March 24, 2006

DAMAH AWARDS SCOTT DERRICKSON FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPIRITUAL FILMMAKING

“Exorcism of Emily Rose” Writer and Director Honored

Damah Film Festival-Spiritual Experiences In Film has announced that this year's award for Excellence in Spiritual Filmmaking will go to writer and director Scott Derrickson. The award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by filmmakers exploring spiritual themes, will be awarded to Derrickson at the festival, held in Culver City, California from May 19-21 st .

“I'm very happy about receiving this award from Damah – it's fantastic,” said Derrickson upon hearing the news. “Damah is an extraordinary event. There is nothing quite like it – it's a totally unique celebration of spirituality in film. I've attended Damah, and it's both personally and cinematically a marvelous experience.”

Scott Derrickson's film credits include “Hellraiser: Inferno,” “Love in Ruins,” “Urban Legends: Final Cut,” “Land of Plenty,” as well as 2005's critical and popular box office hit “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” and this year's “The Visitation.” Derrickson has effectively used horror films to explore and stimulate audiences to think about the transcendent. .

“Horror, of all the film genres, is perhaps the most welcoming to spiritual themes and ideas,” the award-winning Derrickson explains. “It is not off-putting to the audience as it taps into things like the unknown, paranormal, mystery, and good and evil.”

Founded in 2001, the Damah Film Festival is open to all traditions and perspectives. Damah (“dù mah´” -- a Hebrew word meaning “a metaphor that transforms”) is dedicated to encouraging an emerging generation of filmmakers from diverse perspectives to voice the spiritual aspect of the human experience through film. Damah 2006 jurors include Ralph Winter (“X-Men,” “Fantastic Four”), Hunt Lowry (“The Last of the Mohicans,” “Airplane!”), Stephen McEveety (“Braveheart,” “The Passion of the Christ”) and film critic Michael Medved. Tickets and more information are available at www.damah.com

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If you'd like more information about the Damah Film Festival, or to schedule an interview, please contact Laura Kobzeff: (916) 425-8820 or

info@damah.com