Writer/Director/Producer Don Roos to Receive 13th Annual Outfest Achievement Award

Don Roos

Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media, will present its 13th Annual Achievement Award to screenwriter and director Don Roos.

The Achievement Award is Outfest's highest honor and is presented in recognition of a body of work that has made a significant contribution to LGBT film and media. The award will be presented to Roos prior to the Opening Night Gala screening of “La Mission” on Thursday, July 9 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.

"As a writer, director and producer, Don has had a profound impact on both mainstream and LGBT audiences and media," said Kirsten Schaffer, Executive Director of Outfest. "Through a perfect combination of dark humor, fresh yet familiar characters and biting pop culture sensibility, Don consistently delivers stories that are relevant and entertaining to all. It is for his extraordinary vision, passion and talent that we honor him this year."

Previous recipients of the Outfest Achievement Award include Donna Deitch, Bill Condon, Kenneth Anger, Gregg Araki, Todd Haynes, Jane Anderson, Strand Releasing, Christine Vachon, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, Gus Van Sant, Ian McKellen and John Schlesinger.

Don Roos is the screenwriter of “Love Field,” “Single White Female,” “Boys on the Side,” and the 1996 remake of “Diabolique.” In 1998 he made his directorial debut with “The Opposite of Sex,” and won two Independent Spirit Awards for best first feature and best screenplay. In 2000 he directed Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow in his script “Bounce,” and created the NBC series M.Y.O.B. He then directed his script “Happy Endings,” which starred Lisa Kudrow and Maggie Gyllenhaal and opened the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. In 2008, Don directed the script he adapted from Ayelet Waldman's novel ”Love and Other Impossible Pursuits,” starring Natalie Portman and due to be released in late 2009.

Don is currently casting “Swedish Berries,” which he wrote and is slated to direct later this year. He lives in Los Angeles with his spouse, the actor/writer Dan Bucatinsky, and their children Eliza & Jonah.