Natl  Film Title                Weekend Gross
Rank  LDS/Mormon Filmmaker/Star   Total Gross Theaters Days
---  ----------------------------- -----------  -----  ----
 3   The Santa Clause 2             12,133,257  2,526    31
     Ken Daurio (screenwriter)     113,587,046
     Cinco Paul (screenwriter)

23   Sweet Home Alabama                410,837    378    66
     C. Jay Cox (screenwriter)     124,172,969

29   Punch-Drunk Love                  171,813    131    52
     LDS actors/characters:         17,592,824
         David Stevens,
         Nathan Stevens,
         Michael D. Stevens,
         Jim Smooth Stevens
           (James Smooth)

53   Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man   29,634      5   941
     Reed Smoot (cinematographer)   14,390,061

61   Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure   15,879      8   661
     Scott Swofford (producer)      13,679,319
     Reed Smoot (cinematographer)
     Sam Cardon (composer)
     Stephen L. Johnson (film editor)

64   Jack Weyland's Charly              10,789     11    66
     Adam Anderegg (director)          534,972
     Jack Weyland (book author)
     Janine Gilbert (screenwriter)
     Lance Williams (producer)
     Micah Merrill (producer, film editor)
     Tip Boxell (co-producer)
     Bengt Jan Jonsson (cinematographer)
     Aaron Merrill (composer)
     Actors: Heather Beers, Jeremy Elliott,
        Adam Johnson, Jackie Winterrose Fullmer,
        Diana Dunkley, Gary Neilson, Lisa McCammon,
        Randy King, Bernie Diamond, etc.

68   Galapagos                           8,181      5  1130
     Reed Smoot (cinematographer)   13,848,806

73   China: The Panda Adventure          5,131      5   493
     Reed Smoot (cinematographer)    2,961,345

99   Ziggy Stardust & Spiders from Mars    407      1   145
     Mick Ronson (2nd billed actor)    125,656

104  The Other Side of Heaven               77      1   353
     Mitch Davis (writer/director)   4,720,371
     John H. Groberg (author/character)
     Gerald Molen, John Garbett (producers)
     Steven Ramirez (film editor)

MORE PAUL AND DAURIO - So what are Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio ("The Santa Claus 2") working on now? They are currently working on another family movie for Disney that will hopefully be released in 2004. It is a musical featuring singing dogs. They are also editing a short film based on a script titled "Special" that they wrote together in 1999.

CHARACTER ACTOR PARLEY BAER PASSES AWAY - Salt Lake native Parley Baer died in California on November 22nd. He was probably best-known as Mayor Stoner of Mayberry on "The Andy Griffith Show." He also provided the voice of Ernie Keebler in the Keebler cookies commercials. Baer's more than 75 film roles include major roles in "Almost an Angel" (1990), "Amazing Dobermans" (1976), "The Ugly Dachshund" (1966) and "Two on a Guillotine" (1965).

ALAN WILLIAMS ON TNT - A new musical score by leading Latter-day Saint film composer Alan Williams will debut next week on national TV. The TNT movie "Miss Lettie and Me" stars Tyler Moore and Burt Reynolds. Williams' more than 3 dozen scores include the critically acclaimed IMAX films "Kilimanjaro: Mountain of Many Faces" (2002), "Island of the Sharks" (1999), "Mark Twain's America" (1998), and "Amazon" (1997), as well as TV movies, feature films, and videos available at Latter-day Saint bookstores. "Miss Lettie and Me", a Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentation, debuts Sunday, December 8th at 8pm (ET). It will also appear on TNT at the following times:
Sunday, December 8th at 10pm
Monday, December 9th at 12am
Wednesday, December 11th at 9pm
Saturday, December 14th at 10pm
Sunday, December 15th at 4pm
Monday, December 16th at 12am
Saturday, December 21st at 12:30pm


LDS FILM FESTIVAL UPDATE - From LDSBox.com: The winners of the Feature Screenplay Competition will be announced next week. One more judge has to finish reading the scripts before we can announce the winners. Please be patient as we try to carefully examine 25 scripts and over 2000 script pages. We would like to thank all the filmmakers and volunteers for their great work! We are looking forward to an exciting next year! Hope to see you and your films there!

