Robert Lantos (2010)

Born in Budapest, Robert Lantos emigrated with his parents to Montevideo and later to Montreal, where, at McGill University, he completed his undergraduate and post graduate education in English Literature, Film and Communications.   His early films (from 1976 to 1985), were produced with his partner Stephen J. Roth, at their Montreal based company, RSL Films.   These include: 

'L'Ange et la Femme' (Winner of the International Critics Prize at the Avoriaz Festival), 'In Praise of Older Women', (Opening Night Gala at the Toronto Festival), 'Suzanne', 'Agency', 'Heavenly Bodies', 'Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid' and 'Joshua Then And Now ' (Official Selection,  In Competition at Cannes).

 In tandem with his production activities, he also co founded (with Victor Loewy), the distribution company Vivafilm and branched out into television production with drama series like 'Night Heat', 'Counterstrike', 'E.N.G.', 'North of 60', and 'Due South'.

 In 1985 he merged his businesses with others and co founded Alliance Communications Corporation, of which he was Chairman and CEO. Under his leadership,  Alliance became publically traded, and was Canada's leading film and television company, with international operations in the US, UK and France.  In 1998 he sold his controlling interest in Alliance and formed his boutique production company, the Toronto/LA based Serendipity Point Films, where he continues to develop and produce the films he is personally passionate about.  His lengthy credits include:

 'Adoration' (Official Competition, Cannes Winner of the Ecumenical Prize)

'Eastern Promises' (BAFTA, Golden Globe and Academy Award Nominee); 

'Fugitive Pieces' (Rome Festival Best Actor Award Winner);

'Where The Truth Lies' (Official Competition, Cannes);

'Being Julia' (Golden Globe Winner and Academy Award Nominee); 

'The Statement' (National Board of Review Winner); 

'Ararat' (Official Selection, Cannes, Best Picture Genie Winner);

'Stardom' (Official Selection, Closing Night, Cannes)

'Felicia's Journey' (Official Competition, Cannes),

'Sunshine' (Golden Globe Nominee, European Film Awards Winner, Best Picture Genie Winner);

'Existenz' (Berlin Silver Bear Winner);

'Crash' (Winner of the Special Jury Prize in Cannes);

'The Sweet Hereafter' (Winner of the Grand Prix, The International Critics Prize and the Ecumenical Prize in Cannes, Nominated for two Academy Awards and Best Picture Genie Winner);

'Black Robe' (Best Picture Genie Winner)  

Mr. Lantos current film is 'Barney's Version' starring Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver, based on Mordecai Richler's award winning novel. 'Barney's Version' is in post-production.

Robert Lantos is a member of the Order of Canada.  He holds an honorary Doctor of Letters from McGill University. He is a recipient of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts Award for "Outstanding Contribution to the Canadian Film Industry", the Toronto Arts Award, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for "Outstanding Contribution to the Business of Filmmaking in Canada" and has been  inducted into the Canadian Film and Television Hall of Fame.

Mira Furlan (2010)

Mira Furlan is best known to the American audience for her role as Ambassador Delenn in the Warner Bros. TV-series "Babylon 5" and as Danielle Rousseau in the  the ABC hit series "Lost".

A leading actress of film, stage and TV in the former Yugoslavia, Mira starred in over 35 films, including the Oscar nominated and Cannes Golden Palm winning "When Father Was Away on Business".  She recently starred in "Circus Columbia" directed by the Oscar winner Danis Tanovic as well as "The Tour" (Grand Prix for best director in Montreal). For her work in film she received a number of awards, including two Golden Arenas (the Yugoslav Oscar) for "Beauty of Sin" and "Cyclops".

In the former Yugoslavia she starred in numerous TV-series, becoming one of the most well known actors in the country. On stage she performed in all major theatres throughout the country, including The Croatian National Theater in Zagreb and The Yugoslav Drama Theater in Belgrade. Among favorite theater roles are: Ophelia in "Hamlet", Celimene in Moliere's "Misanthrope", Yvette in Brecht's "Mother Courage", Annabella in Ford's "Tis Pity She's a Whore", Natalya Petrovna in Turgenev's "A Month in the Country", Isabella in Corneille's "Theatrical Illusions". For her stage work she received all the highest awards in the country. In the US Mira starred as Yerma in Lorca's "Yerma", Antigone in Sophocles' "Antigone" ("Dramalogue" award for best performance in Los Angeles) and Tanya in D. Lipkin's "Cranes" with the New Group in New York.

Mira left her country at the outbreak of the war in the nineties. After 10 years she returned to her native Croatia, starring in Euripides' "Medea" to great critical acclaim.  

Dante Spinotti (2010)

Dante Spinotti was born in Tolmezzo, Udine, in the northeastern Italian Region of Friuli. He began his career working for his uncle as a newsreel/documentary cinematographer in Kenya. A year later, he began working with RAI.  

Soon after he started his feature film career, he received Donatello Awards twice, for Ermanno Olmi’s ‘Legend of the Holy Drinker’ and ‘The Secret of the Old Forest’. He received his first Silver Ribbon Award for his photography on Giuseppe Tornatore’s ‘The Star Maker’. His early work in Italy includes such films as Liliana Cavani’s ‘The Berlin Affair’, Giacomo Battiato’s ‘Hearts and Armour’, Fabrio Carpi’s ‘Basileus Quartet’ and Lina Wertmuller’s ‘Sotto...Sotto’. In 1985, producer Dino De Laurentiis offered him a chance to work in USA with Michael Mann for the feature ‘Manhunter’.   

Building on that experience, Spinotti became one of the most appreciated cinematographers in Hollywood. Among his works are: ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ (1992, Academy Award Nomination), ‘Heat’ (1995), ‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997, Academy Award Nomination), ‘The Insider’ (1999, Academy Award Nomination), ‘Wonder Boys’ (2000) and ‘Public Enemies’ (2009). Spinotti also won the L.A. Film Critics Association Award two times with ‘L.A. Confidential’ and ‘The Insider’. For his work he was also nominated for ASC, BSC and BAFTA awards.   

He frequently works with Michael Mann and with many other reputable directors including Michael Apted, Bruce Beresford, Brett Ratner, Garry Marshall, Curtis Hanson, Giuseppe Tornatore, Roberto Benigni, Roland Joffe, Barry Levinson. Spinotti is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and AIC. He lives with his family in Los Angeles, Rome and Tolmezzo.