July 5, 2006

Ms. Cicely Tyson c/o Erwin More, The William Morris Agency One William Morris Place Beverly Hills, CA

Dear Ms. Tyson,

In recognition of your distinguished 50-year film career, The Rhode Island International Film Festival is pleased to announce that you have been chosen as the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by our prestigious panel of board members, filmmakers, and film critics. This year’s festival takes place Tuesday, August 8 through Sunday, August 13, 2006 in Providence, RI.

Let us be among the first to congratulate you that one of your most recent films, “Fat Rose and Squeaky” is having its World Premiere at the festival and is in competition with other narrative features from throughout the world. I might add that we (the Festival) are extremely proud to be exhibiting this film at our festival and applaud your performance as Celine.

Also, we’re pleased to announce that the score for ‘Fat Rose and Squeaky’ has been chosen by our panel as a submission to the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences’ Official Grammy Awards Committee for ‘Best Score for A Film.’

Ms. Tyson, we at the Rhode Island International Film Festival made our choice to honor you at this year’s festival because of your incredible breadth and depth of commitment to both film and stage. Your career has certainly been lauded by your fans and peers via your numerous and prestigious awards. From your extraordinary performance in ‘The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter’ to your paradigm-breaking, Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated role in ‘Sounder’ to your two-time Emmy-winning performance in ‘The Autobiography of

P.O. Box 162, Newport, Rhode Island 02840 (USA) Phone 401.861.4445 Fax 401.847.7590 www.film-festival.org

RIIFF Cicely Tyson letter 1 7/6/06, 5:32 PM Miss Jane Pittman’ to your recent appearance in the #1 box office hit, ‘Madea’s Family Reunion,’ you have always given an incredible performance.

We understand that your schedule must be robust in nature, but we would love to have you attend the World Premiere of “Fat Rose and Squeaky” on Friday, August 11th, where your award will be announced prior to the screening. The next afternoon, Saturday, August 12th, your Lifetime Achievement Award would be formally presented at the city’s biggest event of 2006, WaterFire Providence, an award-winning 100-fire sculpture and sound installation on the three rivers of Providence. Over 60,000 people will be in attendance. The award ceremony will take place on the Verizon Jazz Performance Stage. Following the ceremony, we will host a private VIP reception in your honor.

Past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients at the Rhode Island International Film Festival include Academy Award winners actress Patricia Neal, director Blake Edwards, and actor Seymour Cassel.

Other esteemed attendees and award winners at the Festival include actor/directors Andrew McCarthy, Stephen Hopkins, Steve Buscemi, and Danny Trejo.

The Rhode Island International Film Festival is a qualifying festival with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Best Live Action Short. It is also the only festival in America with an affiliation with The Grammy Awards.

We hope that you can attend the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Please let us know what we need to do to make this happen.

Kindest regards,

Al Gomes Chairman, Lifetime Achievement Award Committee Rhode Island International Film Festival

George Marshall Executive Director Rhode Island International Film Festival

RIIFF Cicely Tyson letter 2 7/6/06, 5:32 PM