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: GKids Announces North American Release Date for “Song of the Sea”
- Press Release: Lotus Entertainment Taps Ed Gass-Donnelly to Write & Director “Pivot”
- Press Release: Lionsgate Acquires North American Rights to “Maggie”
- Press Release: “Don’t Look Down on Me” Opens to Two Million Views on YouTube
- Press Release: “Dawn” to Have Oscar-Qualifying Run
- Press Release: 42 West Toronto Slate
- Press Release: Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka Join “February”
- Press Release: New York Times Magazine Feature Cover Story on “Vessel”
- Press Release: XLrator Media & New Artists Alliance Partner on Sci-Fi Action Slate
Press Release: GKids Announces North American Release Date for “Song of the Sea”
GKIDS ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN RELEASE DATE FOR “SONG OF THE SEA” OPENING THEATRICALLY DECEMBER 19 IN NEW YORK & TORONTO
From the Academy Award®-Nominated Filmmakers of “THE SECRET OF KELLS”
NEW YORK (August 25, 2014) – GKIDS, the distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, proudly announces Friday, December 19th as the North American release date for SONG OF THE SEA, the highly-anticipated second film from the Ireland-based animation company, Cartoon Saloon. This is the second feature from Tomm Moore, the Academy Award®-nominated director of THE SECRET OF KELLS. The film will open at the IFC Theater in New York and the TIFF Bell Lightbox Theater in Toronto, before expanding to Los Angeles and other major markets in the holiday time period. The film will qualify for the Academy Awards® and other awards season contests. SONG OF THE SEA will world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2014.
SYNOPSIS
SONG OF THE SEA tells the story of Ben and his little sister Saoirse – the last Seal-child – who embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. The film takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. SONG OF THE SEA, directed by Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells) features the voices of Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny. Music is by composer Bruno Coulais and Irish band Kíla, both of whom previously collaborated on The Secret of Kells. International sales handled by West End Films.
Press Release: Lotus Entertainment Taps Ed Gass-Donnelly to Write & Director “Pivot”
LOTUS ENTERTAINMENT TAPS ED GASS-DONNELLY TO WRITE & DIRECT THE NEW SCI-FI THRILLER PIVOT
Lotus will handle International Sales
Los Angeles, August 25, 2014– Lotus Entertainment announced today that Ed Gass-Donnelly (SMALL TOWN MURDER SONGS, THE LAST EXORCISM PART II) will write and direct the new sci-fi thriller PIVOT. When a scientist’s loving wife is killed, he invents a device to PIVOT between parallel universes to save her life, but to be with her, he’ll have to kill the parallel version of himself. Lotus’ Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson will produce the film, with D.J. Gugenheim and Ara Keshishian of Lotus executive producing alongside Ed Gass-Donnelly.
“A high-quality concept like PIVOT is exactly the type of project we were looking for,” said Lotus Entertainment’s Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel. “Ed has the perfect approach to bring PIVOT to life and we are eager to embark on our journey.”
Donnelly is known for his hands-on method to film — often serving as director, producer, writer, and editor. He made his feature debut, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007, and was nominated for four Canadian Academy Awards. His sophomore debut, SMALL TOWN MURDER SONGS, premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, which also landed him a spot on Variety’s coveted “10 Directors to Watch” list in 2011.
ICM and Jennifer Levine at Untitled represent Donnelly and brokered the deal. Gugenheim will oversee the project for Lotus Entertainment, who will also handle international sales.
Lotus Entertainment’s current slate includes: Tom Tykwer’s A Hologram for the King starring Tom Hanks; KIDNAP starring Academy Award® winner Halle Berry; Scott Hicks’ Fallen based on the best-selling YA novel; Henry Hobson’s Maggie with Arnold Schwarzenegger; Craig Zobel’s Z for Zachariah with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine; Stephen Gaghan’s Candy Store; and Song One starring Anne Hathaway.
