THE MEATRIX TAKES A ROAD TRIP WITH FILM FESTIVALS
Popular Internet Short Goes on Tour after Garnering National and International Awards
(New York, NY), June 23, 2004 – The Meatrix, (www.themeatrix.com), the most successful online advocacy film ever, is wowing audiences at local theaters, summer festivals, college campuses and more this summer as it tours with two internationally renowned film festivals. The film continues to gain critical acclaim since its release last November, when in a few short days the movie was viewed by over one million people.
To date, over five million viewers have logged on to the cutting edge flash animation piece. This online revolution is kicking into high gear as the film spreads to blogs, web sites and links all over the Internet. Through a cartoon pig named Leo, and a trench-coat clad cow named Moopheus, The Meatrix is educating consumers on the devastating consequences of factory farming while touting the benefits of sustainable meat through a highly effective persuasive tool….humor!
The film has leapt off of the Internet and into the car as it hits the road to make hundreds of stops all over the United States. As part of the Media That Matters Tour, The Meatrix will be seen in a different city every month, including community screenings, and airtime on cable and satellite television channels. The film was first honored by the Media that Matters Film Festival on May 19th at HBO headquarters in Manhattan. It was hand selected by a jury of respected filmmakers, journalists, teachers, young people and more as the winner of the Film for Thought award. For more information, visit www.mediathatmattersfest.org.
An estimated 30,000 attendees at 120 different locations will also view The Meatrix in 2004 as part of the Telluride Mountain Film Festival. The film was initially chosen as an official selection, and after the overwhelming response it received in Telluride, was selected to tour the country with a small group of other films. Starting in July, The Meatrix will leave the mountains for a whirlwind educational tour with the film festival that is sure to entertain and inspire. For more information, visit www.mountainfile.org.
The Meatrix has also gained international attention. After viewers from all over the world were encouraged to cast their ballot in an entirely public vote, the film was selected for the “Netsurfers Award” in the Best Short Internet Film category at the Annecy Film Festival in France. Annecy is the most prestigious film festival dedicated entirely to animation. For more information, visit www.annecy.org.
The Meatrix was created by Free Range Graphics (www.freerangestudios.com), a design firm serving non-profit groups, as part of its annual Free Range Graphics Flash Grant, which was awarded in 2003 to GRACE.
The Meatrix is a project of Sustainable Table (www.sustainabletable.org), a campaign to promote sustainable food. The Meatrix and Sustainable Table are projects of GRACE (www.gracelinks.org).
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