microsoft, Inc.; and Sundance Channel. “Sustaining” Sponsors are ABC 4, AT Bonterra Vineyards; CESAR® Food For Small Dogs; DEJ Productions Inc.; The New York Times; Park City Visitors Bureau and Film Commission; SKYY Vodka; Sony Electronics, Inc.; and the Utah Film Commission.
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is dedicated to the development of artists of independent vision and the exhibition of their new work. Since its inception, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for filmmakers and other artists. Sundance Institute conducts national and international labs for filmmakers, screenwriters, composers, writers, and theater artists. The annual Sundance Film Festival, a major program of Sundance Institute, is held each January and is considered the premier showcase for American and international independent film. The Institute supports non-fiction filmmakers through the Documentary Film Program by providing year-round support through the Sundance Documentary Fund and a series of programs, which nurture their growth, encourage the exploration of innovative nonfiction storytelling, and promote the exhibition of documentary films to a broader audience. Through the Sundance Institute Theatre Program, the Institute is committed to invigorating the national theater movement with original and creative work and to nurturing the diversity of artistic expression among theater artists. The Institute also maintains The Sundance Collection at UCLA, a unique archive of independent film
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