NEW YORK, July 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Expresion En Corto Film Festival, the largest festival in Mexico and one of the most prominent in Latin America, announced that it has selected Deborah Bothun, principal in the Advisory practice in the Los Angeles office of PricewaterhouseCoopers, as a recipient of the Cruz de Plata Award of Distinction, the highest honor bestowed by the Festival, which draws in excess of 75,000 attendees annually.
"Deborah Bothun's dedication and achievements are the gold standard for business executives in the entertainment industry," said Sarah Hoch de Long, Festival Executive Director. "But equally important, Deborah has served as a role model and mentor for women coming up in the ranks in the industry. She has been a devoted advocate for women in film, especially those who serve the industry behind the camera in executive leadership roles."
"We are extremely proud of Deborah for being chosen for this award," said Randy Browning, U.S. Advisory Clients & Industries Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Her dedication to the entertainment industry is unmatched. Deborah's commitment to excellence, teamwork and mentoring make her an outstanding leader and the respect she's earned from her peers is evident."
Ms. Bothun has over 25 years' experience as a leading advisor to FORTUNE 500 companies and has spent the last 15 years of her career focused on the international entertainment and media industries. She leads the U.S. Advisory Entertainment, Media and Communications practice and is the Global Leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Digital Convergence initiative, which assists clients in adapting to the changing content marketplace. As a business advisor, Ms. Bothun works with some of the largest companies in the industry and has been involved in many of the recently announced new media projects. Ms. Bothun is the author of several thought leadership papers from PricewaterhouseCoopers and is a frequent speaker at entertainment and media events.
"This is an incredible honor," said Ms. Bothun. "My career in the entertainment and media field has been very rewarding - particularly working with such talented people in the industry, at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and with our clients. I enjoy being able to innovate across borders and collaborate globally in helping our clients find solutions to their complex challenges. PricewaterhouseCoopers has given me the freedom to build my vision for the entertainment and media practice, and I look forward to continuing to work with our clients to help them meet the challenges of the new media marketplace."
Along with her success in advising clients, Ms. Bothun is a tireless advocate for the advancement of women in the entertainment and media industries both in creative and executive business roles. As a member of the Women in Film Board of Directors, Ms. Bothun has worked diligently to provide support and recognize the contributions of women who are entering and seeking advancement in the entertainment and media industries. Ms. Bothun serves on the board of the CLARE Foundation which provides services to all those seeking recovery from alcoholism and substance abuse. She is also past president for the California Women's Law Center, which works to ensure that life opportunities for women and girls are free from unjust social, economic and political constraints.
Ms. Bothun received her award at a luncheon hosted by the Festival and the prominent international organization, Women in Film, in Guanajuato, Mexico on Friday, July 27, 2007. Along with Ms. Bothun, also honored with the Cruz de Plata was legendary animator and filmmaker, Tim Burton.
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