"CALL IT DEMOCRACY" TO SCREEN AT PALM SPRINGS FILM FEST "CALL IT DEMOCRACY" TO SCREEN DURING PRESTIGIOUS 16th ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Opening Night Film Paramount Pictures' "Coach Carter" Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Closing Gala Film "Ladies in Lavender" Starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith Bookend Festival Palm Springs, CA (December 16, 2004):The 16th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival has announced its roster of 190 films, culled from more than 65 countries for the 2005 Festival. The selection of films for screening includes a total of 80 premieres (14 World, 45 U.S. and 21 North American). Also 41 of the 50 films submitted for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the Academy Awards will be screened at this year's Festival, held from January 6-17, 2005. "Call It Democracy" will screen on Friday, January 14 at 12:00 PM and on Sunday, January 16 at 6:00 PM. Both showings will take place at Camelot Theaters, 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs, California (http://www.camelottheatres.com/). "This year's line-up is especially auspicious, featuring, as it does, a number of major premieres from both well-established auteurs and promising emerging filmmakers based in America and abroad," said Darryl Macdonald, Festival Executive Director. "The breadth and depth of the talent encompassed by the line-up is truly heartening, and we're especially delighted to have such a strong line-up of films from current cultural hotbeds of world cinema such as Argentina, Israel, China, Italy and Germany - all of whom are undergoing a resurgence, of sorts, of their national cinemas." "Call It Democracy," a non-partisan look at the history and future of United States Elections, made its initial mark in rough-cut stage prior to the 2004 Presidential Election as it made its way to be screened at over thirty universities nationwide. The film was recently picked up by Udy Epstein's Seventh Arts Releasing for North American distribution. Jehmu Greene, President of Rock The Vote is very supportive of the film. "Call It Democracy" is a film that offers a fresh perspective on voting rights, election reform and the unresolved electronic voting controversies that could undermine our democratic system. It is a must see for educators and everyday citizens alike." Seven films will screen in the Gala category including opening night film Coach Carter, starring Samuel L. Jackson, and the U.S. Premiere of closing night film Ladies in Lavender, starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The Awards Buzz section will feature the Best Foreign Language Film submissions as well as the films being discussed for consideration in the Best Documentary categories of the Academy Awards. Documentaries have emerged as a major force in the theatrical marketplace and now reach a much broader audience, rivaling the draw of traditional narrative features. The Non-Fiction Features section of the Festival highlights a select overview of the best new contemporary non-fiction cinema. "I'm particularly proud of the quality and diversity of the line-up this year," stated Programming Director Carl Spence. < Back to Press Releases