Press releases in detail

Nov 11, 2007

HOLLYWOOD (November 11, 2007)—AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi today announced the 2007 award winners with Lee Isaac Chung’s MUNYURANGABO named as the recipient of the Grand Jury Prize for International Feature Competition.

Andreas Mol Dalsgaard’s AFGHAN MUSCLES and Nina Davenport’s OPERATION FILMMAKER shared the International Documentary Grand Jury Prize.

The Shorts Jury Prize went to Nash Edgerton’s SPIDER, with a special award for Best Animated Short going to Josh Raskind’s I MET THE WALRUS.

Julian Schnabel’s THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY won the Audience Award for best feature film, while Jeffrey Schwarz’ SPINE TINGLER! THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY and Lauren Greenfield’s KIDS + MONEY won the Audience Award for the Documentary and Short sections respectively.

The three Jury Award winners each receive a $5000 prize of Eastman Kodak Motion Picture Film stock & Entertainment Partners Budgeting and Scheduling software package.

The three Audience Award winners receive an AVID Technology Suite & Entertainment Partners Budgeting and Scheduling software package.

As the winner of the Audi “Truth in art” competition, Michael Addis (director of the documentary, HECKLER) won a free lease of an Audi S5 automobile for one year. For the winning project, Addis created/shot a short film featuring a theme of family and security with the safety of driving an Audi.

AFI FEST Artistic Director Rose Kuo said, “As with the all of the films we had at AFI FEST this year, the films in the competitive categories included really accomplished and inspired work from a diverse group of talented filmmakers. I know the members of our jury had a particularly difficult time singling out one film.”

JURY AWARDS

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE: MUNYURANGABO
DIR Lee Isaac Chung PROD Lee Isaac Chung EXEC PROD Han Gil Chung, Robert Liang, Alex Hsiong Chu CAST Jeff Rutagengwa, Eric Ndorunkundiye, Jean Marie Vianney Nkurikiyinka Rwanda/USA

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE: AFGHAN MUSCLES & OPERATION FILMMAKER

AFGHAN MUSCLES DIR Andreas Mol Dalsgaard PROD Jesper Morthorst, Michael Haslund-Christensen Denmark

OPERATION FILMMAKER DIR Nina Davenport PROD Nina Davenport, David
Schisgall. USA

INTERNATIONAL SHORTS COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE: SPIDER
DIR Nash Edgerton Australia

BEST ANIMATED SHORT: I MET THE WALRUS
DIR Josh Raskin Canada
AUDIENCE AWARDS

FEATURE: THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (LE SCAPHANDRE ET LE PAPILLON) DIR/SCR Julian Schnabel PROD Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Klik, EXEC PROD Pierre Grunstein, Jim Lemley CAST Max Von Sydow, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny, Emma De Caunes. USA

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: SPINE TINGLER! THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY
DIR Jeffrey Schwarz PROD Jeffrey Schwarz. USA

SHORT: KIDS + MONEY
DIR Lauren Greenfield USA

AFI FEST 2007 JURY MEMBERS
• INTERNATIONAL FEATURE COMPETITION JURY includes:

AGNIESZKA HOLLAND
Holland studied filmmaking in Czechoslovakia under Milos Forman and Ivan Passer. Her feature directing debut, PROVINCIAL ACTORS won the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes. Her English-language debut film, TO KILL A PRIEST found her working with an all-star, international cast including Ed Harris, Joss Ackland, Pete Postlethwaite and Tim Roth. Holland's next feature was the magnificently received, EUROPA, EUROPA, which went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film. She followed up with another well-received art house item, OLIVIER, OLIVIER, an adaptation of the children's classic THE SECRET GARDEN, and the period drama, WASHINGTON SQUARE based on the Henry James novel. Holland’s latest works include THE THIRD MIRACLE starring Ed Harris and Anne Heche, HBO’s SHOT IN THE HEART starring Giovanni Ribisi, Elias Koteas and Sam Shepard, JULIE WALKING HOME starring Miranda Otto, Lothar Bluthau and William Fichner. Holland’s latest work reteams her with Ed Harris in COPYING BEETHOVEN, also starring Diane Kruger.

