Celebrate the Artivist Film Festival’s Winning Films And Award Honoree Kristen Bell At the Festival's Closing Night Ceremony Saturday, August 20, 2011
Artivist Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood Thursday 8/18 – Saturday 8/20
LOS ANGELES, CA – August 16, 2001 – The Artivist Collective presents its 8th annual Artivist Film Festival August 18, 19, 20, 2011 at the historic Egyptian Theatre in the heart of Hollywood, California. This year the closing night awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 to 10:00PM. Highlights include the Artivist Awards given to ten films and Artivist Award Honoree Kristen Bell, known for her film (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Burlesque, etc.) and television work (Heroes, Veronica Mars, etc.), as well as her philanthropy (Alzheimer's Association, CARE, Invisible Children, PETA, SCPA, etc.). Actress Rachel Bilson will present the award to Bell. Also on hand will be Master of Ceremonies Dan Nainan and presenters Persia White and Marco Antonio Regil. The closing night ceremonies are complimentary to the press and public (as is the entire festival) but seats are limited and must be reserved in advance. To do so please visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/193484. The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. To learn more about the festival please visit http://festival.artivist.com.
This year the festival will present a total of 41 independent narrative and documentary films from around the globe over the course of the three-day festival, which kicks off on Thursday, August 18th at 5:00PM. Seats for many of the screenings can be reserved in advance by visiting http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/69318. Advance reservations are highly recommended since most, if not all, screenings and events are expected to “sell out.” To view the At-A-Glance three-day schedule please visit: http://festival.artivist.com/film-guide/viewing-schedule.html. To read a synopsis about all festival films please visit: http://festival.artivist.com/film-guide.html.
During the closing night ceremony ten Artivist Awards will be presented to films that embody the festival’s mission to strengthen the voice of activist artists – Artivists – while raising public awareness for social global causes. The evening of August 20th begins at 6:00PM with red carpet arrivals. The awards presentation commences at 7:00PM and an after-party in the Egyptian Theatre’s courtyard gets underway immediately following the Awards Ceremony.
Ten participating films have been chosen to receive a 2011 Artivist Award in these five categories:
• Human Rights:
- Best Feature: Because We Were Beautiful, Director Frank van Osch
- Best Short: Umoja: No Men Allowed, Director Elizabeth Tadic
• Children’s Advocacy:
- Best Feature: Surfing Soweto, Director Sara Blecher
- Best Short: Grace, Director Meagan Kelly
• Environmental Preservation:
- Best Feature: Spoil, Director Trip Jennings
- Best Short: The Leaves Keep Falling, Director Julie Winokur
• Animal Advocacy:
- Best Feature: Green, Director Patrick Rouxel
- Best Short: Saving Pelican 895, Director Irene Taylor Brodsky
• Artivist Spirit:
- Best Feature: Love Hate Love, Directors Don Hardy, Dana Nachman
- Best Short: Crooked Beauty, Director Ken Paul Rosenthal
- To read more about the films and filmmakers honored with these awards please visit: http://www.artivist.com/festival/media/press-releases/23675-2011-film-awards.html
The Artivist Film Festival and Awards are dedicated to recognizing activist efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal welfare. Each year the festival also honors celebrity advocates. Past honorees include Peter Fonda, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Daryl Hannah, Matthew McConaughey, Joaquin Phoenix, James Cromwell, Mira Sorvino, Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell, and Ed Begley, Jr.
This year, Artivist proudly welcomes back Petrobras as its Official Community Partner. Since 2004, Petrobras has supported the growth of the international Artivist Film Festival and Artivist Awards.
KPFK (http://www.kpfk.org) and LA Weekly (http://www.laweekly.com) reprise their role as a media sponsors this year.
The festival is also sponsored proudly by Kanon Organic Vodka (http://www.kanonvodka.com) and Hansen’s Natural (http://www.hansens.com).
About Petrobras –
Petrobras, a Brazilian energy company, has a 30 year history of distributing ethanol from sugar cane as fuel for vehicles, and is now committed to increasing the production and exports of ethanol.
At its new research center, scientists are looking for ways to produce ethanol from farming byproducts, which can increase production without the need for more farming land.
