HATCHfest 2006 to Run October 3 through 8 in Bozeman, MT BORAT, DELIVER US FROM EVIL Among Studio Films to be screened. 10 Groundbreakers and Gibson Guitar New Musician to be featured.

Bozeman, MT September 22. The third annual Hatch Audiovisual Arts Festival (www.hatchfest.com), is being held in Bozeman, Montana from October 3 to 8, with competitions and/or exhibitions of film, music, fine art, design, fashion, photography, architecture and writing.

The unique mission of the festival is to provide mentorship, education, inspiration and recognition to the next generation of creative innovators.Their short films have been selected from

This 2006 edition of HATCHfest brings in student filmmakers from around the world. In Bozeman they have the opportunity to work with and be mentored by seasoned professionals in their field. The Festival pays all travel and accommodation for these young “Groundbreakers,” who come from as far away as Australia, Israel and Singapore, and as close as Missoula, Montana.

The ten selected shorts are Still Life, directed by Tahnee McGuire from Australia, Pop Foul, directed by Moon Molson from New York, Paperboat directed by Daphne Lambrinou from Greece, Solnishka directed by Ruth Litan from Israel, Love Proof directed by Maia Horniak from Sydney, Inspector X and the Eternal City directed by Yew Meng Chong from Singapore, Eugene directed by Sarah Hoopes from Rhode Island, Adios, Para Siempre directed by David Barba from Mexico, The Ballad of the Purple Clam directed by Adam Fisher from Maine and Dancing Ground directed by Tobin Addington, all the way from Missoula, Montana.

Feature length films, which are not in competition, Deliver Us From Evil,from Lionsgate; Days of Glory (Indigènes) Algeria’s 2006 Oscar® entry in the Foreign Language Film category; Sweet Land from Forward Entertainment; Johnny Was from First Look Entertainment; Islander; produced by Down East Films; The Trouble with Dee Dee, from Cimentro Films: 10 Questions for the Dalai Llama, a documentary by Rick Ray, and Guerrilla Radio, which is directed by Thomas Nybo.

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premiere musical instrument manufacturer is sponsoring the New Musicians Award. Legendary singer/songwriter J.D. Souther will present a Gibson Acoustic Traveling Songwriter guitar to the winner. Souther and Master Luthier Ren Ferguson will be conducting master classes.

For the first time, HATCHfest is sponsoring an architecture competition. The winning entrant, who must be a student or recent graduate, will be asked to design and build a multi-purpose stage for HATCHfest 2007.

Two Groundbreakers are competing at an outdoor fashion show being held on Main Street on October 5.

A new feature this year is a showcase for artists with disabilities. Working with the Emergent Institute and the Washington DC based Very Special Arts, HATCH has invited visual and performing disabled artists from throughout Montana to display their work.

Among the celebrities and panelists who will be attending are Erica Huggins, vice president, Imagine Entertainment; Chris Aronson, Twentieth Century Fox; Dan Lin, senior vice president, Warner Bros.; cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond, David Klein and Crayton Smith; actors Anthony Mackie (Million Dollar Baby), Kate Mara (Brokeback Mountain) and Brian Geraghty (Bobby); producers Jonathan Krane, Basil Iwanyk, Gene Allgood and Jonathan Sanger; writers Mark Sullivan, TJ Lynch, Jamie Linden, Tom J. Astle and Gregg Hurwitz; Brian Corona VP, Atlantic Records, Ray Gmeiner, VP, Virgin Records, journalists Amy Berg (who also wrote, produced and directed Deliver Us From Evil), Jeff Pohlman, Mike Hegedus, Jean Oppenheimer and Gerard Miller; plus a number of other professionals, including top Hollywood attorney Eric Weissmann.

Major Sponsors of HATCHfest 2006 include Moonlight Basin, The Yellowstone Club, Gibson Guitar, Getty Images, Panavision, Variety, CTA Architects, Locati Architects, Runco Home Theatre, Thirsty Ear Hi-Fi, Montana Film Office, State of Montana, Murray Weissman & Associates, Hilton Garden Inn of Bozeman, Messinger Events, Merchant & Gould, Moose Factory, Classic Ink, The University of Montana, Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery, Stella Artois, Absolute, Jimmy Beam, Schnee’s Boots and Shoes, Moving Picture Magazine, Mystery Ranch Backpacks, Compendium Publishing, Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, Menke Foundation, Kidz Online, J2 Entertainment, Juzaform, Red Oxx MGF, Inc., MontAqua, Kodak, Dex Online, Screenwriters Bootcamp, The Floral Gallery, Distinctly Montana, The Moose, KPRK, KISS-FM, Distinctly Montana, The Eagle 104.7 and numerous donations from members of the Bozeman community.

Principals of HATCHfest are Yarrow Kraner who co-founded the festival and is an executive board member, Huntley Ritter, executive board, Scott Billadeau, executive board and Brian Skuletich, executive director.