The 2007 Sundance Film Festival announced today the members of the six juries awarding prizes at Festival, which runs January 18-28, 2007 in Park City, Sundance Resort, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah. The juries are made up of twenty-four individuals selected from the global film community, each of whom are bringing a broad range of experience and a unique perspective on film. The award-winners will be announced on the evening of January 27 at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony at the Park City Racquet Club.
The six juries include: U.S. Dramatic Competition- Mos Def, Catherine Hardwicke, Dawn Hudson, Pamela Martin, and Sarah Polley; U.S. Documentary Competition- Alan Berliner, Lewis Erskine, Lauren Greenfield, Julia Reichert, and Carlos Sandoval; World Dramatic Competition - Carlos Bolado, Lynne Ramsay, and U-Wei Bin Haji Saari; World Documentary Competition-Raoul Peck, Juan Carlos Rulfo, and Elizabeth Weatherford; American and International Shorts-Jared Hess, Daniela Michel, and Mark Rosenberg; and the Alfred P. Sloan Prize-Darren Aronofsky, Ann Druyan, Dr. Brian Greene, Howard Suber, and John Underkoffler.
Many of the jurists will be in attendance at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival Opening Press Conference on Wednesday, January 18th at 2:00 pm at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, UT.
"We are blessed to an enormously talented group of jurors this year, who include some of the most exceptional individuals in the independent film community both in here an abroad," said Geoffrey Gilmore, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. "Ranging from influential directors, innovative editors, last year's award-winners and industry leaders, these jurists truly bring a variety of experience and perspective to the table."
The Independent Film Competition is the heart and soul of the Sundance Film Festival program. It has introduced audiences to many of the best American independent films and filmmakers of the past 23 years. American films selected to screen in the Dramatic and Documentary Competitions are eligible for a number of jury awards including: Grand Jury Prizes, Directing Awards, and Excellence in Cinematography Awards. The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award will be presented by the Dramatic Competition Jury and the Documentary Editing Award, now in its third year, will be presented to the editor of an exceptional documentary film by the Documentary Competition Jury.
Launched in 2005, the World Cinema Competition reflects the Festival's commitment to international film and to stimulating creative dialogue among and within cultures. The dramatic and documentary sections of the U.S. and World Cinema Competitions each present sixteen films, for a total of sixty-four films that screening in competition. The World Dramatic and Documentary Competition Juries will present a Jury Prizes in World Cinema.
The Shorts Jury will present the Jury Prizes in Short Filmmaking to American and international filmmakers as well as Honorable Mentions. Additionally, The Alfred P. Sloan Prize will be presented by its jury to acknowledge an outstanding film for the quality of its thematic presentation of science and technology. Films in both Independent and World Competitions are eligible for the Dramatic and Documentary Audience Awards.