“THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA” DOCUMENTARY EXPOSES PLIGHT OF 400,000 CHILDREN WHO WORK AS MIGRANT LABORERS ON AMERICA’S FARMS

Executive Produced by Eva Longoria and Shine Global, the Producers of the Academy-Award® Nominated film, WAR/DANCE

Premieres in NY on July 29^th and in LA on August 5^th

July13, 2011 (New York, NY) – THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA, an award-winning new film by Shine Global, U Roberto Romano and Executive Producer Eva Longoria that examines the lives of child migrant laborers, will be released theatrically by Cinema Libre Studio starting on July 29 in New York at the Quad Cinema (34 West 13^th Street) followed by Los Angeles on August 5 at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 (9036 Wilshire Boulevard) with additional theatres to follow.  Following its theatrical run, the film will be screened in up to 30 cities nationally as part of a comprehensive community outreach program.  The film, which focuses on three Latino youths who are among the 400,000 children who work as migrant laborers on America’s farms, will also be broadcast nationally on the EPIX, the multiplatform media service, and EpixHD.com on October 5 with a DVD release later that month.

Directed by award-winning photographer and filmmaker U Roberto Romano, THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA tells the stories of three adolescents who travel with their families across thousands of miles to pick crops in southern Texas, northern Michigan and northern Florida during the harvest season.  Along the way, they face back-breaking labor in 100-degree heat, physical hazards from pesticides, the emotional burden of helping their families through economic crises when work opportunities dry up, separation from their families and peer groups and dwindling hope for their educational and economic advancement.  Actor Eva Longoria serves as executive producer through her company, UnbeliEVAble Productions.

“I’ve been an activist for migrant farm workers for over 10 years.  When I learned about this film I knew I had to be involved,” said Eva Longoria.

“Very few of us understand the true cost of the produce that we buy in grocery stores every day,” said Susan MacLaury, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Shine Global.  “While we only pay 80 cents a pound for tomatoes, the child who may have picked them has paid with his or her future.”

Zulema Lopez, 12, thinks of nothing but working in the fields, and one of her earliest childhood memories is of her mother teaching her how to pick and clean strawberries.  Having attended eight schools in the last eight years, she struggles to keep up and is afraid she may not make it to high school.  When asked what her dreams are, she replies that she doesn’t have time for them.

Perla Sanchez, 14, travels with her large family to pick crops across the United States.  She watches as her classmates forge special bonds that she will never share with them as they advance from one grade to the next and she is left behind.  And just when it seems that her father has found a job that will allow them to stay in one place and have some stability, a decline in his health sends them back on the road.  She dreams of becoming a lawyer so that she can help other migrant workers who struggle to make ends meet.

Victor Huapilla is a 16 year-old living in Florida. His family migrated to the US when he was young looking for a better life and is on the path to full citizenship. To help support his family, Victor has had to balance his time between harvesting and going to school and his education suffers.  While Victor is often in the fields, he’s glad his younger sisters are still spared the ordeal of picking up to 1500 pounds of tomatoes a day.  But the expenses of legally bringing his two older sisters to America bankrupts the family and they can’t afford to migrate for work.

Albie Hecht, Co-Founder of Shine Global and Chairman of the Shine Global Board of Directors, said, “Kids who work all day in fields, and have to move every six months to follow the harvest, don’t focus on school.  Their friendships suffer. Their physical health suffers.  It is very hard for them to grow and develop, and many give up on life dreams or career ambitions.  All they see is the harvest.”

Scenes from THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA have been presented to the US Department of Labor and members of Congress, including Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, who has presented scenes from the film to lawmakers in support of her introduction of the CARE Act, which would raise the minimum age of child farmworkers from 12 to 14.

Beyond the theatrical release, THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA was screened at the San Antonio Film Festival on June 22 where it received the audience award for Best Documentary as well as Outstanding Filmmaker award for director Romano.  THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA will be shown in several different cities with MALDEF, and have special screenings at VivaFest in San Jose, CA, in September, the New York International Latino Film Festival in New York City in August, and for the Association of Latino Administrators and Supervisors in San Francisco in October.

Shine Global is also developing a free downloadable curriculum for teachers of grades 7 – 12.  More information about the film and facts about America’s youth migrant farm laborers can be found by visiting www.theharvestfilm.com.

Theatrical distribution for THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA was negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers by Andrew Herwitz, President of the Film Sales Company, and on behalf of the distributor by Philippe Diaz.

THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA is a production of Shine Global, Inc. in association with Globalvision, Inc., Romano Film and Photography, Inc., UnbeliEVAble Productions, EPIX and Planet Green.  Albie Hecht and Susan MacLaury: executive producers for Shine Global, Inc. Eva Longoria: executive producer for UnBeliEVAble Productions, Rory O’Connor: executive producer for Globalvision, Inc. and producer. Alonzo Cantu and Raul Padilla, Executive Producers

About Shine Global
Shine Global works to end the abuse and exploitation of children worldwide through the production of films and other media that raise awareness, promote action, and inspire political and social change.

Since its founding in 2005 as a non-profit film production company, Shine Global has given voice to some of the world’s most at-risk children, shared their stories, inspired millions of viewers, and won more than 20 major film awards, including two Emmys, an Academy Award nomination, and Best Director Documentary at Sundance.

Contacts:

To request a screener for theatrical review or to inquire about interview requests, please email Brian Moriarty at DKC Public Relations brian_moriarty@dkcnews.com (ph: 212.981.5252/212.981.5213)

For distribution inquiries (DVD, VOD, one off screenings, educational rights, and public performance rights) please email: sales@cinemalibrestudio.com

For other inquiries, please email: info@cinemalibrestudio.com

HEMPSTERS: PLANT THE SEED

A compelling documentary that will move us one step closer towards a more sustainable planet

Available on DVD June 28, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA–As our society continues to consume 30% more than the planet can regenerate, Industrial Hemp is proven to be a viable and cost-effective crop that can reduce our reliance on some of the earth’s most precious resources.  HEMPSTERS: PLANT THE SEED, featuring Woody Harrelson, will be released on DVD June 28th by Cinema Libre Studio.

This lively documentary, directed by Michael Henning and produced by Diana Oliver, explores the reasons why the United States is the only developed country that still bans the growth of Industrial Hemp. Hemp, which is a durable fiber cultivated from plants of the cannabis genus, can be used for paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel. Due to its relation to marijuana, it is illegal to grow in the U.S. under Federal law. Hemp is considered a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act even though it contains minimum levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The film begins with the arrest of Woody Harrelson for planting four uncultivated hemp seeds in Kentucky and his subsequent trial and acquittal. Harrelson then joins traveling hemp activist Craig Lee and a number of featured old-school Kentucky tobacco farmers including Andrew and Jake Graves who just want to grow the multi-purpose crop as a way to save their farms. Viewers meet Alex White Plume, leader of the Lakota “Tiospaye” (family clan), and the first family to plant Industrial Hemp on American soil since the 1950′s. He makes a startling case that his right to grow hemp is a sovereignty issue. Julia Butterfly Hill, who has gone to extreme lengths to protest the pulping of old-growth forests by living for over two years at the top of a 1,000 year old redwood tree in Northern California, believes that hemp is the solution to cutting down trees for paper. Gatewood Galbraith, the Independent candidate for Kentucky’s gubernatorial race, attempts to bring the public at large to its senses over this issue in his own inimitable style.

A hyper-paced ride with a sizzling soundtrack, this motion picture puts hemp at the heart of just about every grassroots issue in America today. Featured players include Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ralph Nader. More than a political study of cannabis, HEMPSTERS is a rousing portrait of our country’s most spirited and sensible free-thinkers. 

This is the feature-length directorial debut for Michael Henning, who brings a wealth of experience to the film, having worked in the industry since 1978 with acclaimed artists such as Ron Howard, Mike Nichols, Bruce Beresford, Oliver Stone, and many others. HEMPSTERS was a longtime labor of love for Producer Diana Oliver who came to Henning with the idea after Harrelson had planted the infamous four seeds. They began shooting footage for the documentary in the late ‘90s. The film won the “Best Work in Progress” Award at the 2001 Deep Ellum Film Festival in Dallas. More information is available at www.hemsptersthemovie.com and http://www.facebook.com/hempsters

Synopsis:

HEMPSTERS: PLANT THE SEED follows seven activists and their allies as they fight to legalize industrial hemp in the United States, which is used in over 30 countries and is widely known to have numerous environmental benefits such as:  less reliance on oil, more efficient use of energy, forest conservation, and soil redemption, just to name a few. Hemp does not need pesticides to grow; it actually leaches toxins out of the ground. Any product that can be made from petroleum oils can also be produced by hemp.

