GREETINGS desertfilmsociety Members

This is to announce our March 8, 2003, screening, TO END ALL WARS, grand prize winner at the Non-Profit Heartland Film Festival.  The Producer, Jack Hafer, and the Screenwriter,  Brian Godawa, will be in attendance for a "Q & A" session after the screening, and Mr. Godawa will do an after-lunch presentation, HOW TO WATCH A MOVIE.

Saturday, March 8, 2003

9:00 a.m. - Camelot Theatre Doors Open
9:20 a.m. - Opening remarks by Producer

9:30 a.m. - Film Screening Begins

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. - Q & A with Producer and Screenwriter

12:15 p.m. - Lunch Break*
*NOTE:  Please RSVP to Joy Soltis by phone at 327.8427 or by e-mail,
NO LATER than 12:00 noon, Friday, February 28, 2003
if you'd like to have a boxed lunch prepared for you, for between $6.00 and $7.00
(Ric's Cafe, adjacent to Camelot Theatres, will be preparing the lunches and will otherwise be closed to the public)

1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. - Presentation by Screenwriter

About the film:  This is a true story of four Allied POW's who endure harsh treatment at the hands of their Japanese captors during World War II, while being foced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle.  Ultimately, they find true freedom by forgiving their enemies.

At the height of World War II, Singapore is invaded by victorious Japanese armed forces.  A small group of retreating Allied soldiers, led by Lt. Col. Stuart McLean, Major Ian Campbell, Captain Ernest Gordon and Lt. Jim Reardon, is captured and led to a prison camp deep within the jungles of Burma-Siam.  Upon arriving at the camp, the POW's are forced by the Japanese to build a railroad through treacherous jungle wilderness.  Prisoners are pushed beyond endurance and against each other, and defiant plans for escape and strong desires for self-preservation soon lead to conflict with values of dignity and self-sacrifice and, gradually, most of the men begin to place hope over bitterness, forgiveness over hostility, while some remain certain revolt is necessary.  As tensions among prisoners rise, they come to realize that the most treacherous war is that one fought within.

THE CAST:  Kiefer Sutherland, Robert Carlyle, Ciaran McMenamin, Mark Strong, Yugao Saso, Masayuki Yui, Sakae Kimura and Shu Nakajima.

SEE the film's website at:  www.toendallwars.com

HOW TO WATCH A MOVIE - PRESENTATION BY SCREENWRITER:  A one-hour-and-fifteen-minute presentation by the sole writer of the screenplay, Brian Godawa, who reveals elements of story-telling used by writers to communicate and to persuade audiences to respond, and he uses film clips to illustrate each element and to explain how to watch movies with more intelligence and appreciation.

Mr. Godawa has years of experience in marketing and advertising, has published many articles on motion pictures and philosophy and, in recent years, his scripts have won awards in screenplay competitions such as Austin Heart of Film, Fade-In, Worldfest Houston, Worldfest Flagstaff, Writer Network, Carl Sautter Memorial, Columbus Discovery Awards and the Readers' Digest Screenplay Competition.  Mr. Godawa has consulted and lectured at a number of institutions and workshops and was recently hired to rewrite the mini-serious Ghost Soldiers by ABC/Touchstone, based on the best-selling book by Hampton Sides.

Mr. Godawa currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Kimberly.