2011 Vail Film Festival Announces Film Program & Tribute Award Recipients

Line-Up Includes 67 Films From Around the World

VAIL, Colo., March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2011 Vail Film Festival presented by Cadillac, today announced the complete line-up of films selected to be screened at this year's festival, taking place March 31st – April 3rd, 2011 at America's top-rated ski resort in Vail, Colorado. This year's festival will showcase 67 films from around the world, including 11 feature films and 56 documentaries, shorts, adventure, student, and animated films, at the beautiful new Sebastian Hotel in Vail Village, and Cinebistro in the Solaris complex.  The 2011 Festival will donate 5% of the overall ticket sales to the American Red Cross for earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in Japan, and an additional 5% to Angelight Films, a 501(c) (3) non-profit production company that gives chronically ill children the opportunity to express themselves in their own short film.

The Vail Film Festival is pleased to announce that Kate Bosworth, star of Blue Crush, Bryan Singer's Superman Returns and Kevin Spacey's Beyond the Sea will be in attendance to receive the Excellence in Acting Award, and Emmy Award winning actor/filmmaker Michael Imperioli will be in attendance to receive this year's Renegade Award for Risk Taking in Film, an honor bestowed to Zach Braff, Jeremy Davies, and filmmaker Kevin Smith in recent years.

The 2011 Festival will officially open on Thursday evening, March 31st at the Vail Mountain School with a screening of Falling Overnight. Also on Thursday, the Festival is proud to screen the Colorado Premiere of Super, starring Rainn Wilson, Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, and Ellen Page.  In this action packed comedy, a wife (Liv Tyler) leaves her husband (Rainn Wilson) for a drug dealer (Kevin Bacon).  When her husband decides he will win her back as Crimson Bolt, a costumed vigilante armed with a monkey wrench, his actions bring him an admirer: an overeager comic store clerk (Ellen Page) who wants to be his sidekick.

Throughout the festival weekend, pass holders will enjoy film screenings, red carpet ceremonies and parties, panel discussions, live music featuring Grammy-winning musicians from LA's famed Hotel Cafe, the festival's hospitality lounge at The Sebastian Hotel, and the annual awards ceremony recognizing the outstanding work of leaders in the film industry on Saturday, April 2nd.

New to this year's program, the Vail Film Festival is excited to announce the launch of the "Cadillac Short Series," the only Festival "venue" in which the public will be invited to view festival programming from the comfort of a 2011 Cadillac Escalade, a 2011 CTS Wagon, and a 2011 SRX, in the middle of Solaris Plaza.  The Cadillac Short Series will feature short films screened on the vehicles' deluxe interior entertainment systems throughout the 2011 Festival weekend.

"We are very fortunate to have world-class partners whose vision aligns perfectly with ours and that encourage artistic expression through their sponsorship of the Vail Film Festival," said festival co-founder Scott Cross. "We look forward to engaging with a wider audience through the exciting activations our partners are planning throughout Vail Village."

In partnership with Olympus Imaging America Inc., the 2011 Vail Film Festival is also pleased to welcome back the 48 Hour film contest to the festival's program.  The Olympus PEN Your Short 48 Hour Film Contest will kick off on Thursday, March 31, 2011  at 11:00AM MT, followed by a period of 48 hours where registered filmmakers will be asked to create a short film using the new Olympus PEN^® camera.  All short films must be submitted by Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 10:59AM MT.  Films submitted by this deadline will be screened on Saturday afternoon in the Cadillac Screening Room at Cinebistro.  The contest winner will be announced during the Saturday evening Awards Ceremony.  The winning team will receive $5,000, Olympus PEN Equipment, VIP Passes to the 2012 Festival, and a private meeting with a Hollywood film producer.

The Vail Film Festival has also launched a new feature on its website this year, allowing pass holders to create their own custom festival schedule, as well as rate and comment in real time on films they have seen.  Pass holders who visit http://vailff.slated.com/2011/films during their visit to the hospitality lounge at the Sebastian hotel will be entered to win a 2011 Vail Film Festival VIP Gift Bag.

"The Vail Film Festival is honored to screen the work of established artists and emerging talent that will shape the film making landscape of tomorrow," said Cross. "True to the festival mission to nurture new filmmakers, many of the films have been directed or produced by first time filmmakers. After record submissions and an abundance of high quality work, we are very proud of the caliber of films at this year's festival. The mix of documentaries, dramas, comedies, shorts, and student films promises to be the best film program we've had yet."

For a complete listing of 2011 Vail Film Festival Program and screening schedule, visit: http://www.vailfilmfest.com/program/.  For tickets, please visit: www.vailfilmfest.com.

About Vail Film Festival

The Vail Film Festival promotes independent filmmaking, with a special focus on new and innovative filmmakers.  Besides screening some of the year's top films from around the globe, the festival will also feature workshops, seminars, industry panel discussions and special events with award-winning actors, writers and directors.  A special awards ceremony, family festivities, ski and snowboarding events, VIP parties and live music will round out this four-day event. The Vail Film Festival is produced by the Vail Film Institute, a non-profit arts organization that is dedicated to fostering independent cinema and creative filmmaking. Festival passes incorporate a combination of movies, filmmaker panels, galas and music, with deep discounts on skiing for festival pass holders.  For tickets and additional information, visit www.vailfilmfest.com or call (866) 476-1092.

About Cadillac

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

SOURCE Vail Film Festival