DVD DETAILS

SRP: $19.95 | TRT: 78 minutes

Street Date: 6/28/11 | UPC: 881394108325

Catalog: CLS 1083 | Genre: Documentary/ Health

DIGITAL ASSETS

TRAILER: http://www.vimeo.com/24581595

CLIPS: http://www.vimeo.com/album/1613264

HIGH RES ART: http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com/clscatalog/2011/Hempsters_3D_HR.jpg

LOW RES ART: http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com/clscatalog/2011/Hempsters_3D_LR.jpg

Featured in the film is award-winning actor and well-known hemp and environmental activist, Woody Harrelson, who challenged Kentucky State law when he planted four feral hemp seeds in 1996.  His subsequent trial and acquittal brought the issue to the forefront of mainstream media more than ten years ago, but the fight continues on.  Also featured are:  Willie Nelson, Ralph Nader and Merle Haggard. 

HEMPSTERS is a thought-provoking and compelling documentary that will not only encourage all of us to take action, but move us one step closer towards a more sustainable planet.

About Cinema Libre Studio:

Cinema Libre Studio is a haven for independent filmmakers with one-stop shopping for production and distribution.  The company has been a leader in distributing social issue films with a full array of offerings including: acquisitions, theatrical distribution, international & television sales, grassroots outreach, digital download and post-production services. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company is best known for distributing award-winning films that include: ‘Outfoxed,’ ‘Uncovered: The War on Iraq,’ ‘The Empire in Africa,’ Participant Media’s ‘Angels In The Dust,’ and Oliver Stone’s “South of the Border.’ The company will release ‘The End of Poverty?’ in select US theatres in November 2009.  For more information, please visit www.cinemalibrestudio.com.

About earthNOW!

In 2008, Cinema Libre Studio launched the earthNOW! label to focus on films that analyze how we co-exist with our planet. These films examine the environment, health, ecology and sustainability. Keep an eye out for A NORML LIFE, coming to DVD August 16, 2011. For more information, please visit www.earthnowfilms.com.

Media Contacts:                                                                                                                      

Cassie Brewer | Cinema Libre Studio | 818.349.8822 | cbrewer (AT) cinemalibrestudio (DOT) com

“★★★★”- Kam Williams, Newsblaze.com

“A sort of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for global economics…a powerful description of how Western policies since colonialism have subjugated Third World countries.”

-Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

  CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY

‘THE END OF POVERTY?’

Available on BLU-RAY May 24, 2011

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2011) – This provocative documentary, which garnered national and international attention from educators, activists and humanitarians. THE END OF POVERTY?, narrated by Martin Sheen, has been screened by colleges, universities, and non-profit organizations across the nation and now, by popular be demand, it will be available on BLU-RAY nationwide on May 24, 2011.  The film, which was shot on four continents and invited to over 30 international film festivals, has generated both vehemence and tears during screenings and events as it touches on the inherent imbalance in our chosen economic system that finds the poor bailing out the rich. 

The film initially premiered at Critics’ Week during the Cannes Film Festival, then it was selected to screen twice at the United Nations and was therefore followed by a nationwide theatrical release with sold out shows. Critics have proclaimed: “…(it) should be required viewing by every politician in the world.”(Eric Monder, Film Journal International). The film also enjoyed an extensive theatrical run in Europe playing 13 consecutive weeks in Paris with distribution handled by Cargo Films, the production/distribution company of iconoclast filmmaker Jean-Jacques Beineix.

Filmed in the slums of Africa to the barrios of Latin America, The End of Poverty? explores how the true causes of poverty stem from actions taken during (and since) colonial times to perpetuate exploitation:  first by forcing people from their land and their access to natural resources, then through unfair trade, debt repayment and unjust taxes on labor and consumption.  This system was carefully built and then maintained with neo-colonial policies such as free market economics, resource monopolies and structural adjustment programs by the international financial institutions. 

The documentary features:  Nobel prize winners Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz; expert authors Susan George (“Another World Is Possible If”), Eric Toussaint (“The World Bank: A Never Ending Coup d’Etat”), John Perkins (“Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”), Chalmers Johnson (“Nemesis: The Last Days of the America Republic”), as well as Brookings Institute fellow and author, William Easterly (“White Man’s Burden”) plus government ministers such as Bolivia’s Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, and leaders of social movements in Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya and Tanzania.

