Hollywood Film Festival® News
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August 8, 2001
By KEVIN CASSIDY
HOLLYWOOD FESTIVAL HONORS 'MOULIN'
"Moulin Rouge" and its stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor danced off with top honors at the fifth annual Hollywood Film Festival's Hollywood Movie Awards ceremony Monday night at the Beverly Hilton as A-list stars and film professionals mixed with neophyte filmmakers from around the world.
"An American Rhapsody," a drama about a young Czechoslovakian girl adjusting to life in California during the mid-1960s, starring Nastassja Kinski and Tony Goldwyn and written and directed by Eva Gardos, was named best feature. It shared the competition spotlight with a United Kingdom/Spain co-production, director Christopher Monger's "That Girl From Rio," which took the fest's other major honor -- best international feature.
Actress of the year Kidman, after expressing her hope that the film could ignite a rebirth of the movie musical, made a veiled reference to her recent prominence in the tabloids, closing her acceptance speech by saying, "You put a huge smile on my face -- and I really needed it."
Accepting his trophy as actor of the year, McGregor thanked Kidman for supporting him during the many arduous musical numbers in the film, saying that "Moulin Rouge" fulfilled a childhood dream to "sing and dance with scantily clad women."
"The Sound of Music" helmer Robert Wise presented "Moulin Rouge" director Baz Luhrmann with the audience award for movie of the year. "To receive this award from Robert Wise is an honor," said Luhrmann, who went on to praise 20th Century Fox for having the courage to make a full-fledged musical.
Outstanding achievement in directing honoree John Frankenheimer received a warm introduction from Charlize Theron, who starred in Frankenheimer's "Reindeer Games." The veteran filmmaker, who has been directing features since the early 1950s, said, "I'll still be doing this in 20 years, so if you want to give me this again, I'll come back."
Harrison Ford delivered a heartfelt introduction for outstanding achievement in producing honoree Edward S. Feldman. "The man you call Edward S. Feldman is the man I call 'Uncle Ed,' " said Ford, who worked with Feldman on 1985's "Witness" and the upcoming thriller "K-19: the Widowmaker." Feldman returned Ford's praise, saying, "I don't know if it's possible to be in love with an actor, but I'm in love with Harrison Ford."
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was handed the festival's Hollywood Humanitarian Award by Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra, who represents the 30th Congressional District of California. Other awards went to cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, composer Hans Zimmer, editor Tom Rolf, songwriter Diane Warren, production designer Robert Boyle and casting director David Rubin. New stars Paul Walker ("The Fast and the Furious") and Shannon Elizabeth ("American Pie") accepted their breakthrough performance awards.
Celebs on hand for the four-hour ceremony, which drew about 1,200 attendees, also included Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock, Thora Birch and directors Sydney Pollack and Mark Rydell.
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