Contact: Stacey Kumagai - 818-506-8675 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DIRECTOR, JONATHAN LYNN TO BE PRESENTED LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
AT 10TH ANNUAL TEMECULA VALLEY INT’L FILM & MUSIC FESTIVAL

Temecula, CA --- The 2004 Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival (TVIFMF) is proud to announce Director, Jonathan Lynn among the honorees for the Lifetime Achievement Award, to be presented at the annual Awards Gala , 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 12, 2004 at Wilson Creek Winery (35960 Rancho California Rd., Temecula). This year’s other honorees include: R&B Legend, Lou Rawls, Famed ICONS & LEGENDS
Photographer, Michael Childers and Dean of USC School of Cinema-Television, Dr. Elizabeth M. Daley.

Celebrating ten years, the TVIFMF is slated for September 8-12 at The Movie Experience 10 at Tower Plaza (E. I-15 @Ynez Road & Rancho California Road). Last year the festival had over 8,000 attendees, boasting participation from 200 filmmakers, musicians, producers, directors, writers, judges, cast and crew. The Lifetime Achievement Awards have been part of the festival since inception back in 1995. Past recipients include: the late Ray Charles, Rita Coolidge, Shirley Jones, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Howard Koch, Marsha Mason, Billy Preston, Patty Duke and William Shatner
and last year’s honorees, John Spencer, Diane Ladd, Director, Penelope Spheeris, Paramount Producer, A.C. Lyles and UCLA’s School of Theatre Film & Television Professor Emeritus, Dr. Howard Suber.

This year's honorees incorporate a distinguished slate of Hollywood’s most accomplished. Jonathan Lynn is an internationally recognized Director, Screenwriter and Novelist, with an impressive body of work gracing both the U.S. and U.K. Some of his credits include, FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS, WHOLE NINE YARDS, MY COUSIN VINNY, NUNS ON THE RUN, SGT. BILKO and BBC phenomena YES, MINISTER and YES, PRIME MINISTER that initially propelled Lynn to fame in his native Great Britain.

With an initial surprised reaction to finding out about his upcoming honor, after nearly four decades of work in the entertainment business, Lynn shows no signs of stopping and feels even though the industry has changed over the years, he’s still anxious to do even more work.

“Changes: What used to be an art film doesn’t really get made any more, except on somebody’s credit cards. What used to be a medium budget film with some
nuance and subtlety is now an art film. The studios mainly want to make huge, visual effects computer-generated films of cartoon characters that will open equally strongly in Buenos Aires, Tokyo and LA. Furthermore, the consolidation of the studios and TV companies since de-regulation has reduced the size of market place for many, if not most, writers and directors. As for me, I would like to continue to make films, large or small, that will make people laugh, hopefully touch them, and perhaps illuminate the human condition in some way. This is much more difficult than it used to be, but not yet impossible,” explains Lynn.

This year’s 10th anniversary celebration plans to be an action-packed event showcasing the best in the film and music from the US and around the world including countries such as Australia, France, India and Italy. This year’s film showcases include a retrospective screening of Jonathan Lynn’s work and presentations from The American Film Institute (AFI), Independent Feature Project (IFP), Toronto Int’l Film Festival, San Diego State University and sister festival, Rome Independent Film Festival (RIFF) which will be the highlight supplement to four full general screening days of shorts, documentaries, animation, features and student films.

Other highlights include: Opening Night Red Carpet Screening and Party, a Saturday All –Day Music Fest featuring emerging, up and coming unsigned performing artists, bands and vocal performers - with ten finalists selected to be part of the 10th anniversary compilation CD and distribution from Blockbuster, and a weekend of film & music industry workshops and panels featuring the hottest cutting-edge entertainment industry information from Hollywood professionals.

For more info. go to: www.tviff.com or call Festival Director, Jo Moulton: 909/699-8681  jmmoulton@earthlink.net.

For info. on Jonathan Lynn, go to www.jonathanlynn.com Media contact: Stacey Kumagai at 818/506-8675 or  mediamonster@yahoo.com