Closing Day Press Release
CINEVEGAS JURY AWARD GOES TO THE TALENT GIVEN US
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER IS CROSS BRONX
MITCHELLVILLE AWARDED HONORABLE MENTION
SPECTACULAR CLOSING WEEKEND TO BRING OUT HUGE CELEBRITY ATTENDANCE
to Andrew Wagner's THE TALENT GIVEN US. Larry Golin's CROSS BRONX was awarded the Audience
Award and John Harkrider's MITCHELLVILLE received the jury's Honorable Mention.
The Jury Award is presented to a feature length narrative film seeking U.S. distribution. The esteemed
jury includes director Darren Aronofsky, Sarah Polley and indieWIRE’s Wendy Mitchell.
THE TALENT GIVEN US is the story of Judy and Allen who fill in the small moments in their common place
marriage as best they can. When they run into two former teachers of their son Andrew, they learn of a
job opportunity for him. Unfortunately, Andrew is distant in location and in family relations. Suddenly
realizing she must embark on a quest to repair that, Judy takes Allen on a cross-country trip to see
Andrew and work things out. After they rope in their two unmarried daughters, the family is forced to
come together for better or worse, The film written, directed and produced by Andrew Wagner, stars
Judy Wagner, Allen Wagner, Emily Wagner, Maggie Wagner, Judy Dixon and Billy Wirth.
Trevor Groth, Director of Programming announced the audience favorite which went to CROSS BRONX.
The film puts a contemporary urban twist on the classic coming of age story by following four lifelong
friends who move from Westchester to an inner city Bronx neighborhood, where they make a hilarious,
romantic, and sometimes dangerous transition into adulthood. Ike Green is a high school wrestler who
worries that he has become a burden to his mom and dad, whose ad agency has hit the skids. He is
surrounded by a close-knit group of friends: Vivo, a chubby faced wiseass who, in an effort to prove
himself to his overbearing father, gets in over his head with some nefarious mobsters; Jimmy Schiek, a
womanizer and front-man for the group who dreams of making it to the big leagues; and Rob-O a
brooding artist who is abandoned by his father and looks after his self destructive mother. Written and
directed by Larry Golin, the film stars Max Greenfield, Badge Dale, Jerry Ferrara, Nashawn Kearse, Dania
Ramirez and Barry Primus.
John Harkrider's MITCHELLVILLE was awarded with the jury's Honorable Mention Award. MITCHELLVILLE
is the story of Gabriel Williamson, a 32 year old Wall Street lawyer with a secret past that he hides behind
a mythical personal history. Every night, he dreams of a place called Mitchellville, a town in South
Carolina that has suffered a horrible wrong that Gabriel, in his dream, attempts to right. Now up for
partner, Gabriel is asked to undergo a routine psychiatric evaluation, during which he describes
Mitchellville and, in doing so, reveals the truth about his own past. The film is written and directed by
John Harkrider who also stars along with Herb Lovelle, Michael Voyer, Anna Lodej Pergola, Wendell
Pierce and Keith Davis.
The CineVegas Film Festival came to a close on Saturday, June 19th, 2004 culminating with tributes and
award presentations to Jack Nicholson and Holly Hunter.
Dennis Hopper, Chairman of the CineVegas Advisory Board presented the Marquee Award to Jack
Nicholson followed by a screening of his 1971 film DRIVE, HE SAID, which Nicholson wrote, directed and
produced. Hopper also presented the Half Life Award to Holly Hunter with s special screening of THE
PIANO. All tributes and screenings took place at the Brenden Theatres, Palms Casino Resort.
The highlight of the closing, is expected to be the Closing Night Gala at Skin Pool Lounge in the Palms
Casino Resort hosted by Movieline’s Hollywood Life, Celebrities expected to attend include Dennis
Hopper, Dean Stockwell, Bruce Conner, Julian Schnabel, Holly Hunter, Val Kilmer, Taye Diggs, John
Leguizamo, Michael Rosenbaum, Robert Duvall, Juliette Lewis and more.
For more information about CineVegas visit www.cinevegas.com.
