Filmmaker Craig Brewer Will Receive Creative Achievement Award October 16

For release: October 5, 2009
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey (901) 678-2843

The University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts will recognize hometown filmmaker Craig Brewer with its 2009 Distinguished Achievement Award in the Creative and Performing Arts. The award will be presented at a luncheon Friday, October 16, at 11:30 a.m. at Charles Vergos Rendezvous.

Brewer is best known as director of the films The Poor and Hungry, Hustle & Flow, and Black Snake Moan, as well as the creator of $5 Cover, an MTV drama series about Memphis musicians. His passion for Memphis music has been the driving force behind his movies, which have garnered accolades ranging from the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival to the Academy Award for best original song.

With the help of his collaborators, Brewer has gone from making micro-budget digital features to working with A-list Hollywood actors, all the while staying loyal to the local scene that has formed the basis of his compelling work. Using his films as a forum to display the talents of local Memphis musicians, he exposes them as well to a wider audience and greater appreciation.

"Craig was selected for the award because he has achieved national prominence as a filmmaker who uses Memphis, Memphis music, and the South to create compelling cinemagraphic characters and stories," says Richard Ranta, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts.

The cost of the luncheon is $50 per person or $350 for a table of eight. Seating is limited. For reservations, call (901) 678-5086 or (901) 678-4372.