Eight Middle School Students to Attend 2012 Palm Springs International Film Fest Awards Gala with Mayor Pougnet Contact: Amy Blaisdell Communications Director City of Palm Springs (760) 323-8250 Dec. 20, 2011 Eight lucky Palm Springs middle school students with an interest in the entertainment industry will don their very best threads and walk the red carpet along with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron and some of the biggest film stars in the world on Saturday, Jan 7 as special guests of Mayor Steve Pougnet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s star-studded black-tie Awards Gala – the biggest and most glamorous event of the Coachella Valley season! This year’s excited students are: Carol Ann Bartley, Desert Chapel Middle School Dailon Botley, Raymond Cree Middle School Zjarve Crawford, Raymond Cree Middle School Jonathan Hatsios, Raymond Cree Middle School Hayley Krachmann , Cielo Vista Rachel Jacobs, Raymond Cree Middle School Allison Lawrence, Raymond Cree Middle School Kelly Servelle, St. Theresa School Students pose with actress Anne Hathaway at 2009 Film Festival Awards Gala For the past four years, Pougnet has extended the opportunity to local students, many whom participate in City of Palm Springs afterschool programs -1- at Palm Springs Parks and Recreation and James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, to attend the glamorous Awards Gala, hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Mayor Pougnet escorts students on the red carpet in 2011 “Our film festival is the premiere event of the Coachella Valley season and I think it’s important to give local students a chance to attend this unique special event,” Pougnet said. “They’ll get to meet movie stars and mingle like adults in an amazing setting. I’m thrilled I can give them this once in a lifetime experience and perhaps even inspire a future actor or filmmaker.” This year’s Awards Gala, a precursor to the Academy Awards, will once again honor a host of glamorous Hollywood celebrities for their work in film – including Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, who will receive the prestigious Chairman’s Award along with a host of other honorees that include Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams, Glenn Close and many more! Founded in 1990 by then Palm Springs Mayor Sonny Bono, the festival -- which runs Jan. 5-16 -- features a lineup of more than 150 films from around the world and is one of the largest in North America. It is also seen by American distributors as one of the best Academy Award campaign marketing tools in the country. “The Palm Springs International Film Festival is the most fun and unique special event in the Coachella Valley and brings in thousands of movie buffs and entertainment industry leaders to our City every January to enjoy the very best in American and foreign film,” said Pougnet. “I encourage everyone in the Coachella Valley and beyond to visit Palm Springs and experience this uniquely original film fest for yourselves. With so many celebrated films and a star- studded red carpet Awards Gala to boot -- our film festival is one of a kind!” For more information about films, special events and ticket prices, visit the City’s Web site at www.palmspringsca.gov and click on Palm Springs International Film Festival -- or go to the festival’s Web site at www.psfilmfest.org. You can also call the festival’s box office at (760) 323- 2930. -2- .