MACGILLIVRAY FREEMAN FILMS IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRAND USA PRESENT THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE DOCUMENTARY “NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE” NARRATED BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER ROBERT REDFORD
The World Premiere at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Kicks Off the Celebration of the Global Release in Select IMAX® and Giant Screen Theatres February 12th
Laguna Beach, CA, February 4, 2016 – MacGillivray Freeman’s new adventure documentary for IMAX® and giant screen theatres, National Parks Adventure opens globally on Friday, February 12th with a roll-out expansion release through the Fall. The film, produced in association with Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization, and presented globally by Expedia, Inc., and Subaru of America, Inc., with major support from the Giant Dome Theater Consortium, takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness.
Moviegoers will soar over red rock canyons, hurtle down steep mountain peaks and explore other-worldly realms found within America’s most legendary outdoor places in what is both an action-packed celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the National Park Service and a soulful reflection on what wilderness means to us all.
“National Parks Adventure captures the stunning beauty of our wild places and reminds us these landscapes are an essential part of the human spirit,” states film narrator and Academy Award® winner Robert Redford.
At the helm of National Parks Adventure are two-time Academy Award®-nominated director Greg MacGillivray (The Living Sea, Dolphins, Everest) and his team of filmmakers, who bring their legendary giant-screen storytelling to some of the most extraordinary locations on the planet.
“There are more than 400 national parks and historic sites in our country that many families have not been able to explore,” says director Greg MacGillivray. “Our hope is that National Parks Adventure will encourage our audiences to discover the beauty and sanctuary of these American treasures—and inspire them to go out and explore them on their own.”
“The national parks are major draws for international travelers and our giant-screen film is an ideal vehicle for conveying that appeal,” said Chris Thompson, Brand USA’s President and CEO. “As we continue to highlight the great outdoors in our global promotional efforts, we look forward to successful screenings of the film playing at hundreds of venues around the world.”
Filmed in more than 30 national parks across the country, National Parks Adventure follows world-class mountaineer and national parks ambassador Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they hike, climb and explore their way across America’s spectacular wilderness—places like Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, Grand Tetons and Arches – revealing a tapestry of natural wonders that will inspire the adventurer in all of us. Captured with the highest-quality Solido IMAX 3D cameras and shown in full glory in giant-screen theatres, National Parks Adventure celebrates the majesty of our national parks and treasured landscapes and highlights the importance of protecting them for the next 100 years.
“We believe in the transformative power of America’s national parks to inspire travel and discovery, and we are honored to lend support and raise awareness as the first global sponsor and exclusive online travel activation partner of this film, as well as a long-standing partner of Brand USA and the US Travel Association,” said Noah Tratt, Global Senior Vice President of Expedia Media Solutions. “We also created an easy way for travelers to book their next trip to explore all that our national parks have to offer at www.expedia.com/nationalparks.”
As part of the partnership with Subaru, the film will open with a short dedication spot from the automaker that promotes the importance of the national parks and the need to protect them. As the premier vehicle partner of the National Parks Service Centennial, Subaru is working with the national parks on a zero-landfill initiative dedicated to significantly reducing waste going into landfills and preserving the parks for years to come.
“This film would not have been possible without the support of our partners at Brand USA, Expedia and Subaru, who share a dedication to inspiring people around the world to get out there and explore their world,” said Shaun MacGillivray, Producer of National Parks Adventure and President of MacGillivray Freeman Films. “Their support and participation brought this film to life, and together we look forward to delivering an unforgettable movie experience that will bring America’s vast and treasured wilderness to global audiences.”
Brand USA will host the film’s World Premiere at the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History on Wednesday, February 10th. Brand USA executives, filmmakers, government officials, and Park Service executives will be in attendance to celebrate the premiere of this film and commemorate the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service. Additionally, there will be festivities on behalf of the film held both domestically and in international markets such as London, Mexico City, Tokyo and Beijing to mark the opening of the film around the world.
National Parks Adventure will be released in more than 100 theaters across the country and around the world beginning February 12, 2016, through Fall 2016.
