Actor & Activist Jose Yenque to receive Humanitarian Award for Charity Work on October 9, 2014

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Oct. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Because of his tireless efforts to help Orphans and Underprivileged Children (whether it be fellow Actors or the homeless by bringing inspiration to everyone he meets) Jose Yenque will be given the honorable Inaugural Award by Council Member Gilbert Cedillo on opening night of the Highland Park Independent Film Festival. Councilmember Gilbert Cedillo represents the 1st Council District, which includes Highland Park.  For over the past 12 years, Jose has self-funded his work mentoring the vulnerable youth of an orphanage in Tijuana which inspired him in 2012 to launched Arts for a Better Tomorrow which officially became a 501(c)3 in September of 2014. The program teaches the dramatic and cinematographic arts to heal, transform and empower youth in Southern California inner city schools as well as four orphanages in Tijuana, Mexico. Yenque’s goal is to bring awareness to the Orphans of Southern California and Mexico, help them help themselves to be self sufficient and to NOT become dependent on Welfare.  Yenque’s upcoming First Fundraiser will be in the Fall of 2014.  He humbly comments: "This is truly an honor. As an Actor/Filmmaker I have honest passion for the arts and am a example of it's therapeutic benefits. This humanitarian award is not for my passion for the arts but for my passion to use the arts to help others, to teach the younger generation on both sides of the border to help themselves so that they too can eventually help others."

Yenque is Best known for his roles in Lost, Law & Order Special Victims Unit, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Academy Award Nominated MovieTraffic and has a movie soon to be released called Mucho Dinero with Danny Trejo, Eddie Griffin & Casper Van Dien.  Some of the celebrities expected at the Opening Night of the Highland Park Independent Film Festival are good friends of Yenque: Cast from the Opening night Screening of the movie Water & Power including Emilio Rivera (Sons Of Anarchy, Traffic, Collateral, Bruce Almighty also Co-Producer of Water & Power); Nicholas Gonzalez (Resurrection, Anacondas & Spun); Enrique Merciano (Without a Trace, CSI, NCIS); Richard Montoya (Writer/Director of Water & Power); Yvette Yates (Water & Power); Marisa Quin (Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Criminal Minds, Sons of Anarchy), Gingger Shankar (Music Composer for Water & Power, best known for Composing for Passion of the Christ) and many more expected. Yenque’s presence and being honored at the opening night of the Film Festival is thebeginning of a new era of growth and impact for his Charity Arts for A Better Tomorrow. He has much to celebrate and much more work to do as he transforms people with his passion for giving back. Jose tells his own story on the web site and why he formed the Charity to provide others with valuable life tools for their own better tomorrow.

LOCATION OF EVENT: The Highland Theatre is on Historic Route 66

at 5604 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90042.

PRESS CONTACT:  Monica Wild wildeaglepr@hotmail.com  818-679-9088

FILM FESTIVAL CONTACT: Marita De La Torre marita@hpifilmfest.com 310-871-3226

ABOUT THE FILM FESITIVAL:

In 2013 a group of filmmakers decided to take on the challenge of a film festival presence in the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park.  With that end goal, the Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF) was founded.  They put out the call for filmmakers producing unique works of in dependent cinema and on October 9^th through the 12^th, their work comes to fruition. Not a surprise that many of the films submitted, were from Highland Park filmmakers.

Films will compete in the following categories: Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature and Documentary Short. The Festival will screen two feature films and one short film in exhibition. Awards will be given for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Documentary and Audience awards.  Unique to HPIFF are three special awards: Best Cinematography, Best Musical Composition and the Humanitarian Filmmaker Award given to an individual giving to those in need through the art of film.

The films in competition will screen on Friday and Saturday.  The feature film screening in exhibition, Scenic Route starring Josh Duhamel and directed by Kevin and Michael Goetz will close the Friday Night program and a Friday night party will follow at Off Beat Bar.  Saturday’s closing film is Avenues by Aaref Rodriguez.  The screening at HPIFF will be the last one before the critically acclaimed film goes to distribution.  Footsie’s Bar will host the Closing Night Party. Highland Park filmmaker Lance Lindahl will have his World Premiere at HPIFF with the comedy Hay Days and the two documentaries in competition are Bella Vita, a pilgrimage to the Italian surfing scene and UPAJ Improvise, a behind-the-scenes look at dance company India Jazz Suites. Three short programs round out the screenings on Friday and Saturday with selections from Los Angeles and around the country.  For tickets and Festival Passes to the screenings, VIP events and mixers, visit www.hpifilmfest.com or contact, Marita De La Torre, marita@hpifilmfest.com, 310-871-3226

Jose Yenque

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0947490/

https://www.facebook.com/joseyenque

http://artsforabettertomorrow.org

http://www.joseyenque.com/

Highland Park Independent Film Festival

http://hpifilmfest.com/awards.html

PRESS ABOUT HIGHLAND PARK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL

:

Highland Park's Homegrown Film Fest Flourisheshttp://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/the-scene/Highland-Parks-Homegrown-Film-Fest-Flourishes-276189851.html

Highland Park Independent Film Festival: All the Details http://thedishmaster.com/2014/08/highland-park-independent-film-festival-all-the-details.html

Eastsider: LA Film festival brings movie magic to Highland Park http://www.theeastsiderla.com/2014/08/film-festival-brings-movie-magic-tohighland-park/

Happening in Highland Park

http://happeninginhighlandpark.com/event/highland-park-indie-film-fest/

OPENING NIGHT FILM:
"Water & Power" Written & Directed by Richard Montoya 90min http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2052015/
Twin brothers nicknamed "Water" and "Power" from the hard scrabble Eastside streets of Los Angeles rise like prince's through the city's political and police ranks to become players in a complex and dangerous web of the powerful and corrupt of Los Angeles.