June 13, 2007 - New York, NY – Only 4 days left of the H2O [HIP-HOP ODYSSEY] INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (H2OIFF) celebrating five years of Hip-Hop Cinema, Education, Art and Culture at the ImaginAsian Theatre, M 1-5, and the Tribeca Cinemas.
New York City is the host of the largest Hip-Hop film festival in the world with over 100 avant-garde filmmakers, industry experts, community leaders, pioneers & historians engaged in panel discussions, movies screenings and from now until June 16, 2007. There will be full days devoted to the women, the industry, and the Hip-Hop international scene. Some of the upcoming film screenings include: Mr. Devious (South Africa), Hiphopistan (Turkey), Unsigned, La Bruja, The Art Of Love And Struggle, Remixed In Japan, Skip Hop (Australia), South Coast (Uk), Walkmen (Netherlands), And Cuban Radiography (Cuba).

Two exclusive Pre-Odyssey Awards filmmaker receptions will take place to honor pioneers IRIS MORALES, Director of Palante, Siempre Pa’Lante!, KATHLEEN CLEAVER, Founder of the Black Panther Film Festival, and the late TED DEMME, co-creator of Yo! MTV Raps. Sponsored by African American Women in Cinema, New York Women In Film & Television, Honey Magazine, Chica Luna, Sister Outsider, and the Media Coalition for Artists of Color.

The festival culminates with the ODYSSEY AWARDS extravaganza hosted by Hip-Hop Powerhouse, ED LOVER and legendary Comedian, PAUL MOONEY on Tupac Shakur’s Birthday. The evening will be dedicated to celebrating the winning filmmakers of the festival, Hip-Hop Legends, and Media Trailblazers. The Awesome 2 are back and will be spinning along with the NYC house band, DUJEOUS. The line up of performers include: SUPER NATURAL, STYLES P, SAFAHRI RHA, NYOIL, KAZI, P STAR, BEATBOX ENT., TRES CORONAS, KELLY ZEN-YIE TSAI, LA BRUJA, CONSEQUENCE, TONI BLACKMAN, AJA-MONET, K BANGER, and ABIODUN FROM THE LAST POETS.

Hip-Hop Celebrities will pay special tributes to the COLD CRUSH, CRASH CREW and PUBLIC ENEMY; Best Hip-Hop Actor, ICE-T; Trailblazers, RALPH MCDANIELS, CHARLIE AHEARN, AND ERNEST DICKERSON; and LEGENDS, GRAND WIZARD THEODORE, SANDRA “LADY PINK” FABARA, and the FIRST LADY OF HIP-HOP, CINDY CAMPBELL. Some of the presenters include: Fab 5 Freddy, Davey D, Rosa Clemente, Joe Conzo, Dana Dane, Warrington Hudlin, Michaela Davis, Rob Swift, Harry Allen, Immortal Technique, Londell Mcmillan, Grouchy Greg, Tracey Moore of the Jazzyfatnastees, Cipha Sounds, Pebeelee Poo, Henry Chalfant, Large Professor, Roxanne Shante, DJ Wiz, Ernie Paniccioli, Amada Diva, DJ Beverly Bond, Bizarre Royal, GrandMixer DXT, Jamal Joseph, and Miss Info. World Up! & Lyrics to Go! are selling a limted amount of discounted tickets for the next three days. To purchase your visit www.h2oiff.org/odysseydiscount.

The festival welcomes back the NY State Council on the Arts, the Ford Foundation, Film Blitz, BOE Laboratory, Powerhouse Books, Sedgwick and Cedar, Zipcar and BET J as Supporting Sponsors.

The Panel Sponsors include: MXGM, Zulu Nation, Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip-Hop Culture, Temple of Hip-Hop, Third World Newsreel, Video Music Box, Breakthrough.tv, The Ave Magazine, SOHH/FreshFlixx.com, Urban Word NYC, Listen Up!, African American Women In Cinema, St. Martin Press, NY Women In Film & Television, Chica Luna, and Sister Outsider.

The Media Sponsors are: ImaginAsian TV, Latin Nation TV, Ol’ Soul, Candy Store Marketing Group, Video Music Box, Honey Magazine, and Allhiphop.com.

 For more info on the 5th Annual H2O International Film Festival, including information films, events and tickets sales, please visit us online at http://www.h2oiff.org/.