Petrobras is the largest funder of Cultural Arts Programs in Brazil, and a partner of hundreds of social, animal welfare, and environmental projects, such as the protection of endangered sea turtles, spinners dolphins and the manatee, as well as initiatives on carbon capture, water protection, biodiversity, and climate change. As the only company in the energy sector that is part of the Global Compact Board of the United Nations, Petrobras commits its corporate governance to the 10 principles set forth by the United Nations.
Understanding the interdependence between humanity, animals, and the environment is crucial in our global community. By working with individuals and groups, organizations and companies, we can create long-term solutions to our global problems.
About Kristen Bell –
Bell, an avowed vegetarian since age 11, has a long history of working with charitable and NGO-related causes. She traveled to Brazil as a volunteer while a student at New York University. While there, she helped medics deliver two babies during her work in an underprivileged community. During the time she lived in Michigan, Bell fostered animals from Michigan Humane Society, and she now supports the San Diego-based Helen Woodward Animal Center.
She also advocates for Invisible Children, which works to create awareness of the plight of the people of Northern Uganda, the voter education charity Declare Yourself as well as such well known charitable organizations such as CARE, PETA, SCPA and the Alzheimer's Association. She was a member of the 2007 American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet.
“I believe empathy is our most important impulse. Helping others is what makes human beings great. I am just responding where I see my skills can help meet a current need, and I think we have a duty to protect and love one another. Artivist embodies these principles and helps bridge the gap between awareness and action,” says Bell.
Internationally known for her work in Veronica Mars and in the films Burlesque (with Cher and Christina Aguilera) and When In Rome (in which she starred opposite Josh Duhamel), she will next be seen starring in the new Showtime series House of Lies, opposite Don Cheadle, premiering in January 2012. Soon after, she will be seen in Universal Pictures’ film Everybody Loves Whales, opposite Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, being released on January 13, 2012. She also recently wrapped filming, Movie 43, for the Farrelly Brothers, which is being released on April 13, 2012. Currently, Bell is filming the feature film Outrun, for director Dax Shepard.
About Rachel Bilson –
Rachel Bilson’s latest production, her CW pilot Hart of Dixie, will premiere on September 26, 2011. She also recently wrapped the independent film L!fe Happens opposite Kate Bosworth. Other film credits include starring as the female lead in Waiting for Forever as well as in Jumper for 20th Century Fox Studios, as well as The Last Kiss, with Zach Braff, which was directed by Tony Goldwyn for Paramount. She also stared opposite Andy Garcia in a film comprised of a series of shorts called New York, I Love You. Bilson has also appeared twice as a guest star on the hit television series How I Met Your Mother as well as Josh Schwartz’s Chuck. Other TV credits include The OC (a series regular for four seasons on the Fox Network) and guest-starring roles on That '70s Show, Mad TV, 8 Simple Rules, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The Artivist Film Festival, Artivist Satellite Festivals, and Awards –
The Artivist Collective (www.artivists.org) presents the only film festival specializing in progressive issues of the environment, social justice and animal rights. Since its inception in 2003, Artivist has screened 400+ films representing more than 60 countries, and has produced film festival tours in Los Angeles, New York, London, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Lisbon, that have reached more than 35 million people.
Earlier this year, Artivist Film Festival launched a nationwide expansion of its programming with simultaneous screenings in six cities in the U.S., beyond its traditional annual programs in Los Angeles and New York. The other cities included Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Sedona and Washington D.C.
Among the films presented at the Artivist Film Festival over the years have been Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels and Academy Award nominee Super-Size Me as well as the Los Angeles Premiere of critically-acclaimed documentaries God Sleeps In Rwanda, Fast Food Nation, Emmanuelle’s Gift, Zeitgeist, Trudell, Stolen Childhoods, and Regeneration.
The Artivist Film Festival has been publicly endorsed by internationally recognized NGOs such as Amnesty International, UNICEF - The United Nations Children’s Fund, HSUS - Humane Society of the United States, Global Green, Greenpeace, by Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prize Family, and by the United Nations Department of Public Information.
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For more information, photos, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.
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