If you love Leza Lidow’s artwork, but owning a piece doesn’t fit into your budget, you can now shop for t-shirts, sweatshirts and coffee mugs at Leza’s store on CafePress: http://www.cafepress.com/lezalidow

Actors Sonny and Stan.

Whimsical spin from New Masters Films

For Immediate Release

EL SEGUNDO, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/March 23, 2009 — Writer/director Leza Lidow (www.lezalidow.com) of New Masters Films picks up the prestigious Indie Fest Award of Merit for her film, “Auditions for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.”

“Auditions for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo” is set in a dance studio in Paris and bears a cast of characters and friends – including Stan Hancock, Cesar Smith-Diaz, Sonny Childers, Yelena Moiseyeva, and Lynda Lefever – which are lead by Dimitri (Hancock), the task-master whom whips his corps de ballet into shape for their audition of a lifetime. The lively characters perform in front of three esteemed international ballerinas of yesteryear for the lead role: Giovanna Gentilli (Anna Pavlova of Russia), Maxine Pink (Margot Fonteyn of England) and Vera Wong (Mei Lanfang of China).

Lidow has captured the audience with laughter and gaiety in this whimsical ballerina tale.

“Leza Lidow’s creative journeys in film emerges us in a ‘Dali-esque’ delight as she brings her sets and actors alive to bask in creativity – gifting her audiences with frolic and laughter. Prozac-a-licious fun, all the way around. She is a treat to work with. I feel honored,” says Lefever, whom has appeared in four of her films.

“As soon as I saw the ballerina cut-outs, I knew it was going to be a cut-up,” chuckled producer Kory Goetzman.

“The cast and crew are a joy to work with and make the entire process an adventure in creativity. It is nice to be rewarded with such gifts, and even better to win an award because of it,” commented Director and Executive Producer Lidow.

The Indie Fest recognizes film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film industry. In winning an Indie, New Masters Films and Leza Lidow join the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award. “The Indie is not an easy award to win,” said Chairman Thomas Baker, Ph.D., of the Indie Fest.

The film was recorded at New Masters Studios in El Segundo, Calif., with set construction by Ray Yeater, ballerina cut-outs prepared by Keith Blum and cinematography by Yasu Tanida.

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Indie awards go to those filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries. The Indie is a showcase for cinematic gems and unique voices. In 2009, “Auditions for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo” received an Award of Merit.

Congratulations to all of the Cast and Crew!

Starring:
Sonny Childers as Micha Potemkin / Giovanna Gentilli as Anna Pavlova / Stan Hancock as Dimitri Grand Master / Lynda Lefever as Madame Gregoriavich / Yelena Moiseyeva as Yelena / Cesar Smith-Diaz as Tolya Protefski / Vera Wong as Mei Langfang

Crew: Kory Goetzman: producer / Leza Lidow: executive producer / Min Lee: film editor / Keith Blum: set decorator / Christina Chilcote: key makeup artist / Thomas Curley: sound mixer / Veronica Chavira: assistant to the producers

Writer/director Leza Lidow did more than kick sand on winning the prestigious “Indie Fest” Award of Merit for her short subject film, “A Day at the Beach.”

Lidow banked on a zany cast of characters and friends – which includes Sonny Childers, Cesar Smith-Diaz, Stan Hancock, Giovanna Gentilli, and Elizabeth Nussbaum – to present her view of a time and setting where anything is possible when time loses its importance.

“A Day at the Beach” is set inside a visually dramatic impression of a Paris train station. Lidow’s characters bob along in a story of funny people behaving with innocence and charm as they rely on their social tet-a-tet to distract attention from their contagious inability to catch a train on time.

“Surrealiscious,” stated Sonny Childers. “Leza tosses her actors into her surreal paint buckets and then directs their visually delicious escape.

“We hope that we leave for the audience a story about hope, love and friendships as performed by imperfect, vulnerable characters from Leza’s imagination.”

“The work made me happy, and the main point is to make the audience happy and laugh,” said Lidow.

“Leza guides her troop of lovable, crazy friends through a series of unlikely circumstances and tumults, and then she allows them to end their journey with laughter and dance,” added Kory Goetzman, producer.

The Indie Fest recognizes film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. In winning an Indie, New Masters Film and Leza Lidow join the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award. “The Indie is not an easy award to win,” says Chairman Thomas Baker, Ph.D., of the Indie Fest.

The film was recorded at New Masters Studios in El Segundo, Calif., with set decoration prepared by Keith Blum, cinematography by Yasu Tanida, and original music developed by Giulio Carmassi.
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(Source: LOS ANGELES (EWORLDWIRE) Jan 9, 2009)

LEZA LIDOW was raised in California and New York. Her mother was born in China, daughter of a Russian diplomat. Leza’s mother was an avid collector of Asian art and translated Asian poetry. She published a number of books on Chinese poetry. Leza’s father was a flyer in the 1st World War. After the war he became a stunt pilot for the movies.

LEZA was raised in an environment of books; art, music and she showed an early passion for painting. After graduating from high School, she married a prominent, internationally known composer, Frederick Hollander. He wrote songs for Marlene Dietrich (Falling in Love Again) and musical scores for the movies. They had a daughter, Melodie. After three years of marriage, they divorced.

LEZA then continued her passion for painting, became a member of the American Watercolor Society, exhibiting in New York, Miami, Denver and Los Angeles, winning numerous awards. She continued her art education in Paris and Switzerland.

In 1951, she returned to Los Angeles and had a solo exhibit at Roperi’s Gallery. Shortly after she married Eric LIDOW, an industrialist with whom she has two sons, Derek and Alexander.

Her work became more surreal. She exhibited paintings and gradually evolved into three-dimensional art. LEZA continues to show her paintings and sculptures in Europe, exhibiting at the Grand Palais automme in 1992 and the Societe des Artistes Francais at the Grand Palais also in 1992.

Social issues have always influenced LEZA’s work, for example her monumental piece, The Chess Set (The Eternal Battle of the Sexes). The work is composed of life-size figures, half female and half male. These represent the struggle for power between men and women today. The entire set requires a space of 24 feet by 24 feet. 250,000 people around the world have seen the Chess Set.

The Chess Set was included in the French version of the GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS 1995.

Another body of works is devoted to environmental issues such as smoking, gas, guzzling, drugs, save the forests, and save the coastline. This work has been shown in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, and in France.

By the time 2005 rolled around Leza was experiencing some arthritis and a touch of osteoporosis. She refused to give up her projects and passions. She decided to make short comic films to make people laugh and carries on having a great time in life.