8th Annual Artivist Film Festival & Awards Concludes 8/20/11 in Hollywood, Honors Ten International

Online, August 26, 2011 (Newswire.com) - LOS ANGELES, CA - August 25, 2011 - The Artivist Collective successfully concluded its 8th annual Artivist Film Festival & Awards after a packed program that ran from August 18th to 20th, 2011 at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Hosted by PETROBRAS, a partner in their extensive community, the Festival was attended by over 3,000 people during the three-day period, and screened 41 inspiring independent and documentary films dedicated to raising awareness for humanity, animals, and the environment. This year, in celebration of its 8th anniversary, Artivist embarked on an "Artivist Across America Tour," with film screenings in Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Sedona, Washington DC, Austin, Los Angeles, and later this year, New York City.

The opening night film, Minds in the Water, presented by the NGO Humane Society of the United States, played to a sold-out crowd, setting the tone for a successful festival this year. Other festival highlights included Love Hate Love, executive produced by Sean Penn, a topical tribute to victims of 9/11 and survivors of other terrorist acts, and Straight White Male, which explored the much-in-the-news subjects of gender identity and bullying. Also noteworthy was Green, a visually stunning and heart-wrenching film devoted to two Artivist areas of commitment -- animal advocacy and environmental protection.

"The Artivist Film Festival remains the only event dedicated to raising awareness for humanity, animals, and the environment through informative and inspiring international films. The Festival also provides two important services to the community: promoting socially conscious filmmakers and films to the public, and connecting our attendees with our NGO Partners, where they can directly participate in taking positive action," states Diaky Diaz, Artivist Founder - President.

Numerous renowned charitable organizations participated in the Festival, including Amnesty International, UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund, The Red Cross, HSUS - Humane Society of the United States, Greenpeace, Human Rights First, PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, SPCA - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Environment California, PFLAG - Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, LA Gay & Lesbian Center, Human Rights First, University of Southern California, and more.

The Festival concluded with the 2011 Artivist Awards, a red carpet event on Saturday, August 20th. In addition to the ten winning films and filmmakers listed below, actress Kristen Bell accepted the Artivist Award for Community Advocacy. Ms. Bell (Heroes, Veronica Mars, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Burlesque, etc.) is known for her philanthropic activities with organizations such as PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, SPCA - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Invisible Children.

Comedian Dan Nainan served as Master of Ceremony for the 2011 Artivist Awards. Featured presenters included celebrities Rachel Bilson (The OC, Hart of Dixie) and Marco Antonio Regil (The Price is Right, Family Feud, and Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader in Mexico), and various NGO representatives.

This year, the Artivist Film Festival honored ten participating films in five categories:

• Human Rights:

- Best Feature: Because We Were Beautiful, Director Frank van Osch

- Best Short: Umoja: No Men Allowed, Director Elizabeth Tadic

• Children's Advocacy:

- Best Feature: Surfing Soweto, Director Sara Blecher

- Best Short: Grace, Director Meagan Kelly

• Environmental Preservation:

- Best Feature: Spoil, Director Trip Jennings

- Best Short: The Leaves Keep Falling, Director Julie Winokur

• Animal Advocacy:

- Best Feature: Green, Director Patrick Rouxel

- Best Short: Saving Pelican 895, Director Irene Taylor Brodsky

• Artivist Spirit:

- Best Feature: Love Hate Love, Directors Don Hardy, Dana Nachman

- Best Short: Crooked Beauty, Director Ken Paul Rosenthal

Learn more about the films and filmmakers honored at the 2011 Artivist Awards by visiting:

www.artivist.com/festival/media/press-releases/23675-2011-film-awards.html

Next on the schedule for the Artivist Film Festival is the completion of its eight-city tour, later this autumn, in New York City (details TBD).

This year's Festival sponsors included Kanon Organic Vodka (www.kanonvodka.com/), Karl Strauss Brewing Company (www.karlstrauss.com/), Hansen's Natural (www.hansens.com/), and Monster Energy (www.monsterenergy.com/).

KPFK (www.kpfk.org) and the LA Weekly (www.laweekly.com/) reprised their roles as media sponsors.

Artivist proudly welcomed back Petrobras (www.petrobras.com.br/en/) as its Official Community Partner this year. Since 2004, Petrobras has supported the growth of the international Artivist Film Festival and Artivist Awards.

ABOUT PETROBRAS

Artivist proudly welcomed back Petrobras (http://www.petrobras.com.br/en/) as its Official Community Partner. Since 2007, Petrobras has supported the growth of the international Artivist Film Festival and Artivist Awards. Petrobras, a Brazilian energy company, has a 30-year history of distributing ethanol from sugar cane as fuel for vehicles, and is now committed to increasing the production and exports of ethanol.

At its new research center, scientists are looking for ways to produce ethanol from farming byproducts, which can increase production without the need for more farming land.

Petrobras is the largest funder of Cultural Arts Programs in Brazil, and a partner of hundreds of social, animal welfare, and environmental projects, such as the protection of endangered sea turtles, spinners dolphins and the manatee, as well as initiatives on carbon capture, water protection, biodiversity, and climate change. As the only company in the energy sector that is part of the Global Compact Board of the United Nations, Petrobras commits its corporate governance to the 10 principles set forth by the United Nations.

Understanding the interdependence between humanity, animals, and the environment is crucial in our global community. By working with individuals and groups, organizations and companies, we can create long-term solutions to our global problems.

ABOUT THE ARTIVIST COLLECTIVE

The name Artivist is a combination of "artist" and "activist." Since its inception in 2003, Artivist has screened 400+ advocate films representing more than 60 countries, and has produced film festival tours in the USA, U.K, Mexico, Portugal, and Japan, reaching more than 35 million people with its public relations and community campaigns.

Among the films presented at the Artivist Film Festival over the years have been Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels and Academy Award nominee Super-Size Me as well as the Los Angeles premieres of critically-acclaimed documentaries God Sleeps In Rwanda, Fast Food Nation, Emmanuelle's Gift, Zeitgeist, Trudell, Stolen Childhoods, and Regeneration.

The Artivist Awards are dedicated to recognizing the efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal welfare. The Artivist Awards also honors celebrity advocates and community leaders. Past honorees include Peter Fonda, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Matthew McConaughey, Joaquin Phoenix, James Cromwell, Mira Sorvino, Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell, Ed Begley, Jr., and Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prize Family.

The Artivist Film Festival has been publicly endorsed by internationally recognized NGOs such as Amnesty International, UNICEF - the United Nations Children's Fund, HSUS - Humane Society of the United States, Global Green, Greenpeace, and by the United Nations Department of Public Information.

The Artivist Film Festival invites NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) or Charitable Organizations to be included as an integral part of its Film Festival experience. NGO partners promote their mission and charitable work at each Film Festival as a way of encouraging community involvement, partnership, and networking. NGOs receive speaking opportunities at Film Screenings and Forums, can promote their organization at the Festival through booths, and have speaking opportunities before the Press. In return, Artivist collaborates with each NGO on audience development and reaches more than 1+ million members annually.

Artivist is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All proceeds benefit the Artivist Film Festival Tours and year-round programs dedicated to creating platforms for socially conscious "Artivists" to share their inspirational and informative films with the world. To learn more, please visit www.ARTIVIST.com/Festival

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