"BEST OF 2002 PROGRAM TO TOUR NOW NATIONWIDE AND ABROAD - Similar to last year's "Best of 2001" program, the best films of this year's LDS FILM FESTIVAL competition will go on a national and international tour. The "Best of 2002 tour program is offered to wards, stakes, institutes, private parties, high schools, university campuses, media arts centers, museums, libraries and independent theaters across the country and abroad. Organizers are free to charge admissions. The program is available for a rental fee of $ 46.00 (includes shipping). Additional screenings are $ 19.00 each. The program is only available in English and on VHS. Screenings can now be scheduled. The "Best of 2002" program is a collection of 12 short films and is 135 minutes long. The program includes comedy, drama, documentary, and experimental films. It is enjoyable for all ages and can be appreciated by members and nonmembers alike. If you are interested in organizing a screening of the "Best of 2002" pro! gram, contact the LDS Film Festival at: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/feedback.php

ADDITIONAL SCREENING OF 24-HOUR FILMMAKING MARATHON FILMS - Come and see over 30 short films that were made within only 24 hours or less. LDSBox.com will have an additional screening this coming Friday, December 6, at 9.30 p.m. at MUSE MUSIC in Provo. The theme of the marathon was "redemption." Filmmakers also had to implement an object (a bar of soap) and a dialogue line ("You can't just change..."). A sold out screening of the 24-hour filmmaking marathon films at the LDS Film Festival showed many different approaches to the same theme. Many films were well crafted and impressed the audience. We congratulate all the participating groups for their excellent work and endurance.

See them all:
Friday, December 6, at 9.30 p.m. at MuseMusic
145 North University Avenue, Provo
$ 3 at the door

LDS FILM FESTIVAL IS LOOKING FOR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS - In its second year, attendance doubled from 750 to 1500. Over 30 events were held between November 13-16. Over 80 films were screened. Next year the LDS Film Festival will continue to grow and draw more attention and people. The festival has now a solid foundation and feels ready to invite sponsors to support the growth of the festival. There are several sponsorship programs for businesses and individuals interested in supporting young LDS filmmakers and the LDS Film Festival. The programs offer many benefits for sponsors in exchange for their support. Please contact the festival at: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/feedback.php if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor.

"FACES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE" CONSIDERED FOR NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION - Tawnya Cazier's documentary, "Faces of Domestic Violence", which was made with a community outreach grant, has been sent to the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The department is considering it for national distribution. In addition, as part of the National Domestic Violence Awareness month in October, a copy of the video was sent to every county community outreach coordinator in Utah. With the release of this video, Cazier's name and credits have been moved from the "Up and Coming" Latter-day Saint filmmakers page on this website and promoted to the main ("professional") directors and producers page.

THE CALL OF STORY TO BE AIRED - Tom Lefler's documentary, "The Call of Story" will be airing nationally. For broadcast dates and times according to area, or to learn more about the documentary and storytelling, go to an impressive site dedicated to the documentary at http://callofstory.org

DARYN TUFTS' NEW NOVEL: Daryn Tufts is the 3rd-billed star of "The Singles Ward," and is also an award-winning commercial writer. Not only did Tufts star in "The Singles Ward", he also makes a cameo appearance in the upcoming feature film "The R.M." He was also a writer of the 2001 and 2002 Pearl Awards. Tufts is a huge movie star (if by "huge", we mean "tall"). We haven't read _My, Myself & E.F.Y._, but word on the street is that it is THE BEST BOOK DARYN HAS EVER WRITTEN. Here is a press release from Daryn Tufts about his new novel:

Me, Myself & E.F.Y. is officially ON SALE! Yep. It's time! (and just in time for Christmas, I might add) It's available for a measly $11.95 RIGHT NOW from LDS Living. So, here's how it works. Go to http://www.ldsliving.com/details.asp?prodid=13700 and you'll go DIRECTLY to the book. OR, go to: www.ldsliving.com, and then type in my name (Daryn Tufts) or the book title (Me, Myself & E.F.Y), and it'll take you right to the order page. In exactly one week from today (Tuesday, December 10th), the first pressing will be mailed out. Here's what YOU Get: AUTOGRPAGHED COPY - IF you order BEFORE Tuesday, you'll receive an autographed copy. You can either leave it up to me to sign it however I please - or just request what you'd like me to write in your copy and I'll be sure to do it. This is for ALL books ordered before Tuesday, December 10! SAVE on Shipping! - LDS Living has agreed to knock $1.00 off of the normal shipping price (usually $5.00) for Me, Myself & E.F.Y. Plus, LDS Liv! ing is providing a FLAT SHIPPING FEE - This means that the shipping price stays the same no matter how many copies you order at a time (this means the more you buy at one time, the more you save on shipping - the shipping fee will NOT increase if you order more than one copy of Me, Myself & E.F.Y.).

