On December 11, 2008, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced their 2009 Golden Globe Nominations… and Penny went ballistic.
I was stunned when Loveleen Tandan (Slumdog Millionaire’s credited co-director) was not named as Danny Boyle’s co-nominee in the “Best Director” category. But my outrage quickly turned into energy, and I started an e-mail campaign on this blog that eventually attracted international attention.
After months spent in battle mode, I got to watch Loveleen Tandan mount the stage to accept a “Best Picture” Oscar with the rest of the Slumdog Millionaire principals, and one year later, I got to watch Barbra Streisand hand a “Best Director” Oscar to Kathryn Bigelow—the fourth female nominee and first winner in AMPAS history!
And now there’s icing on the cake: On 5/15/10, I received a First Place Certificate in Category 34C (Website Development/Creation—Professional Sites) from the Illinois Woman’s Press Association, and I recently learned that I have also received a Third Place Certificate in national competition from the National Federation of Press Women (IWPA’s parent organization).
Now as “Professional Site” websites & blogs go, “The Hot Pink Pen” is technically very primitive, so receiving these awards is astonishing. I am deeply honored by this affirmation of my work, and I want to thank all the IWPA/NFPW judges for recognizing the cumulative content of my passionate outpouring on this subject.
And I also want to thank all of you for engaging in vigorous dialogue thru-out “my Slumdog Brouhaha” f2f, in public postings, &/or in private communications. Your feedback kept me going, and all the questions (especially the acrimonious ones), made me work ever harder to explain my rationale.
This is how change happens, folks. No, it’s not always pretty, but I sincerely believe some fights are worth fighting!
Click HERE to read details in my press release.
Photo Credits: Top Photo taken on 5/15/10 at the IWPA Awards Luncheon (Illinois Women’s Press Association) with buddy Elisa Steinberg & hubby Rich Miller. Bottom Photo taken on 8/28/10 at the NFPW Awards Dinner (National Federation of Press Women) with NFPW President Cynthia Price.
