November 16, 2009
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The 2009 Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, concluded its 12th year on Nov. 7 with the presentation of the competition film awards.
Student Competition Film Awards
- Savannah Film Commission Award: “The Fakers,” Director Evan Watkins, SCAD
- Best Student Animation Award: “Sebastian’s Voodoo,” Director Joaquin Baldwin, University of California, Los Angeles
- Best SCAD Student Film Award: “Farewell to the Sparrow,” Director Shane Ladd, SCAD
- Panavision Professional Education and Cinematography Award: SCAD Professor Michael Hofstein (winner for fifth straight year)
- Panavision’s Tracy Langan Student Cinematography Award: “Quality Time,” Charlie Baird, Columbia University ($60,000 Panavision camera package for use on next film)
- 2009 HBO Films Student Competition Award: “Joy in the Morning,” Director Gina Atwater, Columbia University ($5,000 prize)
Professional Competition Film Awards
- Best Dramatic Short: “Underwear,” Director Tomer Gendler
- Best Editing Award, presented by Avid: “An Unlikely Weapon,” Director Susan Morgan Cooper
- Best Documentary Award: “45365,” Directors Bill Turner and Ross Turner
- Best Narrative Feature Award: “Mercy,” Director Patrick Hoelck
- Best Director Award (tie): “Bomber,” Director Paul Cotter and “Mercy,” Director Patrick Hoelck
- Diane Passage Jury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award: Actor Bill Camp for “Love and Roadkill”
- Best Animated Film Award: “Pigeon Impossible,” Director Lucas Martell
- 2009 HBO Films Producer Award: “An Unlikely Weapon,” Producers Susan Morgan Cooper and Cindy Lou Adkins ($5,000 prize)
The weeklong Savannah Film Festival, Oct. 31-Nov. 7, also honored actors Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Emmy Rossum, Hugh Dancy, Patricia Clarkson and Jeremy Renner.
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — The 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, closed tonight, Saturday, Nov. 7 after a full week of special screenings and award presentations.
Film Festival attendees were treated to screenings of the intense war film “The Hurt Locker,” and the powerful urban tale “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.” In addition, the star of “The Hurt Locker,” Jeremy Renner, was presented with the 2009 Spotlight Award for his performance in the film.
Speaking to a full-house, including student and commercial film competition award winners announced earlier this evening, Renner graciously accepted his award, stating, “I’m terrified standing here right now amongst so much talent accepting this Spotlight Award…I’m truly honored to be here. I share this with all of you.”
Renner has starred in several major independent films, including “Dahmer,” which earned him his first Independent Spirit Award Best Actor nomination, as well as “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” and “28 Weeks Later.” Other films include “S.W.A.T.,” “North Country” and the upcoming crime drama, “The Town.”
In “The Hurt Locker” Renner stars as Sergeant First Class William James, the new team leader of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, a group of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs in the heat of combat. The film follows their tour together as they content with defusing bombs, the threat of insurgency and the tension that develops between them.
Closing the festival was the acclaimed film, “Precious: Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire,” directed by Lee Daniels and starring Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe. “Precious” is the powerful story of a young urban teenager enduring unimaginable hardships who, with creativity, humor, and ferocity, finds the strength to turn her life around. Daniels was in Savannah to attend the closing night festivities and participate in a Q&A following the screening of the movie.
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — On Nov. 4 at the 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design, Patricia Clarkson was honored with an Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award. The award, presented at Trustees Theater, recognized her performance in Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works,” which screened earlier that day.
“The glorious thing about our business is you never accomplish anything alone and I want to pay tribute to the marvelous filmmakers who I’ve worked with,” said Clarkson. “To the students, you rock, and give me hope for the future.”
As an Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award-winning actress, Clarkson takes on roles as varied as the platform in which she plays them. It is that multi-faceted approach that has made her one of today’s most respected actresses.
She last appeared in Allen’s “Whatever Works” alongside Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. Additionally, Clarkson stars in a romantic drama “Cairo Time,” which recently won the Best Canadian Feature award at the 34th Toronto International Film Festival. In early 2010, Clarkson will be seen in Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated “Shutter Island” alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Sir Ben Kingsley.
Clarkson’s continuous innovative work in independent film earned her the Independent Award for Acting Excellence at the 2009 ShoWest Awards. In 2003, her role in “Pieces of April” earned her nominations for Academy, Golden Globe, SAG, Broadcast Film Critics and Independent Spirit awards. The National Board of Review and the National Society of Film Critics named her Best Supporting Actress of the Year for her work in “Pieces of April” and “The Station Agent.”
On television, Clarkson won an Emmy in 2002 and 2006 for her guest-starring role on HBO’s acclaimed drama “Six Feet Under.”
