Hal Salwen is best known for writing and directing the award-winning, critically acclaimed Denise Calls Up, which premiered at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it was recognized as the only American film in any section to win a prize that year -- the prestigious Caméra d'Or Mention Spéciale. From there the film gained numerous other accolades, including the Prix Du Jury at the Deauville Film Festival, and was invited to screen at many other prominent festivals around the world. In 1997, Mr. Salwen followed up with his second feature, His & Hers, which was produced by Alliance Releasing, starred Liev Schreiber, and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. That same year Variety named Salwen one of The Top Ten Writer/Directors To Watch. In the years since, Salwen has worked as a writer-for-hire for an assortment of Independent Producers, several major studios including Disney, Paramount, and HBO, as well as writing and directing the feature Duane Incarnate, starring Kristen Johnston and Jim Gaffigan