Writer, Producer, Mentor, & Activist
JEREMIAH NEWTON
To Receive the 2015 Winter Film Awards
PATRON OF THE CINEMA AWARD
At the Saturday, February 28th, 2015 Awards Ceremony to be held in The Empire Room at Club 230FIFTH
New York, NY (February 3, 2015) ‐ As part of the 2015 Winter Film Awards (WFA) Independent Film Festival Awards Presentation Ceremony taking place Saturday, February 28 2015 in The EMPIRE ROOM at Club 230FIFTH, the WFA Board of Directors is pleased to honor true New Yorker and cinema legend Jeremiah Newton with the 2015 PATRON OF THE CINEMA AWARD. The award is presented to an individual whose career transcends their work in the cinema by branching out into other artistic mediums, and who shares a passion for the cinema by mentoring and nurturing up‐and‐coming filmmakers.
“As a fellow native New Yorker and a lover of the cinema I can think of no one who more truly embodies the ideals of this award, who is more deserving of this recognition, then Jeremiah Newton,” explained Board of Directors member Joseph Mauceri. “I’ve witnessed firsthand Newton’s selfless efforts in doing everything he can to nurture aspiring young filmmakers from all over the world. When you meet any of these filmmakers whose lives he has touched, they continue to extol their praises on how Newton has impacted their lives and careers. Having met many of his former students, it is their fond memories that unquestionably makes Newton deserving of this award.”
Newton created “The Directors Series” at New York University’s Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television. During his 19 years of service as Film and Television Industry Liaison at NYU, Newton exposed these fledgling filmmakers to the likes of such cinematic dignitaries as Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, Heath Ledger, Adam Sandler, George Lucas and many more. He passion led to his founding the Student Awards Program at the Hampton Film Festival. In 2001 he launched the Career Day program as a founding member of the Woodstock Film Festival, providing students a unique opportunity for first‐hand communication with highly respected professionals in the film industry.
JEREMIAH NEWTON was born in College Point, NY, and at a young age was attracted by the bright lights of the city. When Newton was 16, he met Candy Darling and the two became close friends during the 60’s youth culture revolution. Through their friendship, Newton met Andy Warhol and experienced first‐hand the exploding art scene of The Factory. With Candy’s death in 1974, it became a life‐long passion of Newton to bring her story to the screen, which was realized with the release of the 2010 documentary Beautiful Darling.
Newton co‐edited the 1997 book My Face for the World to See: The Diaries, Letters, and Drawings of Candy Darling, and wrote material for Mary Harron’s 1996 film I Shot Andy Warhol. He is a former president of the Stonewall Veterans’ Association. He had an impressive 19 year career as the Film & TV Industry Liaison at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, was a founding member of the Woodstock Film Festival, curates the Hampton’s Film Festival Student Short Films Showcase, and he continues to write.
Winter Film Awards (WFA) is a volunteer‐run and operated 501(c)3 organization dedicated to showcasing emerging filmmakers and celebrating diversity in local and international film‐making. The WFA 2015 Independent Film Festival runs from February 25‐28 in New York City. For more information on tickets, schedules, sponsors, film descriptions and more, please visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com and find us on Facebook.