PAH-FEST Judges
Nancy Savoca
Savoca directed her first film, TRUE LOVE in 1989. The story of an Italian American wedding featured newcomers Annabella Sciorra and Ron Eldard. It won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film. In 1991, Savoca directed DOGFIGHT, a love story about a marine and the girl he takes to an ugly date contest. It starred River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. Her third feature, HOUSEHOLD SAINTS, an adaptation of Francine Prose’s mystical saga of 3 generations of Italian-American women, starred Tracey Ullman, Lili Taylor, Vincent D’Onofrio and Judith Malina. HBO’s IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, a 3-part look at abortion rights, received Emmy and Golden Globe. Savoca served as co-writer for all 3 segments and directed the ones starring Demi Moore and Sissy Spacek. THE 24 HOUR WOMAN, a comedy about modern day motherhood, starred Oscar nominees Rosie Perez and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. The film earned. Savoca an ALMA (American Latin Media Arts) nomination for Directing. In 2002, Savoca's taped version of the hit show, RENO: Rebel Without A Pause- Unrestrained Reflections on September 11th, premiered on September 11, 2002 at the Toronto Film Festival and was awarded the Prize for Peace & Liberty by the City of Florence. Her latest original, DIRT, a ‘dramedy’ about immigration and classism in NYC won Savoca a Best Director award from the LA Latino Film Festival and was nominated for Best Screenplay by the WGA in 2006. She is currently shooting a documentary on jazz saxophonist GATO BARBIERI and is working on an adaptation of Ki Longfellow’s THE SECRET MAGDALENE.