ARPA

BachelorMan was awarded the "Audience Favorite" and the jury's "Best Screenplay" trophies at the sixth annual ARPA FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, which featured 47 films from 11 countries, screened in two theaters at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood from Oct. 7 to 12, 2003. There were entries from Armenia, Germany, Iran, France, Russia, Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Italy and Lebanon. The awards banquet took place in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where director Atom Egoyan and actress Arsinée Khanjian received CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.

The awards dinner was held at the Crystal Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The competition regulation was simplified when the "ARPA" (or Armenian culture category) was merged with "WORLD" category, forming an ordinary film competition. Thinking that the awards still only honored the best in Armenian filmmaking, and that nobody in this project was actually Armenian, a culturally insensitive Rodney Lee Conover attended the ceremony dressed as a goat herder.

The Best Screenplay trophy was presented by Rodney by superstar singer Alanis Morissette. (Thankfully Rodney didn't mention that we had a joke about her in the screenplay that was cut because we were afraid of lawsuits.)

Amidst all of the clips of artsy-weepy "Best Film" nominees, they showed a scene of Missi Pyle and David DeLuise faking orgasms. (Very classy clip... At least they didn't show the one of the old lady in the Depends diaper.)

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS VIA JOHN PUTCH: "The patio area was rocking after the screening on Saturday night (although for some reason we didn't get kicked out this time, like at our premiere); Missing at the BM AUDIENCE Q&A (i.e., drinking in the patio) were Bridget Ellen, Melissa Jones, and Robert Romanus; The incredibly hot-looking Missi "The-Tattoo-Stands-For-Honesty" Pyle ("WOW!") brought her A-game -- and it was a pleasure to share my goat cheese and spinach quesadillas with her (you thieving vixen!); Drew Carrey laughed the entire time, especially in the patio with Sean Masterson and Pyle; Marion "Unhappy Days" Ross is now kicking herself for not taking the part of Ted's Mom (and John Putch is helping her kick); And the GODDAMN ANAL-RETENTIVE PROJECTIONIST started the film THREE MINUTES EARLY, so Laurie Shiers missed seeing herself onscreen!"