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Director Kimberly Peirce to Receive Andrew Sarris Alumni Achievement Award

The Columbia University Film Festival's eighth annual Andrew Sarris Award will be awarded to director/writer/producer Kimberly Peirce (M.F.A. '96). Past recipients include Columbia alumns Lisa Cholodenko, Jay Russell, Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini, Sabrina Dhawan, Albert Berger, James Mangold, Jeffrey Sharp, Nicole Holofcener, and Ron Nyswaner.

Peirce, the acclaimed director of BOYS DON'T CRY and STOP-LOSS, will receive the award on May 9th at the McGraw-Hill Theatre in New York City at the Columbia University Film Festival?s Faculty Selects Screenplay Readings. The award recipient is chosen by current students at Columbia.

"It's such an honor to receive an award from the Columbia Film Division, which was instrumental in my development as an artist and a filmmaker-especially since it's coming from students who are in the same position I was in just a few years ago,"" said Peirce. "I am looking forward to returning to Columbia to accept this award and to share my experiences as a filmmaker with the next generation of filmmakers and artists."

Screenplay Readings begin at 5:30 pm; the award ceremony and reception immediately follow. For tickets and the complete Columbia University Film Festival schedule, please visit www.cufilmfest.com

Members of the media who wish to attend, or who wish to arrange a phone interview with Kimberly Peirce, please contact Anne Burt, 212-854-7884, ab2673@columbia.edu.