Over 1,000 People Enjoy the First Peoria Arizona Film Festival

Glendale, AZ, March 12, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Ed Sharpe of Glendale AZ , couldn't wait to see his educational documentary/ movie, “Glendale Fire Department Safety House”, light up a real movie theatre screen Sunday, March 4th.

Sharpe, his family members and friends held their breath awaiting the first cords of music and the opening scene on the giant screen. "I am extremely excited," said Sharpe, a video journalist for the http://www.GlendaleDailyPlanet.com & KKAT-IPTV. "I brought my family and invited some friends when I learned it was screening."

Aspiring filmmakers like Sharpe, screenwriters, actors, producers and residents attended the festival, looking for industry tips, to make new friends and find a good movie to enjoy.

According to Festival Director Helen McCready, more than 1,000 people attended the inaugural event at Harkins Arrowhead 18. Ticket sales raised over $3,000 to benefit the Peoria Chamber of Commerce's new building project.

The four-day event, sponsored by the Peoria Chamber Film Office, screened over 75 films and offered a variety of workshops on filmmaking and related topics. The Festival kicked off Thursday night with a screening of the director's cut version of Forget About It. This 2006 movie stars Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Robert Loggia and Charles Durning.

A discussion with the film's producer and director, BJ Davis, and Robert Loggia followed the screening. Robert Loggia was presented with a lifetime achievement award.

UCLA Professor Richard Walter led a screenwriting workshop Saturday morning, well attended by working and aspiring screen writers.

Sunday's educational venue started with "Product Placement, Catch the Media Buzz, and The 'MUST KNOW' of Being A Producer" Conference Q&A. The panel for the event consisted of; John W. Cones (LA Entertainment Attorney), BJ Davis (Producer/Director), Jan Jacobson (Newspaper Journalist & Radio Show Host), Gay Gilbert (Producer/Casting Director), Elyane Stein (SAG Board Member), RoxanneChaisson (AFTRA Executive Director), Pete Kelly "Pistol Pete" (Radio Personality - Energy 92.7/101.1), Dan Manucci (Radio & Television Personality - KTAR News/Talk radio, KDUS/KSLX Radio), John Vasseur (Televison Producer of channel 12 sports show and other projects).

Following the panel discussion participants were also treated to a presentation by Dynamicfilm Producer Brenton Covington and Bivas Biswas, Founder of D.I.B. Pictures Entertainment. Both presenters have produced and directed multiple award winning films. Attendees were treated to samples of their film work with a question and answer session afterwards. Festival sponsor and judge Covington emphasized "It's amazing to see so many talented filmmakers who are doing great work out of Arizona."

The final feature to screen Sunday was “The Phoenix Lights…We Are Not Alone” whereas thousands of Arizona residents also witnessed a parade of mile-wide, V-shaped craft and formations of lights slowly and silently gliding over their heads. Sunday, Peoria Film Festival attendees got to see the movie and discuss it with author/ producer Dr. Lynne D. Kitei, M.D.

McCready said that the festival ran smoothly, but she already has ideas of what to change next time. Included in ideas and fine tuning were; introduce competitions for best commercial and television pilots and next year to schedule the festival on days not coinciding with spring training's opening weekend.

With interest from more sponsors and filmmakers wanting to return next year, the festival will be even larger!

To see 75 more photos, more film festival news and more on West Metro Valley of the Sun Arizona please go to http://www.glendaledailyplanet.com

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Festival award winners

Best Overall Film # Cigar at the Beach; Runner-up Best Overall Film # Mercy

Best Feature Film (1st , 2nd , 3rd place winners in order) # Mercy # The Still Life # Yellow Fellas

Best Documentary (1st , 2nd , 3rd place winners in order) # High and Dry # Case Study # Holey Work

Best Animated Film (1st , 2nd , 3rd place winners in order) # Date with Death # The Take # Splat vs. Splat

Best Short Film (1st , 2nd , 3rd place winners in order) # Cigar at the Beach # The Morning # Park Bench

Honorable Mention # Training Days # Indebted # Green Demise # My Brother’s Arms # Incident at Alma

Best High School Student Film n Both students from Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria # Chocolate Milk # The Box

Best Student Film - (1st , 2nd , 3rd place winners in order) # The Price of Love # Awake Again (from Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria)# Ash Wednesday # Wide Gates (Honorable Mention)

Best Actor # Gary Shannon, Mercy

Best Art Direction # The Still Life

Best Directing # Adam Ropp, Green Demise

Best Sound Design # Cooridors of the Mind

Most Active Arizona Talent # Jose Rosete # Jennifer Pfalzgraff # Clint James

Best Score # Bryce Miracle, The Price of Love

Best Editing # Charles Peterson, Indebted

Best Cinematography # Cigar at the Beach

SCREENPLAY COMPETION WINNERS

1. Myth and Women by Alan Williams

2. Sand into Glass by Jacqueline Phillips

3. The Sapien Index by Alan Williams

4. A Lesson of The Heart by David Rawlings

5. The Shifters by John Krestner

6. Camelback by Jacqueline Phillips

7. The Forgetful River by Patricia Vernon

8. The Other Woman by Robert S Goldstein

9. One Week by Thomas M. Kleine

10. Amazing Oi by Elise Holowicki

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