Brian Benson has beenselected as the recipient of the 2002 Mark Silverman Fellowship, a programmefor producers run by the Sundance Institute.

The award was established asa tribute to independent producer Silverman whose credits include BloodSimple and Raising Arizona and supports "visionary independent producerswho have committed to a film project and still face the challenge of movingforward into production." Under the fellowship, Benson is awarded a cashprize to be used in pre-production.

Sundance has formed anadvisory committee of five working professionals - Ted Hope, Ron Yerxa,John Baldecchi, Scott MaCauley and Susan Glatzer - who will meet with himand advise him through the term of the fellowship. He will also attend the 2002Sundance Producers Conference.

Benson was producer on HaikuTunnel and worked as an assistantdirector and line producer on features such as Groove, Wildflowers, Bartleby and PlayingMona Lisa. He is currently workingon The Best Thief In The Worldfrom writer/director Jacob Kornbluth, who co-directed Haiku Tunnel.