Pierre Morel is to be named International Director of the Year, for his film Taken, at the 2009 Cinema Expo Awards Ceremony tonight. The film starring Liam Neeson took $77m internationally and grossed $222m at the box office worldwide.

 

The event, which will be hosted by The Coca-Cola Company and is sponsored by Christie and Nielsen EDI, celebrates cinema’s top talent in exhibition and distribution. The event will include a presentation of the Nielsen EDI International Gold Reel Awards in recognition of the films that have earned more than $100m at the international box office.

The International Distributor of the Year award will go to Daniel Frigo, EVP & GM, EMEA, Walt Disney SMPI, while the Odeon & UCI Cinema chain picked up the award for International Exhibitor of the Year. The group’s CEO, Rupert Gavin, is to accept the award.

The final award, the Cinema Expo Award of Appreciation, is to go to Paramount Pictures International’s Chas Evans, svp, International Creative Affairs.

The ceremony takes place on the third day of the annual cinema conference, which concludes tomorrow, June 25.

The Nielsen EDI International Gold Reel Awards recipients are:

Journey To The Centre Of The Earth 3D – New Line Int’l

Kung Fu Panda – PPI

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa – PPI

Monsters Vs Aliens – PPI

Star Trek – PPI

Tropic Thunder – PPI

Slumdog Millionaire – Pathe

Angels & Demons – SPRI

Hancock – SPRI

Quantum Of Solace – SPRI

Terminator Salvation – SPRI

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan – SPRI

P.S. I Love You – Summit Int’l

Red Cliff Part One – Summit Int’l

Red Cliff Part Two – Summit Int’l

Twilight – Summit Int’l

Ponyo On A Cliff By The Sea – Toho Company

Australia – 20th Century Fox

Marley & Me – 20th Century Fox

Night At The Museum 2 – 20th Century Fox

Valkyrie – 20th Century Fox

The Day The Earth Stood Still – 20th Century Fox

X-Men Origins: Wolverine – 20th Century Fox

Fast & Furious – UPI

Mamma Mia! The Movie – UPI

The Incredible Hulk – UPI

The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor – UPI

Bedtime Stories – Walt Disney SMPI

Bolt – Walt Disney SMPI

High School Musical 3: Senior Year – Walt Disney SMPI

Wall-E – Walt Disney SMPI

Get Smart – Warner Bros Int’l

Gran Torino – Warner Bros Int’l

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button – Warner Bros Int’l

The Dark Knight – Warner Bros Int’l

Yes Man – Warner Bros Int’l