After LAST KING's Forest Whitaker accepted "Best Actor" awards from both the New York Film Critics and NBR (National Board of Review), he and and other Searchlight filmmakers each participated in a New York Times-sponsored Arts & Leisure "Times Talk" over the weekend in front of a packed auditorium, and they all proved popular with their audiences.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were on the Director’s Panel at the Graduate Center of CUNY. The panel was moderated by Janet Maslin and also included Neil Burger (THE ILLUSIONIST) and Catherine Hardwicke (THE NATIVITY STORY). They showed Abigail Breslin's "I won! I won!" clip, which Janet said highlights why the film has been on everyone's best ensemble list.

Theater/culture editor Patti Cohen moderated a Q&A with Forest, and many in the audience stood and clapped at the end.

NOTES ON A SCANDAL's Bill Nighy and (author/screenwriter) Zoe Heller participated in a Q&A as well and apparently Bill Nighy had people rolling in the aisles. (A funny man.)