Warm, rustic two-level lodge to host WireImage Portrait Studio
and premiere parties
Delta to announce winner of airline's second annual Delta's Fly-In
Movies contest at unique venue
ATLANTA, Jan. 15, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) is once again proudly supporting independent film as a returning sponsor and Official Airline of the Sundance Film Festival. The airline will roll out the red carpet for filmmakers, VIPs and Festival attendees with the opening of SKY360* by Delta - Park City, a two-story, stylish sky lodge experience available Jan. 17 - 26. Throughout the 2008 Festival, SKY360* - Park City will host private premiere parties and events. It will also serve as the exclusive location for the WireImage Portrait Studio where filmmakers, cast members and industry executives will have their official Festival portraits taken.
"Delta is proud to continue supporting emerging filmmakers and independent film as the Official Airline of the Sundance Film Festival and through our second annual Delta's Fly-In Movies contest," said Tim Mapes, Delta's vice president of Marketing. "SKY360* by Delta offers our Park City guests a quiet retreat where they can experience firsthand the unique elements of Delta, including our new full-flat bed seating and state-of-the art in-flight entertainment."
This comfortable retreat has a hip lounge feel wrapped in the ambiance and texture of a warm, rustic lodge. Located at 449 Main Street, SKY360* - Park City serves as a quiet refuge from the busy streets of Sundance, offering guests plush leather seating, wooden banquets, a fireplace, plasma television screens, music and more. Guests to the lodge can even sit back and relax in one of Delta's comfy, all-leather airline seats and sample Delta on Demand, the airline's state-of-the-art digital entertainment system which features a wide selection of movies, HBO, music and video games -- all available on demand. Delta's new full-flat bed seating in personal sleeper suite configuration will also be available for guests to enjoy. The suites recline to multiple comfortable positions, including a completely flat surface that offers travelers a six-foot three-inch bed. Other amenities available to guests of SKY360* - Park City include:
-- a well-stocked bar, featuring selections from Midnight Sky -- a
signature cocktail program created exclusively for Delta by
nightlife proprietor Rande Gerber;
-- food selections designed by Delta's culinary partners, chefs
Michelle Bernstein and Todd English;
-- Godiva Hot Cocoa in four flavors - Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate,
Mocha and Caramel;
-- Wi-Fi; and
-- world class service from Delta's renowned flight attendants.
To further demonstrate Delta's commitment to effect positive environmental change, SKY360* - Park City will offer a "Go Carbon Zero" kiosk that allows guests to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions associated with their air or ground travel to Sundance and then offset those emissions by making a donation to Delta's nonprofit partner, The Conservation Fund, a leading environmental nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting land and water resources -- right from the lodge. In June 2007, Delta became the first U.S. airline to help its customers give back to the environment by buying trees to help offset carbon emissions associated with air travel at the airline's website, delta.com.
On Jan. 17 and 26, SKY360* - Park City will be open to the public. On the remaining dates, the space will host filmmakers and cast members who are visiting the WireImage Portrait Studio for their official Festival portraits during the daytime. In the evenings, SKY360* - Park City will host private, invitation-only events, including premiere parties and dinners, programmed through the airline's partnership with Gen Art, one of the leading arts and entertainment organizations dedicated to showcasing the best emerging talent in film, fashion, visual arts and music. Talent expected includes Sienna Miller, Josh Hartnett, Naomi Watts, Billy Crudup, Mena Suvari, Michael Keaton, Jason Reitman, Nick Nolte, Paul Giamatti and Morgan Spurlock.
In addition, Delta continues its support of emerging filmmakers and independent film with Delta's Fly-In Movies, the airline's second annual national film competition where the traveling and online public view five original short films on delta.com and on Delta on Demand and vote for their favorite to determine the winner. Through the second annual contest, managed by Gen Art, the five finalist filmmakers will receive a trip to the Sundance Film Festival to attend a celebration hosted by Delta at SKY360* - Park City on Jan. 23 where the winning film and filmmaker will be announced. Based on Delta viewers' choice, one filmmaker will receive a $10,000 cash award and a pair of round-trip tickets valid anywhere Delta flies worldwide.
The five inventive short films are available at delta.com/flyinmovies, with videos powered by Veoh Networks, and on Delta on Demand for most customers traveling on transcontinental flights through the end of January. These films include:
-- "Slow" by Kurt Kuenne: a depiction of a traffic safety worker who is
accidentally caught in the background of a newspaper photo drastically
changing his life forever.
-- "Tales of a Mere Existence: Conversation" by Levni Yilmaz: how a
simple trip to the video store can bring up everything that's wrong
with your relationship.
-- "Ctrl Z" by Robert Kirbyson: starring Tony Hale ("Arrested
Development") as Stuart Barnes, an office loner with a lifetime full
of regrets, but his luck is about to change. When a computer
malfunction offers him the chance to magically undo his life's
mistakes he takes full advantage, but how far is too far?
-- "T'is the Season" by Bob Giovanelli: when a little girl goes to see
Santa Claus, she is disappointed to find he is on a break.
Fortunately for her, she stumbles on a somewhat unorthodox
replacement.
-- "Morning Fall" by Edward McGinty: a mysterious man wakes up on the
side of the road, injured and confused; Who is he? Where does he come
from? And where will he end up when he can't find his way home?
With Delta on Demand, the airline's advanced in-flight entertainment system, customers traveling on transcontinental flights between cities such as Salt Lake and New York will enjoy 18 channels of live television, up to 25 first-run and popular classic movies, HBO on demand, more than 3,000 mp3s, and a suite of 12 video games.
About Gen Art
Gen Art is one of the leading arts and entertainment organizations dedicated to showcasing the best emerging talent in film, fashion, visual arts and music. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco, Gen Art has succeeded in launching the careers of many young filmmakers, fashion designers, visual artists and musicians, providing them with high-profile events that welcome industry and new audiences alike. Gen Art was founded in 1993 by Ian and Stefan Gerard. The organization has quickly become a leader in championing the talent of a new generation.
Gen Art's film program includes over 60 events each year including the Gen Art Film Festival which will be celebrating its 13th year in 2008, its national film screening program which includes over 40 film screenings across the country each year, its "Cinema Circle" program as well as various customized film programs like "Shorts by the Beach" and 2nd Annual Gen Art Chicago Film Festival (June 2008) that occur throughout the year.
Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 321 destinations in 58 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 500 weekly flights to 63 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 485 worldwide destinations in 106 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
The Delta Air Lines, Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825
The SKY360* - Park City logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4604
Note to Editors: The '*' in "SKY360*" replaces the 'degrees' symbol which is not transmitable.