CINEVEGAS 2007

FESTIVAL FUN

Q&A with Giuseppe Andrews
Q&A with Anna Biller
Q&A with Ronald Bronstein
2007 festival winners

NINTH ANNUAL FESTIVAL ROLLS INTO VEGAS JUNE 6-16

With all the excitement that visitors expect from Sin City, the ninth annual CineVegas Film Festival returns to the Palms Casino Resort and the Brenden Theatres from June 6-16, it was announced today by Trevor Groth, Artistic Director. This year’s festival, which opens with Steven Soderbergh’s latest tango with the incomparable city of Las Vegas, Ocean’s Thirteen, offers a breadth of world and U.S. premieres, advance screenings of high-profile films, the best new independent films seeking distribution, and a Mexican cinema sidebar continuing the festival’s tradition of discovering emerging talent and taking chances in showcasing challenging but innovative work.

“Opening with such a classically ‘Vegas’ film as Ocean’s Thirteen and closing with a comedy about an alcoholic hit-man, You Kill Me, is the perfect way to bookend this year’s festival which is comprised of films which share the same outlaw and risk-taking spirit that has made the city and the festival what it is today,” said Artistic Director Trevor Groth. “CineVegas is a celebration of artists who lay it all on the line, who aren’t afraid to shatter conventions and defy expectation. From our world premieres of American independents and new Mexican films, which both consist of brave works by predominantly first and second-time filmmakers, the festival is a goldmine of talent waiting to be discovered.”

The festival’s Closing Night film, also included in its category of “Sure Bets,” is You Kill Me, the forthcoming dark comedy from director John Dahl (The Last Seduction, Rounders). Starring Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson and Bill Pullman, You Kill Me follows an alcoholic hit man (Kingsley) who heads to California to take a break from his bad habits, taking a job at a mortuary, and becoming romantically involved with the stepdaughter (Leoni) of a corpse he’s embalming.

Highlighted as “Jackpot Premieres” during the festival are Robert Logevall’s film All God’s Children Can Dance (world premiere), based on the Haruki Murakami short story of the same name and starring Joan Chen; the Peter Spears-directed comedy Careless (world premiere), starring Colin Hanks, Fran Kranz, Rachel Blanchard and Tony Shalhoub; the political drama Choose Connor (world premiere), starring Steven Weber and Alex Linz from director Luke Eberl; The Fifth Patient (world premiere), starring Nick Chinlund and Marley Shelton in an espionage thriller helmed by Amir Mann; the Dan Peterson-directed drama Have Love, Will Travel (world premiere), which spotlights the underground world of “private dancing”; The Living Wake (world premiere), starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mike O’Connell in a dark comedy from the camera of Sol Tryon; LOOK (world premiere), a surveillance-camera drama directed by Adam Rifkin; Loren Cass (U.S. premiere), a gritty adolescent drama by Chris Fuller; and Throwing Stars (world premiere), a comedy from Todd Breau, starring Jason London.

A new Mexican cinema section, “La Próxima Ola,” highlights the next wave of Mexican films and directors. The section includes the U.S. premiere of Bad Habits (Malos Hábitos), a cinematic examination of family, faith and religion, marking the feature directing debut of commercial director Simón Bross; Chávez, a feature documentary about Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez, marking the feature directing debut of Diego Luna; Drama/Mex, an ensemble piece helmed by Gerardo Naranjo, executive produced by Diego Luna; Never on a Sunday (Morirse en Domingo) a dark comedy from director Daniel Gruener; and the U.S. premiere of Once Upon a Time María (Eros una vez María), an emotional journey and odyssey of erotic adventures under director Jesús Magaña Vázquez.

“Diamond Discoveries” (previously premiered new films available for U.S. distribution) include Marshall Lewy’s romantic comedy Blue State, starring Breckin Meyer and Anna Paquin; director Cristian Nemescu’s Kosovo tale California Dreamin’ (Nesfarsit); the frenetic and compelling dramedy Frownland from director Ronald Bronstein; Zak Penn’s The Grand, a mockumentary poker tournament with an all-star cast including Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Cheryl Hines, Jason Alexander and David Cross; the fantasy In the Land of Merry Misfits produced by Maria Menounos and directed by Keven Undergaro; the documentary Kurt Cobain About a Son, directed by AJ Schnack; On the Road with Judas, a post-modern love story from director JJ Lask; and Tie a Yellow Ribbon, a racially charged drama by Joy Dietrich.

This year’s CineVegas “Sure Bets” (upcoming films with U.S. distribution) include Broken English, a mid-life comedy from director Zoe Cassavetes starring Parker Posey; Eagle vs. Shark, a geek comedy from Taika Waititi; the on-the-road comedy Great World of Sound, the debut feature of director Craig Zobel; the erotic and avant-garde I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone from director Tsai Ming-Liang; the searing documentary Mr. Untouchable (world premiere) from Marc Levin, about the rise and fall of Nicky Barnes, a young black kid from the streets of Harlem who went from being a teen-age heroin junkie to the most powerful black drug kingpin in New York City history.; My Name Is Bruce (work-in-progress) a comedy starring and directed by Bruce Campbell; Penelope (U.S. premiere), the Mark Palansky directed modern-day offbeat fable, starring Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Dinklage and Richard Grant; Rocket Science, a teenage comedy directed by Jeffrey Blitz; Sun Dogs (U.S. premiere), a documentary following the Jamaican dogsled team at the 2006 U.K. championships in Scotland and directed by Andrea Stewart; and La Vie en Rose, spotlighting the life of famed French balladeer Edith Piaf, directed by Olivier Dahan.

