Front page | Classified |

Film festival directors break tradition, name 3 winners early

Wednesday, October 8, 2003

By ROGER LALONDE, Staff Writer

Promising films that will illuminate, inspire and entertain, Marco Island Film Festival officials gave a sneak preview and announced three jury awards at a media launch on Oct. 2.

Vickie Kelber, the festival's artistic director, broke from tradition in announcing winners for the Pelican Award for Best Documentary, the Dale Melbourne Herkolz Award for Music and the John Esvang Humanitarian Award.

Vickie Kelber stands by near her father, Victor Kelber, left, as a commercial for the Marco Island Film Festival plays for the first time for festival staff and members of the local media. Lisa Krantz/Staff
Normally, these awards are announced at the final night's closing party, but Kelber wanted to get a jump-start on building interest for the festival that runs Nov. 5 to 9 on Marco Island. A second festival, the World Cinema Naples Festival, will be held April 22 to 25 in Naples.

The jury awards are chosen by festival directors after reviewing more than 500 films offered. There also will be audience awards determined as moviegoers see films and vote on their quality. There will be several more jury awards at the closing night ceremony at Stan's in Goodland at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 9.

The winner of the Pelican Award is Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There. The film has been called the most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about Broadway and boasts the largest collection of award-winning stars in a single movie in the history of filmmaking, Kelber said.

"The film's director, Rick McKay, was honored at the Sundance Film Festival as one of the best and brightest documentary director/producers," Kelber said. "The film features more than 100 show-biz legends."

Shirley MacLaine, Alec Baldwin, Arlene Dahl, Charles Durning and Celeste Holm are among the stars appearing in the film. It has won numerous awards, most recently as the best documentary and audience favorite at the San Diego Film Festival.

The film will be shown at noon Friday, Nov. 7, and noon Sunday, Nov. 9, at Marco Movies.

The Dale Melbourne Herkolz Award for Music went to Tom Dowd and the Language of Music.

"This is a documentary about the innovative recording engineer who produced albums for the likes of John Coltrane, Otis Redding, Eric Clapton, and the Allman Brothers," Kelber said. The film received popular reviews at the Sundance and Toronto film festivals.

The film will be shown at noon Thursday, Nov. 6, at Marco Movies and 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 8, at Mackle Park.

The John Esvang Humani tarian Award went to Final Solution.

Kelber said: "The film tells the story of hatred, persecution and redemption on the eve of Nelson Mandela's historic election to the South African presidency. Stories about oppression and persecution usually focus either on victims or on victimizers. What makes Final Solution different is that it is fundamentally about a third thing: reconciliation.

This film has solid performances from well-known South African actors, authentic shooting locations, and an attention to historical detail."

Final Solution will be shown at noon Saturday, Nov. 8, at Marco Movies and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at Mackle Park.

Kelber also announced a special screening for the documentary The Prayers of War.

The film has been seen in Belgium, France and Holland, but this will be its U.S. premiere.

The documentary was done by Andy Driver, a former international war correspondent now living in Naples.

Kelber said: "Driver was able to obtain unprecedented access to an Afghani warlord who takes us on an intimate tour to the heart of the Afghan feudal system. This portrait of the warlord and his villages illuminates the life, social organization and, indeed, a mentality that needs to be understood by westerners considering the future of Afghanistan."

Prayers of War will be seen at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at Mackle Park.

The closing-night film, In America, also received praise.

"It even made Pat Berry cry," Kelber said. "The film is a deeply personal and emotional tale of a family finding its soul. Jim Sheridan is a master storyteller in this very well- done film." The film is based on Sheridan's family coming to America.

Berry, film festival executive director, hedged on whether she cried, but did say: "You must bring your family; the kids should see it. (Sheridan's) two daughters helped on the script, and the two girls in the film are to die for. It is going on to general release nationally for a holiday film and is drawing attention for an Academy Award."

In America will be shown at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at Marco Movies.

An advertisement created to publicize the festival gave quick glimpses of stars like Burt Reynolds, Stephen Baldwin, James Woods, Alan Arkin, Ally Sheedy, Genevieve Bjold and Joe Mantegna, who will be appearing in film offerings.

The Marco Island Film Festival has been named one of the top 10 getaways by national film critic Chris Gore, Kelber said.

"A film festival is important because it encourages independent cinema and supports young filmmakers in the beginning of their careers," she said.

"We are seeing filmmakers who once made short films returning with feature films."

Kathy Prutos, who is handling film festival public relations, said: "All films have a story and all films have a story behind them. One of the founding reasons for the festival was to promote tourism in the shoulder season. What better venue than Marco Island for an international film festival?"