The entertainment trade magazine Variety honored “10 Directors to Watch” at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Sunday, Jan. 5, but the wife of one of them attracted the most attention.
Comedian Melissa McCarthy of “Bridesmaids” fame accompanied her husband and honoree Ben Falcone to the outdoor event at the Parker Palm Springs, a secluded resort once owned my Gene Autry.
The couple are collaborating on “Tammy,” a road trip story with Susan Sarandon and Dan Aykroyd. It is slated for release in July.
Also honored at the event were John Lee Hancock, director of “Saving Mr. Banks,” and actor Jonah Hill, of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Their awards were presented by Colin Farrell and Marissa Tomei.
Amma Asante, another of the 10 directors, was on her third straight day of glamour at the film festival. She walked the red carpet Friday at a screening of her film “Belle” — selected as the opening movie of the festival — and Saturday at the festival’s awards gala.
Asante described the Palm Springs festival as a good mix of emerging and established talent.
The Variety event also was a mix of new faces and Coachella Valley residents such as pop singer Jack Jones, former “Let’s Make a Deal” host Monty Hall and desert TV personality Gloria Greer.
Comedian Kaye Ballard, 88, a film buff, introduced herself to McCarthy and said she was a fan.
It was described as a “red carpet event,” but because it was on the resort’s lawn, the carpet was grass.
Attendees posed for photographers before entering a private brunch.
The other directors honored by Variety: Clio Barnard (“The Selfish Giant”); Anthony Chen (“Ilo Ilo”); Paul Duane (“Very Extremely Dangerous”); Maya Forbes (“Infinitely Polar Bear”); Dome Karukoski (“Heart of a Lion”); Justin Simien (“Dear White People”); Gren Wells (“The Road Within”); and the team of Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly (“Beneath the Harvest Sky”).
Variety began partnering with the Palm Springs Film Festival in 2011. Prior to that, the entertainment trade magazine had its awards ceremony at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
In opening remarks, Variety’s Steve Gaydos described the brunch as a “celebration of weather” as well as future talent.
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