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Just South and Sideways of Sundance in the
Cowboy Wine Country town of Paso Robles, California, promoter Benford Standley
is bringing back his unique independent film festival for a second-year run. Last
year’s
festival was honored to host actor-director Clint Eastwood, Oscar-winning film
editor Joel Cox, producer Nigel Sinclair, and a wide slate of fantastic
independent films and filmmakers. Four days of films and music in 2008 featured
greats like Ramblin’ Jack
Elliott, Johnny Rivers, Eagles songwriter Jack Tempchin, Kevin Bacon, Kyle
Eastwood, and many others.
For the festival’s
second year, plans are four hours of ‘live’
Internet ‘streaming
video’
broadcasts. Multi-platform Social Network outlets will include YouTube,
FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, and more, with a broad-spectrum of coverage in
these new media. thePDFF has also formed an alliance with B-Side
Entertainment, and their audience of 4-million users, with a highly interactive
film programming and festival schedule service, the Internet work and cutting
edge of the festival has given it a top position on the web; when you
google "digital film festival," the PDFF.com is on top of the world,
and a true multimedia online event.
With
four World Premiers, and in typical P.T. Barnum-fashion, Standley is gathering
a parade of music acts few similar festivals can boast of. Friday and
Saturday will set the stage with a theme of ‘MUSIC
IN FILM’, with the MUSIC IN MEDIA AWARD going to
the legendary producer Joel Diamond, and the likes of Dave Somerville,
co-founding member of the world famous Diamonds, as MC for a Doo-Wop Saturday
with Gary Busey, Chris Montez, Sonny Curtis, and special guests.
Another special music treat is an appearance by Dr. Wachtang
"Botso" Korisheli, to receive the Paderewski Life Time Achievement
Award.
Friday’s
music is with the Jack Tempchin Band and special guests, and
actor/activist/musician Max Gail, comedian Charlie Hill, John Andrew Parks with
actor Robert Carradine, and more special guests. Award
winning magician, Rich Ferguson, will be appearing--like magic him
self--throughout the festival. A special tribute to the ‘father
of the electric-guitar’, Les
Paul, is planned, with the help of Steve Miller Band guitar player Kenny Lewis.
(Paul was to have been part of the festival, but recently passed away.)
From the world of film and media, the likes
of Oscar nominated actress Kathleen Quinlan, Max Gail, Gary Conway; Academy of
Television Arts and Science board member Conrad Bachman; show business legend
Oscar Arslanian; award winning filmmaker Chris Felver; media entrepreneur Chris
Andrews; marathon runner Tim Boreland; George Wilkins, composer in residence at
Walt Disney; and many other Characters of the biz of entertainment.
But another very important part of the
Digital Film Festival this year, as the theme for Sunday and Monday, is a focus
on ‘THE STATE AND FATE OF CHILDREN’. The
Festival will screen some powerful documentaries that show the suffrage of
abused and neglected children and youth; cover the subjects of autism, runaway,
homeless, and missing children; and honor some great filmmakers, journalists,
and producers who cover these urgent concerns on film, television, and the
Internet. Festival
Producer Standley is deeply dedicated to shedding light in the darkness for
millions of homeless, runaway, and missing children, the abused, the autistic,
and those who fall between the cracks, sadly, in historic numbers, here in the
United States.
"In the spirit of ‘We Are
The World’, ‘Farm
Aid’, and other great events where artists and
creative people gather to help raise money and awareness for important causes,
we shall ride that train,” he
said. “Film and media can help educate and bring
about the awareness and understanding needed to help.” Among
the guests who will ‘face
the dragon’ of child-abuse in panel discussions and as
speakers will be:
Ken Kragen, a former Paso Robles resident,
co-creator and executive producer of ‘We Are
the World’ and ‘Hands
Across America’ for
the homeless, will be honored with the festival’s
Humanitarian Award, for his work in entertainment, and efforts to help so many
in need with his beneficial projects. Mark
Lunsford will be a keynote speaker. He became a national spokesman and a true
American hero to so many for his endless work for child safety after his 9
year-old daughter Jessica was raped and murdered by a convicted sex-offender.
The result of his work was Jessica's Law, which has been enacted by California
and 39 states. Another keynote speaker is Erin Runnion, the mother of
kidnapped and murdered Samantha Runnion.
This powerful forum includes, Dr. Lois Lee,
Director of ‘Children of the Night’ in
Los Angles, her associate, Oscar and Globe awards-nominated actress and
children’s rights advocate, Kathleen Quinlan,
William Bronston M.D., CEO and founder of Tower of Youth, and principal architect
of the Digital Arts Studio Partnership Program, Maureen Blaha, Executive
Director of the National Runaway Switchboard, Rich Ferguson Magician and Kid
advocate, Phillip Hain, Ex. Dir, Los Angeles Autism Speaks, Alison Hurst,
Venice Outreach Dir, Stand Up For Kids, Lori Lite, Author and Dir. of Stress
Free Kids, Vikky Mullin, Dir. of Singing Hands, Paso Robles, Max Gail Actor,
activist and media expert, Aaron Guerraro, Hollywood Dir, Stand Up For
Kids, Julianne Yamamoto King, Dir/Producer Beautiful Son, Diane Nilan, Pres,
Hear Us Inc., Dir. My Own 4 Walls, Judy Ranan, Executive Dir. of Stand Up For
Kids, John Reid, Executive Dir. of Child Help AND MANY MORE CONCERNED OVER THE
STATE AND FATE OF CHILDREN.
Interviews, pictures, more details,
research & background, and up-coming announcements are all available for
qualified media outlets and editors. Please visit the PRDFF website at thePDFF.com
or call Benford Standley @ 323-850-8919
email to: prfilmfest@gmail.com
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