“TAKE THE LEAD” HITS MARK AS MOVING FILM

Film is newest Heartland Film Festival Truly Moving Picture Award recipient

Heartland Film Festival® is pleased to announce that “Take the Lead” by New Line Cinema has joined an elite list of films to receive Heartland Truly Moving Picture Awards. Based on real-life events, Antonio Banderas stars in “Take the Lead” as internationally acclaimed ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine, who sets out to inspire tough New York public school kids through dance. When the students introduce him to their own style, the result is a new hybrid dance that bonds them all. “Take the Lead” opens nationwide on April 7.

"Heartland is thrilled to award 'Take the Lead,’" said Jeffrey L. Sparks, president of Heartland Film Festival. "We are especially excited to honor a dramatic adaptation of a previous Truly Moving Picture, 'Mad Hot Ballroom.’"

“Take the Lead” is the newest recipient of Heartland’s Truly Moving Picture Award. The 2006 recipients (to date) include: “Glory Road,” “Nanny McPhee,” “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” and “Tsotsi.” Forty-two (42) films have been honored since the Award’s inception in 2000.

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.

“Take the Lead” is a drama inspired by the true story of Pierre Dulaine, an inspirational Manhattan dance teacher and competitor who volunteers his time to teach ballroom dancing to a diverse group of New York inner-city high school students serving detention.

The students are initially skeptical of Dulaine, especially when they learn what he’s there to teach them, but his unwavering commitment and dedication slowly inspire them to embrace his program. In fact, they even take it one step further and combine Dulaine’s classical dance with their unique hip-hop style and music to create a high-energy, unique fusion. As Dulaine becomes a mentor for his students, many of whom haven’t had much to strive towards in their lives, he inspires them to hone their craft for a prestigious city ballroom competition, and in return they share with each other valuable lessons about pride, respect and honor.

Joining Antonio Banderas in the ensemble cast are Rob Brown (“Coach Carter”), Yaya DaCosta (UPN’s “Top Model”), Dante Basco (“Biker Boyz”), John Ortiz (“Narc”), Laura Benanti (“Nine”), Marcus T. Paulk (UPN’s “Moesha”), Jenna Dewan (“Tamara”) and Alfre Woodard (“Beauty Shop”). “Take the Lead” marks the feature film debut of veteran music video and commercial director Liz Friedlander, who helmed videos for numerous artists like U2, Blink 182 and Simple Plan. The film is written by Dianne Houston and produced by Diane Nabatoff, Michelle Grace and Christopher Godsick.

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. In 14 years, Heartland has awarded more than $1.4 million to support filmmakers in their quest to create Truly Moving Pictures.