The film has been embraced by activists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide for its ‘direct talk’ about the role of debt, free trade, and neo-liberal policies and poverty.  Groups including: Action Aid, Amnesty UK, ATTAC, CADTM, Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), InterAction, Jubilee Debt Campaign, Make Poverty History, Share the World’s Resources (STWR), Tax Justice Network, Transnational Institute, and the UN Millennium Campaign have screened the films as part of their anti-poverty campaigns in the past year.

Synopsis:  Narrated by Martin Sheen, The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies — in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries such that today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate.  (Produced & distributed by Cinema Libre Studio with the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation) www.theendofpoverty.com | Twitter | Facebook | Clips & Trailer | High Res DVD Art

A 398-page companion book, ‘Why Global Poverty?’ published by The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation with Cinema Libre Studio, provides extended, translated transcripts from over 75 experts and people living in poverty who are featured in the film as well as a substantive introduction to the film by the director, Philippe Diaz. (ISBN 978-0-911312-94-2, SRP; $20.00, available at cinemalibrestore.com and Amazon).

BLU-RAY DETAILS:

SRP: $29.95 | TRT: 104 minutes

PreBook: 4/12/11 | Street Date: 5/24/11

UPC: 881394111127 | Catalog: CLS 1111

Genre: Documentary

Languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and local dialects with English subtitles

Bonus Features include: 

• SPEAKING FREELY, Volume 1 with JOHN PERKINS on Globalization
• Extended interview with Director Philippe Diaz
• ‘10 Steps to End Poverty Petition’
• ‘Changes in Venezuela’ (a look at Hugo Chávez’s reforms and the impact on the country’s poor)
• Extended Interviews w/ Experts Including: John Perkins: How Economic Hit Men Work; Heather Remoff: Colonialism and Monoculture in Africa; Joshua Farley: How Land Tax in Brazil Would Break Up Latifundia; Mason Gaffney: How U.S. Companies Gain Control of Land; HWO Okoth-Ogendo: On Private Property; Gitu wa Kahengeri: On the Results of Independence
• Stawi Youth & Adult Centre (Kenya) Profile

ABOUT CINEMA LIBRE: Cinema Libre Studio, a leader in distributing social issue documentaries and features by passionate filmmakers, is a haven for independent filmmakers offering a complete array of production and distribution resources. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Cinema Libre team has released over one hundred films and is best known for releasing the award‐winning  films: OUTFOXED, UNCOVERED:THE WAR ON IRAQ, Participant Media’s ANGELS IN THE DUST, the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award Winner, CONVENTIONEERS, and  the Sundance Audience Award‐Winning FUEL. The company is currently releasing Oliver Stone’s documentary SOUTH OF THE BORDER with films from Haskell Wexler and Rachid Bouchareb slated for 2011 releases.   In 2011, Cinema Libre Studio is producing THE LAST DAYS OF KARL MARX in Algeria and Belgium as well as developing John Perkins’ best‐selling memoirs, CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN, into a major motion picture. For more information and updates, please visit: www.cinemalibrestudio.com | Updates | Facebook | Twitter | Affiliate Program

Press Contact: 

Cinema Libre Studio

press (at) cinemalibrestudio (dot) com

Reverend’s Reviews: Sex on Screen, Now & Then

The depiction of sex on screen has been a source of controversy, titillation and even academic study since the early years of the film industry. While some moviegoers complain about increasingly graphic sex scenes, others defend them as important expressions of artistic freedom, albeit for adults only.

A great retrospective of films made in the last 30 years that are renown for their frank take on human sexuality — heterosexual, homosexual, and everything in between — will take place at the Quad Cinema in New York City today through February 24 and then at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Los Angeles February 25-March 4. This “Celebrating Sex in Cinema” series will include 1986′s notorious but excellent Betty Blue plus more recent eye-openers Antichrist, 9 Songs, Shortbus and the acclaimed documentaries This Film is Not Yet Rated and The Price of Pleasure. In LA, Bruce LaBruce’s flamboyantly gay 1996 homage to classic Hollywood, Hustler White, will also screen as part of the retrospective.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Film Reviews

James Wortham in “Now & Later.”

