Flight Log #003

Team Mouse is proud to report a fun, exciting and successful
Summer that began in sunny Southern California. Afforded the
rare privilege of playing at four film festivals in the Los Angeles area,
we found our days packed with thrilling screenings and glamorous parties.
On this adventure, director Kyle Bell was once again joined by Matt Hayes,
co-writer and usual suspect. Just to liven things up a bit, Kyle was
also joined by his girlfriend, and his eleven year old son.

First up: the West Hollywood International Film Festival. Here 'The
Mouse That Soared' opened the festival and was screened in the
historic Blossom Room of the legendary Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It was in
this very room that the first-ever Academy Awards were held on May 19,
1929. This was a great moment in Mouse history, especially since the ghosts of
Montgomery Clift and Marilyn Monroe were rumored to be in attendance.
Topping off this already otherworldly experience, TMTS even won the festival's
award for 'Best Animation'!

But that was just the beginning of our winning ways. Team Mouse is
ecstatic to report that TMST went on to win 'Best Animation' and
'Audience Favorite Animation' at the HollyShorts Film Festival in
Hollywood. Lightning struck twice (again) at the Malibu Film Festival,
which saw the Mouse win trophies for 'Best Animation' and
'Audience Choice Animation'. Even more humbling, however, was the
terrific honor TMTS received in being asked to open the Malibu
Festival, playing before an incredibly moving and inspiring
documentary film entitled 'Jesse's Story'. Sharing the Mouse's
kindred themes of hope, redemption and overcoming seemingly impossible
odds, this amazing film chronicled the harrowing experiences of Jesse
Billauer, who found himself paralyzed after a surfing accident when he
was 17 years old. The film (also starring Jack Johnson, Ben Harper,
and the late Christopher Reeve) deservedly won Malibu's 'Best
Documentary Award', which will hopefully help build awareness for Life
Rolls On, a non-profit organization providing hope and advocacy to
young people whose lives have been affected by spinal cord injury
(SCI).

Last but not least, our friend Dayna (a member of Cirque Berzerk: see
Flight Plan #2) helped secure TMTS a late-night, semi-private, last
minute screening at the legendary Egyptian Theater. Built in 1922 by
Sid Grauman (of Grauman's Chinese Theater fame) to capitalize on the
Tutankhamen's Tomb craze, the theater was the site of Hollywood's
first premiere: Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. While not
an official selection of the Feel Good Film Festival, Team Mouse was
granted all-access privileges to this up-and-coming, well-run and
always packed festival. Playing in a theater steeped in nearly ninety
years of film history is pretty awesome and was a great way to round
out our latest Los Angeles adventure.