A special section of political documentaries “Modern Crusaders” includes The Devil Came on Horseback, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, a documentary that exposes the Darfur genocide as seen through the eyes of a U.S. marine who returns home to make the story public; and I Have Never Forgotten You: The Life & Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, directed by Richard Trank, about the famed Austrian Jew who became a Nazi hunter after surviving the Holocaust.

“Area 52” (bizarre films from the underground) will beam up such film fare as David Lynch’s 1986 classic, Blue Velvet, starring Dennis Hopper; Giuseppe Andrews’ lo-fi trailer park film Garbanzo Gas (world premiere); Nina Menkes’ surreal drama Phantom Love; A Vidjoe Rodeoe by TV Sheriff and the Trailbuddies, a video DJ who creates new videos from found footage; and the sex, drugs and bohemia flick VIVA, directed by and starring Anna Biller.

The CineVegas 2007 lineup includes:

JACKPOT PREMIERES
A collection of highly anticipated U.S. and world premieres.

All God’s Children Can Dance
World Premiere
Director: Robert Logevall (USA, 2007)
Based on Haruki Murakami’s short story, the film tells the story of Kengo, a teenager living in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, whose fervently religious mother insists that he is the son of God.

Careless
World Premiere
Director: Peter Spears (USA, 2007)
A simple story of boy meets girl’s finger.

Choose Connor
World Premiere
Director: Luke Eberl (USA, 2007)
Fifteen-year-old Owen Norris gets his dream job as the youth campaign spokesman for a Senatorial candidate, but soon learns about the dark side of politics.

The Fifth Patient
World Premiere
Director: Amir Mann (USA, 2007
An American wakes up in a hospital in Africa with no memory of who he is or how he got there, he must figure out his true identity before the local regime executes him for espionage.

Have Love, Will Travel
World Premiere
Director: Dan Peterson (USA, 2007)
A journey into the underground world of private dancing, as seen through the eyes of a new dancer and her new driver-bodyguard.

The Living Wake
World Premiere
Director: Sol Tryon (USA, 2007)
A dark comedy set in a storybook universe, The Living Wake chronicles the final day of K. Roth Binew, a quixotic character, who attempts to probe life’s great mysteries before his final hour.

LOOK
World Premiere
Director: Adam Rifkin (USA, 2007)
Shot entirely from the point of view of the hundreds of surveillance cameras we live under everyday, LOOK is a film about the things people do when they don’t know they’re being watched.

Loren Cass
U.S. Premiere
Director: Chris Fuller (USA, 2006)
Adolescents come to terms with their lives after the rebellions of 1996 St. Petersburg.

Throwing Stars
World Premiere
Director: Todd Breau (USA, 2007)
The bond between four childhood friends is tested when they have to cover up a murder.

LA PRÓXIMA OLA
Highlighting the next wave of Mexican films and directors.

Bad Habits (Malos Hábitos)
U.S. Premiere
Director: Simón Bross (Mexico, 2006)
Bad Habits is the story of three women whose eating habits determine and dominate their lives in extreme ways.

Chávez
Director: Diego Luna (Mexico, 2007)
A documentary about the life and career of Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez.

Drama/Mex
Director: Gerardo Naranjo (Mexico, 2006)
Drama/Mex juxtaposes a 50-year-old with the comings and goings of a group of youngsters and their preoccupations.

Never on a Sunday (Morirse en Domingo)
Director: Daniel Gruener (Mexico, 2006)
In trying to bury his uncle who dies on the unluckiest of Sundays, a young man becomes embroiled in a series of gruesome adventures in today's Mexico City.

Once Upon a Time María (Eros una vez María)
U.S. Premiere
Director: Jesús Magaña Vázquez (Mexico, 2006)
Once Upon A Time María (Eros una vez María) is a story told based on the protagonist’s memory, an odyssey of erotic adventures fragmented into memories, experiences and fantasies.

DIAMOND DISCOVERIES
Previously premiered new films available for U.S. distribution

Blue State
Director: Marshall Lewy (USA/Canada, 2007)
John Logue (Breckin Meyer), a committed young activist working on the Kerry campaign, follows through on his promise to move to Canada after George “Dubya” Bush is re-elected.

California Dreamin’ (Nesfarsit)
U.S. Premiere
Director: Cristian Nemescu (Romania, 2007)
During the war in Kosovo in 1999, a NATO train transporting military equipment without official documents is stopped in a small Romanian village by the chief of the railway station, who happens to be the local gangster as well. Their arrival changes the place into the village of all opportunities.

Frownland
Director: Ronald Bronstein (USA, 2007)
Frownland is a seams-exposed comedy – a melee of a movie, really – about a door-to-door coupon salesman who eats popcorn & eggs off the folded-out door of his kitchen oven.

