The awards will be bestowed upon the honorees as part of the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony on Monday evening, October 18, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Other industry professionals who will be honored for their achievements at the Awards Gala Ceremony are UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Dean Robert Rosen for film preservation, Jamie Foxx and Keira Knightley for acting, John Logan for screenwriting, Caleb Deschanel for cinematography, Sally Menke for editing, Thomas Newman for film composing, John Dykstra for visual effects, Albert Wolsky for costume design, Stuart Craig for production design, Ve Neill for make-up and Debra Zane for casting. The Hollywood Animation Award goes to "SHREK 2."
Says festival founder Carlos de Abreu, "John Travolta, Michael Mann, Bob Berney, and Zach Braff represent excellence in the art and business of filmmaking, and their accomplishments, work, and ability are to be honored."
JOHN TRAVOLTA stars in the upcoming film "Ladder 49," as well as starring opposite Scarlett Johansson in "A Love Song for Bobby Long," which will have its U.S. Premiere at the Hollywood Film Festival. Most recently he starred in Jonathan Hensleigh's "The Punisher." John Travolta has been honored twice with Academy Award nominations, most recently for his portrayal of a philosophical hit man in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," in addition to other nominations and awards. He also won praise for playing the Mafioso-turned-movie producer in the comedy hit "Get Shorty," earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
John Travolta earned his first Oscar(R) and Golden Globe nominations for his role in the blockbuster "Saturday Night Fever," which launched the disco phenomenon of the late 1970s. He went on to star in the big screen version of the long-running musical "Grease" and the wildly successful "Urban Cowboy," which also influenced trends in popular culture. Other film credits include the Brian De Palma thrillers "Carrie" and "Blow Out," as well as Amy Heckerling's hit comedy "Look Who's Talking." Other hit films include "Phenomenon," John Woo's top-grossing action thrillers "Broken Arrow" and "Face/Off," "Michael," "The General's Daughter," "Swordfish," and "Domestic Disturbance" among others.
MICHAEL MANN most recently directed the acclaimed thriller "Collateral," starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, and he is a producer in the upcoming Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator," directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He is also in development as director on the World War II drama "The Few," to star Tom Cruise. A multi-talented filmmaker, Mr. Mann received Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award nominations for the drama "The Insider," starring Russell Crowe and Al Pacino. Mr. Mann also directed, produced, and co-wrote the screenplay for "Ali," the biopic of boxing legend Mohammed Ali, starring Will Smith and Jamie Foxx. His other film credits include "Heat," "The Last of the Mohicans," "Manhunter," "The Keep," and "Thief" (his feature film directorial debut). Mr. Mann has also had an acclaimed and award-winning career in television. He wrote for such series as "Starsky and Hutch" and "Police Story," in addition to creating "Vega$."
ZACH BRAFF made his feature film directorial and writing debut this year with the acclaimed "Garden State," from Fox Searchlight Pictures, in which he also stars. He is currently writing an adaptation of the children's book "Andrew Henry's Meadow" for Twentieth Century Fox, which he will also direct. A native of South Orange, New Jersey, Mr. Braff began acting as a child. His first role, when he was 14, was opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in television pilot produced by her father, Bruce Paltrow. He went on to appear in the films "Getting to Know You" and Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Mystery," and co-starred in "The Broken Hearts Club." He is well known to television viewers after several seasons as Dr. John "J.D." Dorian in NBC's "Scrubs."
The 2004 Annual Hollywood Film Festival, which will take place from October 12 to 18, incorporates in its activities the HOLLYWOOD FILM CONFERENCE, HOLLYWOOD FILM SCREENINGS, and HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS.
The screenings and conference will take place at the ArcLight Theatres in Hollywood. The Hollywood Film Awards(R) Gala Ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Monday, October 18, 2004.
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