Day of the Writer - Terry Zwigoff: Maverick Spirit Award

Running time: 90 mins

Friday, March 5th from 3:00pm at the California Theatre

Part Three - Maverick Spirit Award: Terry Zwigoff

ENID
It's not hopeless...

SEYMOUR
Yeah, well it's simple for everybody else - - give 'em a Big Mac and a Sports Utility Vehicle and they're happy! I just can't relate to 99.9% of humanity.

Louie Bluie (1986)
Crumb (1994)
Ghost World (2001)
Bad Santa (2003)
Art School Confidential (2006)

Cinequest proudly presents our Maverick Spirit Award to modern master of comedy Terry Zwigoff, whose screenplay for the irreverent Ghost World (on which he collaborated with the original comic book creator Daniel Clowes) went on to receive Academy and Golden Globe nominations after garnering numerous top prizes around the globe, including awards for its cast Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi.

Zwigoff traces his film career back to discovering a rare blues recording by an unknown Chicago blues musician he discovered in 1978. The experience of the two years spent researching this artist, a highly eccentric Howard Armstrong, became Zwigoff's first film project, Louie Bluie (1986).

A fascination for the underground comics scene, which he so richly depicts in the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning Crumb, provided the passion to create a moving and often hilarious portrait of underground comic artist Robert Crumb and the characters of the Crumb family. Crumb went on to become the third highest grossing documentary of all time and over the years it took to make the film, a friendship between Crumb and Zwigoff developed?a friendship only made stronger through a shared affinity for music and led to Zwigoff learning to play the cello and mandolin and joined Robert Crumb?s string band, R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders.

His affinity towards a more acerbic wit, led Zwigoff to direct Billy Bob Thornton in the now classic Bad Santa, in which he quite literally turns the holiday film genre upside down with its depiction of a con man who poses as Santa in order to rob department stores. His most recent film, Art School Confidential, was based on another story from Daniel Clowes and features John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent and Max Minghella and once again looks at a microcosm with a very alternative perspective?this time, his subject being art school students and teachers.

Please join Cinequest for a wild, energetic afternoon of stories and laughs, as we honor the incredible work of Terry Zwigoff and present to him Cinequest?s highest honor: The Maverick Spirit Award.

After the event Terry Zwigoff will sign DVDs, Posters, CDs and Books for charity to benefit People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Moderated by James Dalessandro, a novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker who devotes himself to telling Bay Area stories and invigorating film and television in the region. His bestselling novel and screenplay, 1906 is headed for production as Pixar's first live action feature, with Oscar winner Brad Bird directing. In September 2009, Hallmark Channel broadcast Citizen Jane, their first true crime Movie of the Week, based on his book and teleplay. His documentary, ?The Damnedest, Finest Ruins? won numerous awards, and his feature story ?Petrosino vs. The Black Hand" is in the January 2010 issue of Playboy.

The purchase of a $20 Day of the Writer ticket covers all three Day of the Writer events. To purchase a Day of the Writer ticket, please click here.