The 2006 Jury Chair

Born in Philadelphia and educated at Boston University, Martin now lives in London. An award winning author, his plays have been produced in more than 45 countries. BENT, presented at the Royal Court in London, with Ian McKellen, transferred to the West End; it went to Broadway, starring Richard Gere, and won a Tony nomination for best play. It was revived at the National Theatre with Ian McKellen again in the lead, and most recently in October 2006 at Trafalgar Studios starring Alan Cumming. It was made into a film in 1998 starring Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau and Mick Jagger. Martin's other West End plays include MESSIAH, starring Maureen Lipman; WHEN SHE DANCED, starring Vanessa Redgrave, and Frances de la Tour; A MADHOUSE IN GOA, also starring Vanessa Redgrave and a new version of a Pirandello, ABSOLUTELY! (PERHAPS) starring Joan Plowright. His play ROSE premiered at the National Theatre, with Olympia Dukakis, and transferred to Broadway. Martin's book for the hit musical, THE BOY FROM OZ, which opened on Broadway in 2003 starring Hugh Jackman, earned him his second Tony nomination. That same year, his screenplay adapted from the Tennessee Williams novella, THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS STONE, was filmed starring Helen Mirren, Olivier Martinez and Anne Bancroft. Martin's latest screenplay MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS, which was BIFA & BAFTA nominated, was produced by Norma Heyman and directed by Stephen Frears, starring Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Kelly Reilly and Will Young. Martin initially worked with Norma Heyman in 1992 when she commissioned his first screenplay, THE CLOTHES IN THE WARDROBE, which he adapted from a novel by Alice Thomas Ellis and which starred Jeanne Moreau. Released theatrically in the USA by Goldwyn under the title THE SUMMER HOUSE, it brought Martin nominations from both BAFTA and The Writer's Guild. His other screenwriting credits include CALLAS FOREVER with the director Franco Zeffirelli, starring Fanny Ardant and Jeremy Irons, and ALIVE AND KICKING, starring Jason Flemyng, Antony Sher and Dorothy Tutin. His recent adaptation of E.M. Forster's A PASSAGE TO INDIA earned him rave notices when it played at London's Riverside Theatre and New York's Brooklyn Academy of Music. He also directed RUBY WAX LIVE, Ruby Wax's stage show, which toured the UK, Australia and New Zealand. His adaptation of Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD premiered last winter in Los Angeles with Annette Bening and Alfred Molina in the leads.

Isaacs made his feature film debut with Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson in THE TALL GUY and has been working non-stop since. This Autumn audiences will see Jason Isaacs as three enormously diverse characters. In October, Isaacs stars as Sir Mark Brydon, the besieged British Ambassador to Washington DC, in the BBC's 6 part conspiracy thriller THE STATE WITHIN and BROTHERHOOD, a smash-hit series that won critical acclaim on Showtime in the US. In November Isaacs will appear as damaged and dangerous Londoner 'Chris' when Channel 4 shows Leo Regan's SCARS. He is also reprising the role of Lucius Malfoy in HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (having first been seen in THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS and THE GOBLET OF FIRE). Earlier this year he was seen starring in the Sundance 2006 hit comedy FRIENDS WITH MONEY. Last year Isaacs was seen in equally varied roles - from the heartbreaking romantic in Rodrigo Garcia's award-winning NINE LIVES to the repressed suburban dad in Dreamworks' CHUMSCRUBBER (both having world premieres at Sundance 2005) and from the hilarious and homophobic movie-star in Donal Logue's TENNIS ANYONE to the cynical love-struck photo-journalist in US TV's THE WEST WING. Previously Isaacs pulled double duty as both Captain Hook and Mr. Darling in PETER PAN for director P.J. Hogan, which had critics raving. Other film and TV credits include: PASSIONADA, BLACK HAWK DOWN, THE TUXEDO, WINDTALKERS, SWEET NOVEMBER, THE PATRIOT, END OF THE AFFAIR, and the box office giant ARMAGEDDON, He has also made several films with director Paul Anderson; the sci-fi thriller EVENT HORIZON, SOLDIER and the British cult film SHOPPING. On stage he created the role of 'Louis' in the critically acclaimed Royal National Theatre production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning ANGELS IN AMERICA - PARTS 1 & 2 and has performed to packed houses at the Royal Court Theatre, the Almeida theatre, the King's Head and five times at the Edinburgh festival.