The Grand
Director: Zak Penn (USA, 2007)
A comedy set in the world of professional poker, The Grand tells the story of six poker players who make it to the final table of the world’s most famous high stakes tournament.

In the Land of Merry Misfits
Director: Keven Undergaro (USA, 2007)
A naive young man takes a wrong turn through a mystical tunnel and lands in a fable-like universe where he is forced to assist a whimsical group of misfits in their quest to capture “the Grail of Popularity.”

Kurt Cobain About a Son
Director: AJ Schnack (USA, 2006)
An intimate and moving meditation on the late musician and artist Kurt Cobain, based on more than 25 hours of previously unheard audio-taped interviews conducted with Cobain by noted music journalist Michael Azerrad for the book “Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana.”

On the Road with Judas
Director: JJ Lask (USA, 2006)
On the Road with Judas is a film based on a novel, written by a writer, played by actors, about the real characters and the actors playing those characters in this story. It is also about crime, love and David Lee Roth.

Tie a Yellow Ribbon
Director: Joy Dietrich (USA, 2007)
A rare view into the emotionally complex interior of Asian-American women, featuring a Korean adoptee who needs to come to terms with her damaged past.

SURE BETS
Advance screenings of high profile films with U.S. distribution.

Broken English
Director: Zoe Cassavetes (USA, 2007)
A young woman in her thirties finds herself surrounded by friends who are married, in relationships or with children. She unexpectedly meets a quirky Frenchman who opens her eyes to a lot more than love.

Eagle vs. Shark
Director: Taika Waititi (New Zealand, 2006)
The tale of two socially awkward misfits and the strange ways they try to find love; through revenge on high-school bullies, burgers, and video games.

Great World of Sound
Director: Craig Zobel (USA, 2006)
When a man answers an ad to train as a record producer, he’s excited by the prospect of signing undiscovered artists only to discover his new job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone
Director: Tsai Ming-Liang (Taiwan/France/Austria, 2006)
In the moist and crowded streets of Kuala Lumpur, two men and two women and an old mattress lose their way in the haze but find one another…

Mr. Untouchable
World Premiere
Director: Marc Levin (USA, 2007)
The true-life story of a junkie turned multimillionaire drug-lord, Mr. Untouchable takes you deep inside the heroin game. With the first hand testimony of the black Godfather himself, Nicky Barnes, the most powerful black drug kingpin in New York City history, this is an epic story of business, excess, greed and revenge.

My Name Is Bruce
Director: Bruce Campbell (USA, work-in-progress)
Bruce leads a posse of dim-witted residents of Gold Lick, Oregon, in search of Guan-di, the Chinese god of War. Be afraid.

Penelope
U.S. Premiere
Director: Mark Palansky (USA, 2006)
Christina Ricci is a woman cursed with a pig snout in a modern romantic fairy tale about love and self-acceptance.

Rocket Science
Director: Jeffrey Blitz (USA, 2006)
A teenage boy with a horrific stuttering problem joins his high-school debate team in an ill-fated effort to win the girl of his dreams.

Sun Dogs
U.S. Premiere
Director: Andrea Stewart (USA/Canada, 2006)
A documentary following the Jamaican dogsled team at the 2006 U.K. championships in Scotland.

La Vie en Rose
Director: Olivier Dahan (France, 2006)
The life story of singer Edith Piaf.

You Kill Me (Closing Night Film)
Director: John Dahl (USA, 2006)
While drying out on the west coast, an alcoholic hit man (Ben Kingsley) befriends a tart-tongued woman (Téa Leoni) who might just come in handy when it’s time for him to return to Buffalo and settle some old scores.

MODERN CRUSADERS
A section of political documentaries.

The Devil Came On Horseback
Directors: Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg (USA, 2007)
At age 27, Brian Steidle became a monitor with the African Union in Darfur, Sudan. He was completely unprepared for what he would see.

I Have Never Forgotten You: The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal
Director: Richard Trank (USA, 2007)
A documentary on the Austrian-Jewish architectural engineer who became a Nazi hunter after surviving the Holocaust.

AREA 52
A bizarre underground collection of cult and midnight movies for the most hardcore fans.

Blue Velvet
Director: David Lynch (USA, 1986)
After finding a severed human ear in a field, a young man soon discovers a sinister underworld lying just beneath his idyllic suburban home town.

Garbanzo Gas
World Premiere
Director: Giuseppe Andrews (USA, 2006)
A surreal statement against animal abuse dedicated to PETA.

Phantom Love
Director: Nina Menkes (USA, 2007)
A surreal drama about a woman trapped within an enmeshed family.

A Vidjoe Rodeoe
Director: TV Sheriff and the Trailbuddies (live performance, USA, 2007)
A Los Angeles based wild-west videomusic mixing performance act and a delicious soup.

VIVA
Director: Anna Biller (USA, 2007)
A suburban housewife in 1972 goes out to find herself in the middle of the swinging Playboy-era sexual revolution, in a tribute to vintage sexploitation films.

SHORTS PROGRAM
These short films, combined to make feature-length programs, embody the truly creative nature of independent filmmaking.

