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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

CINEVEGAS ROLLS INTO TOWN JUNE 9-17

 

Eighth Annual Film Fest Opens with “Strangers With Candy,”
Culminates with U.S. Premiere of “Lies And Alibis”

Las Vegas (May 17, 2006) – Proving its motto as “The World’s Most Dangerous Film Festival,” the 2006 CineVegas Film Festival spotlights sex, adultery, drugs and dangerous social circles, and that’s only its opening and closing films!  Director of Programming Trevor Groth announced today that the eighth annual festival, which returns to the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres from June 9-17, offers a breadth of world and U.S. premieres, advance screenings of high-profile films, the best new independent films seeking distribution, movies from the underground, and homegrown Nevada film fare.

CineVegas 2006 opens with the Paul Dinello comedy Strangers With Candy, the prequel to the critically acclaimed Comedy Central series of the same name.  In the film, a 46-year-old ex-junkie ex-con (Amy Sedaris) returns to high school in a bid to start her life over, only to confront the most dangerous gang of all – the cool kids.  The ensemble cast also includes Stephen Colbert, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and recent Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The festival closes with the U.S. premiere of Lies and Alibis, a drama/comedy-tinged romance from Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila.  In the style of the Thin Man movies of the 1930s starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, Lies focuses on an ex-confidence man (Steve Coogan) who runs an alibi service for adulterous husbands and finds himself in a jam with a new client.  Trying to fix the situation, he must rely on an alluring woman (Rebecca Romijn) who gets his heart racing.  The cast also includes James Marsden, Selma Blair, James Brolin and Sam Elliott.

CineVegas’ esteemed “Jackpot Premieres” section is proud to introduce the world premieres of many captivating new films.  Edgy drug drama 5 Up 2 Down, directed by Steven Kessler; the psychological thriller Danika, directed by Ariel Vromen and starring Oscar winner Marisa Tomei; G.I. Jesus, an affecting war drama directed by Carl Colpaert; the Los Angeles-themed comedy Park, directed by Kurt Voelker, starring Billy Baldwin, Ricki Lake and Cheri Oteri; The Favor, a touching family drama from Eva Aridjis; Thanks to Gravity, a coming-of-age drama directed by Jessica Kavana and starring Sean Astin; The 4th Dimension, a dark, meditative drama directed by Tom Mattera and Dave Mazzoni; and the US premiere of the unflinching family documentary Running Stumbled, directed by John Maringouin.

“Resounding with attitude and ambition, the slate of films this year displays a great deal of talent and passion for original storytelling” says Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the festival.  “Kicking off the festival with Amy Sedaris and Steven Colbert’s inimitable humor in Strangers with Candy and world premiering such films as Danika with academy award winning actress Marissa Tomei, the festival features some very recognizable talent this year.  I am ecstatic about the lineup as we continue to present and celebrate the work of risk takers and innovators.”

“Vegas Uncovered” is a section new to the festival this year, which lifts the veil on Sin City with projects such as Skin City, a documentary by Gregory Berkin which presents a candid look at the Las Vegas sex industry, and Wet Dreams, the documentary directed by Steve Willis which chronicles the actress Rebecca Romijn's quest to choreograph the fountains at The Bellagio. 

CineVegas “Sure Bets,” advance screenings of high-profile films that have secured U.S. distribution, include the Jared Hess comedy Nacho Libre, starring Jack Black; 13 Tzameti directed by Géla Babluani; Artie Lange’s Beer League, a comedy directed by Frank Sebastiano; Once In A Lifetime, a sports documentary directed by Paul Crowder and John Dower; The Puffy Chair, directed by Jay Duplass; and The Road to Guantánamo, directed by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross.

