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You’re closer to the stars in Lake Arrowhead !

LAFF ANNOUNCES BIGGEST, BEST FEST YET!

Welcome to The Lake Arrowhead Film Festival’s most ambitious and star-studded program ever.  Among the many distinguished filmmakers who will be honored by this year’s festival are three-time Emmy Award winner (and local resident) Harry Sherman, and five-time Emmy Award winning cinematographer Donald M. Morgan, ASC. Performers receiving honors include acclaimed actors Gena Rowlands, Ernie Hudson and Eric Roberts.  Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt will receive the festival’s Humanitarian Award.

This year’s festival – now known as “The Lake Arrowhead Film Festival:  Film, Television and Beyond” – has expanded its scope to honor distinguished professionals in the fields of television and new media as well as in theatrical film.  “I’m extremely excited about the way this year’s festival is coming together” said Festival President Mary Dippell.  “Movie enthusiasts are going to have the time of their life!”

The festival will take place from Friday, April 20, through Sunday, April 22, and for the second consecutive year, the festival will take place entirely at the beautifully renovated Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa.  “The Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa is very pleased to serve as hosts for the 2007 Lake Arrowhead Film Festival," said Peter Henry, general manager of the resort.  "The relationship between the Lake Arrowhead and Hollywood communities goes back decades. We are very proud to play a starring role in the continuation of that tradition."

The honorees will receive their awards at the film festival’s Gala Awards Dinner on Friday night, April 20^th.  Actor Christopher McDonald – a 2006 LAFF honoree – will serve as Master of Ceremonies.  Here’s a little bit about this year’s honorees (in alphabetical order): 

While actor Ernie Hudson will always be remembered for his memorable role in the Ghostbusters movies, his varied and distinguished career includes over 100 television and film screen credits and appearances, including his current role as “Detective Ridley” on the smash hit Desperate Housewives.   Ernie won the Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series for Oz in 1999, and has recently turned to producing.  Other memorable appearances in recent years include Lackawanna Blues, The Ron Clark Story and the popular Miss Congeniality movies.    

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt portrays “Melinda Gordon” – a young newlywed who delivers messages from the dead – on CBS’ hit drama series, Ghost Whisperer.  Amid many other memorable performances, Hewitt received critical acclaim as the title role in the ABC Original Movie The Audrey Hepburn Story and is known to television audiences as “Sarah Reeves” from the award-winning drama series Party of Five.  Ms. Love Hewitt will receive this year’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of her contributions to the mountains community in the wake of the Old Fire in 2003. 

Donald M. Morgan, ASC has compiled over 60 credits including such diverse features as the groundbreaking sci-fi film Starman and the eerie thriller Christine.   Morgan has earned four Outstanding Achievement Awards in the annual American Society of Cinematographers competition for Murder in Mississippi , Dillinger, Geronimo, and The Siege at Ruby Ridge.  In total, Mr. Morgan has received nine Emmy nominations for Outstanding Cinematography and has won five times!  His most recent work includes Sybil with director Joe Sargent and Walkout with director Edward James Olmos.

Actor Eric Roberts’ distinguished career has included Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Runaway Train as well as Golden Globe nominations for King of the Gypsies and Star 80.  One of Eric’s most memorable experiences was appearing in the Emmy-nominated television adaptation of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.  Other notable performances include Final Analysis, The Pope of Greenwich Village, and Raggedy Man.    His television work includes the ABC comedy Less Than Perfect and appearances in music videos by Mariah Carey and The Killers.

Screen legend Gena Rowlands is quite simply one of the finest and most honored actresses of her generation.  She has been nominated for numerous Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards – winning three Emmy’s and two Golden Globes.  Career highlights include her Oscar nominated performances in Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence.  In fact, her performance as Mabel Longhetti in A Woman Under the Influence is ranked as one of Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.  Her recent appearances include The Notebook (directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes) and she is also well-known for her many collaborations with her late-husband, director/actor John Cassavetes. 

Celebrated producer Harry Sherman has worked on dozens of television movies.  But nothing compares to the streak he compiled in the mid 1970’s when, for three consecutive years, his films won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Special – Drama or Comedy.  He won in ’76 with Eleanor and Franklin, in ’77 for Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years, and then again in ’78 for The Gathering.  Mr. Sherman, a full-time Lake Arrowhead resident and an active member of the community, also served as producer on several TV series including Cagney and Lacey, McMillan and Wife, and Get Smart.

All celebrity appearances and special events are subject to change or cancellation.