The day before the Skechers Performance LA Marathon (March 24), you will have a chance to see one of the finest movies on athletics EVER: Chariots of Fire, in Beverly Hills, CA. To learn more, read on!
THE METHOD FEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL SCREENS SIR DAVID PUTTNAM’S OSCAR®-WINNING ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ ON MARCH 23, THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE SKECHERS PERFORMANCE LA MARATHON
BEVERLY HILLS, Feb. 20, 2019 – Don Franken, Executive Director of the 13th The Method Fest Independent Film Festival, today announced that the Festival will screen the David Puttnam-produced, multiple Academy Award®-winning drama ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ at 2 pm Saturday, March 23. This is the afternoon before The Skechers Performance LA Marathon, taking place on Sunday, March 24. The Method Fest is the only film festival to focus on the art and craft of acting for the cinema.
A turn-of-the-century drama based on the true story of two British runners (a Scottish Christian missionary and a Jewish Cambridge student) who competed in the 1924 Olympics, ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ was produced by Sir David Puttnam and directed by Hugh Hudson from an original screenplay by Colin Welland. ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ was honored with seven Academy Award® nominations and won four: Best Costumes (Milena Canonero), Best Original Screenplay (Welland), Best Music, Original Score (Vangelis) and Best Picture (Puttnam). The film runs 124 minutes and is rated PG.
Franken owns and operates the Los Angeles-based sports talent agency World Class Sports and also works with the public relations business he inherited from his father, Al. He has great memories of working with Warner Bros. and his father on a special sports world campaign for ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ ahead of the film’s 1981 release. “It’s a truly personal thrill to show this iconic film about track & field and ultimately, about the brotherhood of sports and great sportsmanship the day before so much of it will be on display all over LA,” said Franken, who is also planning a VIP reception around the screening.
Mark Covert, a pioneer in running who just missed a spot on the 1972 U. S. Olympic Team in the marathon, ran every day for 45 years straight days without missing a day. Covert was picked by Nike to wear its first pair of shoes in the 1972 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Covert will be at The Method Fest as an honorary host of the ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ screening at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills. He will be signing his new book, Never Missed, before and following the screening. Covert, in addition to his running feats that included running for 16,436 consecutive days and covering an astonishing 159,000 miles, has had a legendary coaching career at LA Valley College, Glendale College, LA Trade Tech and Antelope Valley College.
Covert, like runners Steve Prefontaine, George Young and Kip Keino, was viewed as one of the toughest competitors ever to lace up a pair of shoes. Other top runners and coaches will be attending the screening and details will be announced soon! Programmers for The Method Fest Independent Film Festival are currently viewing submissions and will attend the Sundance Film Festival, Slamdance, and Berlin Film Festivals in search of those titles with powerhouse performances, by actors growing into filmmaking and other natural hooks. For more, visit methodfest.com.
The Method Fest Independent Film Festival comes in the wake of Film Independent’s announcement late last year that it would no longer hold the LA Film Festival. With its more focused agenda and audience of actors and acting, The Method Fest Independent Film Festival also hopes to serve as a new marketplace for films seeking distribution. # # #
Never Missed Synopsis: What started as a hobby quickly became a life’s passion and a legacy for Mark Covert, holder of the second longest runner streak in history. Join Mark as he shares stories from the roads and trails he ran to cover an astonishing 159,000 miles, and the wisdom learned during the 16,436 consecutive days he kept the streak alive. From his first national championship, to competing in the 1972 U. S. Olympic Trials wearing the first pair of Nike shoes, Mark’s story is one or toughness, perseverance and unwavering dedication to the sport of running.
Mark Covert Bio -Born 1950 -Has been married to Debi since 1969 and they have four children Chris, Brittany, Patrick, Ashley -Cal State Fullerton graduate, 1973 1970 NCAA Div. II Cross Country Champion 1971 member of the NCAA Div II National Championship Cross Country Team 1972 seventh in the U. S. Olympic Trials marathon while wearing the first pair of NIKE shoes to ever cross a finish line Seven-time All-American while at Cal State Fullerton -Running streak of never missing a day of running from July 23, 1968 – July 23 2013 – 45 years -16,436 days in a row, 149,651 miles during the streak, average of 9.3 miles a day -Coaching career Coached for 43 years from 1974 – 2017 Glendale College, LA Valley College, LA Trade Tech, Antelope Valley College.
