ION in Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2008
For More Information Contact:
Goli Vahdani
(310) 659-0122
2008 4th ANNUAL ION INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
ION International Film Festival Screens Winners in Hollywood, CA
Hollywood, CA – The 2008 4th Annual ION International Film Festival screened the winners of this year’s festival at Cinespace in Hollywood on January 13, 2008. The evening’s festivities were hosted by internationally acclaimed actor and director Robert Davi. Also in attendance were a large number of Hollywood’s elite filmmakers and ION International’s award winners.
The following films were the winners from each category:
- Youth Project: Dance Eli Dance (USA), directed by Ava HessD
irected and produced by 17 year student Ava Hess. "Dance Eli Dance” follows a girl as she dances east to west through the varied and colorful neighborhoods of Los Angeles, ear-phones on, moving to her own beat.
- Short Film: Elvis and Me (Germany), directed by Michael Sommer Hermine’s 70th birthday present is an Elvis impersonator’s performance. A dream has come true for her. After all, she once met Elvis during his military service in Germany. Now she believes he has come back. Hermine’s son Aaron, on the other hand, seems to be having some trouble with the reunion.
- Documentary: Mardik: From Baghdad to Hollywood (USA), directed by Ramy Katrib, Jeff Orsa & Evan York
Mardik Martin is one of American Cinema’s most important screenwriters — and least known. Mardik: Baghdad to Hollywood traces his journey from Iraq to America, his friendship with Martin Scorsese that began at NYU and resulted in some of the greatest film in American Cinema, including Mean Streets, New York, New York, and Raging Bull, as well as his rise and fall from Hollywood’s echelon. Ultimately, Mardik is a modern-day fable about reaching for your dreams and finding redemption in the end.
- Animation: Simulacra (Thailand), Directed by Tachapon Lertwirojkul
In the vast galaxy, there is one robot planet where all natural life is extinct. Where only machine and robot live. When one robot finds a piece of organic life he travels to a forbidden planet where his adventure begins.
- Humanitarian: Beyond the Call (USA) Directed by Ardian Belic,In a Mother Teresa meets Indiana Jones adventure three middle-aged men, former soldiers and modern day knights travel the world delivering life saving humanitarian aid directly into the hands of civilians in some of the most dangerous yet beautiful places on Earth, the front lines of war.
In accordance with ION International’s Humanitarian effort to promote awareness in filmmaking, ION International will be working with a non profit organization in each year’s festival. This year, One Dollar for Darfur was present at the festivities. It is the goal of onedollar4darfur.com to raise 1 million dollars to support Knightsbridge's relief mission in Darfur. Their expertise is needed now more than ever, as aid workers are being evacuated and refugee camps are being attacked. This mission coincides with the Knightsbridge humanitarian aid effort that was captured in the film Beyond the Call.
ION International will also be choosing a youth project winner each year. ION International will be asking young filmmakers to enter films that express the unique individuality of that year’s location. This year’s winner, Dance Eli Dance, portrays the eccentricity of Los Angeles.
For more information please visit www.ionfilmfestival.com or contact us at (310)659-1022.
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