The 11th Annual CineVegas Film Festival

The 11th Annual CineVegas Film Festival will kick off with the world premiere of Hue Rhodes’ Saint John of Las Vegas, and eight other films will have their world premiere at the Festival, it was announced today by Trevor Groth, Artistic Director. The 2009 Festival will be held June 10 – 15 at the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres.Jump-starting this year’s Festival is the world premiere of Hue Rhodes’ Saint John of Las Vegas, which will screen at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Wednesday, June 10. The film stars Steve Buscemi as an ex-gambler-turned fraud investigator who must return to Las Vegas to investigate an insurance claim.Steve Buscemi

The eight world premieres in narrative competition, also known as “Jackpot Premieres,” include: Rania Ajami’s Asylum Seekers, a story of six people trying to escape modern life; Daylight, from David Barker, about a pregnant woman caught in a life-or-death situation; Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s Easier with Practice, based on the true story of a writer’s funny and intimate long-distance relationship with a mysterious woman; Etienne!, the story of a man and his best friend, a dwarf hamster, from Jeff Mizushima; Robert Saitzyk’s Alaskan-set thriller Godspeed; Patrick Hoelck’s modern love story Mercy, written by and starring Scott Caan; Patriotville from Talmage Cooley, a modern tale of greed, lies and romantic complications; and Asiel Norton’s Redland, about a family struggling to survive during the Great Depression. King Pin Suite @ The Palms CineVegas '08

A cash prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the Grand Jury Award Winner for Feature Film. Go to www.Cinevegas.com to purchase tickets and to view trailers.