Heroes Take The Spotlight At MY HERO International Film Fest

You Are Invited! The 7th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival

December 3rd, 2011

Screenings: 2-5 pm
Film Screenings: 2-5 pm
Meet the filmmakers: 5-6 pm
Film Festival Award Ceremony: 6:30 pm
Light dinner and live music to follow.

RSVP Required

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Wendy Milette                   
[email protected]
949.376.5964
 
HEROES TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT AT MY HERO INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST
 
LOS ANGELES, CA. 11/19/11 - The world's best hero-themed movies will be honored next month at the 7th Annual MY HERO Short Film Festival. The festival takes place December 3, 2011, at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.  The films will also be freely accessible online.

Finalists include narrative, documentary, and animated films, as well as music videos. Among them are: 

• In One World One Ocean, a short film by Shaun & Greg MacGillivray, filmmakers travel to more than 40 locations, capturing images that illuminate the beauty of earth's oceans while pointing out the terrible damage of man-made pollution.

• A Tribute to Elizabeth Daley, by Cassandra Brooksbank honors Elizabeth M. Daley, Dean of the USC's School of Cinematic Arts. The 7-minute short celebrates Daley's multi-faceted career that includes her work as a media consultant and producer as well as her position as the executive founder of the Annenberg Center for Communication and the USC Institute for Multimedia Literacy. 
  

• American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs by Grace Lee & Austin Wilkin, takes a look at the 95-year-old social activist and philosopher and the causes she has championed for the past 70 years.  Boggs has worked to develop new strategies for social change in the areas of civil rights, labor, and the feminist movement.  Boggs believes her passion derives from being born female and Chinese.
  

Peace activist and author Ron Kovic will present the 2011 "Ron Kovic Peace Prize," which goes to the filmmaker who most successfully addresses the issue of peace.  This year's winner is the film Azim Khamisa: The Tool of Forgiveness, by The Working Group and The Institute for Advancing Unity.  The film tells the story of an extraordinary man who found the strength to forgive after his son was brutally murdered in a gang-related shooting.

The MY HERO Project launched the festival in 2005 to celebrate and honor the best of humanity through digital filmmaking.  The festival receives entries from countries all over the world, including Senegal, Jordan, Montenegro, Australia, and Mexico. The festival is open to all filmmakers of all ages and abilities, from elementary school students to professionals.

The MY HERO Project is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to honoring those working to make a positive difference in the world. MY HERO was founded in 1995, and promotes media literacy, the arts, personal expression, and cross-cultural communication in classrooms across the globe. MY HERO's freely accessible website offers students, educators and professionals a venue to share their artwork, short films and stories about heroes with the global community online.

The public is invited to join us on December 3, for an evening of beautiful films and inspiring people. The screenings begin at 2pm (Suggested Donation: $20), with an Awards Ceremony at 6:30pm (Suggested Donation: $100). To view official selections for the 2011 Film Festival, please visit: http://myhero.com. To RSVP for the event: www.myhero.com/RSVP.