Abner Zurd

Profile

Abner Zurd aka Lorraine Fontanes

Interviews

Lorraine Fontanes - 15th August 2003

Lorraine Fontanes - 13th November 2003

Websites

Abner Zurd official website

The Day Arnold Schwarzenegger Kicked My A** - Official Film Site

American Dream Products

News Updates

JUNE 16, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: LAURENNE TAYLOR
310.288.1667 WWW.ABNERZ.COM/ARNOLD
"THE DAY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER KICKED MY A**" ABNER ZURD'S COMIC DOCU CLOSES OUT BROAD HUMOR FILM FEST, VENICE, CA

American Dream Products announces the selection of "The Day Arnold Schwarzenegger Kicked My A**" as the closing film of the inaugural Broad Humor Film Festival, June 30-July 1, 2006 in Venice Beach, California.

As Arnold revs up for re-election, it's useful, instructive and downright entertaining to revisit those fateful months that culminated in his gubernatorial victory. Thanks to a quirk in the state constitution, over 130 Californians were able to jump into the race that shook up the political mainstream and ultimately recalled a sitting governor.

"The Day Arnold..." takes a behind-the-scenes look at the journey of one of the also-rans: Lorraine "Abner Zurd" Fontanes. Underground filmmaker, wife, mother and Afro-wearing satirist, Fontanes/Zurd signs up to run as long as she can document the ensuing circus on digital video. Along the way, she discovers that being a "candidate by accident" is a wonderful thing. Meeting earnest citizens, making a fool of herself on national TV, working on massive budget deficits and racking up frequent flyer miles along the way, Fontanes/Zurd discovers a pleasure in the political process that she didn't expect to find. Unfortunately, she has to overcome the contempt of the media, the fear and disdain of her closest friends and family and her biggest opponent: herself. Eventually, however, the naïve first-timer manages to connect to the good and the true in American politics. And what starts out as absurdity, ends in triumph.

Abner Zurd is the irreverent author of web classic "How to Get a Head at Sundance" and the nom de cinema of , director of real Sundance film "Independence Day" and producer of various video projects with the L.A. Philharmonic, Los Angeles Festival, Los Angeles Poverty Department and other serious artistic entities.

Director/candidate Zurd thanks festival organizers Susan DiRende and Kaat Cleenewerck for their brave, smart support of women filmmakers and really good advice about men.

ABOUT THE BROAD HUMOR FILM FESTIVAL
Fest co-directors Susan di Rende and Kaat Cleenewerck co-created the Broad Humor Film Festival. A director and writer of comedies, di Rende says she was "surprised to learn that there are no festivals celebrating funny female filmmakers." So, she says, she and Cleenewerck decided to "broadly go where no broad has gone before and start our own."

In its inaugural outing, the festival received more than 100 entries of comedy films and screenplays from as far away as Australia. Awards will be given in the following categories:

FILM CATEGORIES
Best Feature
Best Short
Best "No Budget" Feature
Best "No Budget" Short
Audience Award

SCREENPLAY CATEGORIES
Screwball Comedy
Romantic Comedy
Eclectic Comedy
Black Comedy / Satire
Farce

BUST MAGAZINE AWARD FOR SHORT FILM

Sponsors include Bust Magazine, EpOxybOx Gallery, Imation, Cycles Gladiator Wines, Global Beer, Hollywood Creative Directory, Write Bros., Metromint Water, Bates Rates News, Apple Store at the Third Street Promenade, China Glaze, and Final Draft.

For more information, visit www.broadhumor.com, www.abnerz.com/arnold and www.abnerz.com/gov

For festival tickets and passes, visit BrownPaperTickets.com

Press contact: info@broadhumor.com
For media passes, please provide valid media ID at festival ticket office on Friday, June 30.

The Broad Humor Film Festival
June 30-July 2, 2006 in Venice Beach, California

Women write. Women direct. Everybody laughs