125 students, faculty and staff "lend their legs" to ban landmines at a Lend Your Leg USA screening of "The Eyes of Thailand". (c) Seattle University.

Albers Student Clubs ask students to “Lend Their Legs” at a film screening about elephant landmine survivors.

Seattle University Albers Student Club presents a Special Screening of “The Eyes of Thailand” as part of the Lend Your Leg celebrations on International Mine Awareness Day. The Film will screen on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 12:30pm at The Quad, Seattle University. (In case of rain, meet at the PACCAR Auditorium, Pigottt Building).  For more information visit <http://tinyurl.com/SeattleLYL>.

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 10-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants—Motala and Baby Mosha—walk again after losing their legs from stepping on landmines.

Judd writes, “The Eyes of Thailand is a story of sacrifice and perseverance that shows how far one woman will go to save an endangered species from threats above and below the surface. I hope it will raise awareness to protect Asian Elephants—and all beings—from the terror of landmines.”

Seattle University joins the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and hundreds of activists around the world in the global Lend Your Leg campaign, which asks individuals to roll up their pant leg in solidarity with landmine survivors in order to urge decision makers to take action. Lend Your Leg was launched by the Colombian NGO Fundación Arcángeles in 2011 to call attention to the issue of landmines and their devastating effect on communities in Colombia and throughout the world.

Lend Your Leg campaigners urge governments that remain outside the Mine Ban Treaty to join immediately and all governments to take steps towards achieving a mine-free world including: speeding clearance of contaminated land; providing more and better assistance to survivors, their families and communities; and destruction of all remaining stockpiles of antipersonnel mines.

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States and “Best Documentary” Awards from the FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Rising Star, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its World Premiere in April 2012.

The filmmakers have created a successful and loyal following through the film’s social media sites, including Facebook <www.facebook.com/eyesofthailand> and Twitter <www.twitter.com/eyesofthailand>, and the film’s website <www.eyesofthailand.com>.

D.V.A. Productions, in Association with Indiewood Pictures, is proud to announce the nationwide DVD release of “The Eyes of Thailand”. FilmWorks Entertainment distributes the film and DVD orders can be placed at http://eyesofthailand.com.

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 10-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, a passionate woman who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants walk again after losing their legs from stepping on landmines.

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States, the “Best Documentary” Jury Award from the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival, and “Best Documentary” Audience Award from Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival. Salwala received the “Best Heroine in a Wildlife Film” Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival and was nominated for the “People and Nature” Panda Award at the Wildscreen Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its film festival premiere in April 2012.

The elephant stars of the film have been capturing the hearts of people worldwide and were featured in National Geographic, Yahoo, Takepart.com, Huffington Post and IndieWire.

You can order your DVD today by clicking here.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact Name:  Windy Borman

Phone: (415) 317-5697

Email: windy@dvaproductions.com

‘THE EYES OF THAILAND’ BRINGS ELEPHANT LANDMINE SURVIVOR STORY TO DVD

Ashley Judd narrates the 10-time award-winning film out February 26, 2013.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (February 5, 2013) – D.V.A. Productions, in Association with Indiewood Pictures, is proud to announce the nationwide DVD release of “The Eyes of Thailand” on February 26, 2013. FilmWorks Entertainment distributes the film and DVD orders can be placed at http://eyesofthailand.com.

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 10-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, a passionate woman who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants walk again after losing their legs from stepping on landmines.

Judd writes, “The Eyes of Thailand is a story of sacrifice and perseverance that shows how far one woman will go to save an endangered species from threats above and below the surface. I hope it will raise awareness to protect Asian Elephants—and all beings—from the terror of landmines.”

Borman began following the story after meeting Soraida, Mosha and Motala in Thailand and seeing their journey from landmine victims to survivors.  “Witnessing Mosha and Motala take their first steps on their new prostheses was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I cannot wait to share it with the world.” said Borman. 

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States, the “Best Documentary” Jury Award from the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival, and “Best Documentary” Audience Award from Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival. Salwala received the “Best Heroine in a Wildlife Film” Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival and was nominated for the “People and Nature” Panda Award at the Wildscreen Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its film festival premiere in April 2012.

