SOURCE: 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival and Awards

September 28, 2008 15:42 ET

5th Annual Artivist Film Festival & Awards Announces Opening Night Film and Overview of Official Program Lineup

ZEITGEIST ADDENDUM - Sequel to the Most-Downloaded Video in Internet History Selected as Opening Night Film; 2008 Festival to Screen 40 Films From 40 Countries

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - September 28, 2008) - The 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival & Awards today announced its opening night film along with an overview of the official 2008 program lineup. Artivist is the first international film festival and awards dedicated to addressing human rights, children's advocacy, environmental preservation and animal advocacy. It runs from October 2-5 at the historic Egyptian Theatre, in the heart of Hollywood. This year's festival is hosted by our Community Partner, Petrobras, one of the largest distributors of ethanol fuel in the world.

"Artivist is the premiere venue for advocate filmmakers to screen their cause related films," said Diaky Diaz, President and Cofounder. "It's an opportunity to raise awareness for the interdependence between Humanity, Animals, and the Environment."

"Filmmakers from all around the world unite at the annual Artivist Film Festival to address the importance of Art & Advocacy in our global community," said Dr. Bettina Wolfe, Vice President and Cofounder. "We are pleased to bring this annual, crucially needed, arena for the community."

ZEITGEIST ADDENDUM, the highly-anticipated sequel to Director Peter Joseph's controversial and eye-opening documentary, ZEITGEIST, has been selected to open this year's festival. The first ZEITGEIST, released in 2007 on Google Video, made its official World Premiere at last year's festival and earned the "Artivist Spirit" honors for Best Feature Film at the 2007 ARTIVIST AWARDS. Since then, ZEITGEIST has become an on-line phenomenon as the most downloaded film in Internet history. While the initial film focused on challenging perspectives on religion, The World Trade Center attacks of September 11th, and the formation and function of the Federal Reserve Bank, the follow up will explore several new topics including the potential positive transformation of our global societies.

"Director Peter Joseph demonstrates the ability to take risky subject matter and turn it into a visually, emotionally, and intellectually compelling case for a greater point of view," states Diaky Diaz. "Millions of people gravitated toward Peter's first film. We are excited that this year's Artivist Film Festival will provide a platform to once again, pique the curiosity of millions of viewers and continue the dialogue about topics concerning Americans and citizens worldwide."

As in past years, the festival will conclude with the ARTIVIST AWARDS on Sunday, October 5th, honoring celebrities and filmmakers for their art and advocacy. The 2008 Artivist Awards honorees will be announced in the coming weeks. Previous honorees include Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Claes Nobel, Matthew McConaughey, Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Begley, Jr., Mira Sorvino, and others. This year Artivist will honor the community advocate radio station, KPFK in celebration of their 50th Anniversary.

The 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival will showcase entries that delve into a host of topics such as mankind's changing and challenging relationship to water; women artists in recovery from substance abuse; ordinary women in Vietnam, Bosnia and Mali overcoming deep-seeded gender barriers; and an enlightening and emotional cross-country train journey where the passengers learn of the American media's indifference to the Darfur tragedy.

Individual tickets and special packages including access to the awards banquet, multiple film screenings and filmmaker Q&A's can be purchased at www.ARTIVISTS.org.

The 2008 Artivist Program includes 40 films from 40 countries including the following selections:

Thursday, October 2

ZEITGEIST ADDENDUM directed by Peter Joseph.

The failure of our world to resolve the issues of war, poverty, and corruption, rests within a gross ignorance about what guides human behavior to begin with. It addresses the true source of the instability in our society, while offering the only fundamental, long-term solution.

PLAYING FOR CHANGE: PEACE THROUGH MUSIC directed by Jonathan Walls.

Traveling across four continents over three years, Mark Johnson and Jonathan Walls embarked on a search for musical inspiration. What they discovered was the power music has to connect the world together.

Friday, October 3

A POWERFUL NOISE directed by Tom Cappello.

Hahn is an HIV-positive widow in Vietnam. Nada, a survivor of the Bosnian war and Jacqueline works in the slums of Bamako, Mali. Three very different lives. Three vastly different worlds. But they share something in common: Power. These ordinary women are overcoming deep-seeded gender barriers to rise up and claim a voice in their societies.

BOMB HARVEST directed by Kim Mordaunt.

Rural poverty in Laos has triggered a brisk illegal trade in bomb scrap metal left from America's 'Secret War' over 35 years ago, and the local children are out hunting for bombs. This timely story is terrifying and yet filled with eccentric characters and humor, vividly depicting the consequences of war and the bravery of those trying to clear up the mess.

THEY TURNED OUR DESERT INTO FIRE directed by Mark Brecke.

Brecke tells the story of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, through the perspectives of Amtrak passengers during a cross-country train trip, becoming an enlightening and emotional journey through an indifferent American media landscape into the heart of the Darfur tragedy.

Saturday, October 4

ZEITGEIST ADDENDUM directed by Peter Joseph.

Encore screening and Q&A!

BLANK CANVAS - CREATING A NEW LIFE directed by Ashley Phelps

An honest portrayal of six female artists in recovery from substance abuse, each on her own transformational journey... a journey that not everyone survives.

COMPANIONS TO NONE directed by Bill Buchanan.

An in-depth look at the companion animal overpopulation and abuse crisis in Mexico , the consequences of which are horrific animal suffering and serious human health issues.

ONE WATER directed by Sanjeev Chatterjee

Filmed in 14 countries across the globe, One Water brings home stunning non-verbal visual sequences, compelling expert commentary, local music and an overall score performed by the world renowned Russian National Orchestra, to highlight mankind's changing and challenging relationship to water.

Sunday, October 5

30 YEARS ON THE FRONT LINE directed by Jonny Vasic.

The story of Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd have been sailing the high seas for over 30 years enforcing international conservation law to protect marine wildlife. This is their incredible story told though the eyes of the media and accounts from Paul Watson and his crew mates.

THE DEADLINE directed by Philip Stebbins

A chronicle of how illegal fishing is depleting the world's oceans.

For more information about the Artivist Film Festival and Awards and to purchase tickets go to www.ARTIVISTS.org.

ABOUT PETROBRAS

Petrobras, a Brazilian company and the largest benefactor of Cultural Arts Programs in Brazil, is one of the largest distributors of ethanol fuel in the world, with a 30 year history of producing, distributing and using ethanol from sugar cane as fuel for vehicles. The Petrobras Environmental Program is focused on water protection and biodiversity. Their program supports hundreds of projects that aim to recover the water bodies and sources including promoting the rational use of water resources and environmental education. Petrobras is the only energy company that is part of the Global Compact Board of the UNITED NATIONS, committing its corporative government to the 10 principles set forth by the UN. Petrobras is a partner of various animal advocacy programs which include endangered sea turtles, the manatees, and various save the whales programs.

ABOUT ARTIVIST

"ARTIVIST" is the first international film festival and awards dedicated to addressing Human Rights, Children's Advocacy, Environmental Preservation, and Animal Advocacy. Our mission is to strengthen the voice of advocate artists -- "ARTIVISTS" -- while raising public awareness for social global causes.