Press Release: Lionsgate Acquires North American Rights to “Maggie”
LIONSGATE ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO APOCALYPTIC THRILLER MAGGIE, STARRING ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER & ABIGAIL BRESLIN FROM LOTUS ENTERTAINMENT
Black List Script by John Scott 3 Also Stars Joely Richardson
Santa Monica and Los Angeles, CA, August 26, 2014 – In a preemptive deal prior to the start of the Toronto International Film Festival, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, has acquired the North American distribution rights to the apocalyptic thriller Maggie, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (the Terminator and Expendables franchises, Total Recall, Batman and Robin), Academy Award-nominated Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Ender’s Game) and Joely Richardson (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, the hit TV series The Tudors and Nip/Tuck). The announcement was made by Lionsgate Co-Chief Operating Officer and Motion Picture Group President Steve Beeks and Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel, Co-Chairs of Lotus Entertainment, who produced and handled international sales.
The Black List script by John Scott 3 is directed by Henry Hobson. Bill Johnson and Ara Keshishian produced alongside Colin Bates, Joey Tufaro, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, Matthew Baer and Schwarzenegger. Claudia Blumhuber and Jim Seibel are executive producers. Silver Reel and Gold Star Films financed the film which Lionsgate plans to release theatrically in North America in early 2015. CAA brokered the deal.
“Maggie” has all the ingredients that spell commercial excitement – a compelling script and an “A” list superstar surrounded by a world-class cast,” said Beeks. “We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who turns in a performance that marks a dramatic departure from his action persona, and partner with our friends at Lotus Entertainment on a film that will resonate with thriller aficionados everywhere.”
“Lionsgate is a world-renowned brand, and we’re pleased to collaborate with Steve Beeks, Rob Friedman, Patrick Wachsberger and a motion picture team that has established a superb track record with this kind of material,” said Johnson and Seibel. “’Maggie’ takes the zombie genre in exciting new directions, and it offers something for everyone – star power, horror, suspense and riveting performances that will keep moviegoers on the edge of their seats.”
The film tells the story of a deadly zombie virus that has put a plague on the world. When Maggie, a vivacious young woman becomes infected, her father brings her home to let her be with their family. As Maggie’s condition worsens, their relationship is tested, a father’s love holding on stronger than the disease. This heart-wrenching twist on the zombie apocalypse puts a human face on an inexplicable horror.
Schwarzenegger is repped by Patrick Knapp at Bloom Hergot and CAA.
Press Release: “Don’t Look Down on Me” Opens to Two Million Views on YouTube
Participant Jonathan Novick’s Eye Opening Film, DON’T LOOK DOWN ON ME at Over Two Million Views on Youtube!
New York participants have Skype discussion with their Russian counterparts
New York, NY (August 27th, 2014) – Downtown Community Television Center’s program “Media Enabled Musketeers” will partner, this fall, with Moscow’s Journalism Advancement and Support Center to connect disabled citizens with American and Russian local media organizations. Project partners will conduct community training seminars on disability sensitivity as well as workshops on documentary storytelling for citizens with disabilities, journalists, and journalism students. Journalists will pair up with disabled citizens to produce short films about issues that affect their community.
Participants from Russia and the U.S. will travel to each other’s countries to work together to make collaborative short films about disability issues. In September, “Media Enabled Musketeers” will hold a mini festival of completed films which will be hosted by the Moscow Documentary Film Center. Come October, DCTV will host a similar event in New York City, completing the exchange.
One of the films showcased is Jonathan Novick’s eye-opening DON’T LOOK DOWN ON ME, which took the internet by storm, going live on Youtube August 7th. The short chronicles a day in the life of Jonathan, living in New York City, who was born with Achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism. Jon uses footage from a hidden camera disguised as a button on his shirt to show what he has to deal with: mistaken identity, harassment, condescension, and bigotry. The film has already garnered over two million views, with coverage on Inside Edition, BBC Trending, Yahoo, Huffington Post, The Gloss, Laughing Squid and many others.
