You Can Count On Me, writer/director Kenneth Lonergan’s film about a brother-sister reunion, was named co-winner of the Best Dramatic Feature Award at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. Winners of this year’s edition of the leading film festival independent film were announced at Park City, UT, on Jan. 29. Minutes before winning the Dramatic Feature Award (shared with "Girlfight," Karyn Kusama's film about an aspiring female boxer), Lonergan was also awarded the Waldo Salt screenplay award for his "You Can Count On Me" script. In Lonergan's two acceptance speeches, Lonergan thanked his movie's stars Matthew Broderick, Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, and Jon Tenney, as well as his girlfriend, J. Smith-Cameron (currently appearing Off-Broadway in Fuddy Meers.) Martin Scorsese is executive producer.

Best known as the writer of the critically acclaimed play This is Our Youth, which enjoyed two Off-Broadway runs, Lonergan’s new play The Waverly Gallery is set to begin performances Off-Broadway at the Promenade Theatre in March. Lonergan is also credited as co-scripter for the hit mob comedy "Analyze This," although he has reportedly disavowed the work done following his early draft of the screenplay. A special jury prize for outstanding ensemble performance went to Janet McTeer, Aidan Quinn, Pat Carroll, Jane Adams, Gregory Cook and Iris Dement for "Songcatcher."

--Andrew Ku
and Robert Simonson