National Geographic & Wildlife Film Festival to present All Roads Film Festival

September 12, 2006 JACKSON, Wyo. The third annual National Geographic All Roads Film Festival will travel across the nation this year, making a stop in Jackson, December 1-4. Hosted by the renowned Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, the works of indigenous and minority-culture filmmakers from around the world will be presented in Jackson.

Members of National Geographic's All Roads Advisory Board select outstanding indigenous films representing a variety of topics in an attempt to expose a broader audience to new cultures. From Aboriginal women teaching their granddaughters about love, to the experiences of the Mexican Oaxaca Indians as they face the obstacles of working in the United States and providing for their families at home, each film mines into the cultural roots and nuances of under-represented world cultures. Several filmmakers will be present for Q&A following screenings, which will present a unique opportunity for the audience to learn about little explored cultures.

This year's All Roads films feature 24 tribes and communities from 15 countries, but all express themes that traverse national and cultural boundaries. Francene Blythe, Director of the All Roads Film Project, said, "The themes that populate these works-family, love, respect between cultures and one's internal search for identity-are universal, yet the portrayals captured in these films. . . are unique perspectives that make them so intriguing. If there's one consideration we'd like audiences to take away from our festival, it is that despite our differences, we all yearn for the same things: happiness, prosperity, peace and respect."

Though Jackson is a small community in rural Wyoming, globe trotters and international residents are abundant. Lisa Samford, Executive Director of the Wildlife Film Festival, commented, "The people of Jackson Hole are very much connected to remote places of the world. There's an active interest in far-off locales and cultures. Bringing these remarkable indigenous filmmakers and their stories to the area underscores the deep affinity that the community has for distant places of the globe."

The All Roads Film Festival will also be presented in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Santa Fe, and Vancouver. A schedule for the Jackson Hole screenings will be released as the event nears. For more information on the All Roads Film Festival, visit www.nationalgegraphic.com/allroads.