New Line Cinema's 'The New World' Serves as Lead-in to America's 400th Anniversary

New Line Cinema's 'The New World' Serves as Lead-in to America's 400th Anniversary

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- American movie audiences will be re-acquainted with the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas, when New Line Cinema's "The New World" hits the silver screen today.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051111/DCF015LOGO )

The story was inspired by actual events regarding the founding of Jamestown and is director Terrence Malick's unique interpretation of the relationships between Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Although not a re-telling of history, Jamestown 2007, the planners of America's 400th Anniversary, anticipate the film will spark interest in Jamestown as the country prepares to commemorate the 400th anniversary of its founding. The commemoration's 10 events will explore Jamestown's legacies for the nation, encourage learning about the country's foundations, and emphasize the three cultures -- Virginia Indian, European and African -- that converged during the settlement's early years.

"This film will help raise awareness of Jamestown and its pivotal role in the nation's development as we prepare to launch America's 400th Anniversary," said Jeanne Zeidler, executive director of Jamestown 2007. "The timing of the film fits well with the launch of the commemoration."

This sweeping adventure stars Colin Farrell as Captain John Smith, Christopher Plummer as Captain Christopher Newport, Christian Bale as John Rolfe, August Schellenberg as Chief Powhatan, and introduces Q'orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas. Renowned writer and director Malick and his production staff filmed scenes at Historic Jamestowne and nearby locations; they also incorporated into the sets many of the concepts revealed by recent archeology and research. Jamestown Settlement's replica 1607 ships -- Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant -- were used in the filming.

Jamestown 2007, a sub-agency of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, is coordinating efforts to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Va., the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. Jamestown is also the site of the nation's first representative government, free enterprise and multi-cultural society. State, national, and international commemorative events to salute these legacies begin in May 2006 and continue into 2008. Major corporate sponsors of America's 400th Anniversary include Norfolk Southern Corporation and Colonial Williamsburg. More information about the commemoration is available at http://www.americas400thanniversary.org/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051111/DCF015LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Jamestown 2007

CONTACT: Kevin Crossett of Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation,
+1-757-253-4534, or kevin.crossett@jyf.virginia.gov

Web site: http://www.americas400thanniversary.org/

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