MARCH 2003:

MARCH 1: 17th ANNUAL SOUL TRAIN MUSIC AWARDS ~ 8:00 p.m. on syndicated stations
The 17th Annual Soul Train Music Awards were co-hosted by hip hop music superstar and Oscar nominated actress Queen Latifah and comic/actor Arsenio Hall. Program highlights included special award presentations, including the Quincy Jones Award for Outstanding Career Achievements – Female to Mariah Carey and Male to music superstar and actor LL Cool J. The Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year went to Nelly. The show was broadcast live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Celebrity presenters included Paula Abdul, Boyz II Men, Wayne Brady, Missy Elliott, Kevin Eubanks, Ginuwine, Tamyra Grey, Heather Headley, Randy Jackson, Orlando Jones, Jon Kelley, Donald Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Derek Luke, Maria Menounos, MC Lyte, Shaun Robinson, Nappy Roots, Nivea, Kelly Price, Chris Rock, Angie Stone, Tyrese, Tweet, Hezekiah Walker, and Natashia Williams. Performers were Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Amerie, Nelly & The St. Lunatics, Musiq, Dru Hill, India.Arie, Justin Timberlake and Gerald Levert. Nominations for the 2003 Soul Train Awards were announced on February 3rd. ~ Official website & picture gallery: Soul Train Music Awards


MARCH 1: 75th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL AWARDS
Academy Award-nominated actress Kate Hudson presented the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (AMPAS) Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievements in Film on Saturday, March 1st, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Scientific and Technical Awards are presented by the Academy for devices, methods, formulas, discoveries or inventions of special and outstanding value to the arts and sciences of motion pictures. ~ Official website: Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences

Three Oscar® statuettes were among the 14 awards presented at the gala black-tie dinner. Alias/Wavefront received an Oscar for developing "Maya," a 3-D animation, modeling and rendering production tool.  Oscars® also were presented to Arnold & Richter Cine Technik and to Panavision Inc., for the two companies' continuing advancements in camera systems designed for the film industry. The Academy's Board of Governors presented Curt Behlmer and Richard Glickman the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation for their longstanding support of and service to the Academy and the motion picture industry (press release). Additional award winners are listed here on the Academy's website.

Portions of the presentations will be included in the March 23 Academy Awards® broadcast. Hudson will appear on the Oscar® telecast to introduce the Sci-Tech segment.


MARCH 1: 55th ANNUAL DIRECTOR'S GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS
The 55th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards, honoring Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film, Documentary and Television (children's programs, daytime serials, commercials, dramatic series night, comedy series, musical variety, movies for television) were held at the Century Plaza Hotel on Saturday, March 1. The always dependable Lost Mind has published the complete list of nominees and winners in all categories.

Carl Reiner hosted the awards for the seventeenth time. Presenters include Alan Alda, Kathy Bates, Cate Blanchett, Adrien Brody, LeVar Burton, Gil Cates, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael C. Hall, Salma Hayek, Cheryl Hines, Ron Howard, Michael Keaton, Peter Krause, Daniel Day Lewis, Julianne Moore, Joe Pesci, John C. Reilly, Rob Reiner, Martin Sheen, Steven Spielberg and Renee Zellweger. A full capacity crowd of 1,650 guests attended.

This year's feature film nominees included Golden Globe winner Martin Scorsese (Gangs of New York), Rob Marshall (Chicago), Stephen Daldry (The Hours), Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), and Roman Polanski (The Pianist). First-time feature film director Rob Marshall took home the prize, making him the Oscar favorite. Only five times since 1949 has the winner of the DGA Award not gone on to win the Best Director Oscar (in 1968, 1972, 1985, 1995, & 2000).

Honorary awards went to veteran director John Rich (Honorary Life Member Award), DGA past President Jud Taylor (Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award) and Yudi Bennett (Frank Capra Achievement Award, given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager).

In addition to his nomination, Director Martin Scorsese was honored with the Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award. "The Lifetime Achievement Award is not presented on an annual basis," said DGA President Martha Coolidge, "In the Guild's 67 year history, only 29 directors have been recognized with this, our highest honor. Because of his remarkable, groundbreaking films, his nurturing of young filmmakers, and his ever vigilant fight to preserve the legacy of motion picture art for future generations, it is my pleasure to announce that Martin Scorsese has joined this group of film giants." Director Steven Spielberg presented Scorsese with the honor.

