Shadow Box Film Festival Runs in NY Nov. 30-Dec. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 30, 2012 – Leon Gast, the Academy Award-winning director of “When We Were Kings,” has joined the Shadow Box Film Festival advisory board.

“We are thrilled that Leon Gast has decided to join our team and lend his support to this unique film festival,” said Shadow Box Film Festival director David Schuster. “Leon's passion and work have been an inspiration to filmmakers all over the world.”

Gast's Oscar-winning documentary, “When We Were Kings,” is the story of the 1974 heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman – known as The Rumble in the Jungle. It won the 1996 Academy Award for Documentary Feature and the Independent Spirit Award. Gast is currently working on a documentary on Filippino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

The Shadow Box Film Festival is dedicated exclusively to boxing films. Boxing has always made for great drama. There are few moments in sport as exciting as the culmination of a big fight. The crowd rising, the tension building, the fighters tapping sources of pride and energy they didn't know existed.

It's the stuff that legends are made of. Well, the film industry has been borrowing from that legend for decades. We'd like to showcase that!

The festival will take place over two days — Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2012 — at the SVA Theatre at 333 West 23rd Street in New York City.

“We are very fortunate to have a stellar advisory board that has been assembled for the festival,” said Schuster. “We have an incredible cross-section of people from the worlds of boxing and entertainment. This group will resonate with fans of both film and boxing.”

The Shadow Boxing Film Festival Advisory Board consist of:

* Honorary chairman Mark McPherson, former world-ranked junior middleweight contender

* David Schuster, boxing event producer

* Michael Bentt, former WBO heavyweight champion

* Mark Breland, former Olympic gold medalist and WBA welterweight champion

* Bobby Cassidy Jr., sports journalist, Newsday

* Chris Cassidy, Director of Photography of the critically acclaimed documentary, Side By Side.

* Aaron Cohen, Emmy-winning writer for HBO's 24/7 franchise

* Kevin Connolly, star of “Entourage”

* John Duddy, former IBA middleweight champion

* Steve Farhood, boxing analyst, SHOWTIME

* Leon Gast, Oscar-winning director, “When We Were Kings.”

*Chris Kenneally, writer and director of documentaries “Side By Side” and “Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating”

* Holt McCallany, star of “Lights Out” 

* Seamus McDonagh, former heavyweight contender

* Bob Mladinich, author and boxing writer

WHAT: The Shadow Box Film Festival

WHERE: SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street (8th and 9th Avenues)

WHEN: Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, 2012

WEB: www.boxingfilmfest.com

EMAIL:  boxingfilmfestival@gmail.com” target=”_blank”>boxingfilmfestival@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ShadowBoxFilmFestival

TWITTER:  @boxingfestival