Thursday, July 26-----The Turks & Caicos International Film Festival (TCIFF), a unique event that combines the power of film and music, will honor composer Marc Shaiman, the celebrated composer of the Broadway and Hollywood hit Hairspray, with the  Sal De Mar Excellence in Composing Award at the Festival’s annual Awards Gala to be held on Saturday, October 20, 2007.  The Festival, which celebrates its third year, will be held from October 16 to 21 in the resort city of Providenciales on the beautiful Caribbean island archipelago.

Marc Shaiman is a versatile talent – working as a composer, lyricist, arranger, performer and producer for film, television and theatre.  In his prolific career, he has hit the triple crown of winning a Tony (Broadway), Emmy (television) and Grammy (recording industry) awards, and may just add another award, the Oscar, for the new compositions in the film version of Hairspray, which opened to strong box office last weekend. Shaiman also was the recent recipient of the 2007 ASCAP Henry Mancini Career Achievement Award. Shaiman's extensive film credits as a composer and lyricist include Broadcast News, Beaches, When Harry Met Sally..., City Slickers, The Addams Family, Sister Act, Sleepless in Seattle, A Few Good Men, The American President, The First Wives Club, George of the Jungle, In & Out, Patch Adams, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, and Team America: World Police.

The very busy media mogul is currently completing the original score for the Rob Reiner film, The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, a trenchant comedy about two terminally ill men which will be released this Fall by Warner Brothers. In addition, he is composing and co-writing the lyrics for the upcoming original musical Catch Me if You Can, based upon Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film, with Nathan Lane set to star in the lead role on Broadway.  Shaiman already has a growing list of awards and nominations that point to a continuing golden career in both Hollywood and on Broadway. He has already  won five Academy Award nominations, including the South Park song “Blame Canada”, the score of Patch Adams, the score for The First Wives Club, the score for The American President, and the Sleepless in Seattle song “A Wink and a Smile.”   He has also received a Grammy Award for his work on the musical Hairspray and has received two additional Grammy nominations for his arrangements of Harry Connick, Jr.'s recordings “When Harry Met Sally” and “We Are In Love.”  Shaiman received an Emmy Award for co-writing Billy Crystal's hosting of the Academy Awards, as well as for his work on the seminal variety series Saturday Night Live.   

Jasmine Guy“Having had the honor and joy of working with Marc Shaiman years ago in the Broadway production of ‘Leader of the Pack,’ I am thrilled to see that the Boy Wonder has soared in his career and has been able to share his gifts with the world”, commented Jasmine Guy, the Executive Director of the Turks & Caicos International Film Festival. More announcements on the Festival and other honorees are expected in the coming weeks. The TCIFF is currently accepting film submissions for the 2007 Festival.  The regular submission deadline is July 17, 2007 for feature, documentaries and short films.  The Festival screens approximately 30 films and will present jury awards in six categories.  In addition, the Festival will also present the Sal Del Mar Awards at an awards ceremony honoring a Tour de Force actor, Rising Star, Composer and Director.  Last year’s ceremony was hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Shauna Robinson and honored composer John Debney and presented a posthumous award to Tupac Shukar.

Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor