Quendrith Johnson

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by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

Diane Warren is often cited as among the most distinguished and awarded songwriters of all time, with hits from Aerosmith "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" to Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me," not to mention Toni Braxton's "Un-break My Heart." With a dozen Oscar nominations, Warren will be honored with a sweeping career award from Film Fest 919 in October. Here are the details for the celebration:

CHAPEL HILL, NC: Film Fest 919 today announced the dates for its highly-anticipated 4th edition which takes place Oct. 18-24, including a special opening celebration honoring composer Diane Warren with the Spotlight Award on Monday, Oct. 18. Warren’s exciting celebration will launch the festival.  

“We are delighted to honor the profoundly talented, multi-award-winning, 12-time Oscar-nominated queen of the power ballad mega hit, songwriter/musician and record producer Diane Warren with the Spotlight Award." remarked Film Fest 919 founders Randi Emerman and Carol Marshall. "The evening will include a moderated Conversation and special presentation of her extraordinary catalog of hit songs."

The Best Original Song Academy Award category was established in 1934, and Composer Diane Warren was first nominated in 1988 and again this year, 2021. Her songwriting skills have added to the lasting influence of many iconic movies. Speaking of motion pictures, "we are all anxious to get back to the movies," the festival co-founders added, "and we look forward to continuing our tradition of introducing audiences to bold and remarkable works from celebrated filmmakers.”

Film Fest 919 (FF919) showcases a carefully curated program of the year’s most highly anticipated films, including the best in US and world cinema, and will be presented safely in person at two venues: Silverspot Cinema and Drive-in at Carraway Village.

Film Fest 919 has enjoyed tremendous success in the past three years, presenting lineups curated to include films from all over the world, including favorites from Sundance and Cannes to Venice, Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals, many of which were on the award season track. The first year opened with ROMA and closed with Green Book, both of which went on to win several Oscars, as well as an award-winning slate that included The Favourite, Shoplifters, Destroyer, Boy Erased, Birds of Passage and Capernaum (recipient of the Audience Favorite Award) and many more.

FF919’s run of best picks for Award Season continued for the 2nd edition, which featured such hits as Oscar winners Parasite (which also received the FF919 Audience Favorite Award), Jojo Rabbit, Pain & Glory, Ford v. Ferrari and Marriage Story, as well as the acclaimed Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, Honey Boy, Just Mercy, and many more. The third year featured early showings of Nomadland, which not only won the Audience Favorite Award in 2020, it went on to receive six Oscar nominations and winning three Academy Awards. 

Film Fest 919 has honored Oscar nominees Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira from ROMA, Nick Vallelonga for Green Book; they established the Distinguished Screenwriter Award in 2019, with the first one presented to Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten for The Two Popes, and the next to Director/writer/producer and multi-Academy Award-winner, Chloe Zhao for Nomadland, another spot-on pick. 

 NOMADLAND

A limited number of passes are available and go on sale Friday, Sept. 3. Click HERE to purchase. The full program line up will be announced by early October. Passholders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the public. 

All About Film Fest 919

Film Fest 919 is a film festival based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that highlights the best feature films the year has to offer. Founded by Randi Emerman and Carol Marshall, the festival showcases great films and the artists behind them. In just three years, Film Fest 919 has attracted more than 50 members of the national and local press, in addition, the social media platforms serve as a multiplier to optimize visibility of the festival in today’s world. The Triangle area has a strong community of film lovers with discerning tastes and a passion for the arts and the festival aims to serve as a celebration of these qualities. Chapel Hill is cherished by its citizens and admired by its visitors. Its charm, mystique and ‘small town’ atmosphere makes it the perfect setting for entertaining film festival guests. 

[In order to ensure that #FF919 is as safe as possible and therefore will require proof of vaccination for all in-person events. Masks will be required. ]

Stay updated with Film Fest 919 on Website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

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