This year, the Backlot Film Festival will be held at the Veterans Memorial Building at 41227Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230. The festival will take place April 2 through April 5. The 2008 schedule for feature films, tribute screenings, and the awards ceremony is now released to the public.

Ticket prices for students are: $100 for event passes, $5 for screenings, $25 for weekday passes, and $50 for Saturday passes.

Ticket prices for seniors are: $50 for event passes, $3 for screenings, $15 for weekday passes, and $25 for Saturday passes.

VIP Reception tickets are $250. For more information and to purchase tickets please visit to www.backlotfilmfestival.com or call 310-398-0646.

This year’s Backlot Film Festival will bestow Carl Reiner, a multi-faceted artist with credits as a writer, director, actor, and producer, with the ‘Thomas Ince Award’ for his contribution to the industry. The festival will also screen two of his featueres, “The Comic” an “All of Me,” as well as two of his favorite episodes from the T.V. series “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

The Thomas Ince Award is named for Thomas Ince, a pioneer in early film production who greatly influenced the model of production procedures and standards used today and greatly molded the image of Hollywood movies. Past honorees of this award include journalist and producer Daniel M. Selznick (“Gone With the Wind: The Making Of A Legend”) and writer and producer Budd Schulberg (“On The Waterfront” and “A Face In The Crowd”).

This year, the festival will for the first time award student filmmakers with the ‘Arthur Freed Award’ for Best Student Film. Arthur Freed was a legendary songwriter and producer. His films “DuBarry Was A Lady,” “Cabin In the Sky,” and “Gigi” will also be screened.  The award will be presented by Stephen A. Saltzman, Arthur Freed’s grandson and president of Arthur Freed Productions.

In addition, Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, will receive a ‘Founder’s Award’ for his support and contributions to the arts and the film industry.

The screening schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, April 2:
12 noon
“DuBarry Was Lady” – Arthur Freed Tribute Film
Musical comedy starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball and Gene Kelly
 
2:00pm
“Chekov and Maria” – World Premiere
The drama focuses on the Russian playwright and his sister, who are at odds over his secret marriage, as he struggles to complete his masterpiece, “The Cherry Orchard.” Based on the critically acclaimed play. Starring Ron Battitta and Gillian Brashear. Produced by John Stark, directed by Eric Till, written by Jovanka Bach

4:00pm
“Roses of April” – World Premiere
The Native American drama explores the intense bonds of a family’s relationship, slowly being undermined by the government, when a young girl decides to become an astronaut. Starring Carolina Hoyos, John DiVito, Norman Hall and Anita Poirer. Produced, written and directed by Claudia Damasceno

7:00pm
“Yesterday Was Lie” – West Coast Premiere
Secrets of the universe are revealed as a woman searches for the truth that lies within the human heart in this sci-fi film noir. Starring Kipleigh Brown, Chase Materson, John Newton and Mik Scriba. Produced by Chase Masterson, written and directed by James Kerwin

9:00pm
“InAlienable” – World Premiere
Guilt ridden over the death of his family, a man discovers his body is host to a parasite from another world that the government believes is a threat to mankind. Starring Richard Hatch, Courtney Peldon and Walter Koenig. Directed by Robert Dyke, written by Walter Koenig

Thursday, April 3:
12 noon
“12” (Act or Die)
Two illegitimate off springs of Zeus must perform a play, flawless for his amusement, in order to save themselves and their home, in this comedy. Starring Alison Elliot, Tony Griffin, Alan Lulu and Brenda Varda. Written and directed by Lawrence Bridges

2:00pm
“Castaways of ATA” – United States Premiere
The Australian documentary, that has become a famous folktale, follows the lives of five men from Tonga, who re-unite forty years later to re-tell their tale of survival on a tiny Pacific island. Produced, written and directed by Steve Bowman

3:00pm
Students Short Film Competition
“A Slice of Trouble,” “Dandelion,” Express Lane,” “Rib,” The Romanovs’ Last Photograph” and “The Winer.”

4:00pm
“La Cucina”
Promises and frustrations unfold during the dinner hour as the lives of apartment neighbors intertwine in this romantic dramedy. Starring Christina Hendrix, Joaquim de Almeida and Rachel Hunter. Directed by Allison R. Hebble and Zed Starkovich. Written by Allison Wilke

7:00pm
“Lady Magdelene’s” – Los Angeles Premiere
The suspense comedy follows a disgraced IRS agent, managing a brothel in Nevada, who uncovers a terrorist plot to destroy Hoover Dam. Introduced and starring Nichelle Nichols, Ethan Keogh and Susan Smythe. Produced, written and directed by J. Neil Schuman. Q & A to follow the screening.

9:00pm
“Cabin In The Sky” – Arthur Freed Tribute Film
One of Hollywood’s first all-black musicals marks the directing debut of Vincente Minnelli. Starring Ethel Waters, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Introduced by Nichelle Nichols who was discovered and sang with DukeEllington, while still in her teens.

Friday, April 4:
12 noon
"Muse Of Fire”
A documentary based on the book “Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afganistan and the Home Front in the World or U.S. Troops and Their Families,” sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, includes readings by Kevin Costner, Edward Parker Gyokeres and writer Jack Lewis Q & A with filmmaker Lawrence Bridges will follow the screening. Proceeds will benefit the Los Angeles Veterans Artistic Alliance.

2:00pm
Special Presentation:
“Debriefing”
A project produced by Los Angeles Area Veterans Artists Alliance. A Q & A with Artist Director Keith Jeffreys will follow the screening, with proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles Veterans Artistic Alliance.

3:00pm
“OJ Is Guilty – But Not of Murder” (the overlooked suspect) Los Angeles Premiere
A documentary by private investigator and author William C. Dear, that exposes new evidence on one of America’s most controversial murder trials. Executive Produced by William C. Dear, produced by John McCready. Q&A to follow the screening.

6:00pm
Carl Reiner Tribute: Two Episodes from “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Coast To Coast Bigmouth” and “The Lives and Loves of Joe Coogan.”

7:00pm
“The Comic” – Carl Reiner Tribute Film
Dick Van Dyke, Michelle Lee and Mickey Rooney star in the trials and tribulations of silent screen comic Billy Bright.

9:00pm
“All of Me” – Carl Reiner Tribute Film
Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin star in this romp, as a dying millionaire inadvertently becomes trapped in her lawyers’ body.

Saturday, April 5:
10:00am
“In Search of the Second Amendment”
The documentary explores the history of the American right to arms and how it impacts our lives in the 21st century. Produced and directed by David T. Hardy.

12 noon
“Truce Hurts,” a Tom and Jerry cartoon – Arthur Freed Tribute Film
“Gigi” (50th Anniversary Celebration. The multiple Academy Award winning Lerner and Loewe musical, set in Paris, is directed by Vincente Minnelli and stars Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan and Hermione Gingold.

3:00pm
“Train Master” –World Premiere
In the family film, a retired train master must save his grandson, his former boss’ son and three other children careening on a runaway train. Starring Jonathan Hall, Michael Biesanz, Mercedes Rose, Elijah Nelson. Written and Directed by Phil Bramson.

6:00pm
VIP Reception and Gala for Carl Riener

7:00pm
Festival Awards Ceremony and honorees:
Carl Reiner – ‘Thomas Ince Award’ for excellence in filmmaking
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky – ‘Founder’s Award’ for support of the motion picture industry
‘Arthur Freed Award’ for Best Student Film and Backlot Awards for Best Independent Fiction Feature, Best Documentary and Best Short Film.

Shorts entered into competition and lectures will be presented in the Iksan/Yanju City Rooms. The schedule will be announced shortly.