“This is why we picked up cameras 40 years ago. To help give a voice to the voiceless. We are inspired by the films this talented group has made. And excited at the reception from the public. In America and Russia”, said DCTV’s Cofounder and 16 time National Emmy winner, Jon Alpert.
DCTV is a media arts center that fosters diverse viewpoints by providing professional training, state-of-the-industry resources, and by creating outstanding documentary productions, with the belief that diversity of expression strengthens our democracy and enhances civil society. Founded by Jon Alpert and Keiko Tsuno, DCTV has fostered a diverse and inclusive media arts community for 40 productive years. DCTV pursues its educational mission by introducing members of the community to the basics of electronic media through hundreds of free or low-cost production courses and access to broadcast-quality production equipment.
Media Enabled Musketeers is funded by the Eurasia Foundation and its SEE (US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange) Program and the U.S. State Department with additional support from Slava Fetisov (the famous hockey player), SONY, Edna Eidelberg and Curt Rosloff, Bank of America Matching Gift Program, Time Warner Cares, The Center for New Media and Society, TV Radoneje (Sergiev Posad), and TVK (Krasnoyarsk).
Press Release: “Dawn” to Have Oscar-Qualifying Run
DAWN TO HAVE OSCAR © QUALIFYING RUN IN LOS ANGELES
(New York | August 27th, 2014) RSA/Black Dog Films announced today that after the critically acclaimed world premiere at Sundance Film Festival, the taut directorial debut from Rose McGowan, DAWN, will have an Oscar © qualifying run in Los Angeles at the Downtown Independent startingSeptember 19th. As mentioned in The Hollywood Reporter, which you can see here, throughout the week the short film will be accompanied by seven features, one per night, curated by McGowan at the first annual “Dawn Festival”.
“I’m curating a festival of directors that have given their lead women a strong voice. These stories could have been told with men in the title characters, but these directors showed us what happens when you break stereotypes. They have inspired me as a woman, as a director and as a person”, said Rose.
Realizing that her passion lies in filmmaking, Rose McGowan’s breakthrough directorial debut, DAWN, is a disturbing tale of a young girl’s budding sexuality and one’s desire to experience the unknown. Dawn (Tara Barr) is a quiet young teenager living in Kennedy era America who longs for something or someone to free her from her sheltered life. When she strikes up an innocent flirtation with the boy who works at her local gas station (Reiley McClendon), she thinks that he is perhaps the answer to her teenage dreams. Though when she invites the boy and his friends into her otherwise cloistered world, she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
Carefully chosen by McGowan, the films that will accompany DAWN feature iconic performances by actresses that prove rich, complex and layered roles can and should be written for and by women. The following films will screen with Rose McGowan and special guests in attendance:
SAFE – “Todd Haynes directed Julianne Moore in a haunting study of a woman’s life.”
THELMA & LOUISE – “Ridley Scott directed two substantial actresses in two substantial, inspiring roles.”
HAROLD AND MAUDE – “Hal Ashby directed Ruth Gordon. Two creatives on a creative journey.”
SIXTEEN CANDLES – “John Hughes directed Molly Ringwald. He made a teen’s hopes and hurts real.”
ROSEMARY’S BABY – “Roman Polanski directed Mia Farrow in a virtuoso breakdown performance.”
SILKWOOD – “Mike Nichols directed Meryl Streep and Cher. They showed us women can change the world by finding their voice.”
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS – “Jonathan Demme directed Jodie Foster. She showed us what a person can do when they go forward despite their fear.”
Press Release: 42 West Toronto Slate
Here’s the list of the films and talent we will be handling at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival. Please contact the film’s respective publicist to set up interviews, for event coverage, photos, clips, premiere ticket requests and with any other questions.
