In Conjunction With The SXSW Premiere Of ‘The Beaver’, Participant Media Kicks Off Social Action Campaign With Austin Events Co-hosted By To Write Love On Her Arms March 17

AUSTIN (March 14, 2011) — To coincide with the March 16^th SXSW premiere of The Beaver, the Summit Entertainment/Participant Media presentation in association with Imagenation Abu Dhabi, Participant Media is launching its Social Action Campaign for the film with a series of events in Austin, Texas co-hosted by the organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA). As the film depicts the devastating effects of mental illness on one family, Participant designed the Social Action Campaign to provide audiences with tools, resources and opportunities to heal the pain of those suffering from mental illnesses and their families and friends. “With the film having its world premiere at SXSW, we thought this would also be the perfect occasion to kick off our Social Action Campaign for The Beaver and our partnership with TWLOHA for a series of events and initiatives designed to take the serious issues illuminated in the film off the screen and into the community,” said John Schreiber, Participant’s EVP Social Action & Advocacy. Said Jamie Tworkowski, Founder, TWLOHA, “The Beaver is a film that speaks to the issues that we’re passionate about, especially depression. Our hope with this partnership is to continue to break the silence and the stigma surrounding mental health issues so that people will take steps toward getting the help they need and deserve.” On March 17^th at Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue, Participant, TWLOHA and the Kristin Brooks Hope Center are co-hosting an afternoon celebration of the Social Action Campaign for The Beaver, featuring performances by musical artists Pepper Rabbit and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers along with appearances by The Beaver director/star Jodie Foster and co-star Anton Yelchin. As part of its Social Action Campaign for The Beaver, Participant is joining TWLOHA, The Kristin Brooks Hope Center and PostSecret to sponsor IMAlive, the world’s first virtual crisis network where 100% of the volunteers are trained and certified in crisis intervention. Also, on March 11^th and 12^th at the University of Texas, Austin, TWLOHA and Participant co-hosted the Move Community Conference, a two day, in-depth workshop aimed at battling the stigma and shame of depression, addiction, self-injury, suicide, and the role a trusted community plays in bringing hope to those who feel broken. Led by professional counselors, the Conference was designed to explore what is behind these struggles, what drives them, what recovery looks like, and how to make a difference, incorporating film clips from The Beaver. The Beaver will open in theaters beginning May 6^th.

About The Beaver
Two-time Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with Academy Award® winner Mel Gibson in The Beaver – an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life. Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track…until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. Summit Entertainment and Participant Media present in association with Imagenation Abu Dhabi an Anonymous Content Production A Jodie Foster Film Mel Gibson Jodie Foster The Beaver Anton Yelchin Jennifer Lawrence. Written by Kyle Killen. Produced by Steve Golin, Keith Redmon, Ann Ruark. Directed by Jodie Foster.

About Participant Media
Participant Media is an entertainment company that focuses on documentary and narrative feature films, television, publishing and digital content about the real issues that shape our lives. For each of its projects, Participant creates social action and advocacy programs to transform the impact of the media experience into individual and community action. Participant’s online Social Action Network is TakePart (takepart.com). Founded by Chairman Jeff Skoll in 2004, Jim Berk serves as CEO and Ricky Strauss as President. Participant’s films include The Kite Runner, Charlie Wilson’s War, An Inconvenient Truth, Good Night, and Good Luck, The Visitor, Food, Inc., The Cove, The Crazies, Countdown to Zero, Waiting for “Superman,” Fair Game and The Beaver.

About Summit Entertainment, LLC
Summit Entertainment, LLC is a worldwide theatrical motion picture development, financing, production and distribution studio. The studio handles all aspects of marketing and distribution for both its own internally developed motion pictures as well as acquired pictures. Summit Entertainment, LLC also represents international sales for both its own slate and third party product. Summit Entertainment, LLC releases on average 10 to 12 films annually.

About To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)
To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

About the Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC)
KBHC has been a pioneer in providing cutting edge services of help and hope to populations ignored by the mainstream press and mental health services, such as moms with post partum depression, veterans with PTSD, Spanish, and Korean speaking populations, grad students and punk rock youth. Since 1998, the National Hopeline Network with 12 specialty hotlines and 1-800-SUICIDE have received more than 5 million calls and rescued more than 10,000 individuals who had already initiated suicide plans.

About PostSecret
Founded by Frank Warren, PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.