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Category : News

Happy Easter to all of our dear friends and supporters!

We are well into the beginnings of April, 2010. This means we haven’t updated this blog in four months (and that’s just wrong). For this, we thank you for your patience.

What an incredible journey this has been.

For those who are visiting the festival’s website for the first time, thank you for taking the time to check us out. We are currently working on updating our website for our second year and we couldn’t be happier or more blessed. We humbly ask you to bear with us as we update the site with information for our upcoming year as well as all the photos, video, updates, and news about our EXTREMELY successful 2009 “Faith Through The Storm” John Paul II International Film Festival.

This blog is not just to apologize for the wait, but I am also here to share the great news of what is to come.

For those filmmakers and film lovers out there, it is my pleasure to announce that we will soon start taking submissions for our second year. however, due to certain circumstances (two of the festival’s Co-Directors–ahem, Frank Brennan and myself, will be getting hitched this summer of 2010), the festival’s second year has been moved to February 2011. That’s right, we’ll be coming back full force during the month of love (more on this and our new theme in the next blog).

For now, I can only tell you that the support we received from around the globe from Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and many other religions and cultures was so humbling, that we at the JP2IFF have been inspired to push more boundaries than we did our first year. The media is beginning to realize that people as a race have a need to connect and celebrate our humanity and the things that we share in common as well as those that make us diverse. The media is noticing that many of us are hungry for films with high quality and values, great stories, insiring performances, and conscientious messages. We hear ya, and, trust me, come February 2011, we will deliver.

Please continue to keep us in your paryers. Don’t forget, we are always looking for help and volunteers, so if you hear a call to join the “backstage” workings of the festival, we would be happy to hear from you.

Many Blessings to you and your families!

From my heart (and empty belly)

Category : News

It’s 11:28pm. I should be sleeping. Should be, but am not. One: because I’m hungry, two: because I have so much to share.

The month of May has been intense. It has been challenging us in many ways. Doors have opened, others have closed, but we’re still standing firm due to one singular fact: We are not doing this for ourselves. We’re doing it for HIM and WITH HIM.

When I reflect on this month, a song title comes to mind. Jason Mraz beautifuly sings about a Beautiful Mess in his new CD… and although he’s singing about his relationship with a crazy girl who reminds me much of me (that Jason, he needs to get another muse, I’m already taken! lol), I feel the idea of a “Beautiful Mess” describes perfectly the way Ralph, Frank, Lara, Diane, Robert, and I have been putting this festival together. None of us have ever done anything like this before! We don’t know how to arrange the pieces of the puzzle that will pull this all togerher. Our minds are perplexed, overwhelmed, and, well… slightly clueless–until the Beauty comes into the picture. It seems as if Divinity itself gathers all our works and plants them in the right place for them to bear fruit! Somehow, the mess becomes this beautifully crafted offertory. Like the website. Coming up with the right look, the right words, the right moment was so mind-wrecking. But now look! It is more beautiful than I could have fathomed!

May has continued to surprise us with INCREDIBLE film submissions, interested venues, and eager volunteers. God is truly providing the rain for the harvest (spiritually AND literally, isn’t that right, Miami??)!

But with all these gifts, with all the obstacles we’re tackling, we still have a BIG task we need to accomplish. And we can’t do it alone. These incredible films deserve incredible venues! And incredible venues cost money. We need support!

If you see the importance of our movement and want to help, believe me, every PENNY counts!! This festival cannot be put up by prayers alone. We need your support! If you would like to donate or sponsor the event, you can e-mail us at info@jp2filmfestival.com. You can also donate on line at www.jp2filmfestival.com or send us a check made out to 7eventhDay Media, Inc.

Checks and letters (and film submissions!) can be sent to the following:

7eventhDay Media, Inc.
Attn: Frank Brennan
P.O. Box 560296
Miami, FL 33256

We are so grateful for the response we’ve gotten from our community! Thank you for helping us turn this idea into a reality. We cannot wait to share the fruits of our labor–and the works of these talented filmmakers– with all of you!

You are in our prayers!!

Good night!

YSIC,
Laura Alvarado

Life Is SO Good!

Category : News

…because GOD is so good!

Lots of updates. We officially have all our feature films in the bag– with a couple of surprises to come! I would love to list our filmmakers, but frankly, I’d rather make the announcement even MORE official by waiting to show them to you all on our brand new web page– due next week.

The web page will display more information about who we are, what we’re doing, and who is already involved. 

So stay tuned! We have HUGE surprises for everyone!

In the meantime, we continue to ask for the most precious gift you can give: your prayers. We are currently (and fervently) looking for venues for this year’s festival. As I write, we have people working on booking UM’s theater, FIU, Belen Academy, and MDC, to name a few, so we need all the prayers we can get to get these venues confirmed.

Again, we love you all and appreciate the support we’ve received from all of you! Don’t forget that your comments, thoughts, and ideas are ALWAYS welcome. Drop us a note at:

info@jp2filmfestival.com

May God continue to bless you and keep you!

Blessings,

Laura and the JP2 Crew!!