Actress, Mary Steenburgen To Be Honored With Lifetime Career Achievement Award As The 11th Annual Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival Goes ‘Ballroom’ on Opening Night

It’s not often, you’ll find an independent film festival launching with a red carpet/ballroom affair. But this year, The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival (TVIFF) is proud to announce they will take a new turn on the dance floor screening Shoreline Entertainment’s MARILYN HOTCHKISS BALLROOM DANCING AND CHARM SCHOOL as the official opening night film. Academy Award winning Actress, Mary Steenburgen, who stars as “Merienne Hotchkiss’ in the film, will be present Opening Night at The Movie Experience (25735 Ynez Road) at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14th, 2005, to accept herOutstanding Career Achievement Award honors.

Steenburgen, is among an impressive Hollywood slate of actors in the film including, Robert Carlyle, Oscar-winner, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman, Danny DeVito, Sean Astin, Donnie Wahlberg, David Paymer, Camryn Manheim, Adam Arkin, Sonia Braga, Elden Henson, Ernie Hudson and Miguel Sandoval. The film was featured earlier this year at Sundance and is about how lost dreams and tarnished expectations can evolve into hope and even joy, revealing the forever astonishing ways our lives design themselves. The 103 minute film is Directed by Randall Miller and written and produced by Randall Miller and Jodi Savin, both will be in attendance Opening Night.

Steenburgen, aside from having an Oscar on her mantle for her role in MELVIN AND HOWARD, and was most recently seen in the Emmy nominated JOAN OF ARCADIA TV series, has had a colorful career in numerous diverse roles. From IT MUST BE LOVE co-starring her husband, Ted Danson to roles in feature films, PHILADELPHIA, WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, PARENTHOOD, BACK TO THE FUTURE, PART III, NIXON, LIFE AS A HOUSE and I AM SAM, Steenburgen often surprises audiences and fans with the unexpected, such as roles in ELF with Will Ferrell.

Opening night is just as big as the closing finale’ – as it begins the festivities, setting the tone for the entire week event, with a star-filled red-carpet entrance at 5:00 p.m. With filmmakers music artists, special dignitaries, festival participants and celebrities leading the way the opening night film screening, the evening is capped with an 8:30 p.m. post-screening party to get the rest of the festival activities underway.

TVIFF's tradition remains a constant - presenting excellence in film and music has featured emerging styles from North America and 20+ countries around the world. The Opening Night Festivities jumpstarts a nine-day event, followed by daily and nightly film screenings and filmmaker/musician receptions, industry workshops, a Lifetime and Career Achievement Awards Black Tie Gala, a Sunday morning Hot Air Balloon Ride, a Closing Night Wrap party and Best of Fest special screening presentations and much more.

The 11th Annual Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival runs Sept. 14-Sept. 22, 2005 at the Movie Experience Theaters at Tower Plaza Center. Tickets will be available to the general public Aug. 30, 2005. For more event details, log on to www.tviff.com or call (951) 699-5514.