***
THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT—Directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi
Mavericks- Airing on HBO beginning September 29, 2014
Documentary chronicling the 50-year history of The New York Review of Books
***
DEAREST – Directed by Peter Ho-sun Chan
Special Presentation – Acquisition title
Starring Wei Zhao, Bo Huang, Dawei Tong, Lei Hao, Yi Zhang, Yuqi Zhang
***
FOXCATCHER – Directed by Bennett Miller
Gala Presentation – U.S. Release via Sony Pictures Classics on November 14, 2014
Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall, Guy Boyd, Dave “Doc” Bennett
***
THE IMITATION GAME – Directed by Morten Tyldum
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via The Weinstein Company on November 21, 2014
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Charles Dance,
Mark Strong, and Rory Kinnear. Written by Graham Moore
***
THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS – Directed by Mami Sunada
TIFF Docs – U.S. Release via GKIDS late 2014
Featuring Studio Ghibli filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and Isao Takahata
***
PRIDE – Directed by Matthew Warchus
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via CBS Films on September 19, 2014
Starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott, George Mackay, Joseph Gilgun and Ben Schnetzer
***
RUTH & ALEX – Directed by Richard Loncraine
Gala Presentation – Acquisition title
Starring Michael Cristofer, Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Cynthia Nixon, Claire Vanderboom, Korey Jackson, Carrie Preston, Sterling Jerins, Josh Pais, Miriam Shor
***
SONG OF THE SEA – Directed by Tomm Moore
TIFF Kids – U.S. Release via GKIDS late 2014
Starring Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt, and Jon Kenny
***
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA – Directed by Isao Takahata
Masters – U.S. Release via GKIDS on October 17, 2014
Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Darren Criss, and Lucy Liu
* Please note the original, Japanese-language version with English subtitles will be shown at TIFF.
***
WHIPLASH – Directed/ Written by Damien Chazelle
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via Sony Pictures Classics on October 10, 2014
Starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Max Kasch, Damon Gupton
***
THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT – Directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi
Mavericks- Airing on HBO beginning September 29, 2014
Synopsis:
The 50-year history of The New York Review of Books is chronicled by co-directors Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi in The 50 Year Argument, which takes viewers behind the scenes with the journal’s editor Robert Silvers and many of the writers and pundits who have collaborated on the publication through the years. From the publication’s origins in 1963, when it was created to fill a void left by a citywide newspaper strike, the publication has evolved from a platform to review new books by contemporary authors to an editorial forum for some of the most creative minds in the world, dubbed “the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English language.” The documentary includes recent interviews with many past and present contributors, as well as archival footage of such literary lions as Norman Mailer, Gore Vidal, Susan Sontag, William Styron, and others.
Screenings:
Public Screening 1 – Thursday, September 11th at 6:30pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox
DEAREST – Directed by Peter Ho-sun Chan
Special Presentation – Acquisition title: WE Distribution Ltd
Synopsis:
Based on a true story…
When their son goes missing, TIAN WEN-JUN and his ex-wife, LU XIAO-JUAN, find their ordinary lives thrown into complete turmoil. Overwhelmed with guilt, they struggle to cope with unending nightmare that most people would be unable to comprehend. They comb through half the country in search of their child but to no avail. The waiting is the hardest thing to endure but they persevere, clinging to the faintest glimmer of hope –even if it comes in the form of a conman’s lie. Hope is the only thing that gives them a reason to live. Months pass. One day, the couple sits and watches the autumn leaves fall. Although they are divorced, they realize that once a man and a woman have a child together, they are inextricably linked forever.
While on the road, they encounter HAN DE-ZHONG and his wife FAN YUN, another couple who lost their child. Han introduces Tian and Lu to a support group that is dedicated to locating missing children. Tian and Lu are both grateful and saddened to meet others in the same circumstances. The members of the group offer each other assistance and emotional support… When Han tracks down a lead, Tian and Lu quietly travel up north to a remote village, where they eventually find their long lost son, TIAN PENG.
