Award-Winning Actor James Woods to be Honored at 2nd Annual SKYY Short Film Awards; Woods' Directorial Debut to Premiere at Event.

Entertainment Editors

Acclaimed actor James Woods will be honored at the 2nd Annual SKYY Vodka Short Film Awards, part of the IFP/West - Los Angeles Film Festival with the SKYY Spirits Tribute saluting his innovative contributions to the film world. In addition to his writing and directorial debut, "Falling in Love in Pongo Ponga," will premiere at the event on June 27th and will also have a limited run at the Laemmle's Sunset 5 in Los Angeles from June 28th to June 30th.

"SKYY Vodka has given me an invaluable opportunity," said Woods. "It has been such an amazing process to have an idea, put it on paper and then bring it to fruition on film. It's the best training ground for first time directors that I can imagine. I had a ball," said Woods.

Woods is the second actor to be awarded the SKYY Spirits Tribute; Actress/Director Jennifer Jason Leigh was saluted last year.

"Falling in Love in Pongo Ponga" takes place on the set of a big-budget film, where a prima donna actress named Shawnee (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, "She's All That") is making a fuss, torturing her angelic assistant Samantha (Melinda Sward) and aggravating the filmmakers and crew. After wrap at a local bar Shawnee invades the crew party, much to their dismay. When she makes another unreasonable demand of Samantha, however, Shawnee finally gets her karmic slap in the face. The film also stars Jeffrey Gorman ("C.S.I.") and is produced by Susan Kirson, with cinematography by Andrezej Sekula ("Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction").

"Falling in Love in Pongo Ponga" is the latest in a series of SKYY commissioned short films that enables top film directors and talent to collaborate on cutting-edge productions to create a film with only one parameter; a "Cocktail Moment." SKYY was one of the first brands to commission short films in an innovative approach to merging the art of filmmaking with product. Previous directors of SKYY commissioned short films have included Agnieszka Holland ("Europa Europa"), David Veloz ("Permanent Midnight"), Luis Mandoki ("Angel Eyes"), Kevin Jordan ("Smiling Fish & Goat On Fire"), and Kandeyce Jorden ("Undone"). All these films have been shown and archived on WWW.SKYY.COM.

James Woods is one of the most luminous of the entertainment industry's award-winning major stars. Woods has received Oscar nominations in 1997 for "Ghosts of Mississippi" and in 1987 for "Salvador." He has been honored with three Emmy Awards and has received nine Golden Globe nominations for his work in film and television. Woods' films include: "Against All Odds," "True Believer," "Once upon a Time in America," "Promise," "Casino," "Nixon," "The Virgin Suicides," "Hercules," "John Q" and the upcoming films "Stuart Little 2," and "Northfork."

SKYY Vodka is partnering with the IFP/West - Los Angeles Film Festival to present the 2nd annual SKYY Vodka Short Film awards to celebrate excellence & vision in the short film format on June 27th at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Also involved again this year are INTERVIEW Magazine and the Sundance Channel.

Launched in 1992 by Maurice Kanbar with the introduction of SKYY Vodka, SKYY Spirits is a global spirits company based in San Francisco, California. The Company has exclusive marketing and distribution rights in the United States for 11 brands including; SKYY Vodka, SKYY Citrus, Molinari Sambuca, Campari, Cutty Sark Scots Whisky, The Glenrothes, Glengoyne, Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth, Cinzano Rosso Vermouth, Cinzano Bianco Vermouth, Cinzano Asti Spumante, Ouzo 12, Vermeer Chocolate Dutch Cream, Pallini Limoncello and Ron Matusalem Rums. SKYY Beverage Company is a company set up by Miller Brewing Company to manage the trademark license, production and distribution of SKYY Blue, a flavored malt beverage, jointly marketed with SKYY Spirits. SKYY Spirits, LLC is a subsidiary of the Campari Group.