The Fifth Annual Nantucket Film Festival Announces Its Program for 2000 June 21 - June 25

Business Wire, May 31, 2000

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--May 31, 2000

Nantucket Film Festival 2000 Writer/Director Award

to be given for the first time;

Tony Nominee Philip Seymour Hoffman to Judge Competition;

NBC To Honor Distinguished Industry Visionary

Writer/Director Paul Schrader

From June 21-25 the picturesque background of Nantucket Island will set the scene for the one of the gems of the American film festival circuit.

Now in its fifth year the Nantucket Film Festival (NFF) will screen a slate of 16 feature films -- including one world premiere, two U.S. premieres, and eight East Coast premieres -- and sixteen shorts. Today's line-up of films was released by NFF Executive Director Jonathan Burkhart. "We're excited to celebrate our fifth anniversary on Nantucket and continue our commitment to the screenwriters role in cinema," notes Burkhart.

The NFF was established in 1996 to recognize and showcase innovative voices in film while paying special focus to the screenwriters that created them. Since its inception, the festival has been dedicated to the concept that the writers' contribution is at the core of all good filmmaking.

The NFF has become a vitally important forum for screenwriters, producers, agents and development executives to meet in a casual environment and enjoy the many films and programs it offers. Daily events include; Morning Coffee With... series hosted by Jace Alexander, Staged Readings of original screenplays performed by noted stage and screen actors; industry panel discussions with featured guests and nightly parties.

The festival will kick off on Wednesday, June 21 with the East Coast premiere of The Tao of Steve. Written and directed by Jenniphr Goodman and making her feature debut, this irresistible crowd pleaser is about an endearingly chubby Don Juan, who finds that although he might be a loser on the outside he is certainly anything but that on the inside. The film features performances by Donal Logue, Greer Goodman, Kimo Wills, Ayelet Kaznelson, David Aaron Baker and Nina Jaroslaw.

Closing the festival this year is the exceptional Danish film Bye Bye Bluebird. This U.S. premiere written and directed by Katrin Ottarsdottir is a heartfelt journey for two young women set against the backdrop of the visually stunning Faroe Islands. " We have worked to bring the festival audiences a cross-section of cinema while devising new ways to generate love for what we believe to be one of the most versatile and exciting of art forms," commented NFF Film Programming Director Mystelle Brabbee.

This year will be the first year where a jury prize will be given for Best Writer/Director. "We've implemented the Writer/Director Award to recognize the movement of writers bringing their own work to light," commented, Jill Goode, NFF Artistic Director. The jury for the NFF 2000 Writer/Director Award will include: Annie Nocenti, editor Scenario Magazine; John Lyons, producer Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and Austin Powers; the Spy Who Shagged Me and Ray Pride, longtime critic of Chicago's Newcity, and contributing editor of Filmmaker. The Audience Award for Best Feature Film and for Best Short Film will be announced on the closing night of the festival.

For the third year NBC will be sponsoring the Screenwriter's tribute to honor America's legendary director/writer Paul Schrader, for his extensive body of work that includes Blue Collar, The Last Temptation of Christ, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Mishima, Light Sleeper and Affliction, to mention but a few of his many cinematic accomplishments.

The NFF has preserved its tradition of honoring talented writers with The Tony Cox Award for Screenwriting, sponsored by Showtime Networks. Named after Showtime's former Chairman and CEO, Tony Cox, long time resident of Nantucket and a devoted contributor to the festival. Cox believed in mentoring talent. In keeping with his beliefs, the goal of the competition has been, and remains, the celebration of the achievements of promising new writers, providing them the recognition and encouragement they deserve. Three screenplays will be identified as finalists and one will receive The Tony Cox Award for Screenwriting Excellence, which is accompanied by a first-look option for possible development from Showtime Networks and a $2,000 cash prize.

The jury consists of renowned actors, writers, directors and producers who are faced with the considerable task of distinguishing three finalists from a large field of entries. This years prominent jury will include; distinguished Writer/Director Agatha Dominick; Tony Award Nominee, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who's film work includes; Boogie Nights, Happiness, The Talented Mr.Ripley, Magnolia and Flawless; acclaimed in both the U.S. and Japan, Hisami Kuroiwa is a respected film Producer who received raves for her work on the film Smoke; and author Jim Taylor, who has been honored with awards from the Writers Guild of America, New York Film's Critic Circle, and was nominated for an Academy Award for best Adapted Screenplay for his recent work on the film Election.