Tian and Lu return home with Peng, but Peng has changed. He sees them as strangers. The child is traumatized after being taken away from his ‘family’ for a second time. Meanwhile, LI HONG-QIN, Peng’s foster mother from the village arrives in the city in search of her last surviving relative, exposing long buried secrets…
Screenings:
Public Screening 1 – Thursday, September 4th at 7:00pm at the Winter Garden Theatre (Elgin/Winter Garden Theatres)
Press & Industry Screening 1 – Friday, September 5th at 9:00am at Scotiabank 13
Public Screening 2 – Friday, September 5th at 2:30pm at the Ryerson Theater
Press & Industry Screening 2 – Thursday, September 11th at 2:30pm at Scotiabank 10
FOXCATCHER – Directed by Bennett Miller
Gala Presentation – U.S. Release via Sony Pictures Classics on November 14, 2014
Synopsis:
Based on true events, FOXCATCHER tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers.
When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Driven by hidden needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz’s bid for Gold and the chance to “coach” a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Vanessa Redgrave).
Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont’s majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont’s mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training. Soon du Pont’s erratic behavior and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete’s already shaky self-esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money cannot buy. Fueled by du Pont’s increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen.
FOXCATCHER is a rich and moving story of brotherly love, misguided loyalty and the corruption and emotional bankruptcy that can accompany great power and wealth. As with Academy Award® nominee Bennett Miller’s previous feature films, CAPOTE and MONEYBALL, he explores large themes in society through his complex character portraits of real people.
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening 1 – Monday, September 8th at 9:00am at The Princess of Wales Theatre
Official TIFF Press Conference – Monday, September 8th at 12:00pm at the HSBC Gallery
Public Screening 1 – Monday, September 8th at 6:00pm at Roy Thomson Hall
Public Screening 2 – Tuesday, September 9th at 12:00pm at The Princess of Wales Theatre
THE IMITATION GAME – Directed by Morten Tyldum
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via The Weinstein Company on November 21, 2014
Synopsis:
In THE IMITATION GAME, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician, logician, cryptologist and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Turing went on to assist with the development of computers at the University of Manchester after the war, but was prosecuted by the UK government in 1952 for homosexual acts which the country deemed illegal.
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening 1 – Monday, September 8th at 1:30pm at Scotia Bank 1 & 4
Public Screening 1 – Tuesday, September 9th at 6pm at the Princess of Wales
Public Screening 2 – Wednesday, September 10th at 3pm at the Princess of Wales
Press & Industry Screening 2 – Thursday, September 11th at 9am at Scotia Bank 1
THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS – Directed by Mami Sunada
TIFF Docs, North American Premiere – U.S. Theatrical Release Winter 2014
Synopsis:
Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli – the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential “other director” Isao Takahata – over the course of a year as the studio rushes to complete two films, Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises and Takahata’s The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The result is a rare “fly on the wall” look at the inner workings of one of the world’s most celebrated animation studios, and an insight into the dreams, passion and singular dedication of these remarkable creators. www.gkidsfilms.com/kingdom
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening – Thursday, September 4th at 1:30pm at Scotiabank 8
Public Screening 1 – Monday, September 8th at 5:30pm at Scotiabank 2– NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Public Screening 2 – Wednesday, September 10th at 9:15am at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 2
Public Screening 3 – Sunday, September 14th at 12:00pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 2
PRIDE – Directed by Matthew Warchus
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via CBS Films on September 19, 2014
Synopsis:
PRIDE is inspired by an extraordinary true story. It’s the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike, prompting a London-based group of gay and lesbian activists to raise money to support the strikers’ families. Initially rebuffed by the Union, the group identifies a tiny mining village in Wales and sets off to make their donation in person. As the strike drags on, the two groups discover that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.
