Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Will Honor George Hickenlooper At
Closing Night Film Casino Jack
Hickenlooper was scheduled to make his
fourth visit to the Film Festival
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) — October 31, 2010 — George Hickenlooper’s latest film Casino Jack, about former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and starring Kevin Spacey, is the official Closing Night Film of the 25th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF). Hickenlooper was scheduled to arrive Saturday, November 6 for two book signing events and to attend the two screenings of his film on Sunday, November 7 at 5:15pm and 7:00pm. This was to be Hickenlooper’s fourth visit to the film festival.
Upon learning of the death this morning, Gregory von Hausch, President and CEO of The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, commented, “George was one of my closest friends in the industry. A three time guest and award winner at the Fort Lauderdale Int’l Film Festival, George was scheduled to be here next weekend and officially close our 25th annual fest with his brilliant new film, Casino Jack. He was a fascinating talent with an uncanny knack for storytelling. All of us at FLiFF are deeply saddened by his passing.”
In memory of George Hickenlooper, FLiFF is planning a montage of his films which will be presented prior to the screenings of Casino Jack. The Spirit of Independents Award, which the festival was to present Hickenlooper at the first screening, will be sent to his family
GEORGE HICKENLOOPERÂ 1963-2010
Born in 1963 in St Louis, George Hickenlooper’s interest in film began in childhood and stemmed from his great-uncle’s involvement in the film Fantasia. Hickenlooper’s interest also bloomed from his father being a playwright and his mother starting a guerrilla theater troop, which would protest the Vietnam War. Through them he learned techniques of story telling. His first short Super 8mm films were animated and made with this grammar school friend Kirk Wise who, years later, would go on to direct Beauty and the Beast for Disney. Hickenlooper spent one summer studying film at the USC, and then went on to Yale for a B.A. in History and Film Studies. He then interned for producer Roger Corman and in 1991 wrote Reel Conversations, a collection of interviews with film directors and critics. His pro directing debut was Art, Acting, and the Suicide Chair: Dennis Hopper. His breakthrough was Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, the acclaimed documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now, premiering at the Cannes.
The staff and owners of Your Entertainment Ticket are saddened to hear of George’s death and our hearts go out to his family.