Joe Pantoliano to Host the SKYY Short Film Awards On April 17; Jennifer Jason Leigh to be honored at Egyptian Theatre.

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--April 12, 2001

Joe Pantoliano will host and Jennifer Jason Leigh will be honored at the SKYY Short Film Awards on April 17 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

Pantoliano, a veteran character actor who has appeared in more than 70 features, countless television and stage productions is currently co-starring in the critically acclaimed feature film "Memento." This season, he joined the cast of the HBO series, "The Sopranos," playing mafia gangster Ralph Cifaretto. His other credits include "Matrix," "Bound," "Risky Business," "Midnight Run" and "The Fugitive."

Leigh's career has spanned over 20 years and she has recently added producing, writing and directing to her resume. She will make her directorial debut in "The Anniversary Party," scheduled for release this summer by Fine Line features. Her most recent film, "The King is Alive" will premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival on April 25 and opens in New York on April 27 and Los Angeles on May 11 courtesy of IFC Films.

The SKYY Short Film Awards were launched in September by SKYY Vodka to show their continuing support of independent filmmaking and to showcase excellence and vision in the short film format. Over 400 short films were entered in the competition in four categories; fiction, non-fiction, animation and "Cocktail Moment." The four winners will be announced later this week. The American Cinematheque partnered with SKYY along with co-sponsors The Sundance Channel and Interview Magazine to award short films and their filmmakers.

The winners will be flown to Los Angeles for a star-studded awards ceremony and tribute. Each winning filmmaker will receive a $5,000 cash prize, be highlighted in a full-page Variety ad and have a meeting with a prospective agent or manager. The four films will be aired on the Sundance Channel.

A prestigious panel of judges has been assembled to decide the winners: Directors Doug Liman ("Swingers," "GO") and Luis Mandoki ("Angel Eyes," "When A Man Loves a Woman"); Barbara Smith, Executive Director of the American Cinematheque; Trevor Groth, Programmer, Sundance Film Festival; Graham Fuller, film writer-at-large for Interview Magazine; Anne Thompson, West Coast Editor of Premiere Magazine; and Maurice Kanbar, founder of SKYY Vodka.

SKYY is the vodka of choice at film and entertainment events in the United States and around the globe. In the past 12 months, SKYY Vodka has sponsored 17 film festivals, including the San Francisco Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival 2001 and GenArt; over 30 premieres and screenings, including "Memento," "Boys Don't Cry," "Virgin Suicides" and "Chuck & Buck." New York University School of Film and Television has been renamed after Maurice Kanbar, founder of SKYY Vodka for his continuing and extraordinary support.

Launched in 1992 with the introduction of SKYY Vodka, Skyy Spirits is a privately-owned global spirits company based in San Francisco, Calif. The company distributes ten brands nationwide including the following products: 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, Vermeer, Pallini Limoncello and Ouzo 12. SKYY Vokda is sold worldwide through a strategic distribution alliance with Campari International.