RICHARD CURTIS TO BE HONRED BY BAFTA/LA
Los Angeles, CA, October 10th, 2007 - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles (BAFTA/LA) will honor Richard Curtis with the inaugural BAFTA/LA Humanitarian Award presented by Volvo at the 2007 BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards on Thursday, November 1, 2007, at The Century Plaza Hotel.

The Humanitarian Award presented by Volvo was created to recognize and celebrate a prominent individual in the film and television arts community who has committed their self and career to positively improving and/or changing the community.  “BAFTA/LA has a history of recognizing individuals for their talents in the arts, but part of what defines them is also how they give back to the community.  Richard is a prime example of how art and philanthropy go hand in hand, and we are honored that he will be the first recipient,” states BAFTA/LA Chairman of the Board Peter Morris.
"I have always believed that it’s the responsibility of the film and television community to use their talents and time to work for those whose lives are hardest. TV and film are very powerful mass media and can actually changes things, and get things done,” says Curtis.
"Undoubtedly, Richard Curtis owns a Volvo -- or he should!" says Anne Bélec, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America.  "When you compare how he's devoted his talent and resources to help others, well, it's so consistent with Volvo's commitment to people in the areas of safety innovation, environmental care and quality of life.  His unselfish work typifies the true heroes we see each year in the Volvo for life Awards program."

Although Curtis is most acclaimed and recognized for his screenwriting accomplishments, he is passionate about philanthropy. His dedication to philanthropy became visible in 1985 when he founded UK Comic Relief, which has raised almost $1 billion to date.  The organization was established to use entertainment and comedy to raise funds and ultimately change lives.  Over the past two decades, more than two thousand celebrities have lent their talent and time to Comic Relief, from John Cleese to Ricky Gervais and Sacha Baron Cohen, from Cher to the Spice Girls and Bono. Curtis was also co-founder of Make Poverty History, a coalition of over 400 organizations which worked together to increase awareness about relieving poverty in 2005.  He also helped organize the 2005 Live 8 concerts, as well as Idol Gives Back in 2007, a TV extravaganza which raised over $75 million to help children and young people in extreme poverty in the U.S. and Africa.

New Zealand-born screenwriter Richard Curtis began his career at the 1979 Edinburgh Festival in Scotland where he received an offer for the BBC 2 series “Not the Nine O’Clock News.”  Since then, Curtis has collaborated with some of Britain’s and America’s biggest name actors and comedians, such as Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Andie MacDowell and longtime colleague Rowan Atkinson.  In America, Curtis is most acknowledged for his popular British romantic comedies Four Weddings and A Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually.   In 1995 Curtis earned BAFTA and Oscar screenwriting nominations for Four Weddings and a Funeral.  More recently, Curtis won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for The Girl in the Café in 2006. Over the span of his career he has been nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for Best Screenplay – Adapted for Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film for Love Actually and in May 2007 Curtis was awarded the Fellowship award at the BAFTA Television awards. The Fellowship award was in recognition of his charity contributions and successful career in film and television. He has recently co-written an adaptation of “The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency’ with Anthony Minghella.

Serving as the bridge between the American and British entertainment communities, BAFTA/LA is a professional non-profit organization founded in California in 1987 to promote and advance original work in film, television and interactive media.

BAFTA/LA’s outreach programs benefit members and other professionals working within the entertainment industry, as well as the Los Angeles community at large. BAFTA/LA provides exclusive access to screenings, Q&A’s with talent and filmmakers, conversations with leading UK-based film and television executives, and the Heritage Archive, featuring broadcast-quality interviews with distinguished British members of the film and television industries. Educational outreach for students and the Los Angeles community includes an after-school screening program for inner-city youth at the Helen Keller Park Recreation Center and a recent partnership with FilmAid to mentor young filmmakers. Additional programs include seminars in association with local universities and festivals, scholarships for post-graduate programs, and recognizing professional and student talent with awards at film festivals throughout the U.S.

Maintaining a long tradition of recognizing the finest filmmaking and television talent, BAFTA/LA hosts a series of social networking events, including the Annual BAFTA/LA-Cunard Britannia Awards, the BAFTA Film Awards Brunch, the Annual Garden Party, and the Awards Season Film and Television Tea Parties in January and September. BAFTA/LA is affiliated with BAFTA in London, and members vote annually for the prestigious BAFTA Film Awards. BAFTA/LA also presents its annual Britannia Awards every November, where it has honored such luminaries as Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, and Martin Scorsese with the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film.

Entertainment Market Place, LLC exclusive marketing and sponsorship consultants for BAFTA/LA, brokered the agreement with Volvo Cars NA.
President Nicholas Frankl states: "We are proud to extend and expand our automotive partnership with Volvo.  They continue to support all our outreach programs into the community and have been a delight to work with over the past three years. World class companies continue to embrace BAFTA/LA's unique entertainment platforms and position BAFTA/LA at the forefront of their entertainment marketing strategies."
For more information on BAFTA/LA partnerships please contact 1 310 463 1936 or visit (www.ENTMP.com)

For more information on BAFTA/LA, visit www.baftala.org.