‘Lifted’ Director, Stars to Meet Valley Film Fans

will present another in its popular ‘Meet the Filmmaker’ series Saturday night following a special 7 p.m. screening of “Lifted” as part of the film’s premiere weekend.

Attendees will be treated to a question and answer session with writer/director Lexi Alexander and featured stars Dash Mihok (“Punisher: War Zone”) and Nicki Aycox (TV’s “Cold Case”), according to Cinemas Palme d’Or co-owner Steve Mason, who added that veterans and families with members in the active military will fall in love with the film.

“It’s a family film with great music, and it wears its heart on its sleeve,” he said.

The plot centers around an Alabama middle school student named Henry (Uriah Shelton) who finds refuge in music from his drug addicted mother (Aycox), his Reservist father (Mihok), a racist, redneck grandfather and bullying schoolmates.

“A singing competition becomes the vehicle for Henry’s personal triumph,” he said, adding that the film also features country music superstar Trace Adkins.

Mason was especially upbeat about the participation by the director and stars in the post-screening Q&A.

“We are fortunate to have Lexi, an accomplished filmmaker, to talk about this latest achievement along with the two leads from the movie,” he said. “And she and I both hope that giving this film a theatrical engagement will help raise awareness for both the movie and for our heroes – both those that are fallen and those that continue to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Advance tickets for this limited-seating event are available on a first-come-first-served basis at the theater box office or by phone (with no service charge) at (760) 779-0430.

Cinemas Palme d’Or is located in the north side of Westfield Mall at 72840 Highway 111 in Palm Desert.