About Me, Myself & E.F.Y. - Especially For Youth. The enormous social event with the sole purpose of hooking up LDS youth with both the spirit and each other. At least, that's the way 15-year-old Jonathan Stephens sees E.F.Y. Which is just fine by him. Because Jon has an E.F.Y. goal: to win the love of Emily Lowe, the most beautiful girl he's ever known. But as the first day of E.F.Y. turns into the worst day of his life, Jon decides the time has come to give up on E.F.Y. and Emily altogether. But time is about to play a trick on Jon, and he's about to travel back and come face to face with his past self. Armed with the knowledge of the past, present, and future of the fateful day, Jon and his alter ego will put together a plan. Using forces he can barely comprehend (much less control), Jon will get a second chance to live the first day of E.F.Y. all over again.this time, as the most powerful person on earth. And this time, he's going to get his moment right-if he can just k! eep from destroying himself in the process. E.F.Y. is a week like no other, and Jonathan Stephens is about to have the most bizarre E.F.Y. experience ever.

About Daryn Tufts, the author of My, Myself & E.F.Y. - You know him as the man with a Franklin Day Planner obsession in The Singles Ward. And now from one of the stars of the #1 LDS hit comedy comes a brand new, hilarious LDS novel. Me, Myself & E.F.Y. It's an LDS romantic comedy of epic zany proportions that explores gospel themes and ideals as it tackles the completely unique LDS cultural phenomenon, Especially For Youth. It's a fast-paced romantic comedy -- with a dash of science fiction thrown in -- that follows the most bizarre experience in E.F.Y. history. Exploring gospel themes and ideals, Me, Myself & E.F.Y. is story like you've never heard before, that just may change the way you look at dating forever.

MORE AP ARTICLE - The C. G. Wallace article on Mormon Cinema distributed by the Associated Press been published in even more newspapers last weekend, including The Fresno Bee (where the headline was "Mormon films are Brigham 'em in: The novelty is wearing off, which may point to a decrease in quality") and The Hartford Courant (Connecticut), which ran the story under the banner "Mormon Movies: An Eager Market Helps, But It May Be Too Eager." The Mercury News (Bay Area, California) ran the article with the headline: "Success spawns more Mormon films." The November 28th edition of the Suburban Chicago Newspapers ran the article under the gramatically awkward headline "'Mormon cinema' make money, not whoopee." The Hartford Courant version adds something after the sentence: "Since then, Mormon-themed movies have b! een flooding Utah screens"... This version of the article appended the note: "(they are available nationwide for purchase or rental, at video stores or via the Web)" All of the versions contain the phrase "The movies - most of which have played only in Utah." Obviously that's not the case. Of the seven movies released, all have played in commercial theaters outside of Utah except for "Out of Step." The Hartford version of the article is also the only version we have seen with the following sentence: "Dutcher's "Brigham City," about a serial killer preying on a Mormon town, probably went as far as the church would tolerate, earning a PG-13 rating."

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - Latter-day Saint film composer Christopher Brady is the composer for the movie "Catch Me If You Can"... "Catch Me If You Can" is a 1998 TV movie with that starred... well, people you've ever heard of. If you were thinking of the December 2002 Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks/Leonardo DiCaprio feature film... No, Brady did not score THAT movie. John Williams did. Brady, who studied alongside film composer Thomas C. Baggaley under Jerry Goldsmith, is already quite a prolific composer, whose credits include a number of TV movies (including "Poof Point") and TV series, including MTV's Real World.

As for the upcoming Spielberg movie... One of the actors with a small role in the movie is none other than Academy Award-winning Latter-day Saint movie producer Jerry Molen, who has produced many of Spielberg's movies. Molen appears briefly as an FBI agent in the movie. Also in "Catch Me If You Can" is Bountiful, Utah native James Morrison. Morrison is best known for his starring role as Lt. Col. Tyrus Cassius 'TC' McQueen in the science fiction TV series "Space: Above and Beyond." (He's the white-haired military leader who happens to be a clone.)

KBYU STUDENT GRANT PROJECT - For BYU students: KBYU Student Grant Project is accepting proposals and applications. Forms can be picked up in the TMA Office and must be completed by Dec. 3. Turn in to the TMA office, Attention: Duane Roberts. Proposals must include a treatment on how the student project will produce a 5-10 minute morality tale based on faith promoting stories in the LDS Voices found in the Ensign, meant to air on BYU TV or KBYU-TV or radio. Questions should be addressed to Duane Roberts at KBYU (378-8446) or duaneer@byu.edu.