Aftermath on Meadowlark Lane (Directors: The Zellner Brothers, 2007)
Avant Pétalos Grillados (Director: Velasco Broca, Spain, 2006)
BITCH (Director: Lilah Vandenburgh, 2006)
Bomb (Director: Ian Olds, 2006)
Business Johnson (Directors: Casper Frank and Talia Raine, 2007)
The Caress of the Creature (Director: Stewart McAlpine, 2006)
Cat Piss (Director: Giuseppe Andrews, 2007)
The Delaware Project (Directors: Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky, Canada, 2006)
DUNNY (Director: Phillip Van, 2006)
Equal Opportunity (Director: Howard Duy Vu, 2007)
Everything Will Be OK (Director: Don Hertzfeldt, 2006)
Feedback (Director: Jon Frechette, 2006)
Filthy Food (Director: T. Arthur Cottam, 2006)
Grammy’s (Director: Bryan Poyser, 2007)
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Director: Bruce Conner, 2006)
Film Noir (Director: Osbert Parker, 2006)
How She Slept at Night (Director: Lilli Carre, 2007)
The Hunter (Director: Benjamin Gray, 2006)
Knock Knock (Director: Jack Ferry, 2007)
LOLA (Director: Matthew Ross, 2006)
Move Me (Director: Jonathan Pulley, 2006)
The New Math (Director: Michael Duffey, 2006)
Pillow Girl (Director: Ronnie Cramer, 2006)
Rabbit Stories (Director: Sean Conway, 2006)
The Rambler (Director: Calvin Reeder, 2007)
Room 10 (Directors: Jennifer Aniston and Andrea Buchanan, 2006)
Stutter (Director: Janice Ahn, 2006)
Year of the Dog (Director: Kevin Lau, 2007)

SHORTS PROGRAM/NEVADA FILMMAKING
Showcasing the best and newest work being made in Nevada.

13 Ways to Die at Home (Director: Lee Lanier, 2006)
The Bet (Director: Michael Dunn, 2007)
CondomNation (Directors: Bethany Bassler and Alberto Lombardo, 2005)
Danuta (Director: Christopher Ordaz, 2006)
Lowell Gleason Wears Glasses (Directors: Adam & Evan Nix, 2006)
The Mark (Director: Thomas Barndt, 2007)
My Wet Brother (Director: Jeremy Helal, 2007)
Recently Deceased (Director: Chris McInroy, 2006)
Sally Peppers: Neighborhood Detective (Director: Jason Leinwand, 2006)
Spanking Lessons (Director: David Schmoeller, 2006)

The festival will also feature a selection of student films from the CCSN, UNLV and Art Institute film programs.

FESTIVAL DATES ANNOUNCED

Trevor Groth, director of programming for the CineVegas Film Festival, has announced that the 9th Annual CineVegas Film Festival will return to the Palms Hotel and Casino and Brenden Theatres June 8 through 16, 2007. Submissions for the 2007 festival will be accepted from December 15, 2006 to March 15, 2007.

OFFICIAL CALL FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS

Trevor Groth, director of programming for the CineVegas Film Festival, has made the official call for entries for the 2007 festival, with submissions being accepted from December 15, 2006 through March 15, 2007. In addition, CineVegas will be awarding cash prizes to three films: $10,000 for the Grand Jury Award for Feature Film, $1,000 for the Grand Jury Award for Best Short and $500 for the Best Nevada Filmmaking Short. CineVegas will announce the list of films accepted into the festival in early May. The 9th Annual CineVegas Film Festival will be held June 8 through June 16, 2007 at the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres.

For the 2007 festival, all films are required to be submitted online, either at www.cinevegas.com or www.withoutabox.com, and must be finished in either the 2006 or 2007 calendar year.

“A record amount of films were submitted to CineVegas in 2006, and we were amazed at the superiority of the films we received,” said Mike Plante, associate director of programming for the CineVegas Film Festival. “With the festival steadily gaining visibility each year, we look forward to unearthing exciting new discoveries in 2007.”

In addition, Dennis Hopper will continue to serve as Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board in 2007. He has been dedicated to growing the national presence of the CineVegas Film Festival ever since he was honored in 2003 with CineVegas’ prestigious Marquee Award for his lifetime achievements in the film industry. CineVegas has also honored such film greats as Dustin Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Helen Mirren, Laurence Fishburne, Christina Ricci, Ann-Margret, Samantha Morton, Nicolas Cage, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Holly Hunter, and David Lynch.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Under the direction of festival president Robin Greenspun, CineVegas has established itself as one of the hottest and fastest growing film festivals in the world, with recent profiles in the New York Times and TIME Magazine and a mention as one of the top 5 small fests to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. CineVegas combines the glamour and energy of world premiere films and unique independent cinema with celebrity honorees and panel discussions of renowned filmmakers, writers and talent. At night, CineVegas hosts nine nights of distinctive parties, from the hottest nightclubs to bowling alleys, rooftops and shark reefs. CineVegas has hosted the world premieres of such films as “George Romero’s Land of the Dead,” “Spun,” “Bubba Ho-tep” and “Artie Lange’s Beer League,” as well as advance screenings of high profile and independent films, shorts and documentaries such as “Hustle & Flow,” “Whale Rider,” “Riding Giants,” “The Aristocrats” and “Napoleon Dynamite.” For more information please call (702) 992-7979 or visit www.cinevegas.com.

