September 29, 2003

Seattle’s ‘Damah Film Festival’ Captures Spiritual Experiences, Gathers Panel of Top Movie Producers and Actors, Oct. 23-25

SEATTLE, Wash., Sept. 29, 2003—Redemption, struggle, wonder, surprise. These raw, truthful moments define the essence of the Damah Film Festival—Spiritual Experiences in Film, a burgeoning annual arts event returning to Seattle, Wash., Oct. 23-25, 2003. The event will host amateur and professional filmmakers from around the world; jurors include a lineup of Hollywood heavyweights:

° Tom Shadyac, producer of Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar, and   Ace Ventura Pet Detective
° Ralph Winter, producer of X-Men 1&2 and Planet of the Apes   (available for interview onsite)
° Jonas McCord, director of The Body and Malice
° Howard Kazanjian, producer of Raiders of the Lost Ark and   Return of the Jedi
° Stephen Simon, producer of What Dreams May Come
° Scott Derrickson, director of Hellraiser: Inferno and Urban   Legends: Final Cut
° Kanjiro Sakura, producer of Japanese hits White Out and All   About Our House
° Janet Scott Batchler, screenwriter of Batman Forever and   Smoke & Mirrors
° Michael Medved, author and film critic of the New York Post,   CNN, and PBS
° David Wilcox, musician

Damah (an ancient Hebrew word that means “a metaphor that transforms”) is the only short film festival in the world focused solely on celebrating and exploring the spiritual dimension of life from diverse perspectives. Filmmakers will compete for more than $15,000 of awards in four categories based on length.

The three-day event at the Seattle Art Museum will feature 108 short films, expert panel discussions, and interactive screenings and workshops designed to stimulate discussion and provide a platform for spiritual expression. Filmmakers submitted entries with no limitations on acquisition format or genre, and their work will be judged on the power of the story created through the art of motion pictures, rather than on technical expertise or large budget effects.

“Damah Film Festival was created to inspire and transform the viewer with powerful, spiritual stories,” said Sean Dimond, co-founder of The Damah Group. “The artists represented here come from a variety of spiritual perspectives, and each film defines their own unique human experience seen through the lens of spiritual themes.”