"I'm still stunned," Lynn Appelle said of the Academy Award® she won for the documentary film THOTH, which she co-produced with Sarah Kernochan (whose 1972 film MARJOE also won an Oscar® for best documentary feature). THOTH details the life of a Central Park street performer who performs a one-man opera to promote peace and understanding."I don't remember a whole lot after my name was called," Appelle said. "I felt like a statue, really numb...I don't think you ever expect to win an Oscar."
While working for the Georgia Theatre in college, Appelle took photos of groups like the Indigo Girls and Kilkenny Cats. She assumed her career lay in photography, but stumbled into a job working in film -- and really liked it. Most of her work has been in independent films, but she was a production coordinator on the mainstream release JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK (2001).
"I fell in love with his music... he's like an entire musical band with his whole body," says Appelle of Thoth, who sat next to her at the Oscar ceremony. "I remember saying something like, 'Do you realize they weren't just recognizing our film, they were recognizing your life!'"
Appelle says she enjoys the unpredictability of documentary work. "That's part of the beauty of it -- you don't know how it's going to turn out. Every week, there'd be something new. It happens as reality."
Appelle was production manager and assistant director for HIDDEN CHILD (1999). She was line producer of THE 24TH DAY (2002). More recent producing credits include SLIPPERY SLOPE and PREMIUM (both 2006), NEW YORK CITY SERENADE (2007), and LAKE CITY and MANSLAUGHTER (both scheduled for release in 2008).
Best Achievement in Documentary Short Subjects 2001: THOTH - Producer (w. Sarah Kernochan)
1 nomination, 1 Award