2006 CINEVEGAS FILM FESTIVAL

JUNE

LATEST UPDATES

DAY 1 - Opening night red carpet.
DAY 2 - Danika and Hannah Marks.
DAY 3 - Bad movies, Bobcat and Gregg Araki.
DAY 4 - Park, underground cinema and Jill Ann Spaulding.
DAY 5 - Giving thanks to Gravity & Jesus while struggling with that damn slogan.
DAY 6 - The stars shine bright.
DAY 7 - More G.I. Jesus.
FINALE - Closing time.
AWARDS - Jury and audience picks.
SCRAP BOOK - Miscellaneous.

MAY

FILM FEST TO HONOR STALLONE, CHRISTINA RICCI

Further cementing its status as a world-class film festival dedicated to showcasing the most daring and brazen of independent and studio filmmaking, the CineVegas Film Festival will honor five entertainment icons who have made enduring contributions during the course of their widely-celebrated film careers. In addition, the eighth annual festival, returning to the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theaters from June 9-17, will present “Outlaw Cinema: The Impact and Influence of Dangerous Filmmaking,” a panel featuring some of today’s most though-provoking filmmakers. Director of Programming Trevor Groth announced today the following roster of honorees who will take center stage:

June 11: 1 p.m. - Filmmakers Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant), James Fotopoulos (The Hard-Boiled Egg), Bobcat Goldthwait (Stay), Nina Menkes (Queen of Diamonds) and Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin) will participate in a moderated panel entitled “Outlaw Cinema: The Impact and Influence of Dangerous Filmmaking.” Answering questions about censorship and what taboos are left to explore in cinema, these maverick filmmakers will bring to light how cinema is important not just for its strong imagery and challenging stories, but how often-controversial films affect culture and mainstream movies.

June 12: 7 p.m. – A festival “Half-Life Award” will be given to Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne (What’s Love Got to Do With It), who will participate in a conversation with a moderator before a screening of director Laurence Malkin’s 2005 thriller “Five Fingers,” co-starring Ryan Phillippe.

June 14: 6:30 p.m. – The “CineVegas and Brenden Theatres Star” will be given to Academy Award nominated actor/writer/director Sylvester Stallone in honor of the 30th Anniversary of his Oscar-winning Rocky, followed by a special screening of the classic film.

June 16: 2 p.m. – The “Vanguard Director Award” will be presented to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taylor Hackford (Ray), who will participate in a moderated discussion preceded by a screening of Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, awarded 1987’s Best Documentary by the National Board of Review, followed by a screening of his Golden Globe-winning 1980 feature debut The Idolmaker.

June 16: 6:00 p.m. – The “Marquee Award” will be presented to two-time Academy Award nominee Helen Mirren (The Madness of King George, Gosford Park), who will participate in a conversation with a moderator before a screening of her Emmy-award-winning performance in the 1999 tele-film, “The Passion of Ayn Rand.”

June 17: 4 p.m. – A “Half-Life Award” will be given to Golden Globe nominated actress Christina Ricci (The Opposite of Sex), with the actress to participate in a moderated conversation before a screening of the acclaimed, Don Roos-directed 1998 comedy.

“One of the greatest thrills of programming a festival as unique and diverse as CineVegas is being able to honor actors and filmmakers who have made lasting marks in the varied kinds of films that we thrive on. Whether in massive studio films or no-budget independents, our honorees all have the ability to unleash an impressive force that elevates them to the stratosphere of their respective fields,” says Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the festival. “Having Laurence, Sylvester, Taylor, Helen and Christina join us this year to celebrate their remarkable careers is an extraordinary honor and privilege, and having filmmakers as fearless and wildly innovative as the ones on the ‘Outlaw Cinema’ panel adds to the excitement.”

Laurence Fishburne can currently be seen on screens in the critically-acclaimed Lionsgate release Akeelah and the Bee and the worldwide blockbuster Mission: Impossible III. The actor received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It, and has received two Emmy Awards, for producing the 1997 HBO film “Miss Evers’ Boys” (in which he also starred with Alfre Woodard) and for Guest Actor in a Drama Series in the 1993 Fox series “Tribeca.” Fishburne’s list of diverse credits also includes the phenomenally successful The Matrix Trilogy; Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award-winning Mystic River; Assault on Precinct 13; Hoodlum; Othello opposite Kenneth Branagh; and his star-making role in John Singleton’s Oscar-nominated debut film, Boyz N the Hood.

Sylvester Stallone made a landmark contribution to film with 1976’s Rocky, which garnered the actor Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, putting him in such prestigious company with writer/actors such as Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen and Warren Beatty. He also garnered Golden Globe, BAFTA and Writers Guild Award nominations for the film, which went on to win the 1976 Academy Award for Best Picture. Stallone soon became one of the most successful movie stars in the world with credits including the Rocky series, the Rambo series, Tango & Cash, Cliffhanger, Demolition Man and Cop Land. Stallone also has over ten screenplays to his credit and has directed five films, including three in the beloved Rocky series.

