Thursday, November 9----Film directors, producers, actors and celebrities are descending on Fort Lauderdale for the final weekend of festivities at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. The sun is shining and the weather is wonderful, and so is the celebrity watching.

CELEBRITY WATCH: Thursday, November 9

Mel Stuart
The celebrated director of the cult classic WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is in town to introduce several films from his career and to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gala Awards ceremony this weekend. Mel Stuart will offer introductions and behind-the-scenes stories at the screenings at the screening of MAN RAY: PROPHET OF THE AVANT-GARDE on Thursday at 7:30pm at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. Mr. Stuart will also intro the screening of THE HOBART SHAKESPEAREANS 2005 at a FREE SCREENING at the Cinema Paradiso on Friday at 6:00pm. Stuart will intro the FREE SCREENING of his classic WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, on Saturday morning at 10:00am at the Cinema Paradiso and again at 2:00pm at the Cinema Paradiso for the FREE SCREENING of his 1968 biography of screen legend Sophia Loren, entitled SOPHIA: A PORTRAIT.

Luis Angel Bellaba
The veteran Spanish producer, who is at the Festival representing the Spanish/Argentinian co-production HEARTLIFT/Lifting De Corazon, will be present at the screening of the film today at 5:00pm at the Las Olas Riverfront and again at the Friday screening of the film at 3:00pm, also at the Las Olas Riverfront. Bellaba has just returned from the American Film Market in Los Angeles, where he was handling international sales of his newest film LA BUENA VOZ, directed by Antonio Cuadri.

Jamin O'Brien/Antonio Ortiz
Producer Jamin O'Brien and child actor Antonio Ortiz are in town to promote the Florida premiere of the heartwarming American indie film JUST LIKE THE SON, written and directed by Sundance Film Festival alumnus Morgan J. Freeman. The young Antonio Ortiz plays an orphaned boy who befriends a young man who kidnaps him from the foster care home where he has been placed, in order to reunite him with his sister. Ortiz is definitely a young man to watch. JUST LIKE THE SON screens today at 8:30pm at the Cinema Paradiso, with a final screening on Tuesday, November 14, at 9:00pm, also at the Cinema Paradiso.

Coming into town tomorrow.....

Shiva Rose and Dylan McDermott
Screening of the film DAVID AND LAYLA
Friday, November 10 at 6:45pm and Saturday, November 11, 7:30PM at Cinema Paradiso

Ernie Hudson
Screening of the film HALFWAY DECENT
Friday, November 10th at 8:45pm at Cinema Paradiso

Sandy Mandelberger
Online Festival Dailies Editor