The Heartland Film Festival and the NCAA to Hold Special Event Screening of GLORY ROAD

The Heartland Film Festival and the NCAA to Hold Special Event Screening of GLORY ROAD

GLORY ROAD Will Open the National Collegiate Athletic Association Convention in Indianapolis on January 6th

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Heartland Film Festival(R) announced today that they will hold a special event screening of Walt Disney Pictures' GLORY ROAD at the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) annual convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on Friday, January 6th. The special event will be in honor of the film festival's 15th anniversary as well as the 100th anniversary of the NCAA. The event will be held at the historic Murat Theatre in downtown Indianapolis for Heartland guests, NCAA delegates and dignitaries. GLORY ROAD tells the inspiring true story of the underdog Texas Western basketball team, with history's first all African American starting lineup of players, who took the country by storm, surprisingly winning the 1966 NCAA tournament title. The film will be released nationally on January 13, 2006.

"By hosting this special event screening with the NCAA, Heartland Film Festival continues to fulfill its mission to feature and honor films like GLORY ROAD that exemplify the best of the human spirit," said Jeffrey L. Sparks, president of the Heartland Film Festival. "We are also thrilled to work with Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films in screening this Truly Moving Picture and are honored to hold this event for the NCAA and its delegates."

The 1966 men's basketball championship was chosen as one of the "NCAA's 25 Defining Moments" by a special panel that included college presidents, athletics directors, faculty representatives, student-athletes and conference representatives, and will be featured as one of 25 30-second vignettes on ESPN Classic and ESPNU beginning in January.

"The fact that a film has been made about the 1966 NCAA men's basketball championship and it was also selected by our membership as one of the 'NCAA's 25 Defining Moments' list is an example that the NCAA not only shapes college athletics, but it also plays an important role in shaping American society," said John Johnson, NCAA director of promotions and events. "We are excited to be able to bring this special screening of GLORY ROAD to our delegates attending the NCAA Convention as we kick off the NCAA Centennial celebration. We appreciate the opportunity Heartland Film Festival and Walt Disney have presented to us, by working with us and allowing this special screening to occur in conjunction with the Convention."

Truly Moving Pictures(SM) are films that explore the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. These films unlock the vast potential of the human spirit and enable us to view stories that display courage, integrity and hope, taking entertainment to a higher level. For more than a decade the goal of Heartland has remained the same: to make a positive impact on American culture through film and to encourage moviegoers to see life differently. More information is available at the official Web site: www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org or visit www.TrulyMovingPictures.org to view Heartland's list of Truly Moving Pictures.

About the Heartland Film Festival

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, ranging from dramas to documentaries to animation. Heartland awards more than $100,000 in cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival's top entries, including a $50,000 grand prize for best dramatic feature. The Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners for the best student films and the Crystal Heart Award winners share the remaining money. The Crystal Heart Award cash prizes are given in honor of Max Simon by his parents, Melvin and Bren Simon, through 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.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges, universities and athletics conferences committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 360,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 49,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. For more information, visit www.ncaa.org.

Media contacts: Lynda Dorf / Alfred Hopton
B|W|R Public Relations
(310) 248-6105 / (310) 248-6160
ldorf@bwr-la.com / ahopton@bwr-la.com

Source: Heartland Film Festival

CONTACT: Lynda Dorf, +1-310-248-6105, ldorf@bwr-la.com, or Alfred
Hopton, +1-310-248-6160, ahopton@bwr-la.com, both of B|W|R Public Relations,
for Heartland Film Festival

Web site: http://www.ncaa.org/
http://www.trulymovingpictures.org/
http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/

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