Taylor Hackford won an Academy Award in the Best Live Action Short Film category for his first dramatic effort, 1979’s Teenage Father. He went on to make his feature debut with the musical drama The Idolmaker, starring Ray Sharkey and Peter Gallagher, and followed that success with the 1982 romantic classic An Officer and a Gentleman, starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger. Hackford’s other credits as both a producer and director include the Jeff Bridges thriller Against All Odds; White Nights, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Helen Mirren and Isabella Rossellini; Everybody’s All-American, starring Jessica Lange and Dennis Quaid; the acclaimed documentary Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock n’Roll; Dolores Claiborne, starring Kathy Bates; The Devil’s Advocate, starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves; and Proof of Life with Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan. Hackford most recently received Academy Award and DGA nominations for the Ray Charles biopic Ray, which featured an Oscar winning performance by Jamie Foxx.

One of the world’s most illustrious actresses, Helen Mirren is a two-time Academy Award nominee for her performances in Nicholas Hytner’s The Madness of King George and Robert Altman’s Gosford Park. The actress has also won multiple Emmys, BAFTAs, SAG Awards and a Golden Globe for a film career that includes the internationally acclaimed “Prime Suspect” series and such high-profile television films as “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone” co-starring Olivier Martinez and Anne Bancroft; “Door to Door” opposite William H. Macy; “The Passion of Ayn Rand” co-starring Peter Fonda; “Losing Chase” and the recent HBO miniseries “Elizabeth I” co-starring Jeremy Irons and Hugh Dancy. Mirren’s extensive list of feature credits includes Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover; The Clearing opposite Robert Redford, the hit comedy Calendar Girls and she has just completeded filming The Queen directed by Stephen Frears in which she portrays Queen Elizabeth II.

Since her film debut at the age of 10 in Mermaids opposite Cher and Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci has amassed an impressive roster of credits, working with some of the industry’s top actors and filmmakers. Ricci received Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations for her acclaimed performance in Don Roos’ black comedy The Opposite of Sex, along with the award for Best Supporting Actress from the National Board of Review. Ricci stole scenes in the highly successful Addams Family films before working with such renowned directors as Ang Lee in 1997’s The Ice Storm opposite Kevin Kline and Joan Allen, and Tim Burton in 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, in which she co-starred with Johnny Depp. Her other credits include Vincent Gallo’s Buffalo ’66, John Waters’ Pecker, the Emmy-nominated telefilms “Bastard Out of Carolina” and “The Laramie Project,” and Monster, opposite Academy Award winner Charlize Theron. Ricci will next appear in Craig Brewer’s Hustle and Flow follow-up Black Snake Moan co-starring Samuel L. Jackson and Justin Timberlake, and Penelope co-starring Reese Witherspoon.

The 2006 CineVegas Film Festival, self-described as “The World’s Most Dangerous Film Festival,” offers a breadth of world and U.S. premieres, advance screenings of high-profile films, the best new independent films seeking distribution, movies from the underground, and homegrown Nevada film fare. The festival will open with the Paul Dinello comedy Strangers With Candy, the prequel to the critically acclaimed Comedy Central series of the same name starring Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and Phillip Seymour Hoffman; and will close with the U.S. premiere of Lies and Alibies, a drama/comedy-tinged romance from Matt Checkowski and Kurt Matilla, starring Steve Coogan and Rebecca Romijn.

CINEVEGAS ANNOUNCES FILMS

Proving its motto as “The World’s Most Dangerous Film Festival,” the 2006 CineVegas Film Festival spotlights sex, adultery, drugs and dangerous social circles, and that’s only its opening and closing films! Director of Programming Trevor Groth announced today that the eighth annual festival, which returns to the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres from June 9-17, offers a breadth of world and U.S. premieres, advance screenings of high-profile films, the best new independent films seeking distribution, movies from the underground, and homegrown Nevada film fare.

CineVegas 2006 opens with the Paul Dinello comedy Strangers With Candy, the prequel to the critically acclaimed Comedy Central series of the same name. In the film, a 46-year-old ex-junkie ex-con (Amy Sedaris) returns to high school in a bid to start her life over, only to confront the most dangerous gang of all – the cool kids. The ensemble cast also includes Stephen Colbert, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and recent Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The festival closes with the U.S. premiere of Lies and Alibis, a drama/comedy-tinged romance from Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila. In the style of the Thin Man movies of the 1930s starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, Lies focuses on an ex-confidence man (Steve Coogan) who runs an alibi service for adulterous husbands and finds himself in a jam with a new client. Trying to fix the situation, he must rely on an alluring woman (Rebecca Romijn) who gets his heart racing. The cast also includes James Marsden, Selma Blair, James Brolin and Sam Elliott.

CineVegas’ esteemed “Jackpot Premieres” section is proud to introduce the world premieres of many captivating new films. Edgy drug drama 5 Up 2 Down, directed by Steven Kessler; the psychological thriller Danika, directed by Ariel Vromen and starring Oscar winner Marisa Tomei; G.I. Jesus, an affecting war drama directed by Carl Colpaert; the Los Angeles-themed comedy Park, directed by Kurt Voelker, starring Billy Baldwin, Ricki Lake and Cheri Oteri; The Favor, a touching family drama from Eva Aridjis; Thanks to Gravity, a coming-of-age drama directed by Jessica Kavana and starring Sean Astin; The 4th Dimension, a dark, meditative drama directed by Tom Mattera and Dave Mazzoni; and the US premiere of the unflinching family documentary Running Stumbled, directed by John Maringouin.