‘Now & Later’ Explores Sex and Politics

By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Published: February 17, 2011

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Politics Make Strange Bedfellows in Sexplicit Agitprop Adventure

Bill (James Wortham) was making a decent enough salary crippling Third World economies as an international banker to be able to afford a great house in L.A. But when greed got the better of him, he ended up accused of embezzlement.
He subsequently became so despondent and suicidal about the prospect of spending eight years behind bars that, rather than face the music, he decided to jump bail without even telling his wife (Marcellina Walker). As a fugitive from justice with little more than the clothes on his back, he sought to keep under the radar by fleeing to the barrio, a place where no one would think of looking for him.
There, on the proverbial other side of the tracks, he hatches a plan to escape to Honduras. But while awaiting the arrival of his getaway driver (Luis Fernandez-Gil), he’s directed to hide out at the apartment of Angela (Shari Solanis), a gorgeous nurse from Nicaragua.

Click here to read more…

~ CELEBRATING SEX IN CINEMA ~

COMING TO LA

(Click here for details on NYC)

In conjunction with the Los Angeles premiere of award-winning filmmaker Philippe Diaz’s NOW & LATER, we’ve organized a week of films and special guest appearances to help spark a conversation about sex – or the lack thereof – in cinema.

Screenings start Friday, 2/25 at LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5 (8000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046)

- Cinema Libre Studio

“Uninhibited sexuality taken to a new level and the result is one of the most passionate pieces of cinema I’ve ever seen…”–Tim Rhys, Moviemaker Magazine

“An intelligent exploration of sexuality.” - Chris Carpenter, Movie Dearest

“Liberally sprinkled with gleaming, groovy, graphic sex “Now & Later” exudes an amiably accessible vibe that softens the edges of its freewheeling explicitness.” – Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

NOW & LATER

Directed by: Philippe Diaz

Introducing: Shari Solanis, James Wortham

Premiering in US theatres/ 2010/ Drama/ 99 min. /Rating: Unrated

Sex, politics and American culture are mixed into a combustible combination in Now & Later. Angela is an illegal Latina immigrant living in Los Angeles who takes in Bill, a disgraced banker on the run. Through passionate sex, soul-searching conversations ranging from politics to philosophy, and other worldly pleasures, Angela introduces Bill to another worldview. As their affair heats up, the course of Bill’s life begins to take an abrupt and unexpected turn. (Distributor: Cinema Libre Studio)

THEATRICAL TRAILER (considered “too racy” by some online trailer outlets) | “GREENBAND” TRAILER |

www.nowandlaterthemovie.com

Exclusive engagement starts Friday, 2/25 at LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5 in LA.

Screens daily Friday – Thursday: 1:30pm, 7:00pm*, and 9:55pm

BUY TICKETS HERE

*Q&As: Cast members on Friday 2/25 following 7:00pm show and Director Philippe Diaz plus cast members on Saturday 2/26 following 7:00pm show! UNRATED: A WEEK OF SEX IN CINEMA From February 25th – March 3rd, 2011 at LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5 in LA (8000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046), NOW & LATER’s premiere will be accompanied by seven notable films that explore the edgier side of relationships and sexuality in cinema. Designed to foster a broader dialogue with film-goers, the showcase allows Los Angeles audiences the chance to revisit these popular and controversial films that push buttons and boundaries for their frank and explicit portrayals of sex in cinema. Curated by Philippe Diaz and Cinema Libre Studio.

Check out the programming schedule below: 9 SONGSDirected by: Michael Winterbottom

Starring: Kieran O’Brien and Margo Stilley

Released in US theatres/ 2004/ Drama/ 71 min. /Rating: Unrated

Winterbottom’s controversial film concerns Matt, a young glaciologist who soars across the vast, silent, icebound immensities of the South Pole as he recalls his love affair with Lisa. They meet at a mobbed rock concert in a vast music hall–London’s Brixton Academy. They are in bed at night’s end. Together, over a period of several months, they pursue a mutual sexual passion whose inevitable stages unfold in counterpoint to nine live-concert songs. Britain’s The Guardian, cited 9 SONGS as the most “sexually explicit film in the history of British Cinema” largely because it includes several scenes of real sex between the two lead actors. (Distributor: Palisades Tartan) TRAILER

Date/Show: Thursday 3/3 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Starring: Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg

Released in US theatres/2009/ Drama/ 108 min./ Rating; Unrated

“The most shocking film in the history of the Cannes Film Festival”

– Anita Singh, The Sunday Telegraph.

