USC Students And Alums Win Big At The My Hero Film Fest

The beautiful venue of the MY HERO International Film Festival at the USC School of Cinematic Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Wendy Milette                    
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USC STUDENTS AND ALUMS WIN BIG AT THE MY HERO FILM FEST

Los Angeles, CA - 11/15/11 - University of Southern California students, past and present, are big winners at the 7th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival, which celebrates the world's heroes through digital storytelling.

One World One Ocean, a film produced by USC SCA alum Shaun MacGillivray, is the winner of the "Best of Fest" Award. The beautifully crafted video captures the beauty of the world's oceans and explains their importance to humanity. Oceans provide up to 70% of the oxygen we breath and supply our largest source of protein. One World One Ocean is part of a global media and education campaign to restore and protect the world's oceans from illegal fishing practices and pollution.

USC SCA student Daniel Gross took 1st place in the college division with Joel's Hero. The touching film tells the tale of Joel Lawrence, a 12-year-old with autism whose life was greatly improved by the help of his service dog named Hero. The film shows a remarkable transformation in Joe's schoolwork, social relationships and home life because of his four-legged friend.

USC student Daniel Gross (left) with guest, winner of the College category for his film Joel's Hero

In the animation division, USC student Daniela Sherer's film Overnight Stay tells the tale of how her ancestors were sheltered by friends during the holocaust. The heartfelt story is told from the perspective of Sherer's 83-year-old grandmother who, as a frightened 17-year-old, was forced to stay away from the hiding place where her she, her parents and her sister were being sheltered for fear that they would be discovered. Overnight Stay is also a finalist for the Ron Kovic Peace Prize, which goes to the film that best represents peace.

Dean Elizabeth Daley with Cassandra Brooksbank, Director of "Tribute to Dean Elizabeth Daley ".

Cassandra Brooksbank, a former USC student, produced a video tribute to Elizabeth Daley, Dean of the USC's School of Cinematic Arts. The 7-minute short, which will screen at the festival, celebrates Daley's multi-faceted career that includes work as a media consultant and producer as well as the executive founder of the Annenberg Center for Communication and the USC Institute for Multimedia Literacy.

Elizabeth Daley herself will not go home empty handed. She has been chosen to receive the Global Educator Award, an honor given each year to an educator whose work has made a positive impact around the world. Daley is known as a prominent voice in global education and for promoting humanitarian programming.  

The MY HERO International Film Festival is part of the MY HERO Project, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with a mission to celebrate and honor heroes around the world. Screenings will take place Saturday, December 3, 2011, from 2-5pm, at the USC's Ray Stark Family Theater. An Awards Ceremony will follow, at 6:30pm. Please RSVP at: www.myhero.com/rsvp. The finalists' films are available to view on the MY HERO web site, www.myhero.com/films.