Di Loreto, Edwards, Carroll, Wilhite win Carnegie Medal for video My Louisiana Sky

Contact: Paige Wasson


312-280-4393

For Immediate Release


January 21, 2002

Di Loreto, Edwards, Carroll, Wilhite win Carnegie Medal for video "My Louisiana Sky"

Dante Di Loreto and Anthony Edwards of Aviator Films and Willard Carroll and Tom Wilhite of Hyperion Studio, producers of "My Louisiana Sky," are the winners of the 2002
Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video. The award was announced during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting, January 21, in New Orleans.

The Carnegie Medal, established with the support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, honors an outstanding American video production for children released during the previous year. It is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA.

During the most 'auspicious' summer of her life, Tiger Ann experiences loss and grief, a first kiss, a glimpse of sophisticated city life and family secrets before ultimately finding her place in the world. This video, starring Juliette Lewis, directed by Adam Arkin and written by Anna Sandor, gracefully presents a richly woven tale based on the book by Kimberly Willis Holt. The video is distributed by Showtime Entertainment Home Video.

"This video stirs the senses while embracing the dignity of a family's love," said Award Committee Chair Helen Foster James. "It gently captures lush Louisiana landscapes and the landscapes of an adolescent soul. The video is truly a deftly crafted adaptation that honors the spirit of an award-winning novel."

The video also received a Children's Jury Prize for North American Feature Film or Video (Live Action) at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival in November 2001. In addition to
Chicago Hope's Arkin, the video also benefited from the support of
ER's Anthony Edwards, who served as an executive producer.

Members of the 2002 Carnegie Award Selection Committee are: Chair, Helen Foster James, San Diego State University; Martha Keough Flotten, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, Minn.; Leslie Edmonds Holt, St. Louis Public Library; April L. Judge, West Caldwell (N.J.) Public Library; Roger Kelly, Pasadena (Calif.) Public Library; Silvia Kraft-Walker, Glenview (Ill.) Public Library; and Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix (Ariz.).