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Matt Damon, David O. Russell and Jeff Skoll to be Honored at Gothams
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) announced today that Matt Damon, David O. Russell and Jeff Skoll will be presented with career tributes at the 22nd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards™ on Monday, November 26th at Cipriani Wall Street, in New York City.
These honorees also represent some of the most highly anticipated films of 2012 including: Promised Land from Focus Features (co-starring and co-written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski and directed by Gus Van Sant, produced by Participant Media); and the upcoming Weinstein Co. release Silver Linings Playbook (directed by David O. Russell and featuring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence).
“It is with pride and great pleasure that we give tribute to these three luminaries, each of whom plays an amazing role in expanding the language of film, breaking boundaries along the way,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of the IFP. “Each has a unique voice and clearly defined vision of cinema for today’s generation, bringing perspective and relevance to the film world today.”
This year’s Tribute selection is a group of individuals involved in incredibly relevant work who have made an indelible cultural impact on the industry– all film veterans with indie roots who celebrate and support independent visions. Damon has been honored for his work on both sides of the camera, from his Academy Award-winning breakthrough, Good Will Hunting, to his critically-acclaimed turn as South African rugby hero Francois Pienaar in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus. Russell has directed beloved films such as I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter–which earned seven Oscar nominations (including “Best Director”), winning two–and has also been involved in the Bronx’s Ghetto Film School, New York’s first public high school for film. Jeff Skoll is a philanthropist and social entrepreneur who founded the Skoll Foundation, Participant Media and the Skoll Global Threats Fund in order to bring to life to his vision of a sustainable world of peace and prosperity.
Signaling the official kick-off of the film awards season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ is one of the leading awards for independent film. Along with these three tributes, seven competitive awards for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Breakthrough Director, Breakthrough Actor, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You and Audience Award will be announced.
