4 C olumbia U niversity RECORD June 11, 2004 It’s a Wrap: Columbia Film Festival Winners Announced

ilm Division students received $110,000 in Fawards at the 17th Annual Columbia University Film Festi- val for works that ranged from a woman’s daily struggle to care for her child and her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease (Extreme Mom) to a documen- tary in which members of a Harlem family recount the chal- lenges they have faced since Gordon Parks photographed them in 1968 for Life magazine (Family Portrait). The student-run festival, pre- sented by the Film Division of the School of the Arts, included original short films and screen- play readings. It took place from May 1-7 in New York City and then headed west to Los Angeles June 2-3. Student filmmaker Joyce Draganosky, whose film Extreme Mom swept many of the festi- val’s awards May 7, based her work on growing up in a house- hold where her mother raised her while also caring for her elderly grandmother. “It’s a movie about the circle of life, and a woman stuck in the middle of trying to care for both ends of that spectrum,” “Junebug and Hurricane,” written and directed by James Ponsoldt, garnered several awards and will screen at the Atlanta Film Festival. Draganosky said. “The situation is such that the child is learning activities and the grandmother is tary Family Portrait, which pose of her documentary: “Right After the readings, SOA alum- Portrait, directed by Patricia losing activities.” received the New Line Cinema now, there are a million black na Sabrina Dhawan, ’02, Riggen; and God Is Good, Extreme Mom was named a Award for Outstanding Achieve- kids that live in extreme poverty received the Andrew Sarris directed by Caryn Waechter. Faculty Select, one of the short ment in Filmmaking. In this in this country. So what I’m hop- Award. Dhawan wrote Monsoon Faculty Honors: The follow- films chosen by the Film Divi- moving and insightful documen- ing is to call some attention to Wedding, one of the top 10 high- ing were noted by Film Division sion faculty as the best of the tary, Richard Fontanelle and that because what happened [in est-grossing foreign films of all faculty as Outstanding Works— 2004 festival. Extreme Mom also Diana Nash—the only surviving 1968] is still happening right time in the United States and the The Hill, directed by Deborah received the Guoxi Fu Best Film members of the family originally now.” winner of the Golden Lion at the Chow; Junebug and Hurricane, Award, the Lifetime Student photographed in 1968 by Gordon While film screenings com- Venice Film Festival. At the Los directed by James Ponsoldt; Filmmaker Award and one of the Parks—render their own family prise the majority of the festival, Angeles screenings, SOA alum- Groomed, directed by Joseph National Board of Review portrait as they recount the chal- screenplay readings were the nus Albert Berger, ’03, received Raso Seibutsu; Seibutsu (Still: Awards. In addition, prior to the lenges the family faced. Riggen, focus on May 6, with students the Andrew Sarris Award. Berger Life), directed by Joe Turner festival screening, Extreme Mom Parks and Fontanelle, who now reading excerpts from their fea- is affiliated with Bona Fide Pro- Lin; and then one night…, received the Cinecolor Award. works as a superintendent for ture-length scripts. Rachel Vine ductions, where he has produced directed by Jessica Weigmann; Adam Stehle’s Soul in a Suitcase Columbia University, recently won the Comedy Central Award critical and box-office successes, and Orson, directed by David and Keith Goldberg’s American were featured on NPR’s Tavis for Best Comedy Screenplay for including Cold Mountain, Elec- Pastor Vallejo. Exquisite also won National Smiley Show. “Miranda Duran.” Jennifer tion and King of the Hill. IMAX Outstanding Achieve- Board of Review Awards. Riggen spoke about the sad- Monn won the Ezra Litwak The Columbia University Film ment Award: Orson, directed by Another big festival winner ness surrounding the tale of the Award for Distinction in Screen- Festival has earned an interna- David Pastor Vallejo. was Patricia Riggen’s documen- Fontanelle family, and the pur- writing for “Hinged on Stars.” tional reputation as a launching Kim’s Video Award: Junebug pad for emerging talent. Colum- and Hurricane, directed by bia Film Division students have James Ponsoldt. won Student Academy Award Arthur Krim Memorial Gold Medals in six of the past Award: Jennifer Grausman and seven years. Daniel Weisinger. Films from the 2003 Columbia New Line Cinema Award for Festival have gone on to screen Best Director: Caryn Waechter at prestigious international festi- for God is Good. vals including: Berlin, Cannes, Tribeca Entertainment Out- New York, Palm Springs, Sun- standing Achievement in dance and Telluride. Recent Screenwriting Award: “Nos- films by Film Division alumni tradamus and Me,” written by include Laurel Canyon, written Eilis Kirwan. and directed by Lisa Cholo- Twentieth Century Fox/ denko, SOA’97; Identity, direct- Farrelly Brothers Outstanding ed by James Mangold, SOA’99; Achievement in Comedy and 2004 Academy Award nomi- Award: Groomed, directed by nee and winner of the 2003 Joseph Raso. Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Windows Media Award for Film Festival, American Splen- Outstanding Digital Film- dor, written and directed by making: American Exquisite, Shari Springer Berman, SOA’95, directed by Keith Goldberg. and Robert Pulcini, SOA’94. James Bridges Development Among the leading 2004 Award: The Wannabe, directed Columbia Film Festival award by Althea Wasow. winners: Hallmark Entertainment Faculty Selects: The follow- Producers Development ing were chosen by Film Divi- Award: Standing in the Current, sion faculty as Best of the 2004 produced by Lorenzo Gaines. Festival—Loopy, directed by HBO Young Producers Seth Michael Donsky; Extreme Development Award: Passage, Mom, directed by Joyce produced by Xu Ke. Draganosky; American Exquis- New Line Cinema Develop- ite, directed by Keith Goldberg; ment Award: Live at Five, Nostradamus and Me, directed directed by Averie Storck. by Eilis Kirwan; Wrigley, direct- “Wrigley,” written and directed by Oliver Refson, was named a Faculty Select. ed by Oliver Refson; Family