Filmmakers Richard Donner and Maggie Greenwald will be honored for their contributions to the cinema at the 2002 Director’s View Film Festival, to be held February 15-18 in Stamford, Connecticut.
The festival’s opening night Gala Awards Dinner will pay tribute to director/producer Richard Donner’s extraordinary career with a presentation of the annual Joseph L. Mankiewicz Excellence in Film Award. Beginning his career in television by directing episodes of classic programs including “Twilight Zone,” “The Fugitive” and “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,” Donner made his big screen debut helming the swinging comedy “Salt and Pepper” starring Rat Packers Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford. Donner scored box office gold with the 1976 chiller “The Omen” and followed up with the 1978 epic “Superman.” His other films include “Inside Moves” (1980), “Ladyhawke” (1985), “The Goonies” (1986) and all four titles in the “Lethal Weapon” series starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Previous winners of the Joseph L. Mankiewicz Excellence in Film Award have been Robert Benton and Ismail Merchant and James Ivory.
The Director’s View Film Festival’s annual Dorothy Arzner Prize honoring women in filmmaking will be presented to writer-director Maggie Greenwald, whose independently-produced features include “Kill-Off” (1989), “The Ballad of Little Jo” (1993) and “Songcatcher” (2000). “Songcatcher” was honored at last year’s Sundance Film Festival with a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble performance and Ms. Greenwald was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at that festival and later won the Audience Award at the Deauville Film Festival. The Dorothy Arzner Prize was inaugurated at last year’s festival with its presentation to Alison MacLean.
The Director’s View Film Festival is designed to honor and present film directors who have raised the artistic level of the medium and who have influenced those who have followed in their footsteps with a festival dedicated to their craft. In addition, the festival gives exposure to newer independent filmmakers and talented student filmmakers. The 2002 event will be the festival’s third presentation, with screenings and events throughout Fairfield County in Connecticut.
For more information, visit the Director’s View Film Festival web site.
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