Screenings:
Public Screening 1 – Saturday, September 6th at 2:45pm at the Elgin Theater
Press & Industry Screening – Sunday, September 7th at 11:00am at Scotiabank 14
Public Screening 2 – Sunday, September 7th at 12:30pm at the Isabel Bader Theater
RUTH & ALEX – Directed by Richard Loncraine
Gala Presentation – Acquisition title
Synopsis:
RUTH & ALEX is based on Jill Ciment’s novel, HEROIC MEASURES. RUTH & ALEX is set over a weekend where a couple (Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton) must decide whether or not to sell their Brooklyn walk up of 40 years. The story takes a comedic turn when the dynamic couple have to contend with eccentric open house guests, their pushy realtor niece, and the health of their beloved family dog — all while navigating a New York on edge from what turns out to be an media-generated terror threat.
Screenings:
Public Screening 1 – Friday, September 5th at 9:30pm at Roy Thomson Hall – WORLD PREMIERE
Public Screening 2 – Saturday, September 6th at 10:30am at the Winter Garden Theatre (Elgin/Winter Garden Theatres)
Press & Industry 1 – Saturday, September 6th at 2:00pm at Scotiabank 14
Press & Industry 2 – Thursday, September 11th at 2:00PM at Scotiabank 13
Public Screening 3 – Saturday, September 13th at 5:00pm at the Winter Garden Theatre (Elgin/Winter Garden Theatres)
SONG OF THE SEA – Directed by Tomm Moore
TIFF Kids, World Premiere – U.S. Theatrical Release Winter 2014
Synopsis:
SONG OF THE SEA tells the story of Ben and his little sister Saoirse – the last Seal-child – who embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. The film takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. SONG OF THE SEA, directed by Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells) features the voices of Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny. Music is by composer Bruno Coulais and Irish band Kíla, both of whom previously collaborated on The Secret of Kells. International sales handled by West End Films. www.gkidsfilms.com/song
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening – Saturday, September 6th at 9:30am at Scotiabank 11
Public Screening 1 – Saturday, September 6th at 11:30am at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 2 – WORLD PREMIERE
Press & Industry Screening 2 – Wednesday, September 10th at 11:15am at Scotiabank 7
Public Screening 2 – Saturday, September 13th at 12:15pm at Scotiabank 3
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA – Written and directed by Isao Takahata
TIFF Masters, North American Premiere – U.S. Theatrical Release on October 17, 2014
Synopsis:
Legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder, Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko), revisits Japan’s most famous folktale in this gorgeous, hand-drawn masterwork, decades in the making. Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter (James Caan) and his wife (Mary Steenburgen), a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady (Chloë Grace Moretz). The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her – but ultimately she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime.
From Studio Ghibli, the studio that brought you Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Wind Rises, comes a powerful and sweeping epic that redefines the limits of animated storytelling and marks a triumphant highpoint within an extraordinary career in filmmaking for director Isao Takahata. www.gkidsfilms.com/kaguya
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening – Thursday, September 4th at 9:45am at Scotiabank 1
Public Screening 1 – Friday, September 5th at 4:15pm at the Winter Garden Theatre – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Public Screening 2 – Saturday, September 6th at 9:00am at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 3
Public Screening 3 – Sunday, September 14th at 3:15pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 2
WHIPLASH – Directed/written by Damien Chazelle
Special Presentation – U.S. Release via Sony Pictures Classics on October 10, 2014
Synopsis:
Andrew Neyman is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher, an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man’s life. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability—and his sanity.
Screenings:
Press & Industry Screening – Thursday, September 4th at 12:00pm at Scotiabank 12
Public Screening 1 – Monday, September 8th at 3:15pm at the Ryerson Theater
Public Screening 2 – Tuesday, September 9th at 12:15pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Cinema 1
Press Release: Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka Join “February”
EMMA ROBERTS AND KIERNAN SHIPKA TO STAR IN OSGOOD PERKINS’ FEBRUARY
Highland Film Group to Handle International Sales Beginning at the Toronto International Film Festival
Los Angeles, August 28, 2014 – Highland Film Group announced today that Emma Roberts (WE’RE THE MILLERS, ‘American Horror Story’) and Kiernan Shipka (‘Mad Men,’ CARRIERS) will star in the horror/thriller film FEBRUARY. The script is written and directed by Osgood Perkins, the son of legendary PSYCHO actor Anthony Perkins.