A slideshow of pictures from the Directors Guild Awards is available on Yahoo. The DGA's official website: Director's Guild of America


MARCH 2: 14th ANNUAL PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS
The 14th Annual Producers Guild Awards werer Sunday, March 2, 2003 at the Century Plaza Hotel. The PGA added an award this year to cover work on reality, informational and game series programming. This became the union's fifth competitive award; they also give awards for producer of the year (film) and three awards for television production: longform, comedy series and drama series (nominees and winners).

This year's feature film nominees were Adaptation, Chicago, Gangs of New York, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Road to Perdition and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The Darryl F. Zannuck Producer of the Year award for feature film was presented by actress Diane Lane to Martin Richard for Chicago.

George Lucas, who shot Star Wars - Attack of the Clones entirely in digital format, was honored with a standing ovation and the group's Vanguard Award, given for achievement in new media and technology. Other honorary awards went to MPAA head Jack Valenti, PGA's Milestone Award, given to entertainment leaders for historical contributions to the industry. Rita Wilson, a producer on the record-setting sensation My Big Fat Greek Wedding, received the PGA's Visionary Award, which honors producers whose work demonstrates a "unique or uplifting quality." Producer and former Paramount production boss Robert Evans was named the recipient of the David O. Selznick Lifetime Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures. The Stanley Kramer Award was presented to Todd Black and Denzel Washington by Antwone Fisher for Antwone Fisher, and the David Susskind Lifetime Achievement Award in Television was presented to Bud Yorkin. ~ Official website: Producers Guild Awards 2003


MARCH 2: TV LAND AWARDS ~ airing March 12 on TV Land and Nick at Nite
TV Land gave special tribute awards to some of television's legendary series at the network's inaugural awards show, The TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV, hosted by actor John Ritter and held at the Hollywood Palladium. The celebrated shows included The Dick Van Dyke Show (Legend Award), All in the Family (Innovator Award), Star Trek (Pop Culture Award), Julia (Groundbreaking Role Award) and SCTV (Unsung Hero Award). Featuring performances by Ray Charles and Stephanie Powers. Presenters included Nick Carter, David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Davy Jones, and more.  Also joining the celebration were William Shatner, Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, Barry Williams, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, Lee Majors, Cheryl Ladd, and more of the 'hottest' classic TV celebrities. The show premieres on TV Land with a simulcast on Nick at Nite on Wednesday, March 12.

Before the taping, viewers were asked to log on to TV Land's website to vote for their favorites in categories such as Catchiest Classic TV Catch Phrase, Dreamiest Classic TV Dream Sequence, Favorite “Heard But Not Seen” Character, Nosiest Neighbor and Superest Superhero. Tickets for the bleacher seats were available through AudiencesUnlimited.com. ~ Official website: TV Land Awards


MARCH 3 - 6: SHO WEST, Las Vegas
ShoWest, the Official Convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, wraps up on Thursday, March 6, 2003 with a Final Night Cocktail Reception hosted by Warner Brothers Pictures followed by the Final Night Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Distinguished honors will go to Sam Mendes (Director of the Year), Brian Grazer (Lifetime Achievement Award), David Heyman (Producer of the Year), Diane Lane (Female Star of the Year), Christopher Walken (Supporting Actor of the Year), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Supporting Actress of the Year), and Antwone Fisher (Screenwriter of the Year). LL Cool J (who will in the future be credited under his real name, James Todd Smith) has been named Male Star of Tomorrow. ~ Official website: ShoWest


March 3: WRITERS GUILD AWARDS - final screen ballots due

March 4: COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD - final ballots due
March 4: ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS - nominees announced (winners announced May 21)

MARCH 5: WORLD MUSIC AWARDS now April 24th
The 2003 World Music Awards will be held at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco. More details TBA.