“Resounding with attitude and ambition, the slate of films this year displays a great deal of talent and passion for original storytelling” says Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the festival. “Kicking off the festival with Amy Sedaris and Steven Colbert’s inimitable humor in Strangers with Candy and world premiering such films as Danika with academy award winning actress Marissa Tomei, the festival features some very recognizable talent this year. I am ecstatic about the lineup as we continue to present and celebrate the work of risk takers and innovators.”

“Vegas Uncovered” is a section new to the festival this year, which lifts the veil on Sin City with projects such as Skin City, a documentary by Gregory Berkin which presents a candid look at the Las Vegas sex industry, and Wet Dreams, the documentary directed by Steve Willis which chronicles the actress Rebecca Romijn's quest to choreograph the fountains at The Bellagio.

CineVegas “Sure Bets,” advance screenings of high-profile films that have secured U.S. distribution, include the Jared Hess comedy Nacho Libre, starring Jack Black; 13 Tzameti directed by Géla Babluani; Artie Lange’s Beer League, a comedy directed by Frank Sebastiano; Once In A Lifetime, a sports documentary directed by Paul Crowder and John Dower; The Puffy Chair, directed by Jay Duplass; and The Road to Guantánamo, directed by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross.

Distributors looking for American-produced as well as foreign independent films need look no further than this year’s CineVegas. During its nine-day run, its “Diamond Discoveries” include Apart from That, an Altman-esque drama directed by Randy Walker and Jennifer Shainin; Full Grown Men, a comedy directed by David Munro; Love Sick, a drama from Tudor Giurgiu; Mary, a modern religious psychodrama from Abel Ferrara starring Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, Matthew Modine and Heather Graham; One Last Dance, a Singapore gangster film directed by Max Makowski; The Ring Finger, a psychological drama directed by Diane Bertrand; Somebodies, a comedy directed by Hadjii; and Wild Tigers I Have Known, a coming-of-age drama directed by Cam Archer. In a category all its own, “Area 52 Features” (“bizarre films from the underground”), offerings will include Interkosmos, an experimental film directed by Jim Finn; Lunacy, a disturbing art drama from Jan Svankmajer.

Like small bites at Vegas’ best buffets, four “Shorts Programs” welcome the intrepid filmgoer. “Shorts Program 1” features A Protected Witness, directed by Eileen Maxson; Little Farm, directed by Calvin Reeder; Mother, directed by Siân Heder; The Pretty Boy Project, directed by Karl Reid; The Smoking Section, directed by Chris Pozzebon; Voicemail, directed by Michael Wilde; and What the Captive Ate, directed by Matt Lemche. “Shorts Program 2” offers Bob Log III’s Electric Fence Story, an animated comedy documentary directed by Stock ‘n’ Wolf; Bugcrush, a gay drama from Carter Smith; Day of the Pigeon, a comedy from Michael Duffey; Denial, directed by Joel Kelly; Induction, directed by Nicolas Provost; One Rat Short, an animated work from Alex Weil; and Pardon My Downfall, directed by David & Nathan Zellner. “Shorts Program 3” raises the curtain on The Babel Trunk, directed by Bram Tihany; Bobby Bird: Devil in Denim, directed by Carson Mell; Holidays with Heather, directed by Todd Berger; K-7, directed by Christopher Leone; Transaction, directed by Jacques Thelemaque; and Zewesawam, directed by Carson Mell and Grant Falardeau. Finally, “Shorts Program 4” lures eyeballs to The Aluminum Fowl, from James Clauer; NYC Weights and Measures, directed by Jem Cohen; The Other Side, directed by Bill Brown; and site specific_LAS VEGAS 05, directed by Olivio Barbieri.

The category “Nevada Filmmaking Features” includes Damn Yankee Day, a dark comedy directed by Robert Shupe and for a few more bite-sized morsels, there’s “Nevada Filmmaking Shorts” which include Shane Valdez’ 19 Miles To Vegas, Natasha Schull’s Buffet: All You Can Eat Las Vegas, Danny Lairamore’s The Business of Being Monti Rock, John-Luke Montias’ Nicky’s Game, Josh Meeter’s Synthetica, Thomas Barndt’s The Walking Ink, and Jason Leinwand’s Wrestling with the Past.

CineVegas highlights local filmmakers in three programs, with shorts from CCSN (Community College of Southern Nevada) and UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) students, and shorts form the local filmmaking team The Group Collectively.

Since its inception in 1998, the CineVegas has established itself as one of the hottest and fastest growing film festivals in the world, being mentioned in a TIME Magazine cover story as well as listed as one of the top 5 small fests to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. The 8th annual festival will be held June 9-17, 2006 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas highlighting the most exciting offerings from up and coming filmmakers and visionary veterans. CineVegas combines the glamour and energy of world premiere films and the intensity of in-depth celebrity tributes.

