7th Annual Moondance International Film Festival Moves to Hollywood

Los Angeles, CA (PRLEAP) June 8, 2006 -– The 7th annual Moondance International Film Festival is scheduled for June 8-11 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. This year marks the festival’s permanent move from its previous home in Boulder, Colorado, and the quality of the films, workshops, panels, gala awards ceremony and reception and parties will capture the excitement and glamour of Hollywood while maintaining the feel of a local, intimate setting.

The Moondance awards ceremony & reception will be at The Camden House at 430 N. Camden Drive in Beverly Hills, on Sunday, June 11; ceremony from 5 pm – 7 pm, party from 7 pm – 9 pm

At the ceremony, this year’s recipients of the two Moondance International Film Festival’s Pioneer Awards will be legendary comedienne, author, and actress Ms. Phyllis Diller, and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor Joey Vieira. This award is in special recognition of a living pioneer in entertainment; a person who had a significant role in contributing a body of work to early film and television, either as a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, film editor, actor or actress. Also receiving awards will be Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch.
Phil Roman will receive the inaugural Animation Vanguard Award for his lifetime contribution to the world of animation. A six-time Emmy-Award winner, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in animation television history. Roman’s first job as an animator was working directly for Walt Disney on "Sleeping Beauty." Roman founded, and was CEO, of the production company Film Roman, which was responsible for producing legendary shows such as "Garfield and Friends,” "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill.” Presenting his award will be Academy Award-winning producer and current president of Turner Entertainment Roger Mayer.
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The festival (www.moondancefilmfestival.com) averages more than 1,500 film submissions from filmmakers, and attendance usually exceeds 2,500 filmgoers. The festival will feature eleven world premieres and one US premiere film. A total of 159 films will be screened, including 19 feature films, 27 documentaries, and 113 short films.

Festival founder and executive director Elizabeth English says, “While historic Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado has been a favorite destination for Moondancers from around the world for six years, the inevitable growth of the film festival has necessitated a move to a larger venue, Hollywood, to inaugurate our seventh annual film festival.”

Films to be screened will include the madcap comedy, “Forget About It,” starring Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Richard Grieco and Charles Durning. East Coast polyester meets Arizona heat in the gathering of three grumpy old men, an ex-Las Vegas showgirl, mob money and corrupt FBI agents, all colliding in a mobile home park with hilariously unexpected consequences.

Moondance’s opening film is the drama “Johnny Montana.” Johnny Montana is frustrated - trapped at home in blue-collar Brooklyn with his aging parents, and his dreams of being “somebody” — even appropriating the last name of his hero, Joe Montana, as a metaphor of hope. His mundane life gets a short ray of hope as luck lands Johnny a concierge job at an upscale Manhattan apartment building — where Johnny soon finds he is selling his soul to a world where money trumps all.

Screening at Moondance is the family feature film “The Blue Butterfly” starring William Hurt. Based on a true story, this film is a compelling adventure about courage, redemption and love filmed in the rain forests of Costa Rica and in Montreal. A mother persuades a renowned entomologist to take her and her terminally ill 10-year-old boy on a trip to the jungle to search for the mythic and elusive Blue Morpho butterfly, leading to an adventure that transforms their lives.

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Also screening at Moondance will be the world premiere of the documentary “10 Questions For The Dalai Lama,” — more than just a question and answer session, the film also focuses on capturing the spirit of the Dalai Lama - his humor as well as his wisdom, intellect, and compassion.

Also screening is the festival favorite “a Colombia,” based on a true story, first-time feature filmmaker Ryan Byrne tells the story of two friends as they attempt to escape their troubled lives in a different land.

Screening at Moondance is the hybrid feature-documentary from Nepal, “Sita, A Girl From Jambu.” In Nepal, approximately seven thousand young children are kidnapped, tricked or sold to Indian brothels each year, most of them girls between the ages of 10 and 14. “Sita” tells the compelling story of one girl’s journey into this world, shot in a cinema-verite style.

The festival’s closing film is the highly regarded comedy “The Amateurs” Starring Academy Award® Nominee Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson, Brad Garrett, Joe Pantoliano, Patrick Fugit, Glenne Headly, Lauren Graham, and Valerie Perrine. Like a cinematic scavenger hunt, every time a character turns around, you discover another notable actor, when six guys in a small town try to make the world’s most innocent adult film.

Special Moondance events include:

“Early-Bird Moondance Party” at Miyagi’s at 8225 Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood on Thursday, June 8 from 10pm - 12 midnight.

“Meet the Moondancers for Lunch” at The Studio Café at Raleigh Studios at 5300 Melrose Ave in Hollywood on Friday, June 9 from 12 noon – 2pm.

“Welcome to the Moondance! Party” at Cinespace at 6356 Hollywood Blvd. 2nd level, in Hollywood on Friday, June 9 from 10pm – 12 midnight.

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“Moondance in Hollywood Party” at Café Des Artistes at 1534 McCadden Pl in Hollywood on Saturday, June 10 from 10 pm – 12 midnight.

“Awards Ceremony and Reception” at The Camden House at 430 N. Camden Drive in Beverly Hills, on Sunday, June 11 ceremony from 5 pm – 7 pm, party from 7 pm – 9 pm, hosted by 42 Below.

“Moondance ‘It’s A Wrap’ Benefit Party at Arnie Morton’s Beverly Hills at 435 S. LaCienega Blvd in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 11 from 9 pm – 11 pm.

“Moondance ‘It’s A Wrap #2” Party at Trastevere Ristorante at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. 4th Level, in Hollywood on Sunday, June 11 from 10 pm – 12 midnight.

The ZigZag Band, featuring Richard Green, will be performing new songs and selections from “7 Year ZigZag…the film” live at Raleigh Studios on Friday June 9th at 10 PM. The band will play until midnight when the movie has its Los Angeles premiere at Moondance.

A total of 33 workshops, presented by knowledgeable industry pros, are scheduled at Raleigh Studios’ Chaplin, Pickford and Fairbanks theaters on June 9, 10 and 11, beginning each day at 9 am and ending at 5 pm. Pitch panels, chaired by established writers, producers, directors and attorneys, are scheduled for the Chaplin Theater at Raleigh Studios on June 9, 10 and 11 from 3 pm – 5 pm each day. For more details please visit www.moondancefilmfestival.com.

The festival’s sponsors include distributor York Entertainment, who will be selecting one of the screened feature films for a $100,000 distribution package.

The Moondance International Film Festival’s primary goal is to present films and scripts that have the power to raise awareness about vital social issues, educating writers and filmmakers and audiences, and inspire them to take positive action. The festival’s founders, including executive festival director Elizabeth English, believe in the influence of world entertainment to create great social and environmental change.

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Moondance promotes, encourages, educates and rewards non-violent conflict resolution in writing, the theater arts and film. Moondance also promises to raise awareness of the invaluable contributions of women to the entertainment community, and to encourage environmental conservation and protection.

International participants at Moondance film festivals have come from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay, and many other countries.

For more information regarding screening schedules, registration, screening and event tickets, workshops and panels, please visit the contact page at www.moondancefilmfestival.com.

For press credentials, please contact Carolyn Scott at Carolyn@ineventions.com.

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