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Year: 2000 (73rd) Academy Awards
Category: Documentary (Short Subject)
Film Title: Big Mama
Winner: Tracy Seretean
Presenter: Samuel L. Jackson
Date & Venue: March 25, 2001; Shrine Auditorium & Expo Center
TRACY SERETEAN: Wow, talk about beginner's luck. Thank you very much, members of the Academy. This is my first film, but I certainly didn't work with beginners. I thank the entire team of documentary people at HBO: Jeff Bewkes, Chris Albrecht, and most especially, thank you, Sheila Nevins. Also Geof Bartz, Julie Anderson. There are a few people who were with me from the very beginning three years ago: Mitchell Block, Lisa Leeman, and my cinematographer Tamara Goldsworthy. I'm here because of my family and friends. Thank you, I wish I could name you all. Lastly, I want to dedicate this award to my film's subjects, Walter Dees and his grandmother Viola, who died, unfortunately, in December at ninety-one. I'm sure she would want though to share this award with the grandmothers like her who are struggling to raise a generation of children whose own parents abandoned them. Thanks very much, and thank you to all those grandparents out there. Thank you.
© Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences[Note: All winners are present except where noted; NOT all winners may have spoken.]
