Every week, I get several press releases, screening invitations and other notifications from a handful of studio contacts. While I won’t be sharing any information regarding my screening invites, some of the press releases might be of interest to my readers, so I thought I’d start sharing them in toto with all of you. These could include new image galleries for various films or important updates to upcoming releases from various smaller studios and art house production companies.

• Press Release: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks Acquires ‘Red Hook Summer’
• Press Release: Richard Jenkins Joins ‘One Square Mile’
• Press Release: Poster Art for ‘Chernobyl Diaries’

Press Release: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks Acquires ‘Red Hook Summer’

40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks announces theatrical release plans for Spike Lee’s RED HOOK SUMMER

Will partner with Variance Films for August 10th theatrical release

Republic of Brooklyn, April 25, 2012 – 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks announced today that the company will undertake its first independent distribution effort with founder Spike Lee’s Brooklyn coming-of-age story, RED HOOK SUMMER. 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks will partner with New York-based Variance Films for the theatrical release, which will begin August 10th, 2012 in New York City theaters, expanding to the top 30 markets throughout the month of August.

“From my very first joint back in 1986, SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT, I have been an independent filmmaker, and even today I still am,” said Spike Lee. “I’m elated to join forces with Variance Films for the independent distribution of my new joint RED HOOK SUMMER. We look forward to getting this film into the marketplace, where we believe 100 percent that there is a starving audience for American independent films like RED HOOK SUMMER.”

“Variance’s sole mission is to ensure filmmakers retain their rights and their power,” said Dylan Marchetti, founder of Variance Films, “and I can’t think of a filmmaker that would make better use of both than Spike Lee. Spike is truly one of the godfathers of independent filmmaking, and RED HOOK SUMMER is an entertaining, yet thoughtful, film that says something we think needs to be said. We couldn’t be more excited to work with Spike and his team to ensure that audiences across the country will be experiencing this fantastic film with their friends and family.”

The latest in Spike Lee’s Chronicles of Brooklyn (which also include SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT, DO THE RIGHT THING, CROOKLYN, CLOCKERS, and HE GOT GAME), RED HOOK SUMMER tells the story of Flik Royale, a sullen young boy from middle-class Atlanta who has come to spend the summer with his deeply religious grandfather, Bishop Enoch Rouse, in the housing projects of Red Hook. Having never met before, things quickly get off on the wrong foot as Bishop Enoch relentlessly attempts to convert Flik into a follower of Jesus Christ. Between his grandfather’s constant preaching and the culture shock of inner-city life, Flik’s summer appears to be a total disaster–until he meets Chazz Morningstar, a pretty girl his age, who shows Flik the brighter side of Brooklyn. Through her love and the love of his grandfather, Flik begins to realize that the world is a lot bigger, and perhaps a lot better, than he’d ever imagined.

The deal was brokered by Dylan Marchetti of Variance Films with CAA and Robert Strent of Grubman, Indrusky & Hireon on behalf of 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.

ABOUT 40 ACRES AND A MULE FILMWORKS
40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks is the production company of Spike Lee. Founded in 1986 in his childhood neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York, it has produced feature films, documentaries, commercials, music videos and short films. 40 Acres has been a training ground for young unknown black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, who have gone on to make their mark in Hollywood today.

ABOUT VARIANCE FILMS
Founded in 2008 in Brooklyn, Variance Films is a New York City-based theatrical distributor whose sole mission is to bring the best in independent cinema to theaters across the continent, while allowing filmmakers to retain all rights to their work. Founded in 2008 by Dylan Marchetti, Variance distributes films using innovative release strategies that focus on collaborative, filmmaker-centric grassroots marketing to drive audiences to theaters. Recent Variance Films releases include John Sayles’ Philippine-American War epic AMIGO, José Padilha’s ELITE SQUAD: THE ENEMY WITHIN (Brazil’s official submission for the 2011 Academy Awards™), Damien Chazelle’s jazz musical GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH, and the highest-grossing film of all time in China, Jiang Wen’s hilariously dark action-comedy LET THE BULLETS FLY. For more information, please visit www.variancefilms.com.

Press Release: Richard Jenkins Joins ‘One Square Mile’

RICHARD JENKINS ON TRACK TO JOIN “ONE SQUARE MILE”

DIRECTOR CHARLES-OLIVIER MICHAUD’S SPORTS DRAMA TO SHOOT IN AUGUST; CAMERON BRIGHT ALSO SET FOR CAST

LOS ANGELES, CA(April 23, 2012)– Academy Award-nominated actor Richard Jenkins (“The Visitor”) and Cameron Bright (“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) have joined the cast of Charles-Olivier Michaud’s latest drama ONE SQUARE MILE. Written by scribes Josh Campbell and Jeff Van Wie, the film will be produced by Howard Burd and Micah Sparks of Phoenix Rising Motion Pictures, and Deborah Moore of Inner Primary Entertainment. Martin Harmon is executive producing for Phoenix Rising Motion Pictures. International sales are being handled by Lawrence Meyers, Bobby Meyers and Peter Rowley of Meyers Media Group. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in August with Seattle, Washington as a possible location.

ONE SQUARE MILE is ahighly charged, emotional story of a disenfranchised teen (Bright) living on the wrong side of the tracks. Desperate for a way out, his life collides with an old reclusive track coach (Jenkins), angry at the world with no purpose in life. The two form a reluctant bond that forces them to face their circumstances as they race to save each other and ultimately – themselves.

“We felt the writers always had Richard in mind when we were developing the script, and we couldn’t be happier now that he is on board,” said Burd. “Having Cameron Bright play opposite Richard is a strong acting combination that will produce a compelling and inspirational film that people will want to watch over and over again.”

This will be director Charles-Olivier Michaud’s first English-language film since hisSNOW & ASHES won the Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Narrative Film at Slamdance in 2010. Michaud, who is from Quebec, has recently helmed the French-language romance SUR LE RYTHME.

ONE SQUARE MILE is one of the titles Meyers Media Group will be representing at the upcoming Cannes Film Market, with additional titles for their slate still to be announced.

About Phoenix Rising Motion Pictures
Producers Howard Burd, Martin Harmon and Micah Sparks formed Phoenix Rising Motion Pictures in 2011 with the mission of producing films that will resonate with both domestic and international audiences past opening weekend. Currently the company is in pre-production on an untitled second project alongside ONE SQUARE MILE.

About Meyers Media Group
Meyers Media Group is a global film sales and production company that sells, finances and produces A-list cast-driven projects with broad international appeal. Launched by entertainment industry veterans Lawrence Meyers and Bobby Meyers in 2012, the company specializes in the foreign sales process, utilizing international co-productions and attracting equity sources. Randy Dannenberg serves as the company’s Executive Vice President of Productions & Acquisitions with Peter Rowley as Vice President of International Distribution and Administration.

Press Release: Poster Art for ‘Chernobyl Diaries’

There is no press release per se, but there is a poster featured at the right of this post.