Distinguished Films and Winners 2001

Opening Night Screening 2001

Rush Hour (1998) 97m. (USA) was screened at Zanuck Theatre at 20th Century Fox in Century City, in honor of its main producer Arthur Sarkissian. PLOT: The Chinese consul recruits the aid of a Hong Kong inspector (Jackie Chan) to help rescue his kidnapped daughter. The inspector must form an unlikely partnership with a cocky, street smart LAPD officer (Chris Tucker), who prefers doing things his own way.

World Competition: Feature Films and Short films – Nominees and Winners

A Life in the Day of Ringo Vings 107m (USA) Eric Scott Latek (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST FEATURE FILM, WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR (tie)

The Wedding Cow (Die Hochzeitskuh) 87m (Germany/Switzerland) Tomi Streiff (D/P); Ela Their (W); Susan Schulte (P)
NOMINATED: BEST SCREENPLAY & DIRECTOR, WINNER: BEST FEATURE (tie)

Two Women (Do Zan) 96m (Iran) Tahmineh Milani (W/D); Mohammad Ali Hossein Nejad (P)
WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR (tie), BEST FEATURE (tie)

The Hanged Dog Tree 14m (Belgium) Olivier Van Malderghe (W/D); Lizette Nagy (P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM

Odessa or Bust 12m (USA) Brian Herskowitz (W/D/P); Gina Hecht(P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM

Quiero Morir (I Want to Die) 15m (Spain) Toni Meca (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM

Quiero Ser (I Want to Be) 34m (Germany) Florian Gallenberger (W/D/P)
WINNER: BEST SHORT FILM

Fatal Kiss 34m (USA) Jeff Rector (W/D/P); Garabedian Bros. (P)
WINNER: BEST SCREENPLAY

Generation Lost 29m (USA) Brandon Chance (W/D); Dan Saidy (P), Sean Bennett (P), Georgy Maskrey (P)
NOMINATED: BEST SCREENPLAY

Go Jimmy Go 22m (USA) Doug Torres (D); Geoffrey J. Felder (W/P),Tom Shillue (W); Brandi Savitt (P)
NOMINATED: BEST SCREENPLAY

Gregor’s Greatest Invention 11m (Germany) Johannes Kiefer (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM

World Competition: Documentary Films – Nominees and Winner

Company Jasmine 56m (Israel) Yael Katzir (W/D); Dan Katzir (P)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

In Cane For Life 69m (Brazil) Jorge Wolney Atalla (W/D/P); Ana Maria Escalada (W)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

The Last Stand: Ancient Redwoods & the Bottom Line 57m (USA) Holiday Phelan-Johnson(D); Shirly Gutierrez(W), Todd Wagner(P)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

The War On Drugs 90m (Netherlands) Frank Wiering (D); Cristina Berio (P), VPRO (D)
WINNER: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

New Vision Award

Three Miracles 27m (USA) Barbara Streisand (Executive P), Christopher Carson (D/Exec. P), Steven Latham (D/Exec. P)
WINNER: NEW VISION AWARD

Arpa Competition: Nominees and Winners – Feature Films and Short Films

Camera Obscura 96m (USA) Hamlet Sarkissian (W/D); Albertino Abela (P), Tassos Kazinos (P)
NOMINATED: BEST SCREENPLAY, WINNER: BEST FEATURE,DIRECTOR

Closing the Deal 88m (USA) Art Altounian (W/D/P); Susan McConnell (P), Terrence M. O’Keefe (P)
NOMINATED: BEST FEATURE, DIRECTOR, WINNER: BEST SCREENPLAY

My Dark Days 90m (USA) Chris Cole (W/D/P); Christopher Gipson (P), Matt Terzian (P), Edwin Avaness (Co-P), Elliot Gipson (P)
NOMINATED: BEST FEATURE

Herostratus 112m (Armenia) Rouben Kochar (W/D); Armen Vatyan (W), Arpi Akopyan(P)
NOMINATED: BEST FEATURE, BEST DIRECTOR

Back to Innocence 90m (USA) Masis Yegikian (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM

Dinner for Two 10m (USA) Armen Titizian (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST SHORT FILM, BEST SCREENPLAY

Hokees 26m (Canada) Gariné Torossian (D); Aaron Martin (W); Brent Barklay (P)
NOMINATED.: BEST SCREENPLAY, WINNER: BEST SHORT FILM

Arpa Competition: Documentary Films – Nominees and Winner

Jagadakeer…between the near and East 19m (USA) Tina Bastajian (W/D/P)
WINNER: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

Riddle of Ararat 27m (USA) Robin Simmons (W/D); George Adams (P)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

The Ship on the Mountain (Nave Leran Vera) 10m (France) Laurence Ritter (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

I Will Not Be Sad In This World 56m (USA) Karina Epperlein (W/D/P)
NOMINATED: BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

Lifetime Achievement Honoree 2001

Producer Arthur Sarkissian received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the hand of Roselyn Sanchez, the beautiful co-star in this year’s box office blockbuster “Rush Hour 2”. After a successful venture in the fashion industry in UK, Sarkissian sought new worlds to conquer. By the mid-1970’s, the successful designer turned to his major passion, motion pictures. This led him to Hollywood, where he also became an American citizen. A short list of his films includes: Last Man Standing, While You Were Sleep-ing, Wanted: Dead or Alive and Rush Hour. The award ceremonies took place in Sheraton Universal Hotel in Studio City, on September 23, 2001.