DAILY NEWS: Atlanta Winners; 7th Art Acquisition; Miramax Mktg; Chi Alt Fest

by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

>> Docs Tops Atlanta Film & Video Fest Winners

Documentary films were the big winners at the 23rd Atlanta Film & Video
Festival which concluded on Sunday. Gary Weimberg's "The Double Life of
Ernesto Gomez Gomez," which will air next month on PBS' P.O.V., won the
Grand Jury Prize, while Bob Sabistan & Tommy Pallotta's animated doc,
"Roadhead," took the event's animation prize. The best documentary award
went to Jasmine Dellal's "American Gypsy," and the short doc award was
presented to Jensen Rufe's "The Ugliest Fountain in the World (Without a
Doubt)."

In the narrative categories, Mehdi Norowzian took the top award, while the
short prize went to Kyle Rankin & Efram Potelle's "Herd." The student
award went to Gregg Bishop's "Voodoo" and the experimental award was given
to Lisa Collin's "Tree Shade." 150 films and videos were screened during
the festival, with 42 makers attending the 1999 event.

[For more information on the festival, including photos and daily updates,
vist the IMAGE website:
.]

>> 7th Art Grabs Patton's "Creature" Doc

7th Art Releasing, which recently distributed documentaries including "The
Long Way Home" and "Meeting People is Easy," has acquired the worldwide
rights to Parris Patton's documentary, "Creature."

Described as, "the story of the gender bending Hollywood club scene as seen
through the eyes of one, Stacy 'Hollywood' Dean, the doc explores Stacey's
life and transformation from a drag queen to a "pre-operative trannie,"
including a trip home to a conservative North Carolina family. The movie
premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and will screen at
OUTFEST next month.

>> Rice Joins Miramax as Marketing Chief

Dennis Rice, the former president of Marketing at the former October Films has
joined Miramax as president of the IndieWood ditributor's Marketing Division.
Rice will join the compay next week and report to the Weinsteins and Mark Gill,
president of Miramax/LA.

>> Chicago Alt.film Winners

Maro Chermayeff's "The Kindness of Strangers" took the doc jury prize and
Clay Eide's "Dead Dogs" took the top dramatic award at the recently concluded
Chicago Alt.film Festival. Heidi Van Lier was named best director for her
feature film, "Chi Girl," Mark Tapio Kines won the best screenplay award for
"Foreign Correspondents."