The 8th Annual Artivist Film Festival

April 18, 2011, Los Angeles, CA. In a major expansion of its programming and brand, The Artivist Collective, the international nonprofit organization best known for its annual film festival, announced today it will host film screenings in seven U.S. cities simultaneous with its Artivist Film Festival event in
Los Angeles, July 8-10, at the historic Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.

In addition to Los Angeles, Artivist Film Festival screenings will be held in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Austin (Texas) and Sedona (Arizona).

Hosting simultaneous, coast-to-coast screening allows us to share our festivals mission, (of raising awareness for human rights, childrens advocacy, environmental preservation and the humane treatment of animals through international advocate films), with a wider national audience. Its also an opportunity for progressively-minded people to gather in a supportive environment providing informative films that inspire local and global action. We then connect our audiences to dozens of local NGOs where they can actively participate in affecting positive change says Diaky Diaz, co-founder and president of The Artivist Film Festival and Awards.

The name Artivist is a combination of artist and activist. Since its inception in 2003, Artivist has screened 400+ films representing more than 60 countries, and has produced film festival tours in Los
Angeles, New York, London, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Lisbon, that have reached more than 35 million people.

Among the films presented at the Artivist Film Festival over the years have been Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels and Academy Award nominee Super-Size Me as well as the Los Angeles Premiere of critically-acclaimed documentaries God Sleeps In Rwanda, Fast Food
Nation, Emmanuelles Gift, Zeitgeist, Trudell, Stolen Childhoods, and Regeneration.

In addition to film screenings, the Artivist Film Festival includes panel discussions and filmmaker-audience question & answer sessions, receptions and live musical entertainment. The Los Angeles festival annually hosts a Closing Night awards program in which a Hollywood celebrity is honored for
their Lifetime Achievement in the Arts & Advocacy. Last years recipient was Hollywood icon and Academy Award Winner Peter Fonda. Past recipient have included Matthew McConnaughey, Joaquin Phoenix, Ted Danson, Mira Sorvino, Ed Begley, Jr., Olivia Wilde, Tipi Hedren, James
Cromwell, and Hank Azaria.

The festival also works closely with NGOs in the presentation of film screenings and panel discussions. Artivist has been endorsed by the Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Care, Amnesty International, The Humane Society of the United States, Global Green and many other NGOs as well as by the United
Nations Department of Public Information.

This year, Artivist proudly welcomes back PETROBRAS as its Official Community Partner. For the past five years Petrobras has supported the efforts and expansion of the Artivist Film Festival. Understanding the interdependence between humanity, animals, and the environment is crucial in our
global community. By working with individuals and groups, organizations and companies, we can create long-term solutions to our global problems.

ARTIVIST is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All proceeds benefit the Annual Artivist Film Festival, creating a platform for socially conscious "Artivists" to share their inspirational and informative films with the world.