The USA Film Festival will offer a special honor to Mallory Lewis.

The USA Film Festival’s 24th annual KidFilm® Festival takes place Saturday, January 19 and Sunday, January 20, 2008 at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas.
The salute to Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop is scheduled for Saturday, January 19th at 2:30 p.m.
Honoring the legacy of her mother, the legendary Shari Lewis, award-winning children’s entertainer Mallory Lewis brings a new puppet (Giggles) to a new generation – with some help from an old friend — the beloved Lamb Chop! Mallory brings learning through music to young audiences through her new Phonics 4 Babies program. KidFilm will feature a live performance by Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop, and kids will receive a free DVD.

The program is presented through the support and partnership from KIDS FIRST! a program of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media.

The USA Film Festival is a 38-year-old, Dallas-based 501-c-3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the recognition and promotion of excellence in the film and video arts. Year-round events include KidFilm; the official Oscar Night® America Dallas; monthly screenings; special programs and premieres; and the USA Film Festival, held each spring. Throughout the year, the Festival presents a variety of membership, exhibition, educational and cultural programs designed to bring together film enthusiasts and filmmakers for a “live cinema” experience.

KIDS FIRST! accepts more than 300 titles every year, changing the programming every quarter. For the first quarter 2007 Festivals and special screenings, more than 70 titles are offered including sneak peeks of direct-to-DVD titles such as "Hip Hop Kidz,” and “Eloise in Hollywood;” feature films such as "Flicka;" new episodes of "Dora the Explorer," "Blue's Clues," "Go Diego Go," "Strawberry Shortcake," "Thomas & Friends," and “Bob the Builder;” new episodes of TV shows such as “Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Truck;” classic book-based films such as “The Last Unicorn, 25th Anniversary Edition." Independents have contributed feature films such as "Legend of the Sasquatch,” "Boone Style," and "The Tillimook Treasure;" documentaries such as "The Last Atomic Bomb," "Hitler's Courts," and "WordLoveWorldLove;" shorts such as "Almond Blossoms," "In Winter Still," and "The Red Balloon." We are featuring three outstanding titles from Macedonia from the award-winning series, Nashe Maalo: "Ghosts," "Home," "Karmen is Leaving," and "New Girl." Our student filmmakers have excelled in titles such as "Newsbreak: The Sneaker Phenomenon," "Woody Guthrie - Voice of the Common Man," "Viola," and "Whale Sharks of Hollbox."

Sneak peeks of new films and DVDs from major studios, classic films, and hidden jewels from independent and student producers are offered for kids ages two to 18, sorted by age group into five categories: 0-2, 2-5, 5-8, 8-12, and 12-18

KIDS FIRST! Criteria

Accepted titles have been evaluated by juries of adults and kids and, at the bare minimum, all must meet the KIDS FIRST! baseline acceptance criteria of: no gratuitous violence; no racial or cultural bias; no inappropriate sexual behavior; no replicable unsafe behavior; no condescension towards children.

KIDS FIRST! Best Awards

Every title accepted into the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is eligible for a KIDS FIRST! Best of the Fest Award nomination. The competition has become increasingly competitive with a record number of 571 submissions last year. Awards are given in 20 different categories as well as five Best of the Fest Awards.