The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television will present Spotlight Awards to nine student directors for outstanding achievement in filmmaking at a ceremony at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 13, at the Directors Guild of America Theatre complex, 7920 Sunset Blvd., in Los Angeles. All of the award-winning films will be screened at the event hosted by Robert Rosen, dean of the school, and UCLA alumnus Todd Holland (“Malcolm In The Middle,� “Vietnam War Stories,� “Twin Peaks,� “Tales From the Crypt� and “The Larry Sanders Show�).

Following the screenings, Holland will receive the UCLA Filmmaker of the Year award from the students. Previous winners of this alumni honor include Penelope Spheeris, Tim Robbins and Alexander Payne.

Admission to the UCLA Spotlight Awards ceremony and screening is free and open to the entertainment industry. To R.S.V.P., call (310) 825-5761 or visit www.tft.ucla.edu/festival2002.

The UCLA Spotlight Awards evening is part of UCLA Festival 2002: A Showcase of Student Work, June 7–14. In addition to the June 13 screening, each Spotlight award-winning film will screen a second time in the James Bridges Theater on campus during the festival.

The UCLA Spotlight Awards competition was created to provide an opportunity for students to present their work to an entertainment industry audience. Since its inception more than a decade ago, Spotlight has helped launch several new filmmakers.

Award-Winning Films

• “Barrier Deviceâ€? by Grace Lee. A researcher for a female condom study loses all objectivity when she realizes one of her subjects is dating her ex. Stars Sandra Oh (HBO’s “Arli$$â€?) and Suzy Nakamura.
  
  
• “Texas Pete, Against the Tideâ€? by Mark Nelson. The life story of Texas Pete, underwater rodeo legend.
  
  
• “We Missed Our Godâ€? by Yasemin Kasim. What to do to pass the time whether living in Tavsanli or L.A.
  
  
• “Holeâ€? by Keshni Kashyap. A super-sensitive girl in the urban jungle.
  
  
• “SinAzulâ€? by Joel Juarez Sanchez. After a painful miscarriage, Laura journeys into her grandmother’s indigenous town of Xochimilco in search of a remedy to heal her trauma.
  
  
• “Travel Wearâ€? by Amy Ferraris. A woman’s vacation plans go fantastically awry.
  
  
• “E=mc²â€? by Alina Hiu-Fan Chau. A story that explains how Electron and Proton form atoms.
  
  
• “The Candy Machineâ€? by Ami Z. Cuneo. Upon visiting her grandparents, a young girl realizes her grandmother is not exactly what she remembered.
  
  
• “The Larkâ€? by Gil Kenan. A bird brings change to a troubled home.
  
  

The Blue Ribbon Panel of Judges for the UCLA Spotlight Awards included Susan Goldberg, David Kopple, Carl Pfirman, Brian Price, Jon Reiss, Jeff Werner, Bob Skir, Mark Marriot, Doug Pray, Bob Manganelli, Mark Yardas, Bruce Cohen, Gina Matthews and Grant Scherbo.

All UCLA Festival 2002 events are free, but reservations are suggested, as space is limited. Parking is $6, available in parking structure 3 on the UCLA Westwood campus. To R.S.V.P. to any event, or for more information, please call (310) 825-5761, or visit www.tft.ucla.edu/festival2002.

-UCLA-
TBM303