Documentary About American Olympic Diving Coach Hobie Billingsley, 'Hobie's Heroes,' Awarded Prize at Milan Film Festival

One of the most acclaimed documentaries about the sport of diving, "Hobie's Heroes -- 25th Anniversary Edition," was awarded the "Mention D'Honneur" at the Sport Movies & TV 25th Milano International FICTS Festival on November 1, 2007. The awards ceremony, held at the Palazzo Marino in Milan, was the culmination of a four-day festival, featuring 150 sports films from around the world. New York producer Steven Montgomery accepted the prize along with Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, who received an award for the video "Peace Through Sport."

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 22, 2007 -- One of the most acclaimed documentaries about the sport of diving, "Hobie's Heroes -- 25th Anniversary Edition," was awarded the "Mention D'Honneur" at the Sport Movies & TV 25th Milano International FICTS Festival on November 1, 2007. The awards ceremony, held at the Palazzo Marino in Milan, was the culmination of a four-day festival, featuring 150 sports films from around the world. New York producer Steven Montgomery accepted the prize along with Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, who received an award for the video "Peace Through Sport."

"Hobie's Heroes -- 25th Anniversary Edition" depicts the struggles and successes of young divers training under Olympic coach Hobie Billingsley. He coached the Indiana University team from 1959 to 1989, produced six Olympic medalists and is considered one of the most significant figures in the history of diving.

Recently, Montgomery commented on the receiving of his prize in Milan, "The awards ceremony was one of the most exciting events I have attended, and demonstrated the power of sports to inspire people and to promote international cooperation." He continued, "I would like to dedicate this award to my Italian grandparents, Francisco and Aida Giaccio, who were born in Civitanova del Sannio and came to America in 1918. They made possible my success in the U.S."

Originally released in 1980, "Hobie's Heroes" was widely televised in the United States on PBS, Nickelodeon and on the USA Network. Twenty-five years later, Montgomery located Mr. Billingsley and the divers featured in the film, and asked them to participate in an updating of the documentary for release as a DVD. In January of 2007, "Hobie's Heroes -- 25th Anniversary Edition" received the "Silver Ten Award," at the Mumbai International FICTS Festival. In addition to festival recognition, the DVD has been acquired by numerous American universities and public libraries.

The DVD bonus feature, "Updates on the Divers," demonstrates how diving, and training with Mr. Billingsley, has affected the lives and careers of the featured divers in the intervening 25 years. Now in their 40s, the divers describe how they were prepared for many successes in life by the training and discipline they received in the sport.

An additional DVD bonus feature shows Mr. Billingsley reciting the Judges Oath at the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, and contains a statement from Mr. Billingsley: "The images of the film are breathtaking. 'Hobie's Heroes' shows everything I was trying to do and hoped for in my career as a coach. I have never found the film to age, for its message is as pure as it was when it was first made."

Montgomery attributes much of the success of "Hobie's Heroes" to the talent and vision of Barbara Wolver, the editor and production manager of the film, and associate producer of the DVD. He commented, "She crafted each sequence of the documentary to convey specific information to the audience, as well as to provide rewarding emotional impact. Barbara's keen sense of rhythm gave the film a compelling pace through which the action and drama unfold. Her conviction about the value of the documentary for future audiences was a constant source of encouragement to everyone involved - from the project's inception to completion."

For more information or to obtain a preview copy of the DVD, please contact:

Steven Montgomery
400 West 43rd Street, #34A
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-736-9279
Cell: 646-267-9113
www.hobiesheroes.com

"Hobie's Heroes -- 25th Anniversary Edition" is available for purchase at the Web site hobiesheroes.com

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