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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Maurya Simon
[mailto:maurya.simon@ucr.edu] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 15, 2006
12:20 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Amanda Labagnara<BR><B>Subject:</B> Fwd: Riverside
International Film Festival OPENING FEB 17<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Dear
Amanda,<BR><BR>Please forward this announcement to everyone. Thanks,
Maurya<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face=times><B>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<BR>Contact:
Patrick
Brien<BR>
(951)
680-1345<BR>
pbrien@riversideartscouncil.org<BR></B></FONT><FONT
face=arial> <BR></FONT>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=times size=4><B>Riverside International Film
Festival Opens With Gala Event <BR>and World Premiere of <I>American
Blend<BR></I></DIV>
<BR>
<DIV align=center><U>February 17, 2006<BR></U>6:00 p.m.</FONT> champagne
reception<BR><FONT face=times size=4>University Extension<BR>1200 University
Avenue</FONT> in Riverside<BR><FONT face=times size=4>Followed by the World
Premiere of <I>American Blend<BR></I>A film by Varun Khanna starring Dee
Wallace Stone<BR>$50 per person/$80 per couple<BR>Reserve by calling (951)
686-1434<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times"
size=4> <BR></B></FONT></DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times">The
Riverside International Film Festival will open on Friday, February 17 with
the World Premiere of American Blend, starring Dee Wallace Stone. While
her many feature film credits include such classics as <I>The Hills Have
Eyes</I>, <I>The Howling</I>, <I>Cujo</I>, <I>Secret Admirer</I>, <I>The
Frighteners</I>, and <I>10</I>,<I> </I>the actress is best known for her
starring role in Steven Spielberg’s <I>E.T. </I>Wallace Stone will also be
appearing in ABC’s upcoming series <I>Sons and Daughters</I>. Prior to
the film, the Festival will host a champagne reception during which they will
present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Wallace Stone.
<BR> <BR><I>American Blend</I> revolves around the Chadha family, who are
Californians on the outside but deeply rooted in Indian tradition
within. Raj Chadha (Anupam Kher) runs Bollywood Café, a family-owned
restaurant with his wife and two children. After his wife dies, Raj
marries Jayme (Wallace Stone), a Caucasian-American with a daughter.
Life in the Chadha home sails by smoothly, until lightning strikes without
warning and unearths a secret that has lain buried for years. A
heart-warming drama filled with music and dance, <I>American Blend</I> is the
highly anticipated second feature by director Varun Khanna, whose <I>Beyond
Honor</I> was released to great acclaim last year. <BR> <BR>Wallace
Stone, Khanna and many members of the cast will be present for the reception
and the screening. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. at the University
Extension, located at 1200 University Avenue in Riverside. The film will
be shown at the University Metropolitan Cinemas across the street from the
reception. Tickets for the evening are $50 each or $80 per couple and
can be reserved by calling (951) 686-1434.<BR> <BR>The Riverside
International Film Festival will be held February 17 through 26, with
screenings taking place at the Metropolitan University Village, located at
1201A University Avenue in Riverside. Specific times will be announced
soon. Tickets are currently available, with a Festival Pass on sale for
$100. Ten ticket packages are on sale for $70, with a discounted price
<BR>of $45 available for students and seniors. Individual tickets are
available for $8 to the general public and $5 for students and seniors.
To view a complete schedule of films or to purchase tickets, visit the
Riverside International Film Festival website at <A
href="http://www.riversidefilmfest.org. /"
eudora="autourl">www.riversidefilmfest.org. </A>To order tickets by phone,
call (951) 682-4456. For more information on the Riverside International
Film Festival, as well as other arts organizations and events throughout
Riverside and San Bernardino counties, visit <A
href="http://www.inlandarts.com/"
eudora="autourl">www.inlandarts.com</A>.<BR> <BR>Sponsors to date for the
Riverside International Film Festival include The City of Riverside, Riverside
Public Utilities, the Riverside Arts Council, DigiQuest Studio, The
Press-Enterprise, UCR College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Capree
Escrow, First American Title, PFF Bank and Trust, Riverside Personnel
Services, Raj Gahndi, John Swierczek, Provident Bank Mortgage, Inland
Printwork, Tower Realty, Riverside Community Hospital, the Mexican Consulate,
La Sierra University, and Riverside Community College.<BR> <BR>
<DIV align=center><I>-30-<BR></I></DIV><B> </BLOCKQUOTE><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP>Maurya Simon<BR><BR>Professor <BR>Department of Creative
Writing<BR>University of California Riverside<BR>900 University
Avenue<BR>Riverside, CA 92521-0318<BR><BR>TEL. (951) 827-2006
(office)<BR><BR>FAX: (951) 827-3619 <BR></FONT></B></P></BODY></HTML>