NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH -HOLLYWOOD, CA - DONATE LIFE HOLLYWOOD ANNOUNCES THE WINNER OF THE BEST ORGAN DONATION FILM OF ALL TIME!

AND THE WINNER IS:

“RETURN TO ME”

VOTED BEST ORGAN DONATION MOVIE OF ALL TIME

Transplant Recipients, Living Donors and Donor Family Members Select Donate Life Hollywood Award Winner

LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 12, 2010 – In celebration of National Donate Life Month, Donate Life Hollywood announced Return to Me as the winner of the “Best Organ Donation Film of All Time” in a nationwide vote among transplant community advocates.

Nearly all of the voters from around the country were living organ donors, transplant recipients or donor family members. Return to Me (2000) received the most votes, with Seven Pounds (2008) coming in a close second. The other two nominees were John Q (2002) and Blood Work (2002).

Written and directed by Bonnie Hunt, who also appears in the film, Return to Me tells the story of Bob Rueland (David Duchovny), who cherishes life with his veterinarian wife until she is tragically killed in an automobile accident. Meanwhile, Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver), a waitress at a local Italian restaurant, receives a heart transplant – from Bob’s wife. Bob and Grace struggle to maintain normal lives until fate intervenes and brings them together.

“Return to Me beautifully dramatizes the experience of donor family members and transplant recipients,” said Tenaya Wallace, campaign director of Donate Life Hollywood, which sponsored the voting. “Like the real-life stories of donation and transplantation, the film is both heartbreaking and celebratory. With its capacity to inspire people to register as organ donors, it’s no surprise that the nation’s Donate Life community chose Return to Me as their all-time favorite.”

There were 667 votes cast using Survey Monkey and distributed through the Donate Life Hollywood Facebook Group page. Return to Me garnered 255 votes and Seven Pounds received 223.

Return to Me will be honored at the Donate Life Hollywood Inspire Awards Dinner, the finale of the second annual Donate Life Film Festival, on June 12 at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, Calif.. The winner’s cast, director, writers and producers will be invited to attend.

Donate Life Hollywood is a national campaign to encourage accurate and inspiring donation and transplant storylines in television and film. For information about Donate Life Hollywood and the Donate Life Film Festival, visit http://www.facebook.com/l/d5046;www.donatelifehollywood.org.