The elephant stars of the film have been capturing the hearts of people worldwide and were featured in National Geographic, Yahoo, Takepart.com, Huffington Post and IndieWire.

The filmmakers have created a successful and loyal following through the film’s social media sites, including Facebook <www.facebook.com/eyesofthailand> and Twitter <www.twitter.com/eyesofthailand>, and the film’s website <www.eyesofthailand.com>.

FilmWorks Entertainment is an independent film, television, and specialty program Distribution Company located in Santa Clarita, California.  Established by film makers for film makers FilmWorks acquires, produces and releases programming worldwide across all platforms. For more information about FilmWorks Entertainment, please visit www.filmworksent.com

For further inquiries, please contact: Windy Borman windy@dvaproductions.com

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact Name:  Windy Borman

Phone: +1 415-317-5697

Email: windy@dvaproductions.com

 “THE EYES OF THAILAND” SCREENS AT THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE 15^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MINE BAN TREATY

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines co-presents the nine-time award-winning film about elephant landmine survivors in Geneva.

San Francisco, CA (November 26, 2012) – DVA Productions, in association with Indiewood Pictures, is proud to present a Special Screening of “The Eyes of Thailand” as part of the 15^th Anniversary of the signing of the Mine Ban Treaty. The Film is co-presented with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and will screen during a side event at the 12^th Meeting of State Parties on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 1:00pm at the Palais des Nations (8-14, avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland in Room XIX). Special Guests include Director/Producer Windy Borman. For more information visit <http://eyesofthailand.com>.

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 9-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants—Motala and Baby Mosha—walk again after losing their legs from stepping on landmines.

Judd writes, “The Eyes of Thailand is a story of sacrifice and perseverance that shows how far one woman will go to save an endangered species from threats above and below the surface. I hope it will raise awareness to protect Asian Elephants—and all beings—from the terror of landmines.”

Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, researcher for the Landmine Monitor annual country report on Myanmar/Burma, states, “No one knows how many people and creatures in Burma are casualties of antipersonnel mines. Elephants, the largest land animals, are an unfortunate symbol of a large man-made catastrophe being experienced by all who live on the frontiers of Burma.”

Borman, a US filmmaker, became involved in the landmine issue after meeting Salwala, Mosha and Motala in Thailand in 2007 and seeing their journey from landmine victims to survivors.  “Witnessing Mosha and Motala take their first steps on their new prostheses was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I hope the film will serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done to eradicate landmines,” said Borman.

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States and the “Best Documentary” Jury Award from the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival. Salwala received the “Best Heroine in a Wildlife Film” Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Rising Star, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its World Premiere in April 2012.

The filmmakers have created a successful and loyal following through the film’s social media sites, including Facebook <www.facebook.com/eyesofthailand> and Twitter <www.twitter.com/eyesofthailand>, and the film’s website <www.eyesofthailand.com>.

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PRESS RELEASE

Mines Action Canada and D.V.A. Productions (San Francisco), in association with Indiewood Pictures, are proud to announce the Canadian Premiere of “The Eyes of Thailand” at the One World Film Festival in Ottawa, Ontario. The film will open the festival with a screening on Thursday, October 11, at 6:30pm at the Library and Archives (395 Wellington Ave) and a Q & A with Director/Producer Windy Borman will follow. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://bit.ly/TM5spQ or through Mines Action Canada’s donation page www.indiegogo.com/EOTtoOttawa .

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 8-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, a passionate woman who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants walk again after losing their legs in landmine incidents.

Judd writes, “The Eyes of Thailand is a story of sacrifice and perseverance that shows how far one woman will go to save an endangered species from threats above and below the surface. I hope it will raise awareness to protect Asian Elephants—and all beings—from the terror of landmines.”

Mines Action Canada is thrilled to partner with One World Film Festival to bring “The Eyes of Thailand” to Canada during the 20th anniversary of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Paul Hannon, Executive Director said “This film demonstrates the indiscriminate nature of landmines and how in mine affected areas no one is safe until all the mines are cleared. Windy Borman graduated from our Youth Leaders training in 2010 during the filming of ‘The Eyes of Thailand’ and now that the film is finished we’re very excited to help One World Film Festival and Windy share this story with Canadians.”