March 7: SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS - final ballots due by 12:00 p.m. PST


MARCH 8: CINEMA AUDIO SOCIETY (CAS) AWARDS
The Cinema Audio Society consists of over 400 Sound Mixers and Associates from the Film and Television Industries. The Society was founded to create a proper channel of communication between the related sound crafts and between those instrumental to the production and distribution of film and television soundtracks. In addition, each February the C.A.S. hosts its Awards Banquet to bestow the C.A.S. Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for both Feature Films and Television, as well as to honor Academy Award Nominees and Emmy Award Winners for Best Sound. Awards Banquet March 8, 2003, in the Grand Ballroom of the Universal Sheraton Hotel. Nominations were announced February 4th. ~ Official site: Cinema Audio Society


MARCH 8: 34th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ~ airs March 13 on FOX
The 34th Annual NAACP Image Awards will be celebrated on March 8, 2003 at the Universal Amphitheatre. The show, themed this year as "Image A Nation," will be taped for broadcast on Fox Thursday, March 13th. The awards honor excellence in almost 40 categories spanning Television, Recording, Motion Pictures and Literarary achievements. The nominees, determined by showbiz professionals and NAACP officials from across the country, were announced on December 5, 2002 - see ''Brown" ''Bernie Mac" Top NAACP Awards  ~ Official website: NAACP Image Awards ~ Ticket information: Ticket Sales & Event Information

Outstanding Motion Picture nominees are Antwone Fisher, Barbershop, Brown Sugar, Drumline, and John Q. Nominated actors include Halle Berry (Die Another Day), Denzel Washington (Antwone Fisher and John Q), Angela Bassett (The Rosa Parks Story), Samuel L. Jackson (Changing Lanes), Thandie Newton (The Truth About Charlie), Morgan Freeman (High Crimes), and Queen Latifah (Brown Sugar).

Outstanding Drama Series nominees are 24, Boston Public, Six Feet Under, Soul Food, and The Wire. Nominated actors include CCH Pounder (The Shield), Andre Braugher (Hack and 10,000 Black Men Named George), Dennis Haysbert (24), Vanessa Williams (Soul Food), Gary Dourdan (the original and still the best CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Rita Moreno (Oz) and Mekhi Phifer (ER).


MARCH 8: 55th ANNUAL WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS
The 55th Annual Writers Guild Awards will take place Saturday, March 8, 2003, with simultaneous ceremonies at the Pierre Hotel in New York and at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. WGA Feature Film and Television nominations were announced February 5th. In the Feature Film categories, the nominees for Best Original Screenplay are Antwone Fisher, Bowling for Columbine, Far from Heaven, Gangs of New York and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are About a Boy, About Schmidt, Adaptation, Chicago and The Hours. The nominees are widely regarded as front-runners for the Oscars in their respective categories. The WGA winner for original screenplay has gone to win the Oscar in seven of the last 11 years. The WGA winner for adapted screenplay has won the Oscar 11 times in the last 15 years. It is relatively more rare, however, for both WGA winners to go on to win Oscars - that has happened only four times since 1991. ~ Official Website: Writers Guild Awards

Honorary Awards: The Writers Guild of America West has selected veteran comedy writer Aaron Ruben to receive its Valentine Davies Award for public service. The award is given to writers "who have contributed to the entertainment industry as well as the community at large, and who have brought dignity and honor to the profession of writing everywhere." Writer/director/producer/composer/actor Mel Brooks, one of only seven people ever to earn all four major entertainment prizes - the Oscar, the Tony, the Emmy and the Grammy, will be this year's recipient of the Writer's Guild Screen Laurel Award. The Screen Laurel is given to "that member of the Guild who, in the opinion of the current Board of Directors, has advanced the literature of the motion picture through the years, and who has made outstanding contributions to the profession of the screenwriter." More information about Mel Brook's career is presented on the WGA's website. Veteran film and TV scribe John Gay will receive the Edmund H. North Award for service to the guild and professional achievement. David E. Kelley will receive the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television, the guild's highest award for TV writing given to scribes who have advanced the literature of TV and who have made "outstanding contributions to the profession of the television writer."


MARCH 9: 9th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS ~ 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. central on TNT
The 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards will be presented in a two-hour show live from L.A.'s Shrine Exposition Center on Sunday, March 9, 2003. The show will be broadcast on TNT; E! Entertainment Television will air a 4 hour pre-show special starting at 4:00 p.m. PT. Of the top industry accolades presented to performers, only the SAG Awards are selected purely by actors' peers - all 98,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild are invited to participate in the accolades process. Nominations were announced on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 by SAG President Melissa Gilbert, Megan Mullally and Michael Clarke Duncan at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Sean Astin, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Alexis Bledel, Pierce Brosnan, Nicolas Cage, Michael Chiklis, Elisha Cuthbert, Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Falk, Richard Gere, Melissa Gilbert, Ed Harris, Nicole Kidman, Diane Lane, Ron Livingston, William H. Macy, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Maureen O'Hara, Ray Romano, Jeri Ryan, Uma Thurman, Courtney B. Vance, Nia Vardalos, Donnie Wahlberg and Renée Zellweger will grace the stage of the 9th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® to present awards to peers, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis has announced.

