For Immediate Release – April 14, 2009
INDEPENDENT AMERICA – RISING FROM RUINS, WINS BEST FEATURE AT NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
NEW ORLEANS/TORONTO APRIL 14, 2009 - Independent America: Rising from Ruins has won the Patois Award for Best Feature at the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival. The film (70’, HD) (http://www.risingfromruins.com) takes a hard yet hopeful look at the risks and rewards faced by entrepreneurs leading the recovery in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Emily Ratner, Festival Co-Director states, “We are thrilled to present the Patois Award for Best Feature to the film Independent America: Rising From Ruins. This award is one of the highest honors that our festival bestows and is given to the film that most exemplifies our mission: using the media of film to generate and promote community dialogue about important social justice issues. Rising from Ruins is exactly the kind of film we love to present. It is a powerful film that is especially relevant to all of us living here in New Orleans. And it’s great filmmaking.”
The film’s director Hanson Hosein, former NBC foreign correspondent and Emmy winner, adds: "It's daunting to make a film about such a storied city as New Orleans. So this award tells me that we got it right. It's exactly the momentum we need as we take “Rising from Ruins” national. Post-Katrina New Orleans offers many lessons for a country in crisis, especially how fiercely independent local businesses can help resuscitate an economy." Hosein is the Director of the Master of Communication in Digital Media http://mcdm.washington.edu/ program at the University of Washington.
Executive Producer, Tom Powers from Open Door states: “We are honored to have been given this award – particularly in New Orleans. It means a lot and we look forward to screening the film around the country”. He noted the film’s next screening will be at the Seattle International Film Festival in May.
Independent America: Rising From Ruins, is a co-production of Open Door Co. and HRH Media.
About PATOIS: New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival (www.patoisfilmfest.org <http://www.patoisfilmfest.org> )
PATOIS was founded by New Orleans artists and activists, and is dedicated to nurturing the city's human rights community. PATOIS is the language spoken at the intersection of art and social justice.
About Open Door (www.opendoorco.com)
Launched in 2005, Open Door is in the business of producing, acquiring, distributing and investing in Content That Matters. It is content with a Double Bottom Line:
• High impact personal, social & political themes, characters and subjects
• Provocative, edgy, uncomfortable, thoughtful, intelligent, challenging
• Real stories that make a difference in who we are, how we view ourselves and how we relate to others
About HRH Media (www.hrhmedia.com)
HRH Media is an independent production company headed by Emmy Award winner and NBC foreign correspondent, Hanson Hosein and his partner, network news journalist Heather Hughes (NBC, MSNBC). Hosein is presently Director of the Master of Communications in Digital Media program http://www.uwdigitalmedia.org/ at the University of Washington in Seattle.
CONTACT
Tom Powers, Executive Producer: (416) 855-7386; tpowers@opendoorco.com
Emily Ratner, Co-director, New Orleans International Film Festival: (216) 978-1395
emily@nolahumanrights.org
Comments