Press Releases

SOCIAL ACTION INITIATIVE FOR FOOD, INC.

PM AND ACTIVE VOICE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH GRANT FROM RWJ FOUNDATION [ February 25, 2010 ]

PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND ACTIVE VOICE ALIGNED FOR MAJOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH ON FOOD ACCESS AND CHILDHOOD OBESITY WITH GRANT FROM ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION PROGRAM IS PART OF SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGN FOR ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED DOCUMENTARY FOOD, INC.

PARTICIPANT MEDIA, THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT AND WARNER HOME VIDEO PRESENT PANEL DISCUSSION, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE—THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF THE WHISTLEBLOWER IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, FEBRUARY 17, 7PM AT NYC PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA

New York [ February 16, 2010 ]

LIVE EVENT FEATURING SUCH FAMED WHISTLEBLOWERS AS FRANK SERPICO AND DANIEL ELLSBERG IS PART OF PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGN FOR
THE INFORMANT!

New York, NY, February 16, 2010 – To kick off Participant Media’s social action campaign for Steven Soderbergh’s film The Informant!, Participant Media, The Paley Center for Media, the Government Accountability Project and Warner Home Video will present a panel discussion titled Anyone Can Whistle—The Essential Role of the Whistleblower in American Society on February 17 at 7PM at The Paley Center for Media in New York. Some of the most well-known whistleblowers in history will discuss their own personal experiences as well as the importance of speaking out and advocating change.

MAGNOLIA ACQUIRES NO. AMERICAN THEATRICAL RIGHTS TO COUNTDOWN TO ZERO/HISTORY ACQUIRES NO. AMERICAN BROADCAST RIGHTS

New York [ February 12, 2010 ]

The Wagner/Cuban Companies' Magnolia Pictures announced today that it has acquired North American theatrical rights to COUNTDOWN TO ZERO, a stunning documentary about the escalating global nuclear arms crisis that recently bowed at the Sundance Film Festival.  In addition, Participant announced that HISTORY™ channel has acquired the US television broadcast rights. Written and directed by acclaimed documentarian Lucy Walker (The Devil’s Playground, Blindsight), the film features an array of important international statesmen, including President Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pervez Musharraf and Tony Blair. It makes a compelling case for worldwide nuclear disarmament, an issue more topical than ever with the Obama administration working to revive this goal today. Valerie Plame Wilson, who is also featured in the film, spoke and introduced a clip from COUNTDOWN TO ZERO at the annual TED Conference in Long Beach yesterday, and a screening for TED attendees took place at a nearby theater last night. Additionally, it screened earlier this month in Paris for select attendees of this year's Global Zero Summit.

PARAMOUNT VANTAGE ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO THE NEW FILM BY OSCAR WINNING DOCUMENTARIAN DAVIS GUGGENHEIM AND PARTICIPANT MEDIA

Hollywood [ January 21, 2010 ]

Worldwide rights for the new documentary from Oscar®-winning director Davis Guggenheim (AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH) and Participant Media have been acquired by Paramount Vantage, it was announced today by Adam Goodman, Paramount Film Group President and by Participant Media’s CEO Jim Berk.

The documentary will have its world premiere tomorrow, January 22, at the Sundance Film Festival. Paramount Vantage will release the movie in the fall of 2010 in the U.S. with international release dates not yet determined.

PARTICIPANT MEDIA ENTERS INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH SUBMARINE ENTERTAINMENT TO HANDLE SALES, CONSULT ON UPCOMING SLATE OF DOCUMENTARIES FILMS INCLUDE NEW DOCS BY GUGGENHEIM, WALKER AND HILL

Los Angeles [ September 15, 2009 ]

Participant Media has entered into an agreement with Josh Braun’s Submarine Entertainment to handle North American sales and consult on worldwide sales of its upcoming slate of documentary features. These include new documentaries by Davis Guggenheim (the Academy Award®-winning An Inconvenient Truth), Lucy Walker (Blindsight) and Brian Hill (Songbirds). In addition, Braun will serve as a consultant to Participant on business and general strategy relating to its documentary films.

Submarine recently was responsible for securing distribution deals with Magnolia Pictures, Alliance Films and PBS’s “P.O.V.” for Participant and River Road Entertainment’s hit documentary, Food, Inc. which has grossed over $4 million to date at the North American box office, and the critically-acclaimed The Cove, which was recently released by Roadside Attractions with Participant handling the social action campaign. Other independent films handled by Submarine include Humpday, Valentino: The Last Emperor, Soul Power, The Mystery Team, Burma VJ and this year’s Academy Award®-winning feature documentary Man on Wire.
 

PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND IMAGENATION ABU DHABI JOINING WITH RIVER ROAD ENTERTAINMENT ON THE PRODUCTION OF FAIR GAME

Los Angeles [ July 13, 2009 ]

The film fund created by Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi announced today it will partner with River Road Entertainment in the production of the political thriller Fair Game, starring Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, directed by Doug Liman.

Fair Game stars two time Academy Award® winner Sean Penn (Milk, Mystic River) and Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts (21 Grams, The Ring) and was directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). The film, which recently wrapped principal photography, was written by Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Birthday Girl) and produced by Bill Pohlad (Into the Wild, Brokeback Mountain), Janet Zucker (Rat Race, First Knight), Jerry Zucker (Airplane, Ghost), Akiva Goldsman (Hancock, I Am Legend), Doug Liman and Jez Butterworth.

PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGN FOR FOOD, INC. SENDS HEALTHY SCHOOL FOOD BRIGADE TO CAPITOL HILL

Los Angeles [ June 25, 2009 ]

130 Parents and Kids From Across the U.S. Lobby for Passage of the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act

As part of Participant Media’s social action campaign for the acclaimed new documentary, Food, Inc., parents and children from nearly 30 states proclaiming themselves the Healthy School Food Brigade converged on Capitol Hill Wednesday to urge passage of legislation that would update and reauthorize 30 year old school food nutrition standards. The Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act would get junk foods out of our nation’s schools and help assure that our children have healthy food choices.

LIANA SCHWARZ NAMED SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS FOR PARTICIPANT MEDIA

Los Angeles [ June 16, 2009 ]

Liana Schwarz has been named Senior Vice President, Campaign Development & Operations for Participant Media, it was announced today by John Schreiber, Participant’s Executive Vice President of Social Action and Advocacy.
 
 

STONYFIELD PROMOTES NEW DOCUMENTARY FOOD, INC. WITH 10 MILLION YOGURT LIDS AND MONEY-SAVING COUPONS

Los Angeles [ June 11, 2009 ]

Food, Inc., from Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media and River Road Entertainment, is being promoted on foil lids of 10 million cups of Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt in dairy cases across the country this month.

“What better way to get the word out on a film about our food system, than with a message aimed at food shoppers?” asks Stonyfield President and CE-Yo Gary Hirshberg, who appears in the film.
 

LYNN HIRSHFIELD NAMED SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING FOR PARTICIPANT MEDIA

Los Angeles [ June 8, 2009 ]

Lynn Hirshfield has been promoted to the newly created position of Senior Vice President of Publishing for Participant Media, it was announced today by Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jones, Executive Vice Presidents of Marketing.
 
Shutt and Jones said, “Since she joined Participant, beginning with her work as a consultant in late 2005 on social marketing and outreach on An Inconvenient Truth, Lynn has contributed innovative thinking to our campaigns. Early on, she recognized the importance of extending Participant’s mission of presenting entertainment that inspires and compels social change into different media. This led her to create our company’s monthly newsletter, and more recently, to get buy-in from like-minded publishers.”

PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGN FOR THE SOLOIST PRESENTS A NEW VOICE TO COVENANT HOUSE—JAMIE FOXX

Los Angeles [ April 24, 2009 ]

Participant Media’s social action efforts have delivered a new caring voice to Covenant House to bring hope to kids in crisis: Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, star of The Soloist, opening in theaters today. “The NINELINE is free, it’s confidential, and it’s for you,” Mr. Foxx assures young callers in a donated taped message being heard by thousands of young people who call the NINELINE (1-800-999-9999) for help off the streets.

TEENS DONATE 200,000 JEANS FOR HOMELESS YOUTH IN AEROPOSTALE/DOSOMETHING.ORG CLOTHING DRIVE

Los Angeles [ April 14, 2009 ]

"TEENS FOR JEANS" PROGRAM IS PART OF PARTICIPANT MEDIA'S SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGN FOR THE SOLOIST

Teens across North America collected over 200,000 pairs of gently-worn jeans for DoSomething.org and Aéropostale’s Teens for Jeans program tied to Participant Media's social action campaign for THE SOLOIST. The initiative was launched on January 26th and encouraged teenagers to collect and donate jeans to their local Aéropostale stores.