Highlights of the SAG nominations include cast recognition in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: 24, CSI, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, and The West Wing.

Actor® nominees Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), Nicolas Cage (Adaptation), Richard Gere and Renée Zellweger (Chicago), Ed Harris (The Hours) and Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) will introduce the feature films for which they and their fellow cast members have received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Motion Picture.

The 9th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will honor the outstanding performances of 2002 in five motion picture and eight television categories, including the unique Ensemble awards highlighted above. Presenting this year's Actor® statuettes will be Angela Bassett (nominated in 2002 for Ruby's Bucket of Blood), Halle Berry (two-time Actor® recipient for Monster's Ball and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge), Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), Pierce Brosnan (Die Another Day, Evelyn), Daniel Day-Lewis (nominated for Gangs of New York), Michael Chiklis (nominated for The Shield), Elisha Cuthbert (nominated for 24), Peter Falk (Columbo), Diane Lane (nominated for Unfaithful), Ron Livingston (Sex and the City, Adaptation), Eric McCormack and Debra Messing (both Actor®-recipients for Will & Grace), Julianne Moore (an impressive eight-time Actor® nominee including this year's Far From Heaven and The Hours), Maureen O'Hara (How Green Was My Valley, The Quiet Man), Jeri Ryan (Boston Public), Courtney B. Vance (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Donnie Wahlberg (Boomtown).

Ray Romano (seven-time Actor®-nominee for Everybody Loves Raymond) will present actor-(director/producer/composer) Clint Eastwood with SAG's 39th Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.

Two-time Actor® recipient Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) will introduce a surprise-filled tribute to "Actors Who Sing." According to Variety's Army Archerd, the segment spotlights those we never expected to hear warble in one of their movies. F'rinstance: Clark Gable singing "Putting on the Ritz" in Idiot's Delight, Cary Grant on "Did I Remember?" in Suzy, Michelle Pfeiffer on "Makin' Whoopee" in The Fabulous Baker Boys, even Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer, plus Ed Norton and Keanu Reeves.

Michael Clarke Duncan (Daredevil), a past SAG Award nominee, will introduce a salute to "Regional Actors." Four-time Actor® nominee William H. Macy (Door to Door) will introduce this year's memorial homage. SAG President Melissa Gilbert will welcome the audience on behalf of the Guild.

Due to limited seating, tickets to this event are not available to the general public. ~ Official website: SAG Awards ~ and if you like our coverage of SAG Awards 2002 (with over 100 celebrity pictures!), you'll love the details we bring you from the 2003 SAG Awards!


March 10: ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINEES LUNCHEON, Beverly Hills. PRIVATE EVENT, BY INVITATION ONLY

March 12: DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS - nominations announced live on The View, 11:00 ET


MARCH 12: TV LAND AWARDS ~ 9:00 p.m. on TV Land and Nick at Nite
See March 2 for details

MARCH 13: 34th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ~ on FOX
See March 8 for details


MARCH 15: 4th ANNUAL GOLDEN TRAILER AWARDS
The Golden Trailer Awards, honoring movie preview creators, will be hosted by comedian Dennis Miller at the El Capitain Theater in L.A.


March 14: INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS - final ballots due


MARCH 15: 9th ANNUAL CHLOTRUDIS AWARDS
Based in New England, the not-for-profit Chlotrudis Awards was formed to support independent films and films often overlooked by the mainstream voters groups. Last year's event was held in Boston at the Charlesmark at Copley Hotel with an after-party at The Seasonal Table. Nominations for the Chlotrudis Awards will be announced January 17th. ~ Official website: Chlotrudis Awards


