2004 programs and events

American Director Wins "Grand Prix" In Minsk Film Festival

American film director Tim McCanlies received the "Grand Prix" November 25 in the children's film competition of the international Listapad film festival in Minsk. Mr. McCanlies directed and also wrote the screenplay for the award-winning film, "Secondhand Lions," which stars Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, Haley Joel Osment, and Kyra Sedgwick. At the Minsk festival, the highly coveted "Grand Prix" goes to the film that the audience votes as their favorite;  "Secondhand Lions" received 9.3 on a scale of 10 -- the highest rating the movie viewers gave to any of the 28 films from 16 countries that were entered in the competition.  Mr. McCanlies also received a special recognition award from the Belarusian newspaper, "Children's Fairy Tales."   During his visit to Belarus, Mr. McCanlies spoke to children at high schools and met with Belarusian filmmakers, actors, alumni of USG exchange programs, and representatives of NGOs and other groups.  The U.S. movie director, Belarusian child actors, and students from high schools in Minsk also participated in a DVC (digital video conference) with American teen actor Haley Joel Osment in Los Angeles.