Lion Ark

Lion Ark will make its Wisconsin State Premiere tomorrow night at the Beloit International Film Festival and screen on three consecutive days (Friday, February 21^st through Sunday, February 23^rd).

The film, about the rescue of 25 lions from cruel, illegal circuses in Bolivia and their airlift to freedom in the US, is also up for an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding International Motion Picture” on Friday night. The 45^th Image Awards are organized by America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and are voted on by NAACP members. The prestigious Image Awards celebrates “the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors.”

Made more in the style of an action adventure than traditional documentary, Lion Ark follows an ambitious and daring animal rescue and puts the audience right in the thick of the action – up close with the animals. This is not “talking heads” and retrospective interviews, but live, unpredictable action as it actually unfolds. The Lions are the real stars of the film but it also has at its heart all of the different people who pull together to help the animals.

Tim Phillips, Director of Lion Ark says: “I really hope people in Beloit head along to the festival and see Lion Ark. Sometimes people understandably feel trepidation about animal protection films, but this is a genuine feel-good film about a serious issue. We don’t dodge the issues but this is a film to enjoy! We have had people standing up and cheering on the lions during screenings of the film.”

Lion Ark will have its Wisconsin premiere as part of the ninth Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF) – described as an “alternative” to the Sundance Film Festival by the New York Times and “the next big thing” by Movie Maker Magazine.

Lion Ark screens at Beloit International Film Festival on:

February 21, 2014
5:00 pm at My Apartment
429 East Grand Ave., Beloit, WI
$8 online / $9 at box office & at the door. Click here to purchase tickets.

February 22, 2014
5:00 pm at Café Fromage #1
431 East Grand Ave., Beloit, WI
$8 online / $9 at box office & at the door. Click here to purchase tickets.

February 23, 2014
12:00 pm at Hendricks Center for the Arts
Pleasant St. and Grand Ave., Beloit, WI
$8 online / $9 at box office & at the door. Click here to purchase tickets.