IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS CAPTURES Top Honors at International Documentary Association Awards

IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS CAPTURES Top Honors at International Documentary Association Awards

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS took top honors in the feature length competition here tonight at the 2006 International Documentary Association (IDA) Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards Gala at the Directors Guild of America Theatre.

James Longley's documentary offers insight into a series of intimate portraits. He spent more than two years in Iraq researching and shooting the film. IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS is also on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences short list for Oscar(R).

The other nominated films were CAN MR. SMITH GET TO WASHINGTON ANYMORE?, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, SHOWBUSINESS: A SEASON TO REMEMBER, and SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL STARS.

ANGEL'S FIRE (FUEGO DE ANGEL) won the IDA short documentary (40 minutes or less) competition. It focuses on how forced labor of children, poverty and despair leads to abusive behavior by parents. It was directed by Marcelo Bukin.

The other nominated films were THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT, THE DIARY OF IMMACULEE, THE SHORT HISTORY OF SWEET POTATO PIE & HOW IT BECAME A FLYING SAUCER and THE WILD SHEEP, THE FOX AND LOVE.

Morgan Freeman presented the feature and short film awards.

"These awards are presented to individuals who have earned the respect of their peers for their extraordinary achievements," says IDA President Diane Estelle Vicari. "We believe they are the history of our times, and the conscience and soul of our global community. They are also a source of inspiration for filmmakers everywhere in the world with untold dreams."

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH director Davis Guggenheim received the Pare Lorentz Award, which recognizes a documentary filmmaker who best represents the activist spirit and lyrical vision of the legendary documentary filmmaker Pare Lorentz. Other highlights of the evening included opening remarks by former Vice President Al Gore, who was the inspiration for AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. Jane Fonda also presented the IDA Career Achievement Award to Haskell Wexler, ASC, an Oscar-winning narrative film cinematographer, who has also compiled some 30-plus documentary credits.

A complete list of the 2006 IDA Award winners and nominees is available at www.documentary.org.

Source: International Documentary Association

CONTACT: Media, Sally Christgau or Satosha Patterson, both of CCS PR,
Inc., +1-760-438-5250, CCSPR@aol.com, for International Documentary
Association

Web site: http://www.documentary.org/

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