MELVIN VAN PEEBLES AN HONOREE

Melvin Van Peebles is set to be honored at the upcoming "Gotham Awards." According to Variety, MoMA will present a salute to Van Peebles on Dec. 1, including screenings of his debut feature "Story of a Three-Day Pass," and his latest pic, "Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha." In addition, MoMA's Intl. Festival of Film Preservation will open with a screening of the museum's newly restored print of "Sweetback" on Oct. 24.