FEBRUARY is produced by Unbroken Pictures’ Adrienne Biddle and Bryan Bertino (THE STRANGERS) and Rob Paris’ Paris Film, Inc. (EVERLY). Highland Film Group will be handling international sales and will introduce the film to buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.
In FEBRUARY, beautiful and haunted Joan makes a bloody and determined pilgrimage across a frozen landscape toward a prestigious all girls prep school where Rose and Kat find themselves stranded after their parents mysteriously fail to retrieve them for winter break. As Joan gets closer, terrifying visions begin plaguing Kat while Rose watches in horror as she becomes possessed by an unseen evil force.
“We look forward to bringing Osgood’s tantalizing story to life while keeping audiences riveted with suspense,” said producers Bertino, Biddle and Paris. Highland Film Groups’ Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier added: “Having these two brilliant young actresses as a part of the team will no doubt translate with our buyers and audiences worldwide.”
Roberts is repped by CAA and manager, David Sweeny. Shipka is represented by CAA and Perkins by Paradigm.
Press Release: New York Times Magazine Feature Cover Story on “Vessel”
The award-winning documentary VESSEL is featured in the cover story of the August 31 issue of The New York Times Magazine and is set for release by FilmBuff this winter
Film profiles abortion activist Dr. Rebecca Gomperts; launches activist screening tour
NEW YORK (August 28, 2014) – VESSEL, a timely, provocative, and mobilizing film about the work of abortion activist Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, which will be distributed and released in North America this winter by FilmBuff, will partner with Film Sprout to launch an international community screening campaign this September.
Featured in the August 31 New York Times Magazine cover story “The Dawn of the Post-Clinic Abortion,” VESSEL chronicles the controversial work of Dr. Gomperts, a pioneering reproductive rights activist who challenged restrictive abortion laws by sailing a mobile abortion clinic—a shipping container aboard a sailing vessel—to countries where abortion is illegal.
Gomperts’ organization, Women on Waves, provided legal abortions in international waters to women with no other legal option. Its newest incarnation, Women on Web, now equips women with the information necessary to induce abortion with pills, using World Health Organization protocols.
Gomperts’ courage in the face of legal, cultural, and military opposition provides the backbone to a documentary The Austin Chronicle says, “expertly frames the charismatic and indefatigable Gomperts as she…plows fearlessly forward on her mission, ultimately expanding it beyond the sea and onto the Internet, where [she] delivers vital information on reproductive health and support to women around the globe.”
Winner of the South By Southwest Film Festival Audience Award for Documentary Feature and the festival’s Special Jury Recognition for Political Courage, VESSEL has also been honored with the Adrienne Shelly Excellence in Filmmaking Award and the Peter Wintonick Award for Activist Filmmaking.
Called “a fast-paced, heart-thumping adventure” by Art Threat, and “an intriguing story passionately told” by Variety, VESSEL offers hope for activists, educators, and doctors fighting to put reproductive choice and healthcare back in the hands of women.
Film director Diana Whitten says she began work on VESSEL because she was “compelled by the metaphor of a woman having to leave one realm of sovereignty to reclaim her own. I thought it was a rare and interesting example of the offshore being used not for crime or personal gain, but for social justice.”
Seven years in the making, VESSEL has now become an inspiration to activists worldwide. “It was impossible to witness these activists working with women and not internalize how desperately alone women and providers feel in settings where abortion is inaccessible,” Whitten told Filmmaker Magazine. “The Women on Waves campaigns make them feel connected, and less scared. One of VESSEL’s goals is to offer that same solidarity.”