JOHN RIDLEY
John Ridley has achieved success in television and film, novels and theater. Coproducer of the critically acclaimed film BOBBY, Ridley has also published six bestselling novels and written several box office hits, including UNDERCOVER BROTHER, THREE KINGS, directed by David O. Russell, and U-TURN, directed by Oliver Stone and based on Ridley's debut novel STRAY DOGS. On the small screen, Ridley executive produced and directed the television adaptation of the hit feature film BARBERSHOP for the Showtime Network. He also created and produced UPN’s onehour drama, PLATINUM, co-produced by Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola. His first network job was for the hit sitcom MARTIN, followed by THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and THE JOHN LARROQUETTE SHOW. Ridley also has showcased his dramatic voice as writer and producer for the NBC series THIRD WATCH. He was honored in 2004 with an Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists was awarded two Emmy Awards for the award-winning TV news magazine CALIFORNIA CONNECTED.

JOAN CHEN
Joan currently stars in Ang Lee’s LUST, CAUTION, which won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival. She recently wrapped HOME SONG STORIES directed by Tony Ayres, AMERICANESE directed by Eric Byler, THE SUN ALSO RISES directed by Wen Jiang, and SUNFLOWER directed by Yang Zhang. Chen was born in Shanghai, China and was selected for the Actors’ Training Program by the Shanghai Film Studio in 1975. Joan’s first starring role was in the movie YOUTH directed by the famous veteran director Xie Jin. Her second film LITTLE FLOWER won her the Best Actress Award in China in 1980. She left her home country for America in 1981 to study film. In 1985 she played leading roles in TAIPAN, the Academy Award winning THE LAST EMPEROR, BLOOD OF HEROES, TURTLE BEACH, GOLDEN GATE and HEAVEN AND EARTH. She also starred in the David Lynch series TWIN PEAKS. In 1993 she returned to Shanghai and starred in Stanley Kwan’s RED ROSE, WHITE ROSE for which she won the Best Actress Award in Taiwan and the Film Critics Award in Hong Kong. In 1997 Joan made her directorial debut with the critically acclaimed film XIU XIU, THE SENT DOWN GIRL. Joan’s second effort behind the camera was MGM’s AUTUMN IN NEW YORK starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. In 2000, Joan was honored with the National Board of Review’s “International Freedom of Expression” Award.

ISABEL COIXET
As a creative director and founder ad agencies, Isabel has received numerous advertising awards including Clios, Fiap and Cannes Lions. Isabel’s first film as a writer director DEMASIADO VIEJO PARA MORIR JOVEN starring Emma Suarez, won an audience award at San Sebastián Film Festival. She wrote and directed MY LIFE WITHOUT ME, starring Sarah Polley, Scott Speedman, Devorah Harry, Mark Ruffalo, for which she won the Spanish Film Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Her documentary VIAJE AL CORAZÓN DE LA TORTURA about torture produced by Canal Plus, won second place at the Human Rights Film Festival. Isabel took part with other great international filmmakers such as Gus Van Sant, Walter Salles, the Coen brothers, in the collective work PARIS, JE T'AIME, made up of 18 shorts inspired by the
18 Paris district of the capital, with the short titled LE TRENCH ROUGE. Other films include, THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS, THINGS I NEVER TOLD YOU and the documentary CARTAS A NORA. She recently wrapped ELGY, produced by Lakeshore Entertainment, (based on the novel The Dying Animal by Philip Roth), starring Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz.

HENRY BEAN
Bean has written the screenplays for INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DEEP COVER and many other films. He and has worked uncredited on many films including DIM SUM, ENEMY OF THE STATE, MURDER BY NUMBERS and MAN ON FIRE. He claims to be the only screenwriter who has worked with both Tony Scott and Chantal Akerman. His novel, False Match, won an LA Pen Award. His film, THE BELIEVER, won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Moscow and other festivals. His new film, NOISE, showed at this year’s AFI Film Festival. Henry Bean lives in New York.

• INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION DOCUMENTARY JURY includes:

NANCY SCHREIBER
Schreiber most recently was the cinematographer on John August’s THE NINES. She won the SUNDANCE 2004 best cinematography award for the dramatic feature NOVEMBER. Schreiber also photographed the film LOVERBOY, directed by Kevin Bacon and AMERICAN GUN, which garnered three Spirit Award nominations. Schreiber has been the DP on several projects for HBO including the series THE COMEBACK with Lisa Kudrow, STRANGER INSIDE, and PATH TO WAR. Other projects include YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS for director Neil La Bute, LUSH LIFE, with Jeff Goldblum and Forest Whitaker, PI, and the award-winning documentary VISIONS OF LIGHT. Schreiber just wrapped THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY LEFAY for director Howard Michael Gould. Schreiber was honored with the Kodak Vision Award at the 1997 Women In Film Crystal Awards. She was nominated for both an Emmy on THE CELLULOID CLOSET as well as an IFP Spirit Award nomination for CHAIN OF DESIRE. Schreiber also shared the best cinematography award at Sundance in 1997 for MY AMERICA OR HONK IF YOU LOVE BUDDAH, and was voted one of Variety’s 10 Dps to watch in 2000. Schreiber is one of seven women voted into membership in the American Society of Cinematographers.

KIRBY DICK
Kirby Dick is an Academy Award® nominated director whose last five films have premiered at Sundance. Dick’s most recent release, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED, is a breakthrough investigation of the highly secretive MPAA film ratings system. Dick’s prior film, TWIST OF FAITH, the powerful story of a man confronting his traumatic past of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, received a 2005 Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Dick’s other films include, DERRIDA, which won the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Film Festival, and SICK, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival earned both an IFP/West Spirit Award Nomination and an International Documentary Association Nomination for Best Feature Documentary.

DOUG PRAY
Doug Pray is best known for his feature-length documentary films about American subcultures. His work includes BIG RIG, SCRATCH and HYPE! Doug’s most recent work includes “SURFWISE” a portrait of the legendary Paskowitz surfing family (premiered Toronto 2007), and INFAMY, an intense journey into the lives and minds of six notorious graffiti writers. Doug is a member of the DGA and won an Emmy in 2006 for his advocacy campaigns on HIV-AIDS awareness.

• INTERNATIONAL SHORTS COMPETITION JURY includes:

TATE DONOVAN
Tate Donovan is currently filming the tv drama DAMAGES for FX with Glenn Close and has been seen on screen this year in NANCY DREW Antoine Fuqua’s action drama SHOOTER and has written and directed part of the comedy documentary FIRED based on Anabelle Gurwitch’s best-selling book. His feature credits include, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, THE PACIFIER, SWORDFISH, MURDER AT 1600, ETHAN FROME, INSIDE MONKEY, ZETTERLAND for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination, LOVE POTION No 9, MEMPHIS, BELLE and CLEAN AND SOBER. Donovan was a regular on the hit Fox series THE O.C on which he also served as a director, and NBC’s TRINITY Donovan received a BackStageWest Garland Award for his performance in “Rabbit Hole,” at the Geffen Theater. He also plays the traditional Irish fiddle in his spare time.

MAGGIE BIGGAR
Maggie Biggar is an independent producer and is currently Senior Vice President at Fortis Films. She has worked on HOPE FLOATS, PRACTICAL MAGIC, GUNSHY, MISS CONGENIALITY, TWO WEEKS NOTICE, MISS CONGENIALITY 2, as well as the upcoming comedy, ALL ABOUT STEVE. In 2004, she produced an independent film, OUR VERY OWN, which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting actress (Allison Janney). In addition to her film work, Maggie was an executive for Fortis on the groundbreaking television show, THE GEORGE LOPEZ SHOW. Additionally, she served on the board of Step Up Women's Network where she produced the Filmmakers Lab for the organization.

IOAN GRUFFORD
Ioan Gruffudd studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and began working almost immediately earning international acclaim in title role in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries, HORATIO HORNBLOWER. He starred most recently in Michael Apted's AMAZING GRACE which was nominated for a Humanitas Prize and closed this year's Toronto Film Festival.

