MONTE HELLMAN HONORED AS "ROAD TO NOWHERE" PREMIERES AT PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

January 17, 2011 Los Angeles, CA - The U.S. Premiere of Monte Hellman's "Road to Nowhere" took place Saturday evening before a full house at the 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival where the acclaimed director's first feature film in more than two decades was a Special Presentation of the festival's Monte Hellman Retrospective. Hellman was presented with the festival's Maverick Award and, joined by influential filmmaker Roger Corman and writer/director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), participated in a post-screening panel discussion moderated by Steven Gaydos at the Annenberg Theatre at The Palm Springs Art Museum.

In attendance to support the film was beautiful lead actress Shannyn Sossamon, John Diehl, Cliff De Young and Rob Kolar, who's band "He's My Brother, She's My Sister" (with his sister Rachel Kolar) played at the pre and post screening parties, producer Melissa Hellman, writer and producer Steven Gaydos, Charlotte Mickie of Entertainment One, the film's international sales agent, and Scott Mansfield and Jere Rae-Mansfield of monterey media, the film's US distributor.

Written by Steven Gaydos, produced by Hellman, Gaydos and Melissa Hellman and starring Shannyn Sossamon ("A Knight"s Tale," "The Rules of Attraction"), Dominique Swain ("Lolita," " Alpha Dog"), Waylon Payne ("Walk the Line"), Cliff de Young, John Diehl, and Tygh Runyan, "Road to Nowhere" will have a late spring release in multiple cities following the completion of the film's festival run.

About "Road to Nowhere"
In the words of one critic, "With 'Road to Nowhere,' Hellman and Gaydos have created a new genre: arthouse pulp." The film's story focuses on cult film director Mitchell Haven, who has found the material to make his next movie. It's a true crime story based in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, involving a beautiful young woman, Velma Duran, and her older politico lover, Rafe Taschen. Just as their so-called "true crime" goes awry, so does Haven's obsessed attempt to make art out of their passions and misfortunes.

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 130,000 attendees each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who in recent years have included Clint Eastwood, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ron Howard, Anne Hathaway, Jeff Bridges, Danny Elfman and many others.

For more information, please visit: www.montereymedia.com

Jenny Manocchio
Publicity Director
jmanocchio@montereymedia.com

Back to Press Releases