Beginning September 15, distribution firm Film Sprout will launch the film on an international tour of screenings intended to provide a forum for further debate, discussion and education about the challenges facing reproductive healthcare in the United States and beyond. Students, universities, nonprofits, clinics and activists interested in hosting their own screenings should contact vessel@filmsprout.org.
VESSEL was directed by Diana Whitten and produced by Sovereignty Productions, in association with Impact Partners, Fork Films, and Chicken and Egg Pictures. VESSEL is being distributed in North America by FilmBuff.
“A powerful, knock-your-socks-off documentary that will strike fear in your hearts and remind you to get out and fight for what’s right!”
Press Release: XLrator Media & New Artists Alliance Partner on Sci-Fi Action Slate
XLRATOR MEDIA & NEW ARTISTS ALLIANCE PACT TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE SCI-FI ACTION SLATE
LOS ANGELES (August 27, 2014) – XLrator Media (Jimi: All is By My Side, The Machine) and New Artists Alliance (Cheap Thrills, Bad Milo) have announced a three-picture production slate of science-fiction action thrillers which Gabriel Cowen and John Suits of New Artists Alliance (NAA) will produce and XLrator Media will distribute and co-produce in North America. The production and distribution pact comes as the two companies’ first collaboration THE SCRIBBLER, directed by Suits and starring Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg and Eliza Dushku, will be released in theaters and on VOD on September 19th.
“With NAA, we are reverse engineering ‘audience-driven’ content via an efficient creative production model for the global marketplace. As evidenced by the success of our recent release THE MACHINE, there is a need in the market for high-concept, well-produced science-fiction thrillers that can be made for efficient budgets,” said XLrator CEO Barry Gordon. “We can’t find enough of these films so we’ve teamed up with Gabe and John – two of the smartest and busiest writer-director-producers working today — to make and distribute them with us.”
“This partnership combines XLrator Media’s formidable distribution strength and proven marketplace instincts with our creativity and production savvy. With North American distribution in place for an entire slate of pictures, we can now focus on making movies, rather than pre-selling them,” said NAA partner Gabriel Cowan.
The first film in the 3-picture slate is 400 DAYS starring Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Dane Cook (Disney’s Planes: Fire & Rescue), Caity Lotz (“Arrow,” The Pact, The Machine), Ben Feldman (“Mad Men”), Tom Cavanagh (“Ed”) and Grant Bowler (“Defiance”). Written and directed by Matt Osterman (Ghost from the Machine), the psychological sci-fi centers on four astronauts who are sent on a simulated mission to a distant planet to test the psychological effects of deep space travel. Locked away for 400 days, the crew’s mental state begins to deteriorate when they lose all communication with the outside world. Forced to exit the ship, they discover that this mission may not have been a simulation after all. The film is in post-production and will be released in Summer 2015.
Following 400 DAYS, NAA and XLrator Media will co-produce VIRAL to be directed by Suits and THE TURN to be directed by Cowan, for release in late 2015 and 2016, respectively.
NAA’s recent films include the Tribeca Film Festival premiere JUST BEFORE I GO, directed by Courteney Cox starring Seann William Scott and Olivia Thirlby, and LOITERING WITH INTENT, directed by Adam Rapp starring Sam Rockwell and Marisa Tomei. They produced the SXSW 2013 Audience Award winner CHEAP THRILLS and SXSW entries BAD MILO and EXTRACTED.
One of the fastest-growing independent film distribution companies in North America since its creation in 2010, XLrator Media will release 20 films in 2014 including Academy Award-winner John Ridley’s JIMI: ALL IS BY MY SIDE starring Andre Benjamin as rock legend Jimi Hendrix (opening in theaters September 26th) and SXSW hits HOUSEBOUND and THE MULE. XLrator Media is also the home of the acclaimed MACABRE and TURBO genre film labels. The company previously released such diverse films as THE MACHINE, CBGB, AMERICAN MARY, STORM SURFERS 3D, BANSHEE CHAPTER and IRONCLAD: BATTLE FOR BLOOD.
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