Distributors looking for American-produced as well as foreign independent films need look no further than this year’s CineVegas.  During its nine-day run, its “Diamond Discoveries” include Apart from That, an Altman-esque drama directed by Randy Walker and Jennifer Shainin; Full Grown Men, a comedy directed by David Munro; Love Sick, a drama from Tudor Giurgiu; Mary, a modern religious psychodrama from Abel Ferrara starring Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, Matthew Modine and Heather Graham; One Last Dance, a Singapore gangster film directed by Max Makowski; The Ring Finger, a psychological drama directed by Diane Bertrand; Somebodies, a comedy directed by Hadjii; and Wild Tigers I Have Known, a coming-of-age drama directed by Cam Archer.  In a category all its own, “Area 52 Features” (“bizarre films from the underground”), offerings will include Interkosmos, an experimental film directed by Jim Finn; Lunacy, a disturbing art drama from Jan Svankmajer.

Like small bites at Vegas’ best buffets, four “Shorts Programs” welcome the intrepid filmgoer.  “Shorts Program 1” features A Protected Witness, directed by Eileen Maxson; Little Farm, directed by Calvin Reeder; Mother, directed by Siân Heder; The Pretty Boy Project, directed by Karl Reid; The Smoking Section, directed by Chris Pozzebon; Voicemail, directed by Michael Wilde; and What the Captive Ate, directed by Matt Lemche.  “Shorts Program 2” offers Bob Log III’s Electric Fence Story, an animated comedy documentary directed by Stock ‘n’ Wolf; Bugcrush, a gay drama from Carter Smith; Day of the Pigeon, a comedy from Michael Duffey; Denial, directed by Joel Kelly; Induction, directed by Nicolas Provost; One Rat Short, an animated work from Alex Weil; and Pardon My Downfall, directed by David & Nathan Zellner.  “Shorts Program 3” raises the curtain on The Babel Trunk, directed by Bram Tihany; Bobby Bird: Devil in Denim, directed by Carson Mell; Holidays with Heather, directed by Todd Berger; K-7, directed by Christopher Leone; Transaction, directed by Jacques Thelemaque; and Zewesawam, directed by Carson Mell and Grant Falardeau.  Finally, “Shorts Program 4” lures eyeballs to The Aluminum Fowl, from James Clauer; NYC Weights and Measures, directed by Jem Cohen; The Other Side, directed by Bill Brown; and site specific_LAS VEGAS 05, directed by Olivio Barbieri.

The category “Nevada Filmmaking Features” includes Damn Yankee Day, a dark comedy directed by Robert Shupe and for a few more bite-sized morsels, there’s “Nevada Filmmaking Shorts” which include Shane Valdez’ 19 Miles To Vegas, Natasha Schull’s Buffet: All You Can Eat Las Vegas, Danny Lairamore’s The Business of Being Monti Rock, John-Luke Montias’ Nicky’s Game, Josh Meeter’s Synthetica, Thomas Barndt’s The Walking Ink, and Jason Leinwand’s Wrestling with the Past.

CineVegas highlights local filmmakers in three programs, with shorts from CCSN (Community College of Southern Nevada) and UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) students, and shorts form the local filmmaking team The Group Collectively.

Since its inception in 1998, the CineVegas has established itself as one of the hottest and fastest growing film festivals in the world, being mentioned in a TIME Magazine cover story as well as listed as one of the top 5 small fests to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. The 8th annual festival will be held June 9-17, 2006 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas highlighting the most exciting offerings from up and coming filmmakers and visionary veterans. CineVegas combines the glamour and energy of world premiere films and the intensity of in-depth celebrity tributes.

Among its milestones, CineVegas has hosted the world premieres of such films as George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead, The Devil’s Rejects, Spun, The Talent Given Us and Bubba Ho-tep, as well as screenings of other great films such as Napoleon Dynamite, Riding Giants, The Aristocrats, Me, You and Everyone We Know and Gus Van Sant’s Last Days.  Robin Greenspun serves as the festival’s President and Dennis Hopper serves as the Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board, which has honored such film greats as Jack Nicholson, Nicolas Cage, Ann-Margaret, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, Holly Hunter, Christopher Walken and David Lynch.  For more information please call (702) 992-7979 or visit www.cinevegas.com.

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