— Next Wave Awards program expanded to recognize emerging talent at the festival –
— Tim McCarthy LGBTQ International Scholarship Program, Anthony Lawson LGBTQ Mentorship Award, Evan T. Lawson Freedom of Expression Award honorees announced —
— John Cameron Mitchell, Hannah Pearl Utt and musicians Roxanne Layton and Peter Ciluzzi join “Modern Love Live,” presented by WBUR and The New York Times —
— Jillian Bell Talk, PIFFtalks and additional programming announced –
May 30, 2019 (Provincetown, MA) – The Provincetown International Film Festival announced today that actress Judith Light will receive the festival’s Excellence in Acting Award. The two time Tony Award-winner will attend the festival to accept the award on Saturday, June 15 in conversation at Provincetown Town Hall.
Light is known for her extensive body of television, film, and stage work. In 2012 and 2013, Light won two consecutive Tony and Drama Desk awards for her performances in Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties; these two performances dubbed her the first actress in nearly two decades to win consecutive Tonys. Last year, her role in Ryan Murphy’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story garnered her an Emmy nomination and a Critics Choice nomination.
This fall she stars with Bette Midler and Ben Platt in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series The Politician and in the musical finale of Transparent, Amazon Prime’s Golden Globe–winning series, created by Jill Soloway, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination and multiple Emmy and Critics’ Choice nominations.
Light stars with Alec Baldwin and Mandy Patinkin in BEFORE YOU KNOW IT which premiered at Sundance and was picked up by distributor 1091. The film will close this year’s festival, with director Hannah Pearl Utt in attendance for Q&A. The Excellence in Acting Award is sponsored by The Mallrd Foundation, the Palette Fund, and Celebrity Page.
“It’s a thrill to welcome Judith Light to the Festival and honor her with our Excellence in Acting award,” said Andrew Peterson, PIFF’s Director of Programming. “Not only does she have an unparalleled body of work—she just keeps getting better. With each new project, as with our closing night selection Before You Know it, she surprises and delights us with her command of craft.”
In celebration of the 100-year history of cinema in Provincetown, the Film Society has partnered with Twenty Summers to present the 1919 film DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS at the historic Hawthorne Barn. Arguably the earliest surviving cinematic work about LGBTQ people, the film was directed by Richard Oswald and co-written by Magnus Hirschfield, the famed psychologist who founded the German homosexual emancipation movement in 1897, DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS is believed to be the only film of a group of gay friendly movies during Germany’s Weimar Era that escaped destruction by the Nazis.
Composer Billy Hough and Arranger Sue Goldberg will accompany the silent film with an original arrangement composed specifically for the film. Brendan Lucas, the Legacy Project Manager for the Outfest UCLA Legacy project will introduce the film.
The festival has also expanded its Next Wave Award program to recognize all of its young emerging filmmakers and artists who’ve participated in festival programs and demonstrate promise and ambition in the media arts. Next Wave filmmakers include young filmmakers with short or feature films in the festival; filmmakers exploring other disciplines as a means to enhance their artistic prowess (books, visual arts, installation pieces); and youth mentorship award recipients.
Installation pieces by Next Wave Filmmakers will screen at AMP Gallery during the festival including: SELF-CREATION by Shelby Dillon, 13 CHEWING GUM & ORAL HYGIENE by David Macke, and SEE ME AS directed by the late Tim McCarthy with Pepe Julian Onziema and Deus Kiriisa.
Additionally, the festival has announced the Tim McCarthy LGBTQ International Scholarship Program honors the legacy of longtime friend and festival archivist whose passion for storytelling was equal to his dedication and support for social justice. This year’s recipients are Pepe Julian Onziema and Deus Kiriisa from Uganda whom Tim met working with Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG).
Filmmaker Yichi Chen will be honored with this year the Anthony Lawson LGBTQ Mentorship Award. Chen is a graduate student at Emerson College whose films THE OUTSIDERS and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE RING highlight and examine the experiences of the LGBTQ community in both Taiwan and the U.S.
