BURBANK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE

Over 20 World Premieres are scheduled for the event held September 3-7 in Burbank, CA. Among the highlights are the world festival premiere of an all-star female version of Expendables-style film "Mercenaries", the festival Centerpiece Film and West Coast Premiere of new the film directed by and starring Daniel Baldwin "The Wisdom To Know The Difference", along with screenings with look-a-likes welcomed, and return of some classics to the big screen.

(Aug 13, 2014 - Burbank, CA) The Burbank International Film Festival today announced its lineup with many world premieres, as well as West Coast premieres. Events are screened under various umbrellas, with programs devoted to shorts, comedy, documentaries, new media, animation, foreign films, student films, films by women, faith-based films and sci-fi/horror.

Highlights include the world festival premier of "Mercenaries," a female action film in the style of The Expendables, with cast members Vivica A. Fox, Kristana Lokken, Brigitte Nielsen, Zoe Bell and Cynthia Rothrock; the West Coast premier of Daniel Baldwin's "The Wisdom to Know the Difference"; the sci-fi film "Stranger in the Pentagon" starring soap star Eileen Davidson (newest cast member of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), and look-a-like events featuring attendees encouraged to dress respectively as mermaids ("The Little Mermaid" screening), robots ("Forbidden Planet" screening), Marilyn Monroe ("Bombshell" screening), Elvis Presley ("Elvis: That's the Way it is" screening).

Jeff Rector, head of the Festival, said "As the festival reaches its sixth and biggest year ever, we could not be more excited with this year's line-up of films, red carpet events and after-parties. We are also grateful to our local studio neighbors Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Video for the screenings of "The Little Mermaid" and "Forbidden Planet" as part of our "History of Cinema" program. It is this kind of support that makes Burbank the media capital of the world."

For a complete listing of films, times and tickets or questions abou the festival, check out http:/www.burbankfilmfest.org/.

To purchase tickets, go to http://www.itsmyseat.com/BIFF/

About the Festival:
Our mission is to promote up-and-coming filmmakers by providing a gateway to expand their careers in the entertainment industry. We shine a light on the unknown talent of today, helping them become the celebrated filmmakers of tomorrow. Not only do we actively champion independent filmmaking, we are one of the few, if not the only film festival in the world that offers film distribution seminars to help filmmakers guide their cinematic vision toward profitability.

The Burbank International Film Festival is a California non-profit organization operating as a 501C3 tax-exempt corporation.

SOURCE Bernstein Entertainment

FOURTH ANNUAL L.A. INTERNATIONAL TEA FESTIVAL RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN

Two-day trade and consumer tea event to take place August 16-17, 2014

(LOS ANGELES, CA; August 04, 2014) — The fourth annual Los Angeles International Tea Festival is coming to downtown Los Angeles August 16-17, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The trade and consumer event will bring together authors, industry experts, buyers, retailers, artists, educators and tea-lovers for two days of classes, tastings, and book signings at the Japanese-American Museum (100 N. Central Avenue).  The festival will allow attendees the opportunity to sample some of the world's finest and most varied flavors of teas, attend presentations by leading tea authors and industry experts, and meet premier tea and tea ware suppliers all in one location.

Speakers at this year’s event include Devan Shah, Founder of International Tea Importers & Chado Tea Room; author James Norwood Pratt; Tekeste Mehrateab, co-owner & COO of Chado Tea Room;  tea specialist and founding member of the Specialty Tea Institute Thomas Shu; pastry chef and culinary educator Robert Wemischner; and Rona Tison, Senior VP of Corporate Relations of ITO EN (North America); Dr. Mary Hardy, board certified in internal medicine and  a specialist in botanical and integrative medicine; author and meditation specialist Diana Rosen and many more.

Exhibitors include Chado tea room, Zen’s Tea House, American Tea Room, Waterfall Teas, Aiya America, Harney & Sons, Ito En, Tea Time Magazine, Art of Tea, ZenZeu Teas, Tea Gallerie, Lisa’s Berry Bowl, AOI America, JT & Tea Incorporate, Intriguing Air, Sencha Naturals, Bana Tea just to name a few.

Hours are 11:00 am to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17, 2014.  Tickets are $20 and include admission to the Festival Hall & Museum, free endless tastings offered by vendors, vendor presentations, World Origins Tour Presentation (Sunday), Japanese Tea Ceremony, and gift bag. All the Presentations are of limited seating and are on first come, first serve basis.

Visit www.teafestivalla.com to purchase tickets, find exhibitor information, and view an up-to-date calendar of speakers and workshops.