MARCH 15: 17th ANNUAL GENESIS AWARDS (airing on Animal Planet in May)
The Genesis Awards, presented by the Humane Society of the United States Hollywood Office (formerly the Ark Trust), are given for spotlighting animal issues in the media. The annual ceremony recognizes members of the film, television, print media, music, and the arts communities for producing outstanding works that raise public understanding of animal issues. The event attracts a broad range of popular celebrities from the film, TV, and recording industries. A total of 23 awards are given at the ceremony, spanning a wide spectrum of media outlets. This year's gathering will be held on March 15 in Beverly Hills, at an event that will draw more than 1,000 guests. Scheduled celebrity presenters include Melissa Rivers, Eric Roberts, Amy Smart, James Cromwell, Shannon Elizabeth, Doris Roberts, Michelle Phillips, Wendie Malick, Matt Gallant, Charlotte Ross, AJ McLean, Aisha Tyler, Steve Valentine, Linda Blair, Tippi Hedren, and more. And as a tribute to her valiant work in providing a safe haven for Thailand's abused elephants, Sangduen "Lek" Chailert, founder of Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, will be Guest of Honor. The show will be taped for a two-hour special, airing on Animal Planet in May. The winners are selected in advance; the complete list of award recipients is here. ~ Official website & ticket information: HSUS Hollywood Office/Genesis Awards


MARCH 16: 5th ANNUAL COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARDS
The Costume Designers Awards were created in 1999 to recognize outstanding achievements of costume designers in film and television. Nominations for this year's awards were announced January 21st. The awards will be presented at the Guild's Fifth Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards ceremony March 16, 2003, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. At the same ceremony, which officially marks the 50th anniversary of the Guild, Excellence in Costume Design Awards for 2002 will be presented in two categories of television and film along with a new Excellence in Commercial Costume Design. Honorary chairpersons of this year's awards are Ray Aghayan and Bob Mackie, who was recently inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Each winner of a CDG award receives a work-of-art silver statuette, valued at $15,000 by its supplier, the famed Italian jewelers Bvlgari. The award, one of the most sought-after statuettes in the world of awards, was designed by CDG member David LeVey who describes it as "an amorphous swirl of fabric resolving into a draped human figure of idealized female beauty." The statuettes reflect a mixture of neo-classicism and 1940's Hollywood glamour.

The CDG will also present several honorary awards. Costume Designer Rita Riggs, whose distinguished five-decade career dates back to the 1950s, has been voted the Costume Designers Guild's (CDG's) prestigious Career Achievement Award in Television. Dustin Hoffman will be presented the Guild's first Distinguished Actors Award; Costume Designer Ann Roth has been selected to receive the CDG's Career Achievement for Film Award (to be presented by Meryl Streep); and Italian Costume Designer Piero Tosi will receive the group's first President's Award. ~ Official website: Costume Designer's Guild


March 18: ACADEMY AWARDS - final polls close at 5:00 p.m. PST


MARCH 18: 11th ANNUAL MOVIE GUIDE AWARDS
The 2003 Movieguide Awards, honoring producers and studio executives whose films and television shows reflect positive social and spiritual values, will be held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Singer Lee Greenwood and comedienne Louise Duart host.


MARCH 19: 40th ANNUAL PUBLICISTS GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS
Hollywood publicists have tapped producer Jerry Bruckheimer as recipient of the 2003 Television Showmanship Award. The kudos will be presented at the ICG 40th Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon March 19 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Bruckheimer will become the first person to win both the TV and Motion Picture Showmanship Awards; he won the latter with his late partner Don Simpson in 1988. Bruckheimer's television credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, Without a Trace and The Amazing Race.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding producers Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman will receive the Motion Picture Showmanship Award. Action star Arnold Schwarzenegger will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The star is being recognized for using his celebrity to call attention to a wide variety of humanitarian causes, particularly those involving children. The Guild's other nominations were announced on January 31st.


March 20: SPORTS EMMY AWARDS - nominations announced


MARCH 22: 50th ANNUAL GOLDEN REEL AWARDS
The Los Angeles Ballroom - Century Plaza Hotel, Saturday, March 22nd, 2003, Cocktails 5:30 - 6:45 PM, Awards 7PM - 8:30 PM, Dining - 8:30 PM, Dancing, Black Tie Optional ~ Official website: Motion Pictures Sound Editors


MARCH 22: 18th ANNUAL INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS ~ on IFC and Bravo
The 2003 IFP Independent Sprit Awards, always celebrated the Saturday before the Academy Awards, will take place in Santa Monica on March 22nd. The nominations were announced on December 11, 2002. Halle Berry will serve as honorary chair for the 2003 Awards. Honorary presenters include Adrien Brody, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert Duvall, Anthony LaPaglia, Carrie-Anne Moss, Mekhi Phifer, Parker Posey, Sissy Spacek, Mena Suvari, and Isaiah Washington. Director John Waters will return as master of ceremonies for the third consecutive year.

