March 21, 2008--MacGillivray Freeman Films, producers of the new 3D giant screen film Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D, will celebrate World Water Day (March 22) by donating a portion of the film’s box office sales to build much-needed water wells in Africa. More than one million children die each year in Africa from a lack of safe drinking water.

The producers will donate $1 for every ticket sold on both World Water Day and Earth Day (April 22) towards building enough water wells to benefit thousands of African school children. MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation will work with Ryan’s Well Foundation to build the wells at schools in northern Uganda, where decades of conflict have been devastating to children’s everyday lives. The mission of the Ryan’s Well Foundation is to provide clean water (e.g. deep or shallow wells, and rainwater harvesting tanks), improved sanitation (latrines and hand-washing stations), and hygiene education to local communities including children. Funds raised for this program will be matched by Ryan’s Well Foundation so contributions will have twice the impact.

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D is currently rolling out to more than 60 IMAX theatres and IMAX 3D theatres nationwide after opening March 14 in anticipation of World Water Day. The new film calls attention to the world’s growing shortage of fresh water and the mega-drought threatening the American Southwest. Narrated by Robert Redford and featuring songs and music by Dave Matthews Band, the film stars noted river advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., anthropologist/explorer Wade Davis and Native American river guide Shana Watahomigie on an expedition down the Colorado River. The film is presented by Teva and supported by Kohler Co.—two companies with a longstanding commitment to water conservation.

“Children in Africa and other developing countries are dying every day because they don’t have access to the most basic of human rights—clean, safe drinking water,” says Greg MacGillivray, producer/director of Grand Canyon Adventure3D and founder of MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation. “Our program to help build wells in Africa aims to change that. We are honored to be working with Ryan’s Well Foundation, which has already done so much good work for the people of Africa and other developing countries.”

The inspiration for the Ryan’s Well Foundation, which was formed in 2001, came ten years ago when a young Canadian student, Ryan Hreljac, then six years old, decided that everyone in the world deserves clean water. He saved his money doing chores until he had enough to build a well in Uganda, Africa, proving that one person, of any age, can be a positive force for change. Ten years later, the Ryan’s Well Foundation has built 329 wells in 14 developing countries.

Additional funds are being raised by MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation to promote Ryan’s Youth in Action educational program to similarly inspire the thousands of students around the world who come to see the film and to empower them to find their own way to make a positive difference in their community and beyond. Says Foundation Program Director Janna Emmel: “Our Foundation’s aim is to create programs for educators, students and disadvantaged youth to become ambassadors for positive change. The Youth in Action program developed by Ryan’s Well Foundation was created by children for children to do just that.” In addition to sending disadvantaged youth to see Grand Canyon Adventure 3D and participate in the Youth in Action Program, the Foundation will work with Ryan directly to help promote the film to fellow students.

“It is thanks to generous donors like MacGillivray Freeman Films and its Educational Foundation that Ryan’s Well Foundation has been able to bring fresh water to nearly half a million people,” said Susan Hreljac, Executive Director of the Ryan’s Well Foundation. “Our inspiration comes from the power of young people to make a difference in the world, a message echoed so powerfully in Grand Canyon Adventure 3D. We are delighted to be working with a company so committed to creating positive change in the world.”

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D is produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films and MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation in association with Waterkeeper Alliance and Museum Film Network, presented by Teva and supported by Kohler Co. The film is directed by Greg MacGillivray; produced by Greg MacGillivray, Mark Krenzien, and Shaun MacGillivray; and written by Jack Stephens and Stephen Judson.

Donations to Ryan’s Well and the Youth in Action program can be made at www.mffeducation.org or by mail to PO Box 1779, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652. One hundred percent of all donations will be used for this program. For more information about Ryan’s Well Foundation, visit www.ryanswell.ca.