SOURCE Tea Festival LA

MURALS UNDER THE STARS | Mariachi Music & Plight of the Immigrants

MURALS UNDER THE STARS presents

Mariachi Music on August 15, 2014

&

Plight of the Immigrants on August 16, 2014

Sound Bite for MURALS UNDER THE STARS: 

Mariachi Music & Plight of the Immigrants

MURALS UNDER THE STARS: Mariachi Music will be presented this Friday, August 15th in the City of Lynwood! Join us for this FREE presentation as we enjoy the sounds of the Mexican musical phenomenon known as Mariachi!

WHEN:    Friday, August 15th
TIME:      7:00 pm

WHERE:       Burke-Ham Park
ADDRESS:   11832 Atlantic Ave., Lynwood CA 90262

COST:    FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

And then, on Saturday, August 16th, Gregorio Luke will present
MURALS UNDER THE STARS: The Plight of the Immigrants!

In light of current events, Gregorio Luke will contextualize the subject of immigration in America and will discuss this delicate subject with true vigor and fresh perspective.

MURALS UNDER THE STARS: The Plight of the Immigrants - a presentation not to be missed!

WHEN:   Saturday, August 16th
TIME:      8:00 pm

WHERE:       Park Corazones Verdes
ADDRESS:   602 E 4th St., Santa Ana CA 92701

COST:    FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

SOURCE Gregorio Luke | MURALS UNDER THE STARS

MURALS UNDER THE STARS presented by Gregorio Luke! Mexican Cuisine (8/8) | Ernest Hemingway (8/9)

"MURALS UNDER THE STARS" 

Mexican Cuisine (Aug 8) and Ernest Hemingway (Aug 9)

Sound Bite for MURALS UNDER THE STARS

Mexican Cuisine (Aug 8) and Ernest Hemingway (Aug 9)

MEXICAN CUISINE

Mexican cuisine is closely tied to the culture, social structure and popular traditions for the country. Rich with regional cuisines, such as can be tasted by dishes created in Veracruz and the Yucatan for example, Mexican cuisine is also filled with specialties ranging in use for special occasions, flavors distinctly its own, and dishes which reflect its rich history. 

For these reasons and others, Mexican cuisine has been recognized as very much a piece of its intangible cultural heritage.

Join Gregorio Luke this Friday, August 8 in the City of Duarte, as he engages with the audience on this delectable topic.


MURALS UNDER THE STARS: MEXICAN CUISINE

WHEN: Friday, August 8th
TIME:   6:00-8:30 pm

WHERE:    Pamela Park
ADDRESS: 2236 Goodall Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

COST:   FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

American Author. Journalist. International Celebrity. Icon.

Ernest Hemingway has long been regarded as a great writer whose works have left, and continue to leave, an indelible mark on readers the world over.  His life was fascinating; yet, how he wrote is what intrigues people even more. It has even been said that if one wishes to learn how to write, they need only read a book written by Hemingway.

Join Gregorio Luke this Saturday as he deconstructs Ernest Hemingway: A Man of Letters - A Man of Action.

MURALS UNDER THE STARS: ERNEST HEMINGWAY

WHEN: Saturday, August 9th
TIME:   8:00 pm

WHERE:    Granada Beach
ADDRESS: Granada Ave. & Ocean Blvd., Long Beach CA 90803

COST:   FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

"Molcajete y tejolote" by Kostasplus KONSTANTINOS TROVAS - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Molcajete_y_tejolote.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Molcajete_y_tejolote.jpg

SOURCE Gregorio Luke | MURALS UNDER THE STARS

Gregorio Luke's MURALS UNDER THE STARS: 8/1 - Mayan Civilization & 8/2 Miguel Covarrubias

MURALS UNDER THE STARS

August 1, 2014 | Mayan Civilization

August 2, 2014 | 
Miguel Covarrubias

Sound Bite for MURALS UNDER THE STARS: 
Mayan Civilization & Miguel Covarrubias

The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization known not only for its astonishingly beautiful ruins but also for its art, architecture, written language, and so much more!

Join Gregorio Luke as he explores the wonders of the Mayan civilization with his world-renown MURALS UNDER THE STARS!

WHEN:    Friday, August 1st
TIME:      7.00-9.00 pm

WHERE:       The Mercado de la Paloma
ADDRESS:   3655 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90007

COST:    FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

And then, on Saturday, August 2nd, Gregorio Luke will present

MURALS UNDER THE STARS: Miguel Covarrubias!

Miguel Covarrubias was a man of many talents! Theatre, Caricaturist. Painter. Ethnologist. Art Historian.

His contribution to art as a movement cannot and must not be underestimated. Additionally, much of the work he performed did a great service to the research, documentation and preservation of the artistic avenues he pursued.

Surely, MURALS UNDER THE STARS: Miguel Covarrubias is a presentation you do not want to miss!

