Avalon International Film Festival

LOS ANGELES, CA, March 10, 2011 – The Avalon International Film Festival (AIFF) is thrilled to announce its debut taking place on Catalina Island, March 25-27, 2011.  Overlooking beautiful and historic Avalon Bay on Catalina Island, the iconic Catalina Casino Theatre & Ballroom will be the venue for the first annual Avalon International Film Festival. AIFF will spotlight works from around the world created by both amateur and professional filmmakers in categories ranging from short animations to international feature films and documentaries.

This landmark event will bring together an ensemble of notable industry professionals including Tom DeSanto (XMEN, TRANSFORMERS), Mark Fergus (IRON MAN, Academy Award Nominee for CHILDREN OF MEN), Roger Allers (Academy Award winning director for THE LION KING), Adam Rosenfelt (WAITING, DOWN IN THE VALLEY, MR. BROOKS), Jay Jackson (THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, THE LITTLE MERMAID), Carlos Baena (TOY STORY 3, WALL-E, FINDING NEMO), and many more for a series of producing, directing, writing, animation and cinema workshops and panels.  Please visit www.avalonfilm for a full schedule of events. 

AIFF will be the home to the official World Premier of Heather Morris’ (GLEE, FIRED UP) directorial debut film, THE ELEVATOR, in addition to a world-class variety of more than 60 short and feature films. Festival goers will not want to miss entertainment veterans in TERRI starring John C. Reilly and newcomer Jacob Wysocki, and SKATELAND starring Ashley Green from TWILIGHT. Screenings will take place throughout the weekend featuring a collection of short films, animation, international shorts, narrative features and more.  This three-day festival will be an ideal networking opportunity for filmmakers, celebrities, producers and other industry executives from around the world.

 “Catalina Island has a rich cinematic history having served as a location for many film productions. With its thriving artistic community it will provide the ideal backdrop for the Avalon International Film Festival,” said Alexander Wenger, AIFF Founder & Executive Director.  “We are thrilled for the opportunity to produce the first film festival in Avalon in more than 30 years. This festival will be celebrated by Hollywood executives and filmmakers alike in the beautiful setting of Santa Catalina Island.”

Catalina Island is home to a thriving artistic community.  This year, AIFF will support the Catalina Performing Arts Foundation (CIPAF), Kids at Play, and the Catalina Island Museum. Activities include international backstage theatre excursions, community radio programming, youth-centered drama clubs and cultural heritage exhibits.  Special recognition will be given to productions with environmental and social messages that create further awareness of the film industry’s global environmental responsibility.   

Festival Passes, Tickets and VIP Travel Packages are currently available on http://www.avalonfilm.com.

About AIFF (Avalon International Film Festival): AIFF spotlights works from around the world created by both amateur and professional filmmakers in categories ranging from short animations to international feature films and documentaries. The festival is proud to partner with The Hollywood Reporter, Thewrap.Com, Variety, Monster Energy Drink, Sunseeker Yachts, Peace Iced Tea, and many more.  For more information, please visit http://www.avalonfilm.com

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