Soon to be seen playing the lead role in PUFFBALL directed by Nic Roeg, appearing alongside Miranda Richardson and Donald Sutherland and in Stephen Poliakoff's new BBC drama, also starring Rupert Penry-Jones and Michael Gamble. Most recently Kelly was seen playing a lead role in the Royal Court production PIANO/FORTE. The part, written especially for Kelly, was written and directed by Terry Johnson and co-starred Alicia Witt. Kelly had a huge 2005, appearing in four films. She played a supporting lead role as Maureen in the Stephen Frears directed film MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS, a role for which she won Best Newcomer at the London Critics Circle Film Awards and was BIFA nominated as Best Supporting Actress. The film also stars Bob Hoskins and Judi Dench. In Autumn 2005 she appeared as Johnny Depp's whore and confidante, Jane, in Laurence Dunmore's directorial debut THE LIBERTINE and won much attention for her performance as the haughty and manipulative Miss Bingley in the critically acclaimed Working Title re-make of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. It was for her roles in these three films that she was awarded the Steinmetz Award for Best Breakthrough at the 2006 pre-BAFTA London Party. Kelly has additionally received much attention for her role as Wendy in the successful French film LES POUPEES RUSSES (RUSSIAN DOLLS), directed by Cedric Klapisch. She won the Chopard Award for Best Newcomer at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for her performance as well as a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the prestigious Cesar Awards. Kelly is best known for her work on the stage, where she is one of Britain's most sought after actresses. She received praise for her role in LOOK BACK IN ANGER. In 2004, she was the youngest ever actress to be nominated as Best Actress at the Lawrence Olivier Awards, and was also nominated as Best Actress at Evening Standard Theatre awards for her portrayal of Miss Julie in the Donmar production AFTER MISS JULIE, directed by Michael Grandage. Previously, she stole the show in The Comedy Theatre production of SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO. Other films credits include DEAD BODIES, LAST ORDERS, PEACHES and MAYBE BABY. Television work has included the BBC TV film A FOR ANDROMEDA, THE SAFE HOUSE (ITV), POIROT: SAD CYPRESS (ITV), TOM JONES (BBC), PIE IN THE SKY (BBC) and PRIME SUSPECT VI (Granada).

Best known as the founder of one of the greatest punk rock bands of all time, the Clash, singer/guitarist/songwriter Mick Jones was one of the more musically adventurous musicians of the genre, especially evident in his post-Clash, alt-dance outfit Big Audio Dynamite. He was inducted with the Clash into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2003. More recently Mick has produced the critically acclaimed Libertines and Babyshambles albums. Since 2004, Mick has been performing with Tony James (Ex -Zig Zig Sputnik) in his new band "Carbon Silicon".

REUBEN BARNES entered the industry with a degree in Film in 1993. He currently works as a projectionist at The Soho Screening Rooms (formerly Mr Young's) where he has screened everything from 'rushes' to completed films for the last 12 years. In this time he has been at the forefront of preview screenings anticipating the shift from mechanical to digital projection. His own very varied and loyal clients include famous faces, directors and cinematographers, producers, editors, distributors, critics and film festival directors, who always appreciate not only his discretion but also his honest opinion and thoughtful insight. Championing new talent, Reuben has always tried to help those films that would not normally be seen by the general public, for example helping films to play in world festivals on his recommendation. His duties also previously incorporated running Film Four's Screening Room while the company was based in W1. Prior to that Reuben worked in Post Production for 5 years cutting his teeth at De Lane Lea. In a previous life before film he was a session drummer. His film taste and knowledge is as varied as his clients; his personal belief is that it doesn't matter what format something is shot on - if it works, it works - and that a good story will always find an audience.

The multi award-winning actress Helen McCrory has just finished working with Stephen Frears in his forthcoming satire THE QUEEN with Michael Sheen and Helen Mirren, playing Cherie Blair. This followed on from a sell-out run in the West End, playing her much-anticipated Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT for which she has been nominated in the Theatergoer Choice Awards 2006 for Best Actress. Helen began her career at the National Theatre, playing leading roles including the Bride in Lorca's BLOOD WEDDING (Manchester Evening News Best Actress Award) Trelawney in TRELAWNEY OF THE WELLS and Nina in the critically acclaimed THE SEAGULL. Helen's theatre work has continued to win her critical praise and a large fan base through work at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Almeida and the Donmar Warehouse. For Mendes' farewell double bill TWELFTH NIGHT and UNCLE VANYA, Helen was nominated for the Evening Standard Best Actress Award, and the New York Drama Desk Awards. The productions were a triumph in both London and New York. Helen also found time to found the production company 'The Public' with Michael Sheen, producing new work at the Liverpool Everyman, The Ambassadors and the Donmar (in which Helen also starred). With over twenty productions under her belt, Michael Coveny recently wrote 'We celebrate the careers of great actors Olivier, Ashcroft, Richardson, Gielgud, Dench, the Redgraves, Gambon, Walter, Sher, Russell Beale and McCrory'. On the small screen Helen's first television film, Karl Francis' STREET LIFE with Rhys Ifans, won her the Welsh BAFTA, Monte Carlo Best Actress Award and the Royal Television society Best Actress Award. Other credist include: NORTH SQUARE, FRAGILE HEAR, MESSIAH, LUCKY JIM, DEAD GORGEOUS, Joe Wright's CHARLES II (for which she was nominated for the LA Television Awards), ANNA KARENINA, IN A LAND OF PLENTY and THE JURY. 2004 saw her acclaimed performance as Mrs Logan in Roger Michell's ENDURING LOVE. 2006 will see her star opposite Heath Ledger in Lasse Hallstrom's anticipated CASANOVA. Helen has become both something of a household name and arguably the most respected actress of her generation.