BOBBY Returns to Kern County, California November 20th, 2006

BOBBY Returns to Kern County, California November 20th, 2006

California State Senator Dean Florez and Emilio Estevez Join Forces to Honor Robert F. Kennedy's Commitment to Human Rights

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weinstein Company in conjunction with California State Senator Dean Florez, is pleased to bring the feature film BOBBY to Bakersfield in Kern County, to commemorate Robert F. Kennedy's legacy on civil rights and equal opportunity. Emilio Estevez, writer, director and co-star of BOBBY and Sen. Florez will hold a special screening at the Fox Theater in Bakersfield at 7:30pm on November 20th and be on hand to introduce the film and participate in a question and answer session. BOBBY is presented by Bold Films and The Weinstein Company and will be released in the U.S. by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) in limited theaters on November 17th and nationwide on November 23rd.

"We will be welcoming United Farm Workers (UFW), activists, elected officials, college students and others who will use this film as a motivating force for change," said Emilio Estevez. "We are especially honored to have Mrs. Cesar Chavez and family, Dolores Huerta, social activist and co-founder of the UFW and current UFW President Arturo Rodriguez in attendance."

It was in nearby Delano, CA in 1965 that Senator Kennedy joined Cesar Chavez and refused to be silent in the face of injustice. Together they led the strike of California grape-pickers and the farm workers in their campaign. All Americans were encouraged to boycott grapes in support of the workers and their struggle for higher wages and safer working conditions. They succeeded in bringing national attention to the adverse conditions plaguing the workers. The end of the strike signified the first major victory for U.S. migrant workers.

Senator Florez stated, "I remember it was in Kern County that Senator Kennedy, chairing a Senate hearing on farm labor abuses, gave the local sheriff lessons on upholding the U.S. Constitution. During Bakersfield hearings of the Subcommittee on Migratory Labor, Senator Kennedy reminded Kern County sheriff Roy Galyen, who had arrested picketers, of the U.S. Constitution. He even joined a picket line supporting the grape strike."

Senator Florez has been a leader in the areas of clean air, farm worker safety, high-speed rail and government accountability. He has served as chairman of numerous committees with jurisdiction over agriculture; water, parks and wildlife; banking, commerce and international trade; and government oversight. He currently chairs the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization, which addresses issues relating to gaming, alcohol policy, government services and state emergencies.

ABOUT BOBBY

BOBBY, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, revisits the night Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968. With an incredible ensemble cast portraying fictionalized characters from a cross-section of America, the film follows 22 individuals who are all at the hotel for different purposes but share the common thread of anticipating Kennedy's arrival at the primary election night party, which would change their lives forever. This historic night is set against the backdrop of the cultural issues gripping the country at the time, including racism, sexual inequality and class differences.

The Weinstein Company and Bold Films present BOBBY, a Michel Litvak production of a film written and directed by Emilio Estevez. The film's producers are Michel Litvak, Edward Bass, and Holly Wiersma. The executive producers are Gary Michael Walters, Dan Grodnik, and Anthony Hopkins. The co-producers are Lisa Niedenthal, Athena Ashburn and David Lancaster. The film stars Harry Belafonte, Joy Bryant, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Brian Geraghty, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Joshua Jackson, David Krumholtz, Ashton Kutcher, Shia LaBeouf, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, Svetlana Metkina, Demi Moore, Freddy Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone, Jacob Vargas, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Elijah Wood.

Source: The Weinstein Company

CONTACT: Liz Berger of The Weinstein Company, +1-646-862-3809,
Liz.Berger@weinsteinco.com

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