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Third Annual 'GI Film Festival' to Showcase World's Best Military Films May 11-17, Washington, DC

Posted on: Thursday, 16 April 2009, 08:00 CDT

"Seven Days in May" to Highlight 48 Films Honoring American GIs

ARLINGTON, Va., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- GI Film Festival co-founders Brandon Millett and Major Laura Law-Millett announced today the line-up for the Third Annual festival showcasing the world's best military films. The festival will run from May 11-17, 2009 at the prestigious Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC and other DC area venues, including the Canadian Embassy and the Russell Senate Caucus Room. The award-winning GI Film Festival is the first and only film festival in the nation dedicated to honoring American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines through the medium of film. (See www.gifilmfestival.com for more information.)

The GI Film Festival is not only the premiere film festival honoring America's troops but also the most significant film festival in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. Major corporate sponsors for 2009 festival include among others: Target Corporation; TriWest Healthcare Alliance; America's Huey 091 Foundation; Pence-Friedel Developers, Inc; USO International; MGM/UA; HBO, Inc.; American Military University, and Discovery Communications' "The Military Channel."

Highlights of the "Seven Days in May" event include:

• 48 documentary and narrative premiere films from the nation's top independent and studio filmmakers, including active duty GIs and military veterans;
• Sixteen feature-length films: Perfect Valor; Lioness; The Way We Get By; Jerabek; Triangle of Death; Bedford: The Town They Left Behind; America's Marine Aviators; Inheritance of War; The Divided; Seal Team VI; Everyman's War; Warriors in their Own Words; Injury Slight ... Please Advise; Art in the Face of War; My Vietnam, Your Iraq; The Lesson is Priceless;
• "Work in Progress" exclusive screening of the feature film Lt. DanBand: The Documentary, following actor Gary Sinise as he and his Lt. DanBand entertain our troops worldwide and the many incredible organizations that support our heroes and their families. The film is directed by military veteran and Hollywood filmmaker, Jonathan Flora;
• World Premiere of Citizens United Production's Perfect Valor, featuring former Senator Fred Dalton Thompson; produced by David Bossie (Border Wars);
• GI Film Festival red carpet premiere of HBO's Taking Chance, starring Kevin Bacon;
• GI Film Festival red carpet premiere for "Wounded Warriors" of MGM/UA's Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise;
• World Premiere of the feature documentary America's Marine Aviators;
• VIP reception featuring the launch of the new USO national publication, On Patrol;
• Special private screening for Members of Congress of the GI Film Festival's 2008 "Best Feature Documentary," Brothers at War;
• Presentation of the GI Film Festival's "GI Spirit Award" to actress Karri Turner;
• A reception at the Russell Senate Caucus Room honoring military veterans in Congress featuring special guest Medal of Honor recipient Senator Daniel K. Inouye;
• VIP receptions featuring celebrities, top military leaders and warriors, and filmmakers.

"The GI Film Festival provides a unique opportunity to not only support the American warrior, but to participate in a meaningful and inspirational cultural event," said GI Film Festival co-founder Brandon L. Millett. "It is possible to sit through the entire slate of GI Film Festival films and experience the full range of human emotion. Shocking combat films, patriotic tear jerkers, popcorn action films, historical documentaries; we will screen them all."

In only its third year, the GI Film Festival has become the most significant venue for the screening of military films, including Hollywood features The Great Raid, Forrest Gump, and a never-before-released version of the Civil War epic Gods and Generals. In addition, one 2007 GI Film Festival premiere, Operation Homecoming, was a finalist for an Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary. Last year's GI Film Festival "Best Feature Documentary," Brothers at War earned a theatrical distribution deal from the prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Films and is now in theaters. Another award-winning offering from 2008, The Last 600 Meters, will release in theaters and air on PBS in 2010.

"This range of films is important, not only for the American GIs but for the public to see our warriors' story from a variety of perspectives; from the active duty service member inside the arena of war, to the wounded warrior struggling to overcome his or her disability, to the military spouse at home waiting for their loved one to return. This diversity is the heart of what we offer at the GI Film Festival," said GI Film Festival co-founder Major Laura Law-Millett.

The GI Film Festival has quickly become the "go to" festival for warriors, military film buffs and filmmakers. This year's slate includes 16 original feature-length documentaries and narratives, two major studio feature films, and 30 short films covering the Civil War, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This festival is all about warriors and filmmakers. It is established for the very reason to let artists tell the story of our great troops, their successes and their sacrifices," said GI Film Festival Chairman Stephen K. Bannon.

Tickets for GI Film Festival premiere films are available for $10. Tickets for primetime events, which include film screenings and receptions, are available for $50. Full festival passes are available for $250 and include access to all film screenings and primetime events on Thursday through Sunday.

Other GI Film Festival sponsors include - Corporate: AAFES; American Military University; AUSA; Meco Environmental; MillerCoors; MPAA; No Jurisdictional Boundaries; Media: GreatAmericans.com; The Hill Newspaper; ICR, Inc.; Military History Channel; Military.com; Stars and Stripes; Washington Times; WMAL; WUSA9; ZAM Media; Military: American Red Cross; American Veterans Center; Army National Guard; Freedom Is Not Free; Operation Hug-a-Hero; Snowball Express; USO Metro DC; Young Marines; In-Kind: Gallo Winery; Hint Water; The Leadership Institute; Resolution Gear; Skincando; Solas by Kara Kurz; and the Sony Corporation.

For more information, please visit www.gifilmfestival.com.

SOURCE GI Film Festival

Source: PR Newswire

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