Deacon Alexander, Former Black Panthers Member, Announces His Candidacy for Governor of California

ORANGE COUNTY, CA , Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - California Green Party member, Deacon Alexander, bypasses the traditional press corps and announces his decision to run for Governor of California at a meeting of the Green Party members in Orange County .

In support of Deacon Alexander and attending the meeting were Director Bruno Pischiutta and Producer Daria Trifu who are currently in Los Angeles where their Academy Awards(R) qualified feature film, PUNCTURED HOPE, is screening at the Laemmle Monica 4-Plex.

Deacon Alexander, who has attended one of the screenings together with his campaign manager Sandy Stiassni , has declared that he will "not rest until the Black Magic shrines are closed and slavery is forever abolished". It is his conviction that PUNCTURED HOPE "is Oscar(R) worthy".

Present at yesterday's screening of the film was also the Coordinator for Amnesty International in Los Angeles , Mihoko Tokoro . She had this to say about the film: "PUNCTURED HOPE is a very powerful and politically important feature film that the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Science should truly consider for a nomination this year. Such a nomination is not only deserved for a beautifully executed film but it will also help to raise the much needed attention, on a global scale, to the issue of women and children slavery in today's West Africa and of the genital mutilation of women in the world. We need to reach out, inform and get the support of the global community to create an equal world where human rights and human dignity are respected. Through the medium of film, PUNCTURED HOPE, represents a great tool to reach out to the general public for support. I commend the work of the film's director and producer who made this great film and fight, step by step, to raise awareness to the issues it addresses."

"We, as a company, want to win the fight against ignorance and bigotry. I want to use film as an artistic weapon to improve the lifestyle and mentality of the viewers, to make their life better and to make them think in a positive way about major social problems that anguish our world today. I want that the rights of women and children are respected. I want to fight intellectual pollution, stupidity, racism and discrimination. I want to show that nonviolent film can be commercially viable and it can help to make a better world." - Director Bruno Pischiutta .

Recently nominated by The Political Film Society of Hollywood in the categories of 'best film expose' and 'best film on human rights' of 2009, PUNCTURED HOPE is screening in Los Angeles since November. The last two scheduled screenings of the film are on January 9 and 10 @ 11:00 AM at the Laemmle Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica .

"Breaking new barriers and as yet another proof of our commitment to our CAUSE, we are opening the doors and giving free access to our Sunday, January 10th screening of the film at the Laemmle Monica 4-Plex to the Santa Monica homeless men and women! We welcome them to come and watch PUNCTURED HOPE. Our CAUSE is driven by high ideals and it is more important than any one of us. It is a new world; it is time for a new morality!" - Bruno Pischiutta .

Santa Monica residents and founders of the Films4Change, Rachel Sene and Jay Johnson have been present at two of the film's screenings together with guests. The members of the group meet monthly in Los Angeles for dinner, private screenings of political and socially conscious films and discussion. They welcome atheists, freethinkers, secular humanists, skeptics, nonbelievers, agnostics and inquiring minds.

About Deacon Alexander: California gubernatorial candidate in June 8 primary, strong social justice activist, former Black Panther advocate, and LA Green Party member.

About Maestro Bruno Pischiutta: Internationally Awarded Film Director, International Academician, Founder of Toronto Pictures.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0994395

A Company with a conscience - About Toronto Pictures (PINK: TTOPF): Targeting a global audience, Toronto Pictures explores different cultures and addresses controversial issues of our time in a dramatic format. Toronto Pictures develops and releases Hollywood standard, 35 mm feature films that provoke thought, not violence.

WEBSITE: http://www.torontopictures.com

SOURCE Toronto Pictures Inc.