Outfest Legacy
Awards to Honor Producer Bruce Cohen and NBC

Outfest will honor Academy Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen and NBC Universal at the institution's annual Legacy Awards on September 24. The event serves as a fund-raiser for the Outfest Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation, a collaboration between Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which is the only program in the world devoted to saving and preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender moving images.

In making the announcement, Outfest interim executive director Kirsten Schaeffer said, "NBC Universal has been at the forefront of positive portrayals of gay and lesbian characters in their programming and as a corporate citizen, has a very active LGBT employee organization, respected throughout the company. As a producer, philanthropist, and activist, Bruce Cohen has been one of the single most influential supporters of Outfest and LBGT filmmakers."

Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive partnered in 2005 to create the Outfest Legacy Project for LGBT Film Preservation. "The preservation of our community's stories is crucial and as a filmmaker," said Cohen. "I know how vital the work of the Legacy Project is in protecting years of work, projects, and films for future generations."

Comedian Bruce Vilanch will host the evening's program and Ewan McGregor will present the award to Bruce Cohen. Ellen Greene (Pushing Daisies) will also do a special musical performance. (Corey Scholibo, The Advocate)