“SAVING SHILOH” HONORED AS TRULY MOVING PICTURE

Film is newest Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award recipient

Heartland Film Festival® is pleased to announce that “Saving Shiloh” has joined an elite list of films to receive Heartland Truly Moving Picture Awards. Based on the last novel in the popular Shiloh trilogy by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, “Saving Shiloh,” takes place a year after young Marty Preston has saved his beloved beagle Shiloh from his former owner, Judd Travers. The story unfolds with a murder mystery in the Preston's rural West Virginia town. Although Marty feels Judd's character has changed for the better, town residents are suspicious that Judd is responsible for the murder and subsequent robberies that take place. The New Dog Distribution and Utopia Pictures film opens in select theaters on Friday, May 12.

"Heartland is proud to honor ‘Saving Shiloh’ with our Truly Moving Picture Award," said Jeffrey L. Sparks, president of Heartland Film Festival. "We are excited to help promote another heartwarming drama from the Shiloh book series to families around the world."

“Saving Shiloh” joins other 2006 recipients “Glory Road,” “Nanny McPhee,” “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days,” “Take the Lead,” and “Tsotsi.” Forty-three (43) films have been honored since the Award’s inception in 2000.  To view Heartland’s complete list of Truly Moving Pictures, visit www.TrulyMovingPictures.org

Heartland created the Truly Moving Picture Award as a way to honor theatrically-released films that demonstrate the Heartland purpose with excellence, inspiring and enriching lives. Submissions are received directly from studios and producers for consideration. Since the industry decides a film’s success based on the opening weekend box office, Heartland encourages audiences to attend a Truly Moving Picture on its first weekend.

Heartland Film Festival will celebrate 15 years of honoring Truly Moving Pictures during the annual Festival, October 19-27, 2006 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Visit www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org to learn more about Heartland and this year’s anniversary celebration.

Heartland Film Festival, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. Each October, Heartland screens Truly Moving Pictures from around the world and presents cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival’s top entries. In 2006, Heartland will increase its total prize money to $200,000. This includes doubling its Grand Prize for Best Dramatic Feature to $100,000 and two new awards: a $25,000 cash prize for Best Documentary Feature and a $10,000 cash prize for Best Short Film. The remaining $65,000 will be shared among the 2006 Crystal Heart and Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners. The Crystal Heart Award cash prizes are made possible by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and the Max Simon Charitable Foundation.  In 14 years, Heartland has awarded more than $1.4 million to support filmmakers in their quest to create Truly Moving Pictures.