March 14, 2007 - Estrella Mountain, a Maricopa Community College, welcomes Salvadoran screenwriter, actor, and children's rights activist Oscar Orlando Torres for the screening of his film Innocent Voices (Voces Inocentes) on Friday, March 30, 2007 at 12:00 pm in the college's Plaza Gallery, located at 3000 North Dysart Road, in Avondale. Orlando Torres, who wrote and produced the 2004 film, will answer questions regarding the screenwriting process, as well as the films autobiographical aspects. The event is free and open to the public, and is part of the college's continuing commitment to supporting all aspects of the arts, and make arts and culture available to everyone.A stirring biopic, Innocent Voices follows Orlando Torres's own struggles as a young boy escaping war torn El Salvador in the 1980s. Orlando Torres, who was born in the rural village of Cuscatazingo, El Salvador, in 1972, escaped the brutal civil war that divided that nation throughout the 1980s, and came to America in 1986, where eventually he was reunited with his mother and siblings. In addition to chronicling his own experiences, the film also raises awareness of the brutal indentured military service of children all over the world, of which Amensty International reports that more than 300,000 children serve in armies in more than 40 different countries. For more information about the event, contact Dr. Cecilia Rosales, Liberal Arts Faculty, 623.935.8389. For media, contact Nicole DeLeon, Marketing and Public Relations, 623.935.8056.Estrella Mountain Community College is located on Thomas and Dysart Roads in Avondale and offers transfer-ready academic courses and job-specific occupational training to more than 13,000 students annually. Estrella Mountain is part of the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. For more information visit www.estrellamountain.edu or www.maricopa.edu .
