CORVALLIS, ORE., July 5, 2007 —The da Vinci Film Festival is once again set to put the focus on independent movies for all ages.

The 8th annual festival will run Friday through Sunday, July 20-22, during da Vinci Days. For those who can't wait, an "Early Bird Screening" will feature special showings at the Darkside Cinema fourplex in downtown Corvallis from Monday through Thursday, July 16-19.

"The festival will present 47 films in the categories of drama, comedy, documentary, musical form, animation, and young filmmaker (K-12), "said da Vinci Days Film Festival Programming Director Lizz-Ayn Shaarawi. "Short films and documentaries will be emphasized, but for the first time in the festival's history, feature length films also will be screened."

Another new twist for 2007 is the da Vinci Fast Film Project. Filmmaking teams or individuals will have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a 10-minute or less short film using the theme and prop they draw during registration. The films will be screened Sunday evening, with winners chosen by the audience. The project is open to filmmakers of all ages and abilities. Registration will be from 5 to 5:15 p.m. Friday, July 20, at LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus.

The films will be screened in Austin Auditorium, located in LaSells Stewart Center. This 1,200-seat auditorium offers a full-cinema experience with a theater-sized movie screen and state-of-the-art projection and sound. In addition, a selection of films will be screened in the smaller Construction & Engineering Hall.

This year's lineup includes:

• "Love Hollywood Style," a film starring Andy Dick ("News Radio"), Kadeem Hardison ("A Different World"), and a cameo by Faye Dunaway as God
  
  
• "The Garage," featuring Xander Berkeley ("CSI," "24"), Tania Raymonde ("Lost"), and Martin Donovan ("Insomnia," "Saved!")
  
  
• "Honey and Sting," a short film starring Antonio Fargas ("Shaft," "Cleopatra Jones," "Foxy Brown")
  
  

As in past years, informal Q&A sessions with filmmakers will be held Saturday and Sunday in the Ag Production Room at LaSells Stewart Center.

Festival admission bracelets are now on sale. Full weekend passes, good for all events and activities from Friday evening through Sunday, can be purchased at multiple locations around Corvallis, and from the festival's Web site: www.davinci-days.org. Early Bird Screenings are also included in the weekend pass. The price is $15 for adults (13 and up) and $10 for children (6-12.) Bracelets also will be sold at the festival's Main Gate at 11th Street &Madison Avenue. Single-day admissions, available only at the gate, will be $10 for adults and $5 for children. Children five and under will be admitted for free.

About da Vinci Days
Drawing more than 20,000 attendees, da Vinci Days is the country's longest running festival of its kind. For all ages, our weekend summer festival features art that makes you think, mini race cars built by school kids, a juggling physics lesson, a race of human-powered kinetic sculptures, Grammy Award winning music, a film festival, a nationally renowned keynote speaker, non-stop stage and street performances, interactive exhibits of cutting-edge research at Oregon State University, da Vinci-style contests, and hands-on activities exploring art, science, and technology. With help from more than 150 community partners and 1,000 volunteers, da Vinci Days showcases innovative artists, engineers, teachers, community organizations, and individuals. The 19th annual festival celebrates all things kinetic with a theme of Motion & Commotion on July 20-22, 2007.

On the Web: www.davinci-days.org