April 30, 2015

Andy Named Executive Director--CORONADO ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL

April 29, 2015

Contact: Doug St. Denis

c. (619) 306-0297

coronadoislandfilmfest@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FRIEDENBERG JOINS CORONADO ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL TEAM

As Coronado Island Film Festival gears up for its inaugural launch January 15-18, 2016, CIFF is pleased to announce that Andy Friedenberg has been named Executive Director and Producer of the festival. Friedenberg’s name is well-known in local film circles as founder and director of the 800-member San Diego Cinema Society. He joins CIFF Founder and Executive Director Doug St. Denis at the helm of the much-anticipated first-annual event, thought by many to be an idea whose time has come for the charming beach community whose relationship with Hollywood and moviemaking goes back more than 100 years. “After two years of preparation, community outreach and brand development, we were looking to bring someone on board who could take us to the next important level, “ says St. Denis, “the actual launch of the four-day festival! Andy is our perfect guy; and what’s really great is, he’s as passionate about this project as we are!” Mary Sikes, CEO and CIFF Board President adds, “In addition to his highly successful 30-year-old Cinema Society, Andy comes to us with contagious enthusiasm, a fountain of ideas and amazing connections. Plus, nobody loves movies quite like Andy loves movies!”

“Coronado is the perfect spot for an international film festival and I’m deeply honored to be a part of the shaping of its beginning,” says Friedenberg. “ I see this as a festival to rival other classic film festivals on the world cinema stage – from Cannes to Telluride, from Sundance to Tribeca. All are important, but Coronado has the potential to outdo them all.” Friedenberg founded the Cinema Society in 1983 in an attempt to shape San Diego into a truly cosmopolitan city and to rejuvenate the arts community. In recent years he has led Cinema Society’s expansion to chapters in Las Vegas, Nevada and Surprise, Goodyear and Scottsdale Arizona.

He was the creator of the annual “Cox Communications Film Festival”, a free open-air film series which utilized the many parks in San Diego County, and presented “Pictures at the Prado” series, an eight-Saturday evening series of dinner and classic movies at the Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park. Friedenberg was founder and presenter of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra’s popular "Classic Film" silent film series, and served as cinema director for the San Diego County Fair’s “Cinema Summer”. He is frequently heard on local radio and television shows on the subject of motion pictures. With his travel-agent wife Beth, he leads film lovers to various film festivals around the world, including Palm Springs, London, New York and Havana.

Friedenberg graduated from Boston University, School of Public Communications, with a B.S. in communications. He pursued a career in the film industry, working with Columbia Pictures for four years and United Artists for two years as regional publicity/ promotional manager.

He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts-Los Angeles (BAFTA/LA).

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