Editor

Courteney Cox is joining Scarlett Johansson and Kirsten 'Kiwi' Smith to open and attend LA Shorts Fest '09 red carpet, on July 23rd with 'The Monday Before Thanksgiving' which she wrote, directed and acted in. The short movie is part of Glamour Magazine's "Reel Moments Project. 'The Monday Before Thanksgiving' is Courteney Cox' first directing project.

Demi Moore first short movie as a director 'Streak', starring Brittany Snow and Rumer Willis, will make its Los Angeles premiere on July 24, at LA Shorts Fest '09. Immediately following the screening she will participate in a Q&A with the audience.

LA Shorts Fest '09 is running from July 23 to July 31, 2009.

Now in its 13th year, the event will be held at Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatre, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048.


LA Shorts Fest '09, Opening Night July 23rd:
- THE MONDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING directed and written by Courteney Cox for the Glamour Magazine Reel Moments project, starring Laura Dern and Courteney Cox. A woman has a chance encounter on a bus on the first anniversary of the loss of her mother which reinforces her faith in herself and the choices she's made.
"THESE VAGABOND SHOES" *World Premiere Golden Globe nominated Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut: starring Kevin Bacon, shot in black and white by 'Capote' and 'Lars and the Real Girl' cinematographer, Adam Kimmel,

"THE SPLEENECTOMY", starring Anna Faris by writer and first-time director Kirsten 'Kiwi' Smith, writer of the successful 'The House Bunny', 'Legally Blonde' and 'The Ugly Truth'.

"APOCRYPHA" *World Premiere directed by Russian-born writer-director Andrei Zvyagintsev, winner of the Golden Lion at the 2003 Venice Film Festival for 'The Return'. His last film, 'The Banishment', screened in competition at the 60th Cannes Film Festival.

Scarlett Johansson, Courteney Cox and Kirsten Smith will participate in a Q&A after the screening.

Part of the second night of LA Shorts Fest '09, July 24, 2009, LA Sorts Fest '09 will be presenting:
- STREAK directed by Demi Moore, starring Brittany Snow, Rumer Willis, Sarah Wright, Madeline Zima. When one young woman (Rumer Willis) rejects the obsessive calorie counting of her gym-rat girlfriends, she finds her salvation in an unusual form of expression.
LA Shorts Fest honors those individuals who have achieved excellence in short films. As the largest short film festival in the world with more than 300 film screenings and 9 days of educational panels, interactive and entertaining events, the festival has quickly become the industry standard for showcasing and awarding undiscovered talent.

The award categories are: BEST MUSIC VIDEO, BEST CREATIVE COMMERCIAL, BEST DOCUMENTARY, BEST EXPERIMENTAL, BEST ANIMATION, BEST COMEDY, BEST DRAMA, BEST FOREIGN FILM and BEST OF FEST.

As officially recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, some of these films may go on to receive Oscar nominations. In the past, 33 films have received Oscar nominations with 11 winning the coveted Oscar statue.

La Maison en Petits Cubes "The House of Small Cubes"- Director Kunio Kato won LA Shorts Fest BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM AWARD in '08, and 7 months later received the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the 2009 Academy Awards.

"Spielzeugland (Toyland)" screen at LA Shorts Fest in '08 and went on the win the Oscar for Best Live Action Short. "This Way Up", another alum of LA Shorts Fest '08 received an Oscar nominee in the animation category.