Prior to the tribute, the Silver Screen Society presented the Best Short Film award to Shane Ladd, a SCAD film and television alumnus, and the Silver Screen Award to Kate Fitzpatrick, an undergraduate film and television student at the university.
The night topped off with film festival attendees viewing Pedro Almodovar’s “Broken Embraces,” starring Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar.
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SAVANNAH, Ga. — On Nov. 3 at the 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design, Hugh Dancy was honored with a Spotlight Award. The award, presented at Trustees Theater, recognized his performance in the Fox Searchlight release “Adam,” which played as a Special Screening earlier that day.
In this romantic comedy, Dancy stars as Adam, a man with Asperger’s syndrome who does his best to fit in socially. Written and directed by Max Mayer, the film follows this handsome, intriguing young man who has always led a sheltered existence—until he meets his new neighbor, Beth. Dancy plays opposite Rose Byrne, Frankie Faison and Mark Linn-Baker, along with Amy Irving and Peter Gallagher. The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it garnered the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize.
Dancy next will star in the MCC Theater’s off-Broadway production of “The Pride,” directed by Joe Mantello. The production previews at the Lucille Lortel Theater Jan. 27, 2010, and runs Feb. 16-March 20, 2010.
He most recently starred in “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” and his other film credits include “Evening,” “The Jane Austen Book Club,” “Beyond the Gates,” “King Arthur,” “Ella Enchanted,” “The Sleeping Dictionary,” “Black Hawk Down” and “Young Blades.”
On television, Dancy starred opposite Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in Tom Hooper’s series “Elizabeth I.” Dancy received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his role as Earl of Essex. The series received the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and the Emmy Award for Best Miniseries. Dancy’s other television credits include “Daniel Deronda,” “David Copperfield,” “Relic Hunter” and “Madame Bovary.”
Media inquiries may be directed to 404.406.0270.
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November 3, 2009
Followed by special screening of her new film “Dare”
Also presented: an early preview of “The City Of Your Final Destination” with a special appearance by director James Ivory; a special screening of “Valentino: The Last Emperor” followed by a conversation with filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer and Vogue Editor-at-large André Leon Talley; the 2009 Competition for Narrative Feature with Scott Caan in attendance for the screening of his film “Mercy”
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, presented Emmy Rossum with the Young Hollywood Award on Nov. 2.
“I’m extremely honored to be given this award,” said Rossum. “This award and the incredible student films shown here at the festival show that SCAD has an eye on the future of film, as well as an appreciation of its past. I’m delighted to be here to accept this.”
Rossum’s starring performance as Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera” in 2004 earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. Her acting performance in “Songcatcher” earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination in the category of Best Debut Performance. Other past film credits include the Clint Eastwood-directed drama “Mystic River,” “Poseidon,” “The Day After Tomorrow” with Jake Gyllenhaal, “Dragonball” and “Happy Now.”
At age 7, Rossum began singing at the Metropolitan Opera, and she has since performed with such musical talents as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Dolly Parton. In 2007, Rossum recorded her first album for Geffen Records, “Inside Out.” She wrote and recorded all her own songs. She is currently working on her second album.
Following the presentation, film festival attendees were treated to a late night special screening of the independent drama, “Dare,” starring Rossum. “Dare” follows three teenagers through their last semester of school, who make a last-ditch effort to shake things up by taking the biggest risks of their lives before they actually have to start living as adults. “Dare” will be released theatrically by Image Entertainment Nov. 13.
The day began with a special screening of “Valentino: The Last Emperor,” the acclaimed portrait of Valentino Garavani, the man behind the legendary couture label Valentino. The film focuses on the period between Valentino’s 70th birthday and his final couture show. After the film, director Matt Tyrnauer joined Vogue Editor-at-large André Leon Talley for an in-depth look at the making of the film.
Attendees were also treated to a special screening of “The City of Your Final Destination,” with an appearance by the multi-Academy Award-nominated director, James Ivory. Directed by Ivory and written by his longtime collaborator Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, “The City of Your Destination” stars Sir Anthony Hopkins and Laura Linney. It tells the story of a young American academic who attempts to persuade the reluctant heirs of a celebrated Uruguayan novelist to allow him to write an authorized biography of the writer, who has recently died.
Throughout the day there were also narrative feature competition screenings. Among those films competing was “Mercy,” written and starring Scott Caan, who made a special appearance at the Festival. “Mercy” centers around a successful but cynical young writer who writes about love but does not really believe in it until he meets someone who turns his world upside down. Playing Caan’s on-screen father is his real father, Academy Award-nominated actor James Caan.
