I belong to a small group of scholars who have juggled a dual career, as film professor (Ph.D. Columbia University) and film critic (Variety, Screen International, Financial Times). Among my eight film books are All About Oscar: The History and Politics of the Academy Awards, Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Indpendent Film, and the first biography of Vincente Minnelli, Hollywood's Dark Dreamer. I have served on the jury of 44 international Film Festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Taoromina, Montreal, Hawaii, and Sundance.