Bravo will broadcast a 2003 IFP Spirit Awards Nomination Special on Tuesday, March 18 and Saturday, March 22, giving you a chance to view film clips from all nominated categories. Leading the nominees are Lovely & Amazing with six nominations and Far From Heaven with five. Independent Spirit Awards nominees for Best Feature are The Good Girl, Far From Heaven, Lovely & Amazing, Secretary, and Tully. Best First Feature nominees are The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Interview with the Assassin, Manito, Paid In Full, and Roger Dodger. Prominent contenders for the acting awards include Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta, John C. Reilly and Dennis Quaid.

The Independent Spirit Awards premieres live on The Independent Film Channel (IFC) at 2:00 pm PST on Saturday, March 22, 2003 with a re-broadcast that evening on Bravo at 7:00 pm PST. ~ Contact: www.ifp.org ~ Official website: Independent Spirit Awards ~ Also check out Bravo's Indy Spirit website


MARCH 22: GOLDEN RASPBERRY AWARD FOUNDATION "RAZZIE" AWARDS
The 23^rd Annual Razzie Awards ceremony will be held at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Santa Monica, California, one day before the Oscars. Nominations for 2002's worst achievements in film were announced on February 10th. The 2003 ceremony will commence with a glitzy Opening Number (“All That RAZZ!” a parody of guess-what-tune from likely Oscar® contender Chicago) and then rip-and-tear its way through some 11 categories in under an hour. The award itself is a handcrafted golf-ball-sized raspberry atop a mangled reel of Super 8 film, spray-painted gold. It has an estimated street value of $4.89. The Razzieswere created in 1980 by John Wilson, a life-long cynic and Cine-Maniac as well as the author of Everything I Know I Learned At the Movies. ~ Official website: Golden Raspberry Award Foundation


MARCH 23: 75th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS ~ on ABC
The Academy Awards will be celebrated at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST, with a half-hour arrivals program preceding the presentation ceremony. Nominations for the 75th Annual Academy Awards® were announced on Tuesday, February 11, 2003. Steve Martin returns to host the annual gala. ~ Official website: Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences; For current pictures, noms & more, see E! Online Oscars 2003; and

So far, the Academy has announced the following stars will present awards at the 2003 Oscar ceremony: last year's Best Actress (for Monster's Ball) Halle Berry will make her third appearance as an Oscar show presenter; two-time Academy Award winner and last year's Best Actor (Training Day) Denzel Washington will make his 8th appearance as an Oscar show presenter; last year's Best Supporting Actress (for A Beautiful Mind) Jennifer Connelly will present for the first time, as will debutante A-lister Jennifer Garner. Additional presenters include Michael Douglas (returning for the 10th time), Jennifer Lopez (making her sixth appearance), Will Smith, Jim Carrey, and Ben Affleck (fourth time as presenters), Harrison Ford (3rd time), Meg Ryan (second time presenting), four time Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore (second), Academy Award nominee Renée Zellweger (third time), Oscar nominee Salma Hayek (third appearance), and Colin Farrell (rookie). Kate Hudson will appear on the Oscar® telecast to introduce highlights from the March 1st presentation of Science and Technical Achievement Oscars.  This will mark her second appearance as a presenter at the Academy Awards.

Peter O'Toole has been selected to receive an Honorary Oscar by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to be presented at the Academy Awards on March 23. The citation will read: "Peter O'Toole - whose remarkable talents have provided cinema history with some of its most memorable characters." After initially rebuffing the award, the feisty actor, who seems to perceive the Honorary Academy Award as some sort of retirement kiss-off, told AMPAS that he wasn't ready to accept the statuette. In a handwritten open letter, O'Toole requested that since he is "still in the game and might win the lovely bugger outright, would the Academy please defer the honour until I am 80?" O'Toole has since had a change of heart and is expected to attend the show.

During his 50+ year career, O'Toole has been nominated for an Academy Award (Best Actor) seven times, for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Becket (1964), The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980) and My Favorite Year (1982). O'Toole will next be seen in the feature film Bright Young Things.