42nd Annual Publicists Awards Promises to be Stellar Event
"Over the years we have become a stronger group and our prestige has grown," said Warner Bros. Pictures Photo Editor Jess Garcia. "The luncheon has become a reflection of this new status. It is now more of an event where the industry salutes publicists and our work." The honorees this year will include Julie Andrews, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Few performers have achieved her level of success in theater, movies and television. What's more, she appreciates the importance of promoting the projects in which she appears. Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothma will receive the Motion Picture Showmanship Award. Their recognition of marketing as a key element in the distribution of motion pictures has led to the company's current box office successes. They are responsible for the outstanding program of movies that have performed so exceptionally well throughout the world in the past two years. The executive producers and co-creators of CBS-TV's CSI franchise, Carol Mendelsohn (CSI), Ann Donahue (CSI Miami) and Anthony E. Zuiker (CSI NY), will receive the Television Showmanship Award. It's unique in the annals of television to have separate producers of different series produced under the same corporate brand achieve this level of success, both in terms of ratings and content quality. They all have a clear understanding of the marketing process. The Publicists Directory of Members will be dedicated to veteran publicist Esme Chandlee. It is a singular honor we give to an outstanding publicist who represents the highest ideals of citizenship and professional conduct. Still going strong in a career that's lasted more than 60 years, her integrity and no-nonsense style have earned her the respect of fellow publicists, the media and, above all, her clients. The fact that some have been with her almost since she started her own business is testament to their loyalty and her professionalism. "Publicists always make sure to put their client out front and often times their work goes unnoticed," says Disney Publicity Director Arlene Ludwig. "The Awards luncheon represents the rare opportunity to bask in the spotlight for the work we do and the invaluable contribution we make to the overall process of marketing movies and TV shows." Nominees have been selected for Press and International Media, which honor outstanding journalists who cover the entertainment industry; and Excellence in Still Photography, which recognizes a photographer's significant contributions to the craft of unit still photography, as well as to the publicity campaigns for movies and television shows. Nominees for the Press Award are Scott Bowles, USA Today; Sean Smith, Newsweek; Stacy Jennell Smith, Beck-Smith Hollywood; Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Daily News; and Tim Swanson, Premiere Magazine. Nominees for the International Media Award are Paola Abou-Jouade, Telecine/ SBT-TV, Brasil; Didier Allouche, Canal +, France; Philip Berk, Filmink, Australia/ Galaxie, Malaysia and Singapore/former President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association; Simon Braund, Sunday Times/Empire Magazine/Observer/Time Out, UK; and Jenny Cooney, TV Week/TV Guide/Harper's Bazaar, Australia/Total Film, UK/TV Guide, New Zealand. Nominees for Excellence in Unit Still Photography are Francois Duhamel (recent credits: The Brothers Grimm, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Polar Express); Bob Marshak (recent credits: Spanglish, Silver City, Mona Lisa Smile, Something's Gotta Give); Ralph Nelson (recent credits: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Ocean's Twelve, Bruce Almighty); Zade Rosenthal (recent credits: XXX: State of the Union, Christmas with the Kranks, Big Fish) and Stephen Vaughn (recent credits: The Reckoning, Windtalkers). Other awards to be presented at the luncheon are the Les Mason Award, given to a publicist for lifetime achievement; and the Bob Yeager Award, which recognizes significant community service. |
The ICG 42nd Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon — scheduled for
Feb. 22 in Los Angeles — is shaping up to be another star-studded
affair. This luncheon has become the hot ticket during Oscar season.
Journalists from all over the world, who converge on Los Angeles for
the Oscars, make the Publicists Awards a favored stop the week leading
up to the Academy Awards.