PRESS RELEASES
Heartland Film Festival Sponsors Special Los Angeles Screening of IFC's "Beyond The Gates"
March 6 , 2007
Los Angeles, CA - Heartland Film Festival® will sponsor the Los Angeles special screening of IFC’s “Beyond the Gates" on Wednesday, March 14th at the Harmony Gold Preview House. Heartland recently awarded “Beyond the Gates” with its Truly Moving Picture Award for its excellence in filmmaking and for meeting Heartland’s mission of honoring films that explore the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. Based on true events and filmed in Rwanda with genocide survivors as cast and crew, “Beyond the Gates” tells their shared story of humanity in the most inhumane circumstances. |
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“Heartland is honored to be the host of such a moving and important film," said Jeffrey L. Sparks, President and CEO of Heartland Film Festival. "‘Beyond The Gates’ is a powerful story about the tragic genocide that occurred in Rwanda – and is now going on in Darfur. We are honored to be associated with this film.”
The screening will begin at 7:30 pm with a Q&A session with screenwriter David Wolstencroft and a reception to follow the film. Heartland is partnering with the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, IFC Films, Adirondack Pictures and Amnesty International for the event.
Heartland created the Truly Moving Picture Award as a way to honor theatrically-released films that demonstrate the Heartland purpose with excellence, inspiring and enriching lives. Submissions are received directly from studios and producers for consideration. Since the industry decides a film’s success based on the opening weekend box office, Heartland encourages audiences to attend a Truly Moving Picture on its first weekend. Other recent Truly Moving Picture Award recipients include “Amazing Grace,” “Bridge to Terabithia” and the upcoming film “The Ultimate Gift.” To view Heartland’s complete list of Truly Moving PicturesSM, visit www.TrulyMovingPictures.org.
Based on real events and filmed at the actual location where this story took place, “Beyond the Gates” is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars John Hurt and Hugh Dancy. It is an emotionally-gripping, authentic and powerful recreation of a tragic real life story that took place during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. “Beyond the Gates” received the Crystal Heart Award as well as the $100,000 Grand Prize Award and Audience Choice Award for Best Dramatic Feature at the 2006 Heartland Film Festival. “Beyond the Gates” opens in New York on March 9th and in Los Angeles and other top ten markets on March 16th.
About Heartland Film Festival
Heartland Film Festival, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. Each October, Heartland screens independent films from around the world and presents $200,000 in cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival’s top entries. This includes a $100,000 Grand Prize for Best Dramatic Feature underwritten by the Max Simon Charitable Foundation, a $25,000 Award for Best Documentary Feature and a $10,000 Vision Award for Best Short Film underwritten by Vision Racing. The remaining $65,000 is shared among the Crystal Heart and Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners. Heartland has awarded more than $1.6 million in 15 years to support filmmakers in their quest to create films that bring out the best of the human spirit. For more information, visit www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org.
Local/Regional Relations Lisa Dudeck |
National Public Relations Lynda Dorf / Alfred Hopton |