SINGLES WARD WATCH: At its current performance level, "The Singles Ward" should pass the magical $1 million mark with two weeks.

MOVIEGOERS CLAMOR TO SEE POSSESSION: Speaking of limited releases: Neil LaBute's "Possession" was still playing in only 343 theaters over the weekend - even less than "Little Secrets" - leaving interested moviegoers, especially in Utah, asking when they would be able to see it. We have not heard any definite news regarding a more extensive release of the film, which still took in almost $1.15 million in its 2nd weekend of release and ended up #15 nationwide, but we will keep you posted as information becomes available. "Possession" has already earned more at the box office than LaBute's first feature film "In The Company of Men", and looks poised to out-gross the $4.7 earned by his second film "Your Friends and Neighbors."

AMERICAN GRACE: Latter-day Saint novelist Curtis Taylor is wrapping up principal photography of his feature film "American Grace" at the end of August. The coming-of-age story set in 1973 Modesto pays homage to Lucas' "American Grafitti," and is also a tribute to Taylor's hometown of Modesto, California, where the movie was filmed. Latter-day Saint actor/director Richard Dutcher and famed Latter-day Saint rock musician Randy Bachman both have supporting roles in the movie.

TOP 10: The ldsfilm.com home page now features a list of the Top 10 LDS Directors. The list is limited to directors who are currently alive and working, and is based on U.S. box office gross. Check it out. It's on the bottom of the LDSFilm.com home page.

You may be struck by the number of these directors listed there who only have only one or two theatrically-released films to their credit. For now, an aspiring director with a hit can quickly find themselves on the list. But the bar is continually being raised.

NUMBER 6: "Serving Sara" opened nationwide in 2,154 theaters, taking in $5,758,236 at the box office over the weekend. This put the movie in 6th place nationwide. The movie featues Dallas-based Latter-day Saint actress Alaina Kalanj in a small role as the receptionist at the health spa. "Serving Sara" stars "Friends" star Matthew Perry and British actress Elizabeth Hurley. Kalanj, who teaches nursery in her home ward, had the fourth-billed role in the Cannes-screened feature film "Pendulum" (2001), starring alongside Rachel Hunter, James Russo and Matt Battaglia. Kalanj has also starred in a number of critically acclaimed short films and had a major guest role on the TV series "Dawson's Creek." "Serving Sara" is her first theatrically-released feature film. She is currently filming an independent feature film in Austin, Texas, in which she has the lead role.

DANSIE: Salt Lake-area filmmaker Tucker Dansie has announced that his upcoming short film "Quarters & Rocks" (now in post production) has changed titles to "Two Nickels and a Dime." The film stars Clara Susan Morey II, who has a small part in "Little Secrets", and has a supporting role in the upcoming "Jack Weyland's Charly" (opening in three weeks across Utah), and a major supporting role in Mark Potter's upcoming feature "Suddenly Unexpected" (scheduled release: 2003). "Two Nickels and a Dime" is the 2nd in Dansie's "Lesson" series of films. Dansie is a Latter-day Saint and the films reflect positive values, but do not feature overtly LDS characters or exclusively LDS themes.

2ND LDS FILM FESTIVAL: If you want your film or screenplay showcased at the 2nd LDS Film Festival, to be held in October 2002, you'll need to hurry! Send in your work no later than September 15. A total of $2000.00 and the prestigious LIGHTBOX AWARD will be awarded to the best screenplays, films and videos. Everyone is invited to participate. You can download the entry form at http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/entry.php For more info on the festival: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/festival.php

FORGOTTEN VOYAGE NAMED "BEST DOCUMENTARY": A new documentary film by History Channel veteran and LDS director Scott Tiffany won Best Documentary at the Salt Lake City Film Festival. "Forgotten Voyage" tells the story of a group of nearly 250 Latter-day Saint men, women and children who fled persecution in 1846 by sailing from New York City around the treacherous tip of South America to California. They spent six months at sea and sailed 20,000 miles. The group settled San Francisco for America and its leader, Samuel Brannan, launched the California Gold Rush of 1849. The one-hour documentary features interviews with California's State Librarian-Historian, maritime experts and Western-American historians. "Forgotten Voyage" is available on video at the film's web site http://www.ForgottenVoyage.com. The World Congress of Families has announced it will screen winning films of the Salt Lake City Film Festival around the world. In 2003, "Forgotten Voyage" will be shown in such countries as Uganda, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Russia. For more information, please e-mail Info@ForgottenVoyage.com

Latter-day Saint filmmaker Mark N. Goodman won both the Audience Award and the Best Feature Film Award for his film "Someone Was Watching." Goodman has long worked as a cinematographer on major, award-winning projects locally-made films. He was the cinematographer for three Latter-day Saint-themed PBS documentaries made by Lee Groberg: "American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith" (2000), "Trail of Hope: The Story of the Mormon Trail" (1997), and the upcoming "Sacred Stone" (2002), about the original construction and recent rebuilding of the Nauvoo Temple. Goodman was the assistant cinematographer for the Feature Films For Families films "Clubhouse Detectives" (1996), "Seasons of the Heart" (1993) and "The ButterCream Gang" (1992). "Someone Was Watching" is the first feature film that Goodman has directed. Jongiorgi Enos (who had a supporting role as the tow-truck driver "Ed" in "Brigham City") appears in "Someone Was Watching."

The program notes describe the 88-minute film "Someone Was Watching" as follows:
Three months have passed since Molly turned up missing and was presumed drowned. Her brother Chris is still racked by guilt and nightmares. One evening, while Chris' friend Pat is sleeping over, they come across a home video shot on the day Molly was lost. Far in the background of one of the shots an ice cream truck pulls into a parking lot by the river's edge. Only a few moments later the music stops. After awhile the truck pulls away, but the music never comes back on. Chris and Pat set out on a quest to try to discover what really happened that day. Though they don't find absolute evidence, what they discover leads them to believe Molly isn't really dead, but kidnapped. Eventually they find out that the people they suspect are the kidnappers have moved to New Mexico. With disbelieving parents, and nagging doubts, the boys set out on their own to see if Molly is there -- leading them on a journey filled with doubt, fear, and impossible hopes

The majority of films submitted to and shown at the Salt Lake City Film Festival came from outside of Utah, with many coming from outside the United States. Over 50 films were submitted, and over 26 films were shown at the festival. Below is the complete list of winners at the Festival:

Winners of the 2002 Gloria Awards

The 2002 Gloria Awards was held in the Auditorium on the Salt Lake Community College - Larry H. Miller Campus on August 24. Thanks for making this festival a success. The following are the winners:

Best of the 2002 Festival
THE BOOK AND THE ROSE
Director, Jeff Bemiss

Best Student Film
LEFT HANDED
Director, Baoqi Ye

Best Documentary
FORGOTTEN VOYAGE: THE MORMON SEA TREK THAT SPARKED THE GOLD RUSH
Director, Scott Tiffany

Best Short Film
BRAVO, GIORGIO!
Director, John Plausse

Best Director
JEFF BEMISS
Director, The Book and the Rose

SLCFF Audience Award
SOMEONE WAS WATCHING
Director, Mark Goodman

Best Sound
TERZO E MUNDO (THIRD AND WORLD)
Director, Daniele Pignatelli

Best Cinematography
LIFE CHRONICLES I: ANOTHER
Director, James Dalrymple

Future Filmmaker Award
BOBBY FALICE-RUBIO
Director, No es Facil - Cuban Life on Either Side of the Florida Straits

Best Animation
BOLTED
Director, Scott Bogonieski

Best Screenplay
THE ONE-BRUISED BALL
Writer, Mike Marsh