The Evan T. Lawson Freedom of Expression Award will be awarded to renowned author, screenwriter, and film producer Casey Sherman whose vast body of work represents the highest ideals of creativity and execution. Casey will receive his award at the annual Evan Lawson Brunch where he will also appear in conversation with former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Lastly, PIFF provided further details on its “Modern Love Live” podcast event, presented by WBUR and The New York Times, as well as lineup of daily panels (PIFFtalks). Details below:
MODERN LOVE LIVE, presented by WBUR and The New York Times – Friday, June 14, 6:30pm at Town Hall
Join WBUR and The New York Times in this very special event for the second year at the Provincetown Film Festival, where the joys and tribulations of love come to life during Modern Love Live, a live recording of their hit podcast based on the popular New York Times column. This exceptional evening will include Modern Love essay readings by John Cameron Mitchell, Hannah Pearl Utt (BEFORE YOU KNOW IT) and a special guest. Live music from Roxanne Layton and Peter Ciluzzi will also be featured.
*Hosted by WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti
PIFFtalks: WRITING FOR THE STAGE & SCREEN – Thursday, June 13, 10:00am at Provincetown Theater
Award-winning New York based playwright Paul Downs Colaizzo has made the transition to first-time director of our Opening Night film BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON and we want to hear all about the shift from the stage to the screen. What are some of the biggest challenges and surprising differences of working in these two forms? His winning comedy won the Audience Award at its Sundance debut and will be released later this summer so see it here first!
*Moderated by David Rooney, chief theater critic, The Hollywood Reporter.
PIFFtalks: CONVERSATION WITH JILLIAN BELL, NEXT WAVE HONOREE – Friday, June 14, 12:00pm at The Pilgrim House
2019 Provincetown Film Festival Next Wave Honoree Jillian Bell is a spectacularly talented comedic actor and producer as seen in our Opening Night Film BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON and PIFF selection SWORD OF TRUST. She is also a former writer on SNL with celebrated film and TV credits that include 22 JUMP STREET and Workaholics.
*Jillian Bell will discuss her illustrious career in comedy and her exciting upcoming projects in conversation with Vanity Fair chief film critic Richard Lawson.
PIFFtalks: ACTORS AS DIRECTORS: – Saturday, June 15, 10:00am at Provincetown Theater
Amongst our feature program this year, we have several actors making their feature directorial debut. Hannah Pearl Utt both directs and stars in our Closing Night film BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, while Matt Kane brings his new feature AUGGIE to the festival after years of celebrated acting work. Join these terrific talents for a conversation about how their acting work informs their role as director, and learn more about the creation of the exciting new films they’ve brought to Provincetown.
*Moderated by Steven Raphael, Founder-President, Required Viewing
PIFFtalks: CONVERSATION WITH ROB EPSTEIN & JEFFREY FRIEDMAN – Sunday, June 16, 10:30am at Waters Edge 2
Fifty years after the Stonewall uprising, Oscar winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman will take a look at Stonewall, Pride, and LGBTQ history through the lens of their new film, THE STATE OF PRIDE, and their wide-ranging and acclaimed body of work. Join us for this unique opportunity to look back on this historic milestone in civil rights history–and discuss the challenges that remain–with these celebrated artists.
*Moderated by IndieWire staff writer Jude Dry.
The Provincetown International Film Festival runs June 12 – 16, 2019 in Provincetown, MA. Purchase festival passes at www.ptownfilmfest.org. Individual tickets go on sale on May 31. America’s oldest artist colony, Provincetown has been home to the likes of Jack Kerouac, Kurt Vonnegut, Jackson Pollock, Norman Rockwell, Anthony Bourdain, John Waters, and Ryan Murphy.
Major sponsors of the 2019 Provincetown International Film Festival include HBO, Here Media TV, Edge Media Network, the Boston Globe, the Provincetown Banner, Seaglass Inn, Bubalas By the Bay, the Crown and Anchor Inn, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Provincetown Tourism Fund.
Press Materials (including biographies, headshots, and film stills): www.tinyurl.com/PIFF19
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About The Provincetown Film Society & The Provincetown International Film Festival:
The Provincetown Film Society is an advocate for diverse representation in film, providing programming and platforms that allow voices of all kinds to be heard via film. We realize our mission through our three primary initiatives: our annual showcase of independent film, the Provincetown Film Festival; our year- round Waters Edge Art House cinema; and the Provincetown Film Institute. Locally, PFS’s work positively impacts the cultural and economic vitality of Provincetown. Nationally, its work helps shape industry discussions around parity in film. Through PFS’s work, we have an ability to better understand and appreciate human struggles and triumphs, showcasing our similarities and differences in today’s changing society.
Press Contacts
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