Earlier this year, Ioan was seen in Jake Kasden's THE TV SET opposite Sigourney Weaver and David Duchovny, and the box-office hit FANTASTIC FOUR 2, the sequel to last summer's hit film version of the comic-book series. Previous film credits include FANTASTIC FOUR, KING ARTHUR, TITANIC, 102 DALMATIONS, SOLOMON AND GAENOR (nominated for an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film) and BLACK HAWK DOWN.

AFI FEST 2007 OVERVIEW:
AFI FEST 2007 rolled out the red carpet with the highly anticipated North American Premiere of Robert Redford’s LIONS FOR LAMBS on November 1. Directed by Robert Redford and starring Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Redford, the event attracted the Hollywood A-list including all three stars as well as Will Smith and David Beckham.

Other highlights of the Festival included the Gala, JUNO, directed by Jason Reitman and attended by cast members Ellen Page and Jason Bateman, Tributes to Laura Linney and Catherine Deneuve, the addition of film panels with participants such as Werner Herzog, Vilmos Zsigmond, Paprika Steen, Arthur Dong, John Landis Kevin Wall, Nigel Lythgoe, Steve Golin, Hector Elizondo, James Ellroy and Bruce Wagner to the festival programming, the inclusion of the AFI Digital Content lab’s DigiFest to the eleven day event, and screenings attended by everyone from John Sayles and Alex Cox to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Michelle Geller, Malcolm McDowell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Noah Baumbach, Jack Black, Don Rickles, Roger Corman, Carl Reiner, and Orlando Bloom.

AFI FEST 2007 will conclude with Sunday’s Closing Night Gala, LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA, directed by Mike Newell and starring Javier Bardem, Benjamin Bratt, Liev Schreiber and Laura Harring. Overall, AFI FEST 2007 showcased 97 features (69 narrative, 28 documentary) and 51 shorts (43 narrative, 8 documentary) and 8 video art works for a total of 148 films representing 37 countries.

About AFI FEST
AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. Celebrating its 21st year as a program of the American Film Institute, AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi will take place November 1-11, featuring international competitions of new films from emerging filmmakers, as well as global showcases of the latest work from great film masters and nightly red-carpet gala premieres. Kicking off the awards season each year, AFI FEST offers a crucial avenue of exposure to the entertainment community, while providing appreciative audiences with a festive atmosphere and the very best of world film, right in the center of the film capital of the world.

The American Film Market (AFM), October 31 – November 7, 2007, is the market partner of AFI FEST. Together, AFI FEST and AFM provide the only concurrent festival/market event in North America. The synergy of this strategic partnership led to a record level of business throughout AFI FEST 2006 for companies such as Sony Pictures Classics, Strand Releasing, First Look Studios, IFC Films, Union Station Media, Wolfe Releasing, Optimum Releasing, and Cineclick Asia. More domestic sales of international titles and international territory sales occurred at AFI FEST 2006 than any other US festival. AFI FEST is the only FIAPF-accredited film festival in the United States. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Short Films category for the annual Academy Awards®.

Additional information about AFI FEST is available at www.AFI.com.

AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, the Philanthropy Project and the Hollywood Sign Trust. AFI FEST is proud to continue its collaborative partnership with the Skirball Cultural Center.

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 is an American Film Institute project supported by a partnership of the Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi is sponsored in part by American Airlines,
ArcLight Hollywood, RR Donnelley, Farmers Insurance, AT&T, Samsung, Absolut Vodka, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Midway Car Rental, and Stella Artois. The Los Angeles Times is the Festival's Presenting Media Partner.

About Audi of America, Inc.
Audi offers a line of premium vehicles through a network of 270 dealers including the Audi A3 compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high-revving RS 4 sports sedan and Cabriolet (November 2007 launch); the all-new S5 coupe (November 2007 launch) with 354 hp; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the V10-powered high performance S6 sedan; the Audi Q7 performance SUV; the new all aluminum Audi A8; the S8 with V10 power; the all-new 2008 TT Coupe and Roadster models; and the all-new all-aluminum R8, one of the most exclusive sports cars in the world.