Family Theater Productions
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Family Theater Productions, Hollywood, which created the Angelus Awards in 1996, conducts the festival to honor and showcase college-level student films of uncommon artistic caliber that explore the complexity of the human condition with creativity, compassion and respect. Since its founding in 1947, Family Theater, a nonprofit production company, has produced more than 750 radio and TV programs to entertain, inspire and inform families. The 2002 Angelus Awards winners are as follows:• Top prize, Patrick Peyton Excellence in Filmmaking Award: Jessica Sharzer, New York University, director of The Wormhole, $10,000.• Priddy Brothers Productions Triumph Award: Ellen-Alinda Verhoeff, Columbia University, New York, director of Abbie Down East, $5,000.• Fujifilm Audience Impact Award: Aimee Barth, Florida State University, Tallahassee, director of Beyond Therapy, $2,800 .• Mole-Richardson Award for Production Design: Micah Herman, New York University, director of Empty, $1,500.• Angelus Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction Filmmaking (Documentary): Christof Putzel, Connecticut College, New London, Conn., director of Left Behind, $1,500.• Angelus Award for Outstanding Animation: Moonsung Lee, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, director of Bert, $1,500.In addition to the monetary sponsors - Family Theater Productions, Priddy Brothers, Fujifilm and Mole Richardson lighting equipment - companies that donate gift certificates, products and other items for the winners and finalists include Final Draft, Fujifilm, Crest National video services, Screenplay.com, Michael Wiese Productions, Hollywood Creative Directory, MovieMaker's Hands On Pages, Elio's Fitness for Success and the Laugh Factory. The following Honorable Mention filmmakers received awards at the Nov. 2 ceremony, and their films were screened at the DGA in the afternoon:• Animation: Dan Blank, New York University, director of Shadowplay.• Documentary: Miriam Kim, University of Southern California, director of Angelus Plaza.• Audience Impact: Christof Putzel, Connecticut College, director of Left Behind.• Production Design: Serguei Bassine, New York University, director of Because of Mama.The first Spirit of Angelus Award was given to Montalbán "for a body of film work of surpassing quality complemented by a faith lived with integrity and generosity." Holy Cross Father Wilfred Raymond, National Director of Family Theater Productions, and Jerry Velasco, president of NOSOTROS, presented the actor with the award. NOSOTROS was founded in 1970 by Montalbán to improve the image and employment opportunities of Latinos in the entertainment industry and to provide educational opportunities in the film profession for the U.S. Latino community. The actor congratulated the Angelus Awards winners and exhorted the filmmakers to stick to their deeper principles in embarking on their careers, offering his own key to maintaining both his career and his faith: discipline. He spoke about discipline, passion and freedom as the requisites for commitment to this industry in Hollywood. "Freedom cannot exist without discipline," Montalbán said, adding, "Freedom is the right to do what we ought to do." He said his Catholic faith has been and is the most important thing in his life and is followed closely by his marriage to his wife of over 50 years and his family and his two countries, Mexico and the United States. His remarks, often peppered with humorous anecdotes, were enthusiastically received by the audience who gave him two standing ovations. Among the more than 50 motion pictures in which Montalbán has appeared are Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn; Naked Gun in addition to starring roles in such television series as the enormously popular Fantasy Island and Heaven Help Us. NOSOTROS founder Montalbán also serves as the executive producer of the organization's Golden Eagle Awards, a nationally televised annual event. Also, he has been deeply involved in a number of charities, including the American Cancer Society, and various educational and social institutions. The Angelus winners "alumni" list includes Patricia Cardoso, 1996 Angelus winner and student Academy Award winner and Audience Award recipient at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival for Real Women Have Curves; Barbara Schock, 1999, a 2000 Academy Award winner for Best Live Action - Short; Tony Bui, 1996 Angelus Production Design winner, Oscar nominee and Grand Jury Prize winner at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival for Three Seasons; Mitch Levine, Angelus 2000 winner for "Shadows" and now CEO/Director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Angelus winners are now also producing widely released and acclaimed feature films, e.g. Monsoon Wedding, written by Sabrina Dhawan, 2001 Angelus Awards recipient, and Green Dragon; co-produced by Tony Bui.
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7201 Sunset Blvd., 90046 Hollywood