Thursday, January 4----The Sundance Film Festival, which opens two weeks from today with the world premiere of the documentary-cum-animation film CHICAGO 10, has announced that the film LIFE SUPPORT, written and directed by Nelson George, will be its Closing Night gala on Friday, January 26th.

The film, which is a world premiere, is a fictionalized account of the true story of a mother who overcame an addiction to crack and became a positive role model and AIDS activist in the black community. LIFE SUPPORT stars Queen Latifah, Anna Deavere Smith, Wendell Pierce, and Evan Ross.

Nelson George is best known as a producer, whose film EVERYDAY PEOPLE premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. He has also produced such indie film titles as CB4 (1993), JUST ANOTHER GIRL ON THE I.R.T. (1992) and STRICTLY BUSINESS (1991) and DEF BY TEMPTATION (1990). LIFE SUPPORT is his directorial debut. The film was produced by HBO Films, the film production arm of the satellite and cable television programming giant.

Sandy Mandelberger
Sundance Online Dailies Editor