WHEN:   Saturday, August 2nd
TIME:      7.00-9.00 pm

WHERE:       Loma Alto Park
ADDRESS:   3330 N. Lincoln Ave., Altadena CA 91001

COST:    FREE ADMISSION
               (donations appreciated)

To learn more and to find out about the next MURALS UNDER THE STARS...
Facebook:  Gregorio Luke Presents
Twitter:  @GLpresents

SOURCE Gregorio Luke | MURALS UNDER THE STARS

MURALS UNDER THE STARS, a multimedia presentation by eminent art historian, Gregorio Luke, presents...

SOR JUANA INEZ DE LA CRUZ

Sound Bite for MURALS UNDER THE STARS: Sor Juana

Enchantingly beautiful, intensely spiritual, and dangerously controversial, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, is considered the first feminist of the Americas!

She learned to read at age 3, and begged to be dressed like a man so she could attend the university, which was closed to women at the time. Amazed by her intellect, she was invited to live in the Royal Court; however, she later became a nun to dedicate herself to her studies.

Her poetry and prose voiced opinions that were so shocking and modern for Mexico in the 1600s that she was silenced by the church.

This Saturday, July 26th, we continue the journey! Become part of ARCOS and together we can bring art and beauty to everyone.

Donate here to #KeepArtFree. Every bit helps; and, your contribution helps MURALS UNDER THE STARS continue to take art to the people, for FREE.

MURALS UNDER THE STARS: SOR JUANA INES DE LA CRUZ

WHEN: Saturday, July 26th

TIME:   7.00-9.00 pm

WHERE:    Familias Corazones Verdes Park & Community Center

ADDRESS: 602 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana, CA 92701

COST:   FREE ADMISSION

           (donations appreciated)

To learn more and to find out about the next MURALS UNDER THE STARS, be sure to visit facebook (Gregorio Luke Presents) and follow on twitter (@GLpresents)!

SOURCE Gregorio Luke | MURALS UNDER THE STARS

Toonlets Animation and Side Effects Software Team Up to Create CG Animated Short MONSTRO!

MONSTRO! makes its festival debut July 2014 with screenings in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and more.

LOS ANGELES: July 11, 2014 - Side Effects Software, creator of Houdini 3D Animation and VFX tools, and Toonlets Animation, a content and production studio, are pleased to announce the North American debut of MONSTRO! Written and directed by Christopher Romano, MONSTRO! is a 10 minute, computer animated film starring Pili Montilla.

“MONSTRO! is horror story. A love story. A ribald comedy!”

Romano (MFA, ArtCenter) studied painting in school, but fell into the emerging world of computer animation shortly after graduation. His first independent films appeared on MTV’s Cartoon Sushi, on retail video, and in multiple film festivals. As a commercial director at DUCK, his anime-style spot KCRW Timebomb grabbed the attention of development executives. When looking to create MONSTRO!, Romano turned to Side Effects and Houdini to help facilitate his vision.

“I wanted to create a film with an adorable, stop motion feel. Something that looked smaller in scale and felt nostalgic. Very tilt-shift. And I wanted the production to be top notch. Using Houdini was a no brainer,” says Romano. “I’m very familiar with Houdini’s tools and procedural workflow. Once the edit came together, I knew I could easily keep adding more – more cloth, more hair, more water and more smoke. I could do whatever I wanted.”

“A rickety scientific expedition ventures down the Amazon River

to a dark lagoon in search of a mythic Creature...”

Executive Producer Kim Davidson, Side Effects President and co-creator of the show MONSTER BY MISTAKE for YTV, welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with Romano. ”I’ve known Chris for many years and always admired his work and quirky sense of humor”, said Davidson. “When he showed me the MONSTRO! script, I immediately said, ‘let’s do it!’”

Rigging and animation; hair, cloth, water, and smoke, lighting and rendering were all done in Houdini. In fact, every shot was rendered using Houdini Mantra in one pass, with depth of field and motion blur calculated at render time. All with a small crew that never numbered more than 3 animators at any moment. “Houdini proved to be the perfect solution for the project,” said animator Cinthia Fujii.

“I think one of the biggest technical achievements of MONSTRO! is that it’s all done with off-the-shelf tools,” says Romano. “No special wizardy. No battery of programmers. That let me focus more on story and style. I could turn around and start on another fun film tomorrow!”

MONSTRO! is now making its way onto the festival circuit and can be seen on Sunday, July 20 at 4:00 at the Topanga Film Festival and will include a "talk back” with Romano. MONSTRO! festival announcements and reminders can be found at https://twitter.com/toonlets.

MONSTRO! ©2014 Christopher Romano and Side Effects Software. All Rights Reserved.

Christopher Romano     |     http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0738863

Pili Montilla is an EMMY nominated TV host, actress, and producer. Her most recent projects include the successful comedy 200 Cartas and the thriller Desconocidos.