OLIVIA WILDE TO RECEIVE THE 2011 MAUI FILM FESTIVAL FEMALE SHINING STAR AWARD

OLIVIA WILDE TO RECEIVE THE 2011 MAUI FILM FESTIVAL FEMALE SHINING STAR AWARD

Wailea, HI (May 18, 2011) – Olivia Wilde will receive the 2011 Maui Film Festival Female Shining Star Award, it was announced today by Barry Rivers, Director of the event, which will be held June 15-19, 2011, at the Wailea Resort in Maui.  The Female Shining Star Award honors a film artist, still in the ascendance of her career—with many magnetic performances both behind and ahead of her—whose very presence on screen guarantees as much light as heat.  Wilde will be presented the Female Shining Star Award at one of evenings at the Celestial Cinema located at the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course.

Following her Award Presentation, there will be a screening of “Sun City Picture House,” a new short film, Executive Produced by Wilde and Maria Bello.  “Sun City Picture House” is a stunning and uplifting documentary about building a movie theater amidst the rubble of the aftermath of the powerful 2010 earthquake, which devastated Haiti and the last of the island’s old colonial movie theaters.

"As the festival with a reputation for honoring film artists for their lifelong achievement as well as those luminaries very much still in the ascendance of her journey, the Maui Film Festival is thrilled to honor Olivia Wilde with the 2011 Maui Film Festival Female Shining Star Award,” said Festival Director Barry Rivers.

Wilde will next be seen opposite Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in the Universal fantasy-action film “Cowboys & Aliens,” being released on July 29th. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film takes place in the year 1873 and tells the story of a stranger who stumbles into the rough and tumble desert town of Absolution.  Wilde will also be seen in five other films; the physical comedy “The Change Up,” to be released in August, starring opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman; Andrew Niccol’s futuristic thriller, “Now” will hit theaters starring Justin Timberlake; The Weinstein Company’s quirky political satire “Butter,” starring Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackman and Ty Burrell; Stefan Ruzowitzsky’s “Blackbird,” with Eric Bana; Alex Kurtzman’s directorial debut, “Welcome to People” with Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks.  Previous film credits include, “Tron: Legacy,” “The Next Three Days,” “Year One,” “Alpha Dog,” “Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas,” and “Conversations with Other Women.”

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 11 years the festivals has been fortunate to honor such talents as Joan Allen, Adrien Brody, Pierce Brosnan, Tim Burton, Woody Harrelson, Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid, Claire Danes, Owen Wilson, Mike Myers, Zooey Deschanel, Clint Eastwood, Jake Gyllenhaal, Patricia Clarkson, Helen Hunt, among others.  Through the 11th annual Maui Film Festival in 2010, the Festival has generated more than 70 million dollars in economic activity for the County of Maui.

The 2011 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, Spago, Tommy Bahama; Kama'aina Ohana:  Art to Print, Australian Consulate - General Honolulu, Akina Aloha Tours, County Of Maui, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Gannon's, KAOI Radio Group, Letarte, Love Renaissance, Maui Economic Development Board, Maui Coffee Roasters, Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Maui News, MediSpa Maui, Native 92.5, Ono Gelato, Paradise Self-Storage, PSAV, Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, Rising Sun Solar + Electric, RiversToTheSea.com, RiversToTheSurf.com, The Wailea Group Real Estate Sales and Marketing, Wailea Resort Association.

The 2011 Maui Film Festival at Wailea will be held June 15-19, 2011.  For additional information, call the Film Festival Headquarters at (808) 572-3456 or visit www.mauifilmfestival.com.