LIFE ON JUPITER: The Story of Jens Nygaard, Musician is a superb documentary that has won a New York Emmy and the highly respected Chris Award, as well as a nomination for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement" by the Directors Guild of America.

This passionate musical documentary has already earned:

• 2002 Emmy Award for Programming about the Arts
• Best Documentary Film Award at the 22nd Annual Breckenridge
  Festival of Film.
• Directors Guild of America's Nomination for Outstanding
  Achievement Award.
• Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival Opening Night
• Chris Statuette Award at the Columbus International
  Film & Video Festival.
• Thunderbird International Film Festival Best Picture, Best Sound/Music, and Lisa Palattella, Editor, won the Karl Malden Award for excellence, ingenuity, and dedication to the project.   
• Best Musical Film Award - Tiburon International Film Festival
• The BAC 36th International Film and Video Festival screening
  at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in Manhattan.
• The International Film Festival of Fine Arts screening in Szolnok, Hungary
• Empire State Film Festival & Rhode Island International
  Film Festival & Sedona International Film Festival screenings.

Martin Spinelli began this project in January 2000 as a labor of love after attending a concert of the Jupiter Symphony. Juxtaposing a powerful biography with great music, the documentary has earned positive critical responses from publications as disparate as TV Guide and Video Librarian, while generating an enthusiastic following among music lovers and general audiences alike.  Ruth Laredo, Joel Krosnick (Juilliard String Quartet), and William Wolfram are among the soloists that appear in this spirited film. Life on Jupiter takes us on a musical and very personal journey, enhanced by selections from critically acclaimed performances.

This superb documentary on Jens Nygaard won the highly respected Chris Award capturing all seven rating points.  Following its premiere broadcast on July 1, 2001 by WNET (Channel 13), it has been screened at film festivals, among them, Breckenridge ("Best Film of the Festival in Documentaries"), Thunderbird (4 awards, including Best Film and Best Music), Tiburon (named "Best Musical Film" it beat out Eroica, the film on the chamber group, The Eroica Trio), and Park City, Utah.  It has also been screened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, broadcast on public TV by WHYY in Philadelphia, and rebroadcast by WNET in July 2002 and by WNYE in July 2004.  The documentary is now being shown on other public stations in the U.S. and internationally.

Produced by Martin Spinelli and edited by Lisa Palattella, Life on Jupiter was given top rating by Video Librarian:  "An inspiring portrait of an inspired artist, Life on Jupiter is highly recommended." If you wish to purchase your own copy to remember Jens by, call 1-866-LIFEONJ (1-866-543-3665).  For more information and to view video clips visit www.lifeonjupiter.com.