Darfur Dream Team Launches Sister Schools Program

Los Angeles [ April 13, 2009 ]

March 18, 2009 (Washington, D.C.) — Basketball stars Tracy McGrady, Derek Fisher, Baron Davis, Luol Deng, Etan Thomas, and Jermaine O'Neal have joined together to announce the launch of the Darfur Dream Team’s Sister Schools Program. As part of the program, the players will work with U.S. schools to raise awareness about the crisis in Darfur and money for Darfuri refugee camp schools. The Sister Schools Program links American middle schools, high schools, and universities with schools in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad. U.S sister schools will raise funds to improve the education of their Darfuri peers through the construction and rehabilitation of school buildings as well as providing teacher training, sports equipment, and other school supplies. The program will also foster cross-cultural relationships and mutual understanding between U.S. and Darfuri refugee students through letter exchanges and video blogging.

GET “INFECTED” AND “CRAZY” FOR GREENPEACE: AUCTION CAUSE, PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND EBAY OFFER UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF HORROR CINEMA HISTORY

Los Angeles [ April 13, 2009 ]

Auction Cause and Participant Media have teamed up to present an eBay charity auction for a walk-on role in Overture Films and Participant Media's horror thriller, THE CRAZIES, with the proceeds to benefit Greenpeace.
 

PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S AND DOSOMETHING.ORG’S “FEED THE NEED" PROGRAM COLLECTS 1.2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH YOUTH LED FOOD DRIVES NATIONWIDE

LOS ANGELES [ March 16, 2009 ]

Over 1.2 million pounds of food were collected from food drives around the country under Participant Media’s and DoSomething.org’s “Feed the Need” program, in which more than 26,000 young people took part. Participant Media, the leading provider of content that inspires and compels social change, and DoSomething.org, an organization dedicated to empowering young people to take action in their communities, partnered for the initiative to combat hunger, which was one component of Participant’s social action campaign for the upcoming film The Soloist.

PARTICIPANT MEDIA’S THE VISITOR INSPIRES LAWYER TRAINING WORKSHOPS IN 10 U.S. CITIES

LOS ANGELES [ March 9, 2009 ]

For Participant Media’s social action campaign for the film The Visitor, the law firm O’Melveny & Myers and the NGO National Legal Sanctuary for Community Advancement (NLSCA) have joined forces to offer a pro bono Continuing Legal Education training program in 10 cities across the country. These workshops for lawyers and law students consist of a screening of The Visitor, followed by a four hour training session on how to represent immigrants, detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), at bond hearings. The first workshop was held last month in San Francisco, with the next one scheduled to take place in Los Angeles next month. 

LIONSGATE, ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS, PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND THE WORKS INTERNATIONAL TO EXPOSE THE COVE

LOS ANGELES, CA [ March 5, 2009 ]

Sundance Award-Winning thriller The Cove will be let loose in domestic and international waters beginning this summer. Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) and Roadside Attractions have acquired all U.S. rights, with The Works International (the U.K. based sales agent of Academy Award® winner MAN ON WIRE), in conjunction with James Atherton’s London-based Quickfire Films Fund, acquiring all other territories.

‘Food Inc.’ Opened 3rd Annual Culinary Cinema of the Berlin International Film Festival

LOS ANGELES, CA [ February 10, 2009 ]

Participant Media's and River Road Entertainment's documentary  Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner, opened the 3rd annual Culinary Cinema of the Berlin International Film Festival on Sunday, February 8.
 

Participant Media, The League of American Orchestras and Feeding America Team Up for National Food Drive Inspired by the Upcoming Film 'The Soloist'

LOS ANGELES, CA [ February 11, 2009 ]

Inspired by the upcoming film 'The Soloist,' the League of American Orchestras; Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization; and Participant Media have joined forces for Orchestras Feeding America, a large-scale national food drive that will take place on March 27 and 28 (dates may vary by locality; check with your local orchestra).

Participant Media Expands Portfolio With Investment in Me to We, Toronto-Based Enterprise Aimed at Socially-Responsible Youth

LOS ANGELES, CA [ January 28, 2009 ]

Participant Media, the leading provider of entertainment that inspires and compels social change, has made an equity investment in Me to We, a Toronto-based social enterprise promoting a socially responsible, globally-focused approach to living for young people who want to help change the world through their daily choices, it was announced by Jim Berk, CEO of Participant Media and Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger, founders of Me to We.