Player Profile: Dana Raja

Ice Grill, USA cameo star Dana Raja gets some shine this month. Bringing NYC swagger and yellow stilettos to the table as Ali Frasier's arm candy dimepiece, Ms. Raja made her mark on the male-dominant, testosterone-soaked landscape that is IGU's Atlantic City. Sharp as she is lovely, Dana has her sights set on doing work on both sides of the camera with her audacious debut written project All American Trash coming into form, soon destined for a screen near you.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York of Albanian and Puerto Rican descent, Dana graduated from Pace University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. Getting a taste of showbiz in her youth as a child model, she later studied at Stella Adler & Upright Citizens Bridage Theater to get back in to the game. She most recently landed a spot in the film East Fifth Bliss starring Dexter's Michael C. Hall.

Player Profile: John Antorino

John Antorino is Jersey through and through. The product of a single parent home, John epitomizes the hustle and determination necessary to break out of the Atlantic City cycle and to create a greater reality for yourself. Initially cast in the part of Neil Milano, when his character was cut creating the final IGU shooting script, John stepped up as a featured extra and stole the show.

A working model on both coasts who has been featured in prominent places like Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness and MuscleMag, John has crossed over to film work and can be found in Light's Out on FX as well as in the big budget movie sequel Sex in the City 2.

A product of the aspirational essence at the heart of Ice Grill, USA, John's tenacity, profession

alism and hard work will no doubt vault him to big things.

Player Profile: Jenna Pace

This week we're going to highlight another member of IGU's scene-stealing supporting cast. This time it's the dynamic Jenna Pace who brought class, sass and ass to the game of Catholic high school prostitution as Ho Spit Girl #1, and made her imprint on some of Ice Grill, USA's most memorable scenes. The entire IGU family expects big things from Ms. Pace in the future and looks forward to expanding her role in a future Enlightened Party production.

Most recently, Jenna has been working behind the camera directing music videos and short films. She was the Lead Entertainment Host and Director of Talent for 2.0 Television and produced 48 episodes focusing on independent music, cutting edge fashion and the underground culture of New York City. She co-wrote and starred in The Awesome 80's Prom, one of the longest running Off- Broadway shows, now in it's 7th hit year (winner of the Improvisational Theatre Award) and played Kimberly in the Broadway workshop of But I'm a Cheerleader (winner of the NYMF Audience Award). She has been featured on Life is Wild (CW) as well as Life on Mars (ABC). Jenna has and continues to work on several indie films, commercials, readings and experimental theater projects.

Ice Grill, USA Wins Big in Atlantic City

Ice Grill, USA had a huge return to its birthplace in September, winning best Homegrown Feature and Overall Best of the Fest at the inaugural Atlantic City International Film and Music Festival. This was the second Ice Grill, USA screening in Atlantic City during its first year on the festival circuit.

There was the biggest turnout of the fest for the IGU screening on Saturday afternoon, September 11th, 2010 at The Claridge Theatre in AC and IGU actors Connor Fox, Michael Angelo Ortiz, Los Jones, Tyler Noble, Mark Kochanowicz and Bill Haas were in attendance along with IGU co-creators Mark Bernardi and Greg Santarsiero.

The entire Ice Grill, USA family humbly thanks festival director John Paxton and his staff including Elaine, Esther and filmmaker Alrick Brown for the opportunity and the honor bestowed upon our film.

IGU Comes Home to Atlantic City

After a triumphant year on the festival circuit, Ice Grill, USA returns home to Atlantic City, where the epic working class tale was first born as part of the inaugural Atlantic City International Film & Music Festival on Saturday afternoon, September 11, 2010 at 2:15pm.

Here is coverage of the event from The Press of Atlantic City: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/life/article_9e78aa7b-9a13-59e2-b2ad-3d2bbb1efd26.html As well as coverage from AC Weekly: http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/arts-and-entertainment/features/Atlantic-City-International-Film--Music-Festival-100441809.html

You can support the IGU movement by coming out on the 11th, or passing on the official Facebook invite with all of the details: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=135263466515832&ref=mf

For further info on what promises to be an amazing cultural event for South Jersey, check out the official ACIFMF site here: http://acifmf.com/ as well as following @ACfilmandmusic http://twitter.com/ACfilmandmusic and IGU co-creator @GSantarsiero http://twitter.com/GSantarsiero on Twitter.

We look forward to seeing you all where it all started on 9/11/2010.

A Big June for IGU

After a busy June that had Ice Grill, USA screening 5 times in Long Beach Island, Hoboken, Philadelphia and Detroit, IGU closed out the month by taking home Best Feature at Philadelphia's new celebration of multicultural film, the 2010 Urban Suburban Film Festival.

Here's a link to Urban Suburban's award winners: http://www.urbansuburbanfilmfestival.com/awards.htm

Also, a link to staff photographer Alex Errico's phenomenal pictures from the event at the beautiful Hilton on City Ave. in Philadelphia. This album can be found on the IGU Facebook fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=186338&id=58827735674&ref=mf

The entire Enlightened Party family would like to thank George, Andrew and the rest of the crew at Urban Suburban for their hospitality and for bestowing this honor upon our film.

June also found Ice Grill, USA featured in several Jersey media outlets including the prestigious Asbury Park Press. The APP piece included quotes like, "What elevates Ice Grill, USA above so many other street wannabes and Scorsese knock-offs is a searing devotion to authenticity... Forged through blood, sweat and tears, the film is a macrocosm of the American Dream that its characters strive for."

To read the rest of Stephen Bove's stirring IGU review, check it out here at Jersey Shore Metromix.com: http://jerseyshore.metromix.com/movies/article/review-ice-grill-usa/1983857/content

Ray Schweibert also covered IGU's Philly win in the hometown periodical Atlantic City Weekly. Here's the link:

http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/arts-and-entertainment/features/Ice-Grill-Garners-Gold--98439739.html

IGU in the Garden State Film Festival

In something of a Jersey shore homecoming, Ice Grill, USA rolls into Asbury Park, NJ for the prestigious 8th Annual Garden State Film Festival on Saturday, March 27th at 8pm.

For details and to RSVP check our IGU Facebook fan page invite here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=341179830767&ref=mf and for further details on the festival, check out the official Garden State Film Festival website here:http://www.gsff.org/

IGU.3.27.2010.NJ.