For more information, visit www.scad.edu/filmfest.
Media inquiries may be directed to 404.406.0270.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, offering more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university. SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees in distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers students a choice of degree programs in 46 majors and more than 50 minors at locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, in Lacoste, France, online through SCAD eLearning, and soon in Hong Kong.
The diverse student body of more than 9,500 comes from all 50 United States and nearly 100 countries worldwide. The education and career preparation of each student is nurtured and cultivated by a faculty of more than 600 professors with extraordinary academic credentials and valuable professional experience. Through individual attention in an inspiring university environment, and with advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources, SCAD is uniquely qualified to provide an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. SCAD has garnered acclaim from respected organizations and publications, including the Los Angeles Times, American Institute of Architects, DesignIntelligence and U.S. News & World Report.
For more information, visit scad.edu.
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November 1, 2009
SCAD President Paula Wallace presents the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award to Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster prior to a Special Screening of their new film, “The Messenger”
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The 2009 annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design opened tonight with the university’s President Paula Wallace presenting the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award to Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster for recognition of their work in the acclaimed drama, “The Messenger.” Also, on hand to share the tribute was the film’s director and co-writer, Oren Moverman. Following the tribute to both actors festival goers were treated to a special screening of the film.
Looking out over the audience, Foster accepted his award from President Wallace by exclaiming, “Holy Smokes! I want to thank SCAD for inviting us…I’m deeply inspired by you and Savannah.”
Harrelson also graciously accepted his award from President Wallace, who applauded him for his support of sustainable living and invited him to apply for SCAD’s new degree in Design for Sustainability. Referring to his recent film, “Zombieland,” filmed outside of Atlanta, he said, “When I was filming earlier this year, I was told that I’ve got to go to Savannah, the best city in Georgia…there just weren’t enough zombies to kill.”
In “The Messenger,” Ben Foster stars as Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. Partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers, Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. The film hits select theatres on November 13th.
Harrelson’s critically acclaimed portrayal of controversial magazine publisher Larry Flynt in Milos Forman’s “The People vs. Larry Flynt” garnered him best actor Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Other highlights from Harrelson’s film career include “No Country For Old Men,” “The Thin Red Line,” “Ed TV,” “Wag the Dog,” “Kingpin,” “Natural Born Killers,” “Indecent Proposal” and “White Men Can’t Jump,” among others. He won an Emmy in 1988 for his role in the NBC sitcom “Cheers” and was nominated four additional times during his eight-year run on the show. He later made a return to television with a recurring guest role on the hit NBC series, “Will and Grace.”
Foster has starred in such films as “Alpha Dog,” “3:10 to Yuma,” and “X-Men 3.”
On television, he starred in the HBO drama “Six Feet Under,” for which he was nominated for two SAG awards. His other television work includes “Freaks and Geeks” and the Emmy-nominated HBO film “The Laramie Project.” His performance in Showtime’s “Bang Bang You’re Dead,” a meditation on school shootings, garnered him a Daytime Emmy.
For more information, visit www.scad.edu/filmfest.
For media inquiries and image requests, contact 404.406.0270.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, offering more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university. SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees in distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers students a choice of degree programs in 46 majors and more than 50 minors at locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, in Lacoste, France, online through SCAD eLearning, and soon in Hong Kong.
The diverse student body of more than 9,500 comes from all 50 United States and nearly 100 countries worldwide. The education and career preparation of each student is nurtured and cultivated by a faculty of more than 600 professors with extraordinary academic credentials and valuable professional experience. Through individual attention in an inspiring university environment, and with advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources, SCAD is uniquely qualified to provide an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. SCAD has garnered acclaim from respected organizations and publications, including the Los Angeles Times, American Institute of Architects, DesignIntelligence and U.S. News & World Report.
For more information, visit scad.edu.
CONTACT:
Jennifer Bins
Media Relations Manager
Savannah College of Art and Design
jbins@scad.edu
404.406.0270
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October 21, 2009
Surprise Director’s Choice screening returns to lineup
Savannah, Ga. — Hugh Dancy will be honored Tuesday , Nov . 3 with a “Spotlight Award” for his performance in this year’s Fox Searchlight release “Adam” at the 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, which runs Oct . 31- Nov . 7. Dancy most recently starred in “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and “Evening.” He will next star in the MCC Theater’s Joe Mantello-directed Off-Broadway production of “The Pride,” which previews at the Lucille Lortel Theater Jan . 27, 2010. On television, Dancy received an Emmy nomination for his role in Tom Hooper’s Golden Globe nominated series “Elizabeth I” opposite Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons.
