MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is Big Winner at Cinematography Awards

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is Big Winner at Cinematography Awards

CSI, WARM SPRINGS Win Television Categories

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Dion Beebe took top honors for MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA in the feature film competition here tonight at the 20th Annual American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel.

It is the first ASC Outstanding Achievement Award for Beebe, who was nominated along with Robert Elswit for GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, Andrew Lesnie for KING KONG, Wally Pfister for BATMAN BEGINS, and Rodrigo Prieto for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.

The award was presented by Bill Paxton who observed, "All of the nominees have artfully rendered images that create a sense of time and place. They guided the audience under the surface where they discovered the souls of the characters and the spirits of the stories."

Edward James Olmos presented the television movie award to Robbie Greenberg for HBO's WARM SPRINGS. Greenberg's fellow nominees were Alan Caso for INTO THE WEST, Thomas A. Del Ruth for CODE BREAKERS, Jan Kiesser for REEFER MADNESS, and Bill Roe for FAITH OF MY FATHERS. It is the fourth ASC Outstanding Achievement Award for Greenberg, and his second consecutive win after taking last year's prize for Iron Jawed Angels.

Emily Deschanel presented the episodic television award to Nathan Hope for CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. This is Hope's second consecutive win in this category for CSI. Nominees in the episodic arena were John Aronson for WITHOUT A TRACE, Jeffrey Jur for CARNIVALE, John C. Newby for LAS VEGAS, and Glen Winter for SMALLVILLE.

Nicole Kidman led a tribute to Sydney Pollack who was the recipient of the ASC Board of Governors Award. Kidman lauded Pollack noting that films he has produced and directed have earned an "astounding" 46 Oscar(R) nominations.

Five-time Oscar(R) nominee William A. Fraker presented the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award to Richard Kline, who earned Oscar(R) nominations for Camelot (1968) and for King Kong (1977). Kline's credits also include The Andromeda Strain, Soylent Green, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Body Heat.

Director Curtis Hanson presented and accepted the International Award on behalf of Gilbert Taylor, whose credits range from A HARD DAY'S NIGHT to DR. STRANGELOVE and the original STAR WARS.

Leonard Maltin presented documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman with the ASC Award of Distinction, and University of Southern California's Doe Mayer presented Woody Omens with the org's President Award.

The ASC was founded in January 1919 for the purpose of advancing the art of narrative filmmaking. The ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards were inaugurated in 1987. For information, visit the ASC web site at http://www.theasc.com/ .

Source: American Society of Cinematographers

CONTACT: Lisa Muldowney or Sally Christgau, both for American Society of
Cinematographers, +1-760-438-5250, CCSPR@aol.com

Web Site: http://www.theasc.com/

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