The Circuit

Sean Penn and Sir Ben Kingsley have been tapped as presenters for the Gotham Awards.  Penn will present the Gotham Tribute to "Milk's" Gus Van Sant while Kingsley will honor his "Elegy" co-star, Penelope Cruz.

YouTube and Sundance are teaming again for "Project Direct," an online short film competition.  Winner gets a trip to the 2009 fest and a screening at a "non-theatre" festival event.  At the end of the submission period, Sundance programmers will trim down the submissions to 10 semifinalists, which will then be voted on by the YouTubers.  More info at youtube.com/projectdirect, including an address from "The Wrestler" helmer Darren Aronofsky filmed at a mysterious forest bunker.

Milan Intl Film Festival will now accept indie films for a new competition -- the Grand Audience Award, as MIFF calls it.  "“We want our films to be sold and distributed. With this in mind, I began thinking in reverse -- from the goal of releasing a film to understand the necessary steps,” said MIFF founder and director Andrea Galante.  Info at www.miff.it.

The Seattle Intl Film Festival got a grant from the Wallace Foundation to the tune of $750,000.  The cash, to be spent over four years, adds to the $30 grand they got from AMPAS.

HBO's doc-master Sheila Nevins will get a tribute at the 18th annual Gotham Awards on December 2.  She joins fellow honorees Penélope Cruz, Gus Van Sant and Melvin Van Peebles.

"Sheila has unquestionably been one of the most influential forces in documentary filmmaking," said Michelle Byrd, Executive Director of IFP.  "She is almost singlehandedly responsible for bringing documentaries into mainstream popular culture.  Her work has not only changed the documentary landscape, it's opened minds and spurred change."

Gus Van Sant will be honored with a tribute at the Gotham Awards.  The director will attend the 18th annual event on December 2. 

Van Sant's "Milk" starring Sean Penn (pictured) will be released days earlier, on November 26.

The IFP also announced a new initiative aimed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered filmmakers.  Courtesy of Deloitte Financial Services LLP, the org will donate 45 video cameras to the Harvey Milk High School in NYC and work with NewFest on educational and mentoring opportunities.

Penelope Cruz will be honored at the IFP's 18th Gotham Awards, giving an early boost to the awards season.  Cruz's name is in circulation for her roles in "Elegy" opposite Sir Ben Kingsley, and Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

The Gothams bow on December 2.