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Gucci Group Award nominees set

'Hunger' helmer McQueen among candidates

By NICK VIVARELLI

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ROME -- British visual artist-turned-helmer Steve McQueen, whose debut, "Hunger," about the death of Irish Republican Army leader Bobby Sands, scooped this year's Cannes Camera d'Or, is among nominees for the Gucci Group Award given in tandem with the Venice Film Festival.

Other nominees are Julian Schnabel (last year's winner) for docu "Lou Reed's Berlin"; London-based multimedia artist Isaac Julien for "Derek," a tribute to late helmer Derek Jarman; and the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch for sports docu "Gunnin' for That No. 1 Spot."

Candidates are internationally known artists who have contributed to a pic as a director, thesp, scribe, costume or set designer over the past 18 months. Venice artistic topper Marco Mueller is on the Gucci Group Award jury with U.S. artist Jeff Koons, Vogue Italy editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and Yves Saint Laurent's creative director, Stefano Pilati.

The winner will be announced Sept. 1 during a gala in Palazzo Grassi on the Grand Canal. The Venice fest will run Aug. 27-Sept. 6.