Borman became involved in the landmine issue after meeting Soraida, Mosha and Motala in Thailand and seeing their journey from landmine victims to survivors. “Witnessing Mosha and Motala take their first steps on their new prostheses was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I cannot wait to share it with Canada – a country known for its leadership in the movement to ban landmines. I hope the film will serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done to eradicate landmines so that all beings can walk without fear” said Borman.

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States and the “Best Documentary” Jury Award from the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival. Salwala received the “Best Heroine in a Wildlife Film” Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its World Premiere in April 2012.

Interview opportunities exist with Director/Producer, Windy Borman on October 11, 2012.
Contact: Erin Hunt, Program Officer
Mines Action Canada
Phone: + 1 613 241-3777
Cell: + 1 613 302-3088
E-mail: erin@minesactioncanada.org

Film Links:

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/484659311553545/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eyesofthailand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/eyesofthailand

Web site: http://eyesofthailand.com

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact Name:  Windy Borman

Email: windy@dvaproductions.com

‘THE EYES OF THAILAND’ SETS SIGHTS FOR NORTHWEST PREMIERE AT THE PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL

Ashley Judd narrates the eight-time award-winning film that has its roots in the Pacific Northwest.

SEATTLE, WA (September 17, 2012) – D.V.A. Productions, in Association with Indiewood Pictures, is proud to announce the Northwest Premiere of “The Eyes of Thailand” at the Port Townsend Film Festival (PTFF). The Film will screen Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 6:15pm at the Rose Theatre (Port Townsend, WA) and Sunday, September 23 at 12:30pm at the Uptown Theatre (Port Townsend, WA). Tickets are available at <http://www.ptfilmfest.com/>. Special guests include Director/Producer Windy Borman.

“The Eyes of Thailand” is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg. The 8-time award-winning documentary, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the heartwarming and heroic true story of Soraida Salwala, a passionate woman who dedicated 10 years of her life to help two Asian elephants walk again after losing their legs from stepping on landmines.

Judd writes, “The Eyes of Thailand is a story of sacrifice and perseverance that shows how far one woman will go to save an endangered species from threats above and below the surface. I hope it will raise awareness to protect Asian Elephants—and all beings—from the terror of landmines.”

Borman began production on “The Eyes of Thailand” in November 2007, while traveling in Thailand with a Port Townsend theatre company, but when Borman met Salwala and the two elephant landmine survivors, the direction of the film changed.

“When I met Soraida, Mosha and Motala, I knew I discovered an untold story that I needed to share with the world. Witnessing Mosha and Motala take their first steps on their new prostheses was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I cannot wait to share it with the world–and especially the company members from Port Townsend,” said Borman.

“The Eyes of Thailand” was awarded the “ACE Documentary Film Grant” from The Humane Society of the United States and the “Best Documentary” Jury Award from the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival. Salwala received the “Best Heroine in a Wildlife Film” Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival. The film has also garnered Humanitarian, Green, Animal Advocacy and Animation awards since its World Premiere in April 2012.

The elephant stars of the film have been capturing the hearts of people worldwide and were featured in National Geographic, Yahoo, Takepart.com, Huffington Post and IndieWire.

The filmmakers have created a successful and loyal following through the film’s social media sites, including Facebook <www.facebook.com/eyesofthailand> and Twitter <www.twitter.com/eyesofthailand>, and the film’s website <www.eyesofthailand.com>.

For further inquiries, please contact: Windy Borman windy@dvaproductions.com

To help you show off your “Eyes of Thailand” spirit at our upcoming film festivals, we’ve launched a Facebook Store so you can pre-order your official “Eyes of Thailand” T-shirts and posters. The gear is in limited supply, so pre-order yours TODAY!

“Dream Big” T-Shirts: We love to see Democracy in action! Our Facebook Fans voted in August on their favorite T-shirt designs and here’s the winning look. The design features Motala and Baby Mosha on the front with our “Dream Big” slogan, and the title of the film on the back. Men’s, women’s and kid’s sizes available.

