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Brett Ratner presents Phil Stern with
1st Annual Living Legends Award at the
8th Annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival (BHFF) closing Gala Awards ceremony. The first annual
BHFF Living Legends Award was presented to legendary photojournalist and Hollywood photographer
Phil Stern by producer/director
Brett Ratner (director of
“Rush Hour” franchise).
The event, which was held on Sunday night, April 13, 2008, at the
Beverly Hills Hotel, was attended by over 200 independent filmmakers, as well as city notables and industry VIPs.
The pulp crime drama “
Bad Guys,” directed by
Rick Jacobson captured three awards, including the
Audience Choice Award for
Best Feature Film, Best Producer and
Best Actor. “
Hole in the Paper Sky” from
Bill Purple and starring
Jessica Biel (also a producer), won the
Audience Award for
Best Short Film and
Best Screenplay. The Golden Palm Award (best film in all categories) went to “
Woman," directed by
Ziad Hamzeh.
Best Actress went to
Andrea Melton for
“Time,
" which she co-directed, and
Best Actor went to
Sherman Augustus for his role in
“Bad Guys."
The five-day festival—featuring premieres, parties and panels—kicked-off Wednesday, April 9th with an Opening Night red carpet event at the
Clarity Theater in Beverly Hills, featuring World Premieres of
“Bad Guys” and
'Ondamax Films’
“Thunder Man: The Don Aronow Story,” directed by
Andrew Wainrib and narrated by
Andy Garcia.
Danny DeVito and
Rhea Perlman came out to support the West Coast Premiere of producer
Polly Walter’s “Cat Dragged In,” directed by
Nils Tim, and
“Hole in the Paper Sky” also had its West Coast Premiere. Sponsors included
GQ magazine, Mercedes-Benz and Proximity by
Axe.
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Best actor Sherman Augustus for "Bad Guys" and best actress Andrea Melton for "Time," which she co-directed
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Ratner recounted one of the first times he met the famed photographer.
Stern showed up to
Ratner’s “Rush Hour” set while
Jackie Chan was dangling from a building. The four shots that
Stern took on that day are among some of
Ratner’s most prized possessions.
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UK Socialite Kirsten Lea with actor Joe Anderson ("The Ruins," "Across the Universe")
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Ratner said, “When I saw
Phil Stern walking towards my set with a camera around his neck, it was like seeing Picasso coming to the set with a paintbrush.”
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KCBS-TV's Christina McLarty interviewing Living Legends recipient Phil Stern
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Ratner also commented on
Stern’s mission to promote the hazards of smoking, as most of his own peers died from its effects, and
Stern himself is suffering from emphysema.
Stern walked the red carpet on Opening Night for the first time in his 88 years, accompanied by past
BHFF award-winning filmmaker
Hector Cruz Sandoval (“Kordavision”). The filmmakers are currently in production on a documentary about
Stern’s life titled,
“Hollywood Big Shot.”
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Danny Masterson of "That 70s Show" and "The Art of Travel (BHFF official selection) and festival founder Nino Simone
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Stern said, “My own life seems like fiction.” He was also honored with a special proclamation from the City of Los Angeles, presented by
L.A. Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who praised
Stern for his body of work and for capturing history as a combat photographer.
LaBonge also presented a proclamation to festival founder
Nino Simone for his inspired vision of the
Beverly Hills Film Festival.
The cover of last week’s People magazine featured a color photo of Charlton Heston that Stern says he took half a century ago.
The annual
International Beverly Hills Film Festival was founded in 2001 by award-winning independent filmmaker
Nino Simone. The event is dedicated to showcasing and promoting non-studio films to the entertainment industry. Designed to bridge the world of premiere independent cinema with the renowned community of Beverly Hills, the festival hosts world-class screenings, networking events and industry seminars. Sponsors include
GQ Magazine, Mercedes-Benz, Proximity by AXE, Imperia Vodka, Heineken, Digital Evolution, Mosaic Hotel, The Crescent Hotel and Rande Gerbers’s Stone Rose Lounge.
www.beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com
2008 Beverly Hills Film Festival Awards
The Golden Palm Award (best film in all categories) went to
“Woman” (World Premiere), directed by
Ziad Hamzeh.
Best Actress went to
Andrea Melton for
“Time” (World Premiere), which she co-directed with
Don Lawrence.
Best Actor went to
Sherman Augustus for his role in
“Bad Guys,” directed by
Rick Jacobson.
Best Director
went to
Justin Lerner for “
The Replacement Child.”
Best Producer
went to
Frederico Lapenda for
“Bad Guys.”
Best Foreign Film
went to the Brazlian feature,
“Drained” from writer/director
Heitor Dhalia.
Best Cinematography went to the short
“Terres Noires,” by director
Clement Gharin.
Best Editing went to
“Persona” from writer/director
Pac Arias.
Best Animation went to the
CG short “PK-Granny” from director/producer
Jo Meuris.
Best Screenplay went to writers
Howard Kingkade and
Bill Purple for the short film
“Hole in the Paper Sky,” starring and produced by
Jessica Biel.
The first annual ACE Award (Advancement of Creative Expression) was presented by
Digital Evolution to the founders of
MySpace.com.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
Best Short Film went to
“Hole in the Paper Sky,” directed by
Bill Purple, and starring and produced by
Jessica Biel.
Best Documentary went to
“Red Hot Chili Peppers: A Dutch Connection” (World Premiere), directed by
Bram van Splunteren.
Best Feature Film went to
“Bad Guys,” directed
Rick Jacobson.
SPECIAL JURY AWARDS
Best Feature Film went to
“Shake Hands with the Devil” (LA Premiere), by director
Roger Spottiswoode.
Best Documentary
went to
“Thunder Man: The Don Aronow Story” (World Premiere), from director
Andrew Wainrib.
Best Short Film went to
“The Replacement Child,” from writer/director
Justin Lerner.
GOLDEN PALM SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
The
Golden Palm Screenplay Competition Award went to
Natashia Sanders for
“The Spinning Wheel.” First runner-up is
James Oliveros White for
“Butterbean” and second runner-up is
Eduardo Barraza for
“Arcangel."
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