A couple loses their young son when he falls out the window while they have sex in the other room. The mother’s grief consigns her to hospital, but her therapist husband brings her home intent on treating her depression himself. To help her confront her fears and repair their troubled marriage, they retreat to ‘Eden’, their remote cabin in the woods, where something untold happened the previous summer. Told in four chapters with a prologue and epilogue, the film details acts of lustful cruelty as the man and woman unfold the darker side of nature outside and within. (Distributor: IFC Films) TRAILER

Date/Show: Tuesday 3/1 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Starring: Beatrice Dalle and Jean-Hughes Anglade

Released in US theatres 1982 / Drama / 116 min. / Rating: Unrated

Nominated for the Academy Award – Best Foreign film, Jean-Jacques Beineix’s passionate love story about obsessive and ill-fated lovers Zorg and Betty remains a classic. Zorg is a handyman who lives a quiet and peaceful life, working diligently and writing in his spare time until the beautiful and wild and unpredictable Betty walks into his life. After a dispute with Zorg’s boss they leave and Betty manages to get a job at a restaurant she persuades Zorg to try and get one of his books published but it is rejected which makes Betty fly into a rage. Suddenly Betty’s wild manners start to get out of control. (Distributor: Cinema Libre Studio) DETAILS | TRAILER

Date/Show: Wednesday 3/2 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Starring: Tony Ward, Bruce La Bruce, and Alex Austin

Released in US theatres 1996 / Drama / 79 min. / Rating: Unrated

Reminiscent of Sunset Boulevard, Hustler White transposes the action from the silver screen’s old movie back lots to contemporary male prostitution and the porn industry. Said to be an homage to classic Hollywood cinema. (Distributor: Strand Releasing, ICA) DETAILS

Date/Show: Saturday 2/26 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

2010 (DVD)/ Documentary / 56 min. / Rating: Unrated

Once relegated to the margins of society, pornography has emerged as one of the most visible and profitable sectors ($10-12 Billion annually). At the same time its content has become more extreme and harsh, more overtly sexist and racist. This eye-opening and disturbing film tackles the complexity behind this seeming paradox, placing the voices of critics, producers, and performers alongside the observations of men and women as they candidly discuss the role pornography has played in shaping their sexual imaginations and relationships. Honest and non-judgmental, The Price of Pleasure moves beyond the liberal vs. conservative debates to paint a myth-busting and nuanced portrait of how pleasure and pain, commerce and power, liberty and responsibility have become intertwined in the most intimate area of our lives. (Distributor: Cinema Libre Studio) DETAILS | TRAILER

Date/Show: Sunday 2/27 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Featuring: Kevin Smith, Matt Stone, John Waters, Darren Aronofsky, Maria Bello, Atom Egoyan

Released in US theatres / 2006 /Documentary/ 97 min. / Rating: Unrated

Academy-Award winning director Kirby Dick takes on the Motion Picture Association of America in this hilarious investigation of the ratings board and its profound impact on American culture. At Sundance, the film received a standing ovation amidst a wave of favorable coverage by major publications. Rolling Stone (“terrific…indispensable”), Entertainment Weekly (“irresistible”) and USA Today (“rated R for raves. Dick talks to numerous directors and actors about the censorship of their movies before release. Interviews include: Kevin Smith, Matt Stone, John Waters, Darren Aronofsky, Maria Bello, Atom Egoyan. Dick also hires a lesbian family of private investigators to find out the names of the MPAA board members to determine if they are in fact parents of children 5-17. (Distributor: IFC Television) TRAILER

Date/Show: Friday 2/25 @ 3:50pm @ LAMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Starring: Sook-Yin Lee, Peter Stickles and PJ DeBoy

Released 2006/ Drama/ 101 mins. / Rating: Unrated

This internationally acclaimed film, inspired by various underground NYC gatherings that took place in the early 2000, had its world premier at Cannes in 2006. Director John Cameron Mitchell brings together a cast of characters desperate to connect in bohemian New York City. The characters converge in a weekly underground salon in Brooklyn known for it’s blend of art, music, politics and carnality, where they face their faltering relationships and their individual sexual repressions. According to Mitchell, the film attempts to “employ sex in new cinematic ways”, and it includes a variety of explicit scenes of sexuality. (Distributor: Velocity/Thinkfilm)

Producers, Howard Gertler and Tim Perell received an Independent Spirit Award as Producers of the Year. DETAILS | TRAILER

Date/Show: Monday 2/28 @ 3:50pm @ LAEMMLE’S SUNSET 5

Media Inquiries: press@cinemalibrestudio.com

NOW & LATER plus

UNRATED: A WEEK OF SEX IN CINEMA: Starts February 25th at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046, (323)-848-3500.

FOR TICKETS AND SHOWTIMES visit:

www.laemmle.com