(c) Eyes of Thailand, LLC

Official Film Posters: Now you can bring home a bit of elephant history with an official poster for “The Eyes of Thailand”. Posters are unsigned and measure 24″ x 36″, exactly the same size we use at our film festival screenings!

(c) Eyes of Thailand, LLC. All rights reserved.

SPECIAL NOTES:

• If you selected a T-shirt or poster as part of a Donation Perk, you do NOT have to pre-order your gear. We already have you factored into the headcount.
• Posters and T-shirts will be mailed later this month.
• If you’re coming to a festival in September, we’ll have T-shirts on hand for cash purchase.
• Once we decide on a water bottle company, we’ll reveal the water bottle design and add them to the Facebook Store, too.

“The Eyes of Thailand” continues its award streak by receiving the Green Planet Award from FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival. The Green Planet Award is given to the film whose missions are “celebrating the vision of man’s shared humanity and achieving sustainability on our planet.”

“The Eyes of Thailand” tells the true and inspirational story of Soraida Salwala’s quest to help two elephant landmine survivors walk again. Treating their wounds was only part of the journey: building elephant-sized prostheses was another. The now 7-time award-winning film is directed/produced by Windy Borman, produced by Tim VandeSteeg and narrated by Ashley Judd.

The Green Planet Award was extra special for “The Eyes of Thailand” because it was announced on World Elephant Day.

To learn more about the film’s social and environmental goals, visit “The Eyes of Thailand” website.

Soriada Salwala’s love for elephant began early. When she was 8-years old, she saw an injured elephant lying helplessly on the side of the road. As her family drove past, they hear a gunshot. Her father explained, “Uncle Elephant is in heaven now”. “But if he was dying,” asked young Soraida, “why couldn’t he go to the hospital?” Flash forward several years and Soraida opened the World’s First Elephant Hospital to treat ill and injured elephants.

To date Soraida and her staff have treated over 3,500 Asian elephants for everything from eye infections, knife wounds, gunshot wounds and broken bones. However, their biggest challenge came in 1999 when an elephant landmine survivor, named Motala, arrived at FAE’s Elephant Hospital. Seven years later, a 7-month old calf named Mosha, arrived after she stepped on a landmine.

Soraida’s amazing 10-year journey to help these two elephant landmine survivors walk again on prostheses is chronicled in the award-winning, inspirational documentary, “The Eyes of Thailand”, narrated by Ashley Judd. The film is directed/produced by Windy Borman and produced by Tim VandeSteeg.

“The Eyes of Thailand” will have its East Coast Premiere at Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival on August 12, 2012 at 12:00pm. Coincidentally, August 12^th is the inaugural World Elephant Day.

Purchase tickets via: http://tinyurl.com/eotRIIFF

Invite your FaceBook friends to the event: http://www.facebook.com/events/379676615421360/

You can also find information and keep track of the film’s progress via the website, FaceBook and Twitter.

Dearest “Ele-Friends”,

We are thrilled to announce that “The Eyes of Thailand” film has been accepted into four more film festivals.

Narrated by Ashley Judd, “The Eyes of Thailand” tells the true and inspirational story of one woman’s quest to help two elephant landmine survivors–Motala and Baby Mosha–walk again on their own four legs. Treating their wounds was only part of the journey; building elephant-sized prostheses was another.

“The Eyes of Thailand” continues its film festival screenings at the following festivals this summer and fall:

The Las Vegas International Film Festival

July 20, 2012 at 4:45pm at LVH Theatre

FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival

August 7-12, 2012

Port Townsend Film Festival

September 21-23, 2012

Wildscreen Festival

October 14-19, 2012

We are thrilled to announce that not only will Wildscreen be the U.K. Premiere for “The Eyes of Thailand”, but we are also one of only three (3) films nominated for a Panda Award in the “People and Nature” category.

Please mark your calendars and spread the word, as we would love to have as many “Ele-Friends” in the audience as possible to spread awareness about the plight of the Asian Elephant and the on-going threat of landmines. Krup kum ka!

-Windy Borman

Director/Producer, “The Eyes of Thailand”