The film is family-friendly and has a run time of 43 minutes.
www.NationalParksAdventure.com
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About National Parks Adventure
Narrated by Academy Award winner Robert Redford, “NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE” is a MacGillivray Freeman film produced in association with Brand USA and presented globally by Expedia, Inc. and Subaru of America, Inc. with major support from the Giant Dome Theater Consortium. The film is sponsored domestically by REI, Sierra Club and Sunset and Coastal Living magazines. “NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE” is directed by Greg MacGillivray (The Living Sea, Dolphins, Everest) and produced by Shaun MacGillivray (To The Arctic, Grand Canyon Adventure). Filmed with IMAX 3D cameras, National Parks Adventure is written by Stephen Judson (Everest, To The Arctic) and Tim Cahill (Everest) with a musical score by Steve Wood (Journey to the South Pacific, To the Arctic).
About MacGillivray Freeman Films
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant-screen 70mm films with 38 films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres to its credit. Throughout the company’s 50-year history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award® nominations and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one billion dollar benchmark for worldwide box office. For more information about the company, visit www.macgillivrayfreemanfilms.com.
About Brand USA
Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, was established by the Travel Promotion Act to spearhead the nation’s first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. With a mission of increasing incremental visitation, spend and market share of international travelers to the United States, Brand USA works in close partnership with more than 500 partners to maximize the economic and social benefits of travel. These benefits include fueling the nation’s economy and fostering understanding between people and cultures. Through its call-to-action — Visit The USA — Brand USA inspires travelers to explore the United States of America’s boundless possibilities.
For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com. For information about exceptional and unexpected travel experiences in the United States, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website at www.VisitTheUSA.com.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) is one of the world’s leading travel companies, with an extensive brand portfolio that includes leading online travel brands, such as:
- Expedia.com®, a leading full service online travel company with localized sites in 33 countries
- Hotels.com®, the lodging specialist that offers Hotels.com® Rewards and Secret Prices through its mobile booking apps and localized websites in more than 65 countries
- Hotwire®, a leading discount travel site that offers Hot Rate® Hotels, Hot Rate® Cars and Hot Rate® Airfares, as well as vacation packages
- HomeAway®, a global online marketplace for the vacation rental industry, which also includes the VRBO, VactionRentals.com and BedandBreakfast.com brands, among others
- Travelocity®, a pioneer in online travel and a leading online travel brand in the US and Canada
- Orbitz Worldwide, a global travel portfolio including Orbitz, ebookersand CheapTickets brands, and business-to-business offerings including Orbitz Partner Network and Orbitz for Business
- Egencia®, a leading corporate travel management company
- Venere.com™, an online hotel reservation specialist in Europe
- trivago®, a leading online hotel search with sites in 55 countries worldwide
- Wotif Group, a leading portfolio of travel brands including Wotif.com®, Wotif.co.nz, lastminute.com.au®, lastminute.co.nz and travel.com.au®
- Expedia Local Expert®, a provider of online and in-market concierge services, activities, experiences and ground transportation in hundreds of destinations worldwide
- Classic Vacations®, a top luxury travel specialist
- Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, a provider of exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 2 retail travel agency franchises across North America
- CarRentals.com™, a premier online car rental booking company with localized sites in 13 countries
- Expedia Affiliate Network (EAN), a global B2B business that powers the hotel business of leading airlines, top consumer brands, online travel agencies and thousands of other partners through its API and template solutions.
- Expedia® Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of Expedia, Inc. that builds media partnerships and enables brand advertisers to target a highly-qualified audience of travel consumers
For corporate and industry news and views, visit us at www.expediainc.com or follow us on Twitter @expediainc.
Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. © 2016 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-50
About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants, and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. To learn more about what Subaru is doing with the National Parks, visit www.Subaru.com/environment.
About The Giant Dome Theater Consortium
The Giant Dome Theater Consortium (GDTC) incorporated in 2010 to foster educational film production for the most unique theaters in the world. The GDTC facilitates film production through financial support and encourages the use of technical standards that maximize the experiential impact of the giant dome screen. Member institutions of the GDTC are Cincinnati Museum Center; Discovery Place, Inc., Charlotte; Museum of Science, Boston; Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago; Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego; Science Museum of Minnesota and the St. Louis Science Center.
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Media Contacts:
MacGillivray Freeman Films Boutique Publicity Brand USA
Lori Rick Risa Chapnick & Ariana Swan Anne Madison
949-494-1055 818-305-6053 301.385.8296
lrick@macfreefilms.com risa@boutiquepublicity.com amadison@thebrandusa.com