MUMBAI: Entering their sixteenth year, the Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards have roped in Los Angeles Times as the presenting sponsor of this year's festival and star-studded gala.

"We are very honored and excited to have the Los Angeles Times as our Presenting Sponsor," said Hollywood Film Festival founder and CEO Carlos de Abreu. "The Times is a Hollywood institution, and their support and leadership will help take the festival and awards to the next level."

The festival, which starts 18 October, encompasses five days of screenings at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood and culminates with the prestigious Hollywood Film Awards Gala on 22 October.

The event honors cherished stars and upcoming talent, and traditionally kicks off the film awards season with the biggest stars and top industry executives in attendance. Times publisher and Tribune Company CEO Eddy Hartenstein will present one of the evening's special awards, with details to be announced next month.

"The Los Angeles Times is Hollywood's hometown news source and we have been at the forefront of entertainment coverage since trailblazing filmmakers and producers invented the industry," said Times Vice President, Film Advertising, Francie Berns. "We're excited to present the first marquee event of the all-important film awards season and support the creative community."

"We are very proud to be the first stop of the awards season. In the last nine years, a total of 85 Oscar nominations and 32 Oscars were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Film Awards," said de Abreu.

The 2011 awards show reached a total TV audience of more than 41 million media impressions, in addition to more than 300 million online and print readers' impressions.

"In addition, we are very happy to continue to bridge the gap between established Hollywood and emerging filmmakers. Craig Brewer, director of "Footloose," "Hustle and Flow," and "Black Snake Moan," was discovered by the Hollywood Film Festival with the world premiere of his first film, "Poor and Hungry," added de Abreu.

Aside from celebrating accomplishments on screen, the Hollywood Film Awards established the "Hollywood Gives Back" program to expand and continue highlighting and assisting important local and national charities to raise funds.

Further, the Hollywood Film Awards selects individuals to be recipients of their "Hollywood Humanitarian Awards" in recognition of their contribution to the betterment of their communities or society at large. Prior recipients include Nobel Peace Prize winner and ex-President of East Timor, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, Father Rick Frechette, and actor and activist Sean Penn.