Rainy Season/Spring Fundraiser continues for CAMBOFEST, Cambodia - Supporters are standing up for the cause

FW: Urgent: Cambodia's only independent film festival still faces funding shortfall--but supporters are standing up for the cause!

[Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 24, 2009]

CAMBOFEST, Cambodia's first and only internationally recognizedindependent film festival (now in it's 3rd year) is still facing asignificant funding shortage, three weeks into a Spring/Beginning ofrainy season funding drive. Despite international acclaim and kudosfrom industry professionals as varied as Julie and Roger Corman, thefestival is in danger of eventual shutdown due to significant fundinggaps.

CAMBOFEST is also 100% diligent about presenting movies only withpublic performance rights in place, with documented permission from thecopyright holders. This is a standard upheld by numerous motion picturegroups and associations, including the MPAA and others.

By striving to set an example in a region beset by rampant piracy andweak IP standards, CAMBOFEST is doing its part to develop a viablemedia industry in an emerging democracy.

But now, CAMBOFEST needs your help! Due to a funding gap precipitatedin part by the economic slowdown, we need to raise an emergency amountof $3500 to maintain normal operations and to avert a shutdown orinterruption of the 2009 festival.

**ANY AMOUNT WILL HELP ** Please send an emergency donation to help usmaintain festival operations (office rent & back rent, staffcompensation, mailing and courier fees, and more). All supporters willbe listed on the CAMBOFEST website's sponsor page at www.cambofest.com.Contributors sending $50 or more will receive a special "Best ofCAMBOFEST 2008" DVD as our way of saying thanks.

1) PREFERRED METHOD=> your contribution will reach us more quicklyand will be available to us nearly instantly via the following gateway:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5293886

2) If you do prefer a tax-deduction according to code 501 (c) 3, pleasenote that we are being fiscally sponsored by the Media Alliance of SanFrancisco, CA.
You may make a contribution via the Media Alliance at the following link at:
http://media-alliance.stores.yahoo.net/restoolandte.html

3) Or, mail a check to Media Alliance:
Media Alliance
1814 Mission Street # 205
San Francisco, CA 94103
(again, with "CamboFest" in the memo section)

Any amount is welcome and will be put to good use: a $10 donation willcover one local staffer and meals for a day; $20 will cover localtransportation for a week; $50 will pay for reliable broadband Internetfor a month. Even $5 will cover a working lunch for two staffers at alocal Khmer restaurant, or a mobile phone card with an hour of speakingtime.

Thanks so far to the following contributors, who have helped us keep the lights on during the most crucial days of our drive:

James Velaise, FRANCE
Martin Zweiback, USA
James Higgins, USA
Helge Cramer, GERMANY:
Norm Fassbender & Kate Holowach, CANADA
Maurice Adams, USA
Marianne Waller, AUSTRALIA
Jennifer MacDonald, USA
Chris Swider, USA

Rolando Dubioso, GERMANY

Eveline van Dijck, NETHERLANDS
Anonymous I & II

CAMBOFEST's aim has always been to promote the re-emergence of a viablemedia and movie industry in Cambodia, an LDC (least developed country).The media sector here experienced near-total destruction during thecountry's civil war and Khmer Rouge regime, and only today is theindustry making inroads towards a recovery in this developing democracy.

If you'd like to discuss more significant, longterm sponsorship of CAMBOFEST, please email us at info@cambofest.com

Thanks for your support--it's still not too late to avoid a shutdown ofCamboFest, Cambodia's only independent movie festival! (We'll updateyou on our situation at the end of May)

Ark'un Ch'ran,

J Rosette, Phun Sokunuthearith (aka Mr. Tol),
& the Rest of the CAMBOFEST Team

CAMBOFEST
www.cambofest.com
855 011736206