Dancy joins a lineup of special guests including Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Emmy Rossum and Jeremy Renner. Clarkson is slated to receive an Achievement in Cinema Award at a screening of her new film, Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works.” Harrelson and Foster, who star in opening-night film “The Messenger,” also will receive Achievement in Cinema Awards. Rossum will be honored with the Young Hollywood Award prior to a showing of her film “Dare,” and Renner will receive a Spotlight Award for his performance in “The Hurt Locker,” which will also screen at the festival.
In addition, the festival has reinstated the surprise Director’s Choice screening after a one-year absence. The screening on Thursday , Nov . 5, will feature a major studio release that will be kept secret until the opening credits roll.
Adam and Miguel Arteta’s “Youth in Revolt” also has been added to the festival as a special screening. Also showing are Jean-Marc Vallée’s “The Young Victoria,” Grant Heslov’s “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” Pedro Almodovar’s “Broken Embraces,” Lone Sherfig’s “An Education,” James Ivory’s “The City of Your Final Destination,” the United States premiere of Nick Moran’s “Telstar” with Moran in attendance, Jodie Markell’s “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” (from a screenplay by Tennessee Williams), Bette Gordon’s “Handsome Harry,” Cannes Palme d’Or winner Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon,” and Lee Daniels’ “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Daniels and star Gabourey Sidibe will be in attendance.
In addition to the special screenings, 22 professional films (features, documentaries, shorts and animation) and 12 student films in competition will show at various times throughout the festival. The jurors for this year’s competition are actress Patti D’Arbanville (“Rescue Me”), actress/producer Rita Gam, writer/director Ingrid Rockefeller, writer/director Michael Sucsy (Emmy Award-winning “Grey Gardens”) and writer/director David Twohy (“Pitch Black”).
For more information on the festival and a complete schedule of events, visit www.scad.edu/filmfest .
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, offering more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university. SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees in distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers students a choice of degree programs in 46 majors and more than 50 minors at locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, in Lacoste, France, online through SCAD eLearning, and soon in Hong Kong.
The diverse student body of more than 9,500 comes from all 50 United States and nearly 100 countries worldwide. The education and career preparation of each student is nurtured and cultivated by a faculty of more than 600 professors with extraordinary academic credentials and valuable professional experience. Through individual attention in an inspiring university environment, and with advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources, SCAD is uniquely qualified to provide an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. SCAD has garnered acclaim from respected organizations and publications, including the Los Angeles Times, American Institute of Architects, DesignIntelligence and U.S. News & World Report.
For more information, visit scad.edu.
CONTACT:
Jennifer Bins
Media Relations Manager
Savannah College of Art and Design
404.406.0270
jbins@scad.edu
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October 1, 2009
Published: September 21, 2009
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah College of Art and Design announces the competition film lineup and jurors for its 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 7 in historic downtown Savannah, Ga. Featuring the best in independent and innovative film from around the world, the Savannah Film Festival presents a full range of cinematic creativity from both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. The festival received a record-breaking 525 submissions from 37 states and 27 countries for the 2009 competition.
Jurors for the 2009 Savannah Film Festival are renowned for their work in the film and entertainment industries.
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Published: September 29, 2009
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The 12th annual Savannah Film Festival, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, will take place from Saturday, Oct. 31-Saturday, Nov. 7.
Films to receive special gala screenings will include Jean-Marc Vallée’s “The Young Victoria”; Oren Moverman’s “The Messenger,” with Moverman and stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster in attendance; Grant Heslov’s “The Men Who Stare at Goats”; Pedro Almodovar’s “Broken Embraces”; Lone Sherfig’s “An Education”; the United States premieres of James Ivory’s “The City of Your Final Destination,” with Ivory in attendance, and Nick Moran’s “Telstar,” with Moran and star Con O’Neill in attendance; Jodie Markell’s “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” (from a screenplay by Tennessee Williams); Cannes Palme d’Or winner Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon”; and Lee Daniels’ “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” winner of the Grand-Jury Prize at Sundance and the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Daniels and star Gabourey Sidibe will be in attendance.
Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson (”Pieces of April,” “Vicki Cristina Barcelona”) will receive an Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award after a screening of Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works”. Emmy and Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson (”Cheers,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt”) and Ben Foster (”3:10 to Yuma”) will also receive Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Awards prior to their screening of “The Messenger.” Emmy Rossum (”The Phantom of the Opera”) will receive the Young Hollywood Award prior to a screening of her film “Dare,” and Jeremy Renner will receive the Spotlight Award for his performance in “The Hurt Locker,” which will also screen at the festival. Scott Caan (”Ocean’s 11″), the writer and star of “Mercy,” one of the festival’s competition films, also will attend.
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