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ELIZABETH BANKS TO RECEIVE THE 2012 MAUI FILM FESTIVAL NAVIGATOR AWARD

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ELIZABETH BANKS TO RECEIVE THE 2012 MAUI FILM FESTIVAL NAVIGATOR AWARD WITH SCREENING OF “PEOPLE LIKE US” TO FOLLOW

Wailea, HI (May 8, 2012) – Elizabeth Banks will receive the 2012 Maui Film Festival Navigator Award, it was announced today by Barry Rivers, Director of the event, which will be held June 13-17, 2012, at the Wailea Resort in Maui.



The Navigator Award honors a film artist for carving a path of distinction through the turbulent waters of the entertainment industry without sacrificing their fundamental commitment to excellence. Banks will be presented the Navigator Award at the Celestial Cinema located at the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course.

Following Banks’ award presentation, there will be a screening of her upcoming DreamWorks Pictures’ drama/comedy “People Like Us,” about family, inspired by true events, co-starring Chris Pine and also featuring recipient of the Maui Film Festival 2011 Shinning Star honor Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D’Addario, Philip Baker Hall, Mark Duplass and Michelle Pfeiffer.  

"Elizabeth Banks embodies the talent, intelligence and charisma that are the touchstones of what the Maui Film Festival looks for in the film artists we honor.  We couldn't be more pleased to honor her at this year's festival — especially in the heavenly setting of the Celestial Cinema," noted Maui Film Festival director Barry Rivers.

Banks has become one of Hollywood’s most sought after and versatile actresses. In addition to “People Like Us,” her upcoming films include “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” directed by Kirk Jones, based on Heidi Murkoff’s bestseller and featuring an ensemble cast that includes Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Dennis Quaid.  Currently, she can be seen starring in Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games,” in which she stars as Effie Trinket, and was recently seen in “Man on a Ledge” opposite Sam Worthington.

Other film credits include, “Our Idiot Brother” opposite Paul Rudd, Emily Mortimer and Zooey Deschanel, directed by Paul Haggis; “The Details” with Tobey Maguire; “The Next Three Days,” with Russell Crowe; Oliver Stone’s “W,” starring as ‘First Lady Laura Bush’ opposite Josh Brolin; Kevin Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” with Seth Rogan.   

Banks’ additional feature credits include her breakthrough roles in the Academy Award-winning films “Seabiscuit,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Role Models,” “Meet Dave,” “Invincible,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Fred Claus,” “Shaft,” and “Wet Hot American Summer.”  She also appeared as journalist Betty Brant, a role that director Sam Raimi created for her, in Columbia Pictures’ three blockbuster “Spider-Man” films with Tobey Maguire as the title character.

On the small screen, Banks has recently been seen in a recurring role as Avery Jessup, on the NBC series “30 Rock.” She earned an Emmy Award nomination in 2011 for ‘Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series’ for her performance. She has also appeared on ABC’s “Modern Family” and on NBC’s “Scrubs.”

Beyond acting, she recently wrapped production on Universal Pictures’ “Pitch Perfect,” which she is producing with her husband, Max Handelman, through their company, Brownstone Productions. The cast includes Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson. Banks also produced Disney’s 2009 sci-fi thriller “The Surrogates,” starring Bruce Willis.  Upcoming projects for Brownstone, include “Tink,” “Forever 21,” and “Too Far From Home.”

ABOUT “PEOPLE LIKE US”
From DreamWorks Pictures comes “People Like Us,” a drama/comedy about family, inspired by true events, starring Chris Pine (“Star Trek”) as Sam, a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, whose latest deal collapses on the day he learns that his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home, where he must put his father's estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. In the course of fulfilling his father's last wishes, Sam uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside down: He has a 30-year-old sister Frankie whom he never knew about (Elizabeth Banks). As their relationship develops, Sam is forced to rethink everything he thought he knew about this family—and re-examine his own life choices in the process.

The film also stars Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D’Addario, Philip Baker Hall, Mark Duplass and Michelle Pfeiffer.

A DreamWorks Pictures presentation, “People Like Us” is directed by Alex Kurtzman, produced by Roberto Orci, Bobby Cohen and Clayton Townsend, with the screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jody Lambert. The film releases in U.S. theaters on June 29, 2012.

ABOUT THE MAUI FILM FESTIVAL
Barry and Stella Rivers founded the Maui Film Festival in 2000 as a jewel box festival committed to the celebration and exploration of cinema at the intersection of smart and heart.  The Festival's mission has always been to share exceptional cinematic vision in the service of compassionate and transformative storytelling with a diverse audience who call Maui both their home and their home away from home.

Since its inception, the Maui Film Festival has screened more than 500 narrative and documentary feature length and short films from around the world to a diverse audience of industry luminaries, filmmakers, cineastes and movie lovers of all ages.  Over the last 12 years the festivals has been fortunate to honor such talents as Joan Allen, Adrien Brody, Pierce Brosnan, Tim Burton, Claire Danes, Zooey Deschanel, Clint Eastwood, Zac Efron, Andrew Garfield, Jake Gyllenhaal, Woody Harrelson, Garrett Hedlund, Mike Myers, Dennis Quaid, Owen Wilson, Olivia Wilde, among many others.

The 2012 Maui Film Festival is made possible by the tremendous and continued support of a number of local, national and international organizations. This year's Official Sponsors include: Hawaii Tourism Authority, Stella Artois; Major Sponsors: Destination Resorts Hawaii, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, Grand Wailea, Hotel Wailea, Starwood Capital Group / Kobayashi Group, The Shops At Wailea, Wailea Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, Wailea Golf Club, Wailea Beach Villas; Industry Sponsors: Getty Images, WireImage and Getty Video, Reel Maui / Maui Film Office, Picture Mill, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Works Creative Group; Sponsorship Ohana: Capische?, MALA Wailea, Mana Foods, Maui No Ka Oi Magazine, Maui’s Own Organic Ocean Vodka, Modern Luxury Hawaii, Spago, WHERE Hawaii,  Kama'aina Ohana: Art to Print,  Akina Aloha Tours, County Of Maui, Gannon's, KAOI Radio Group, Maui Economic Development Board,  Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Maui News, MayaRivers.com, Paradise Self-Storage, PSAV, Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, Rising Sun Solar + Electric, RiversToTheSea.com, TEDxMaui, Wailea Resort Association.

The 2012 Maui Film Festival at Wailea will be held June 13-17, 2012.

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