New York, NY, May 4th, 2006 – The Tribeca All Access Connects (TAA) program, which fosters relationships between U.S.-based filmmakers of color and film industry executives, announced today the winners of the third Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Awards

On May 3, 2006, Tribeca All Access Connects Awards were held at the Tribeca Grand, where the following winner’s were announced:

•Narrative Section Prize – Before the Beast Returns (Sterlin Harjo for his current screenplay)

•Documentary Section Prize – Outside the Box (Lacey Schwartz for her work-in-progress)

•Screenplay Section Prize – John Hughes Ruined My Life (Milton Liu for his screenplay)

Honorable mentions went to:

•Documentary – Free Angela & All Political Prisoners (Shola Lynch)

•Screenplay – Resistance (Ose Oyamendan)

The winners were selected upon the strength of their vision and filmmaking promise. The TAA Creative Promise Award offers a prize of $10,000 for narrative and documentary and $5,000 for screenplay. All of the filmmakers participating in the program have scripts or documentary proposals for which they are seeking funding and/or representation.

“Each year the quality of projects in the Tribeca All Access Connects program increases substantially, which is a testament to the body of talented ethnicly diverse US based filmmakers that are out there,” said Jane Rosenthal. “We are thrilled to be a place where film industry insiders can discover these exceptional directors and screenwriters.”

“The success of our alumni shows that TAA Connects is making strides within the industry,” said Beth Janson, Director of Tribeca All Access. “We are committed to promoting a diversity of stories in American cinema.”

In its third year Tribeca All Access Connects received more than 450 submissions from narrative and documentary directors, as well as screenwriters. A jury of distinguished entertainment and arts personalities selected the three winners and for the first time offered honorable mentions to two projects.

Jurors for this year’s Tribeca all Access Connects included Dianne Houston, Director of TV hits City of Angels, Crossing Jordan, and NYPD Blue; actor Ruben Santiago Hudson, who has starred in Lackawanna Blues and Brother’s Shadow; Karyn Kusama, director of Girlfight and Aeon Flux; and actor and composer, John Trudell, among others.

Before the Beast Returns, written and to be directed by Sterlin Harjo and being produced by Chad Burris and Ted Kroeber, tells the story of a local loser trying to put his life back together while fighting ridicule in his small town.

Outside the Box, being produced and directed by Lacey Schwartz, is her personal exploration of mixed-raced identity and examination of one of the least understood subcultures in America – Black Jews.

Screenplay winner Milton Liu’s John Hughes Ruined My Life tells the story of a lonely and single 30-something woman who grew up on John Hughes’ movies and finds that in this day and age, searching for her Jake Ryan is more like “some Kind of Terrible.”

The centerpiece of Tribeca All Access Connects was a slate of individually tailored half-hour meetings between participating directors and screenwriters and over 100 industry decision-makers, including private investors, production companies, development executives, agents, and managers. Over the course of four days, Tribeca All Access Connects arranged more than 550 meetings for program participants.

As part of the orientation day for the program, Tribeca All Access Connects assembled a group of experienced directors and producers to coach filmmakers on their “pitch.” Participating producers included Caroline Baron (Capote), Lydia Dean Pilcher (Vanity Fair), Dany Wolf (Nanny Diaries), and Sarah Green (The New World), among others.

About the Tribeca Film Institute

The Tribeca Film Institute creates innovative programs that draw on the unifying power of film to promote understanding, tolerance and global awareness. Our commitment is to educate, entertain and inspire filmmakers and audiences alike, while strengthening the artistic and economic fabric of New York City and its Lower Manhattan community.

TAA Connects is made possible by Bloomberg. Additional support provided by Time Warner Inc., the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.

For more information visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org.

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Link to original article: Tribeca All Access