"Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis!" Film Debut Garners Six Nominations, Best Lead Actress Win

"Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis!" Film Debut Garners Six Nominations, Including One for Best Feature, and Wins Best Lead Actress Award, for Writer/Director Mercy Malick.

Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) June 5, 2009 -- The first screening of the just-completed controversial Catholic Church/Sin City-themed independent film "Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis!" garnered an unprecedented six nominations, including one for Best Feature, at the Gala Awards ceremony held Thursday night, June 4, 2009 at Hoboken International Film Festival ("HIFF") in New Jersey, with Mercy Malick, who also wrote and co-directed, winning Best Actress for her multi-role portrayal of true-life experiences growing up as a Catholic school girl in Las Vegas.

In addition to Malick's Best Actress Award, the film's outstanding cast also earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Emmy-winner Larry Gelman's portrayal of the lecherous octogenarian amputee "Sydney", and a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Tim Robbins' "The Actors' Gang" veteran Mary Eileen O'Donnell's portrayal of the street-wise, rosary-beads and brass-knuckle-toting nun, "Sister MacDonald". "Tales" also earned nominations for Best Screenplay, and Best Editing.

"We finished the film just in time to next-day-air it to HIFF," reports Malick. "Our screening there last Monday was literally the first time we had seen it outside of the editing room. And then to experience a theater full of complete strangers reacting the way they did- it was just a high I can't describe."

Seventy-two admitted films competed for awards at HIFF, and "…we saw some incredible stuff! Just absolutely superior filmmaking," says Malick. "The HIFF organizers and staff could not have possibly treated us better, and to be so profusely honored in that competitive pool, all I can say is, YEAH!"

After its tremendously successful East Coast debut at Hoboken, "Tales" will premiere next week on the West Coast at Seattle's True Independent Film Festival ("STIFF"), where it will screen Wednesday night, June 10th, 9:30 PM, at the Northwest Film Forum. For up-to-date screening information, please visit www.CCofE.com.

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