Among its milestones, CineVegas has hosted the world premieres of such films as George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead, The Devil’s Rejects, Spun, The Talent Given Us and Bubba Ho-tep, as well as screenings of other great films such as Napoleon Dynamite, Riding Giants, The Aristocrats, Me, You and Everyone We Know and Gus Van Sant’s Last Days. Robin Greenspun serves as the festival’s President and Dennis Hopper serves as the Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board, which has honored such film greats as Jack Nicholson, Nicolas Cage, Ann-Margaret, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, Holly Hunter, Christopher Walken and David Lynch. For more information please call 1-888-8VEGAS8 or visit www.cinevegas.com.

MYSPACE.COM ANNOUNCES CINEVEGAS SPONSORSHIP

MySpace.com, the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends and discovering popular culture, will sponsor this year’s CineVegas Film Festival. The sponsorship partners MySpace with one of the fastest growing and highly anticipated film festivals in the world, encourages aspiring filmmakers and supports the growing MySpace Film community.

In its 8th year, CineVegas will take place at the Palm’s Casino Resort from Friday, June 9 through Saturday, June 17. The festival includes world premieres of provocative new films, an awards ceremony recognizing legendary actors and directors as well as exclusive festival parties.

“We are excited to partner with MySpace for this year’s festival, as this will allow us to reach a broader audience of filmmakers and festival-goers through a completely different type of medium,” said Jen Jurgens, director of operations for the CineVegas Film Festival.

A truly unique film festival, CineVegas champions vibrant voices in film. The festival’s official MySpace Film profile, www.myspace.com/cinevegas, keeps MySpace users and film enthusiasts updated on news and announcements through messages, blogs and bulletins.

CINEVEGAS ANNOUNCES LOCALS AS MEMBERS OF SHORTS JURY

LDavid Schmoeller, Jason Feinberg and Teller are the three Las Vegas locals who l wilbe the sole members of the Shorts Jury for the CineVegas Film Festival and will decide who will be awarded the $1,000 cash prize for Best Short. In addition, a separate jury will decide who will be awarded the Grand Jury Award and $10,000 cash prize for Feature Film, marking the first time in its history that CineVegas will be awarding cash prizes to films.

Schmoeller is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Film at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he is also founder and director of the UNLV Short Film Archive. Feinberg is the newest addition to the Fox 5 morning news team and has just reached his 14th year in television news. Teller has been the smaller, quieter half of Penn & Teller since 1975. Their critically acclaimed stage show enjoys a full-time home at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

“CineVegas is thrilled at the prospect of having Las Vegas locals make up our Shorts Jury,” said Trevor Groth, director of programming for the CineVegas Film Festival. “These three gentlemen are very different from each other, but are all experts in their respective fields, and will provide an exciting new aspect to the judging at this year’s festival.”

APRIL

FILM-MAKING EXPERIENCE FOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

For the second year in a row, the CineVegas Film Festival has teamed up with Hollywood HEART, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization that provides hope, education, arts, recreation, and teamwork to at-risk youth, in sponsoring The Movie Team project. This unique program will give members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas (BGCLV) the opportunity to work with local and Hollywood-based film industry professionals to create their own film over a 3-day period, April 28 – 30, 2006. Club members will have the opportunity to write, direct, produce and star in their own short film.

“At Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas we strive to inspire and empower youth to set goals, explore various career paths, and become positive, productive citizens in our community,” said Angela Quinn, president of BGCLV. “CineVegas and The Movie Team project will give Club members hands-on experience in an industry that appeals to many of today’s youth.”

“Hollywood HEART is thrilled to be collaborating once again with our talented and supportive friends at CineVegas and the Boys & Girls Club to bring the Movie Team to some deserving teens in Las Vegas,” said Lisa Cavanaugh, executive director of Hollywood HEART.

CineVegas will play a large part in the post-production of the Boys & Girls Club film, formatting the piece for inclusion in their 8th annual film festival at The Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres June 9 – 17, 2006. The CineVegas Film Festival has established itself as one of the hottest and fastest growing film festivals, combining the excitement of world premiere films and celebrity tributes with the allure of Vegas nightlife. CineVegas also highlights up and coming filmmakers, as well as masters of the craft, and has hosted the world premieres and advance screenings of high profile and independent films, shorts and documentaries.

“Everyone at CineVegas is excited about encouraging kids to express themselves in art and sharing our skills with those who could be the next generation of Las Vegas film-makers,” said Jen Jurgens, director of operations for the CineVegas Film Festival.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas serves more than 10,000 youth ages 5 –18 in twelve facilities throughout the Valley. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs’ full-time professional staff emphasizes character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation. For more information, please contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas at 702.367.2582 or visit www.bgclv.org.

For more information about The Movie Team and Hollywood HEART, please visit www.hollywoodheart.org.

MARCH

FESTIVAL PASSES

      Passes for the 2006 CineVegas Film Festival are available for purchase online. In addition, individual movie tickets will be available for purchase for $10 each when the box office at Brenden Theatres at the Palms Casino Resort opens on May 22. Individual party tickets are not available for sale.