Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions to Sponsor Seattle International Film Festival

SEATTLE — May 4, 2016 — Vulcan Productions announced today the sponsorship of the Seattle International Film Festival. Founded by philanthropist and entrepreneur Paul G. Allen, Vulcan Productions produces compelling feature films, television programming, digital content and outreach initiatives designed to inspire people to take action on the critical issues of our time. The sponsorship of the Seattle International Film Festival continues Paul Allen’s long-time commitment to supporting art and culture in the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to sponsoring the festival, Vulcan Productions’ Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale will have its world premiere and Midsummer in Newtown will have its Seattle premiere at the 2016 festival. Paul Allen is an executive producer of both films.

Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale is the incredible, true story of a baby elephant’s fight to survive when she loses her mother. The film is part of Paul Allen’s ongoing elephant conservation and anti-poaching efforts, which also include the Great Elephant Census, an Elephant DNA study with the University of Washington and Washington State Initiative 1401 which prohibits the trade of products made from endangered species.

In Midsummer in Newtown, parents and children search for hope and acceptance after the Sandy Hook tragedy. In this film celebrating the transformative power of the Arts, director Lloyd Kramer follows a group of students performing a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and grieving parents committed to honoring their daughter. A co-production with Participant Media and The Documentary Group, the film is part of Paul Allen’s long-standing commitment to the classics, and the Allen family’s decades-long legacy of support for the works of Shakespeare. As a youth, Paul Allen’s parents took him to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which instilled in him an appreciation for Shakespeare and the classics. Paul Allen believes that the Arts are critical ingredients for a healthy community, and supports work like Midsummer in Newtown that nurtures creative expression.

Carole Tomko, General Manager of Vulcan Productions, states, “We are delighted to sponsor SIFF again this year. It’s incredible to have the largest film festival in the United States in our own back yard, and an important part of our mission is to support the film community and the Arts right here in Seattle. The Seattle International Film Festival is a cornerstone of the cinematic experience for our community, and we are thrilled to be a major sponsor again this year.”

SIFF Festival Director & Chief Curator Carl Spence said, “SIFF is known internationally for presenting extraordinary films that open eyes and inspire positive transformation of the world around us. Our documentary selections are critically acclaimed every year and we place great value on the unrivaled medium of the cinematic experience to provoke change. Vulcan Productions' sponsorship of the Seattle International Film Festival recognizes the ideal alignment between their engagement with the critical issues of our time and the experiences we create through the power of film. The magnificent Naledi and exceptionally moving Midsummer in Newtown are shining examples of SIFF's world-class documentary curation. This partnership between SIFF and Vulcan Productions will further both our efforts to positively engage with and affect the world.”

About Vulcan Productions

Vulcan Productions is dedicated to the power of storytelling. We produce content and large-scale campaigns that entertain, electrify and change the way people understand the world’s toughest challenges. Our films, television series and digital content spark ideas and turn action into measurable impact. Founded by Paul G. Allen and his sister Jody Allen in 1997, Vulcan Productions creates content across all platforms, extending the wide-ranging work of Vulcan Inc. in wildlife, science, climate, oceans, education, technology, current social issues, history and the arts. Our award-winning projects include Racing Extinction, Academy Award®-nominated Body Team 12, We The Economy, #ISurvivedEbola, Girl Rising, The Blues and Far from Heaven. Upcoming projects include Ivory, Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale, Mind of a Giant and Unseen Enemy. For more information on Vulcan Productions and our leadership in generating change through impact storytelling, visit vulcanproductions.com.

About SIFF

Founded in 1976, SIFF creates experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world with the Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Cinema, and SIFF Education. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in North America, the Seattle International Film Festival is the largest, most highly attended film festival in the United States, reaching more than 150,000 annually. The 25-day festival is renowned for its wide-ranging and eclectic programming, presenting over 450 features, short films, and documentaries from over 80 countries each year. SIFF Cinema exhibits premiere theatrical engagements, repertory, classic, and revival film showings 365 days a year on five screens at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and SIFF Film Center, reaching more than 175,000 attendees annually. SIFF Education offers educational programs for all audiences serving more than 13,000 students and youth in the community with free programs each year.