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: Film Society of Lincoln Center Honored with 2014 Golden Egg Award
• Press Release: Jalopnik Film Festival Announces Short Film Panel Judges
• Press Release: Lotus Entertainment Bolsters Executive Team
• Press Release: “K2” Opens The Quad Cinema
• Press Release: AFI Directing Workshop for Women Launches 40th Year
• Press Release: Jackhammer Films Establishes New Distribution Strategy
• Press Release: Brigade’s 2014 Fall Preview

Press Release: Film Society of Lincoln Center Honored with 2014 Golden Egg Award

CHICKEN & EGG PICTURES TO HONOR FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER LEADERS LESLI KLAINBERG & EUGENE HERNANDEZ WITH ITS 2014 GOOD EGG AWARD DURING INDEPENDENT FILM WEEK

Two Grantees to Participate in IFP’s 2014 Project Forum

NEW YORK (August 18, 2014) – Chicken & Egg Pictures will honor Lesli Klainberg, Executive Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and Eugene Hernandez, Deputy Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, with its 2014 Good Egg Award, and celebrate the two Chicken & Egg Pictures film grantees participating in the Independent Film Week Project Forum: The Bill by Ramona Diaz and (T)error by Lyric Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe.

Klainberg and Hernandez will receive the award on September 15 during the Chicken & Egg Pictures Annual Independent Film Week Celebration in New York City.

As the only nonprofit film fund dedicated solely to supporting women documentary directors, Chicken & Egg Pictures matches strategic financial support with creative mentorship offered at critical stages in the work of filmmakers.

The Good Egg Award is given annually to distinguished leaders in the independent and documentary film community. Past recipients include Cynthia Lopez, now the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment; Cara Mertes, the current Director of the JustFilms initiative at Ford Foundation; POV founder Marc Weiss; and Claire Aguilar of ITVS.

This year’s honorees both have a distinguished history of contributions to the documentary field and to the world of independent film as a whole.

Klainberg has an incredible record, across more than two decades, not only through her work at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and as Executive Director of NewFest, New York’s LGBT Film Festival, but as a producer and director of acclaimed independent documentaries. She has also worked as a Consulting Producer for the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and was Co-Leader of IFP’s Documentary Lab for three years.

Hernandez has made tremendous contributions with his work at Indiewire, which he co-founded and led as Editor-in-Chief, and involvement with a host of documentary programs and festivals including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Sundance Documentary Fund, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and many more.

“We couldn’t be more delighted to present Lesli and Eugene with the 2014 Good Egg Award,” said Jenni Wolfson, Executive Director of Chicken & Egg Pictures. “They are both pillars of the film community, respected and well-loved, and together at the helm of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, they are in a position to build and expand on their already impressive accomplishments. It will be exciting to see how they continue to champion and shape the world of independent film.”

Since 2005, Chicken & Egg Pictures supported more than 170 film projects with over $3.4 million in grants and 5,000 hours in mentorship directly to filmmakers. Films supported by Chicken & Egg Pictures have gone on to win Academy Awards®, Emmy® Awards, Peabodys, and the Ridenhour Documentary Film Prize; and changed hearts, minds, and policy in the process. Chicken & Egg Pictures connects filmmakers with activists, NGOs, film festivals, and others to collaborate for social, economic, and environmental justice as well as human rights. The organization has special funds dedicated to creating social change including an Environmental Film Fund, a Human Rights Film Fund, and the award-winning REEL Reproductive Justice Film Cohort.

Two Chicken & Egg Pictures grantees have been selected for IFP’s 2014 Project Forum: “The Bill” from director Ramona Diaz will participate in the Spotlight on Documentaries section, and (T)ERROR from directors Lyric Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe will participate in the Documentary Lab.

The Bill is set in the Philippines, one of the world’s poorest and most populous countries, and it struggles with reproductive health policy. The Reproductive Health Bill guarantees access to contraception, maternal care, and sex education in schools. In a country where 85% of the population is Catholic, there is unrelenting opposition from the formidable Church. Nowhere are the stakes more starkly apparent than in Fabella Memorial Hospital, one of the busiest maternity public hospitals in the world. The film intercuts between the legislature and Fabella Hospital – contrasting the sluggish pace of policy development, as lawmakers parse the language of the RH Bill, and the rampant speed of childbirth, as the hospital’s whiteboard tracks the day’s deliveries. The story is told by legislators, patients, and hospital workers through a combination of immersive scenes of the hospital and footage of the Senate hearings.

(T)ERROR is the first film to document an active FBI counterterrorism sting operation, featuring unprecedented, real-time access to the investigation’s central players. The film captures the dramatic aftermath that occurs when the target of the investigation realizes he is being set up by an FBI informant. Interweaving this story with a penetrating look at the government’s broader counterterrorism campaign, the film aims to demystify the nature of America’s terrorist threat, and to illuminate the political and ethical complexities of our country’s quest to protect the homeland.

Press Release: Jalopnik Film Festival Announces Short Film Panel Judges

JALOPNIK FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PANEL OF VOLVO CARS SHORT FILM JUDGES FOR 2ND ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL

(New York, NY | August 19, 2014) The Jalopnik Film Festival announced its panel of Volvo Cars Short Film judges, who will select only one lucky winner, to create their own auto-themed short film. The esteemed Volvo Cars Short Film panel will be comprised of Douglas Sonders and Nicholas Cambata of photo and video production company 8112 Studios, Mike Spinelli, founding Jalopnik editor and producer at /DRIVE, and Bodil Eriksson, Executive Vice President, Product, Brand and Communications, Volvo Cars.

One of the core brands in The Gawker Media Group, Jalopnik is one of the largest car enthusiast publications in the world with over eight million global uniques, covering everything from the latest automotive news to developments in aviation and military technology. This year’s second annual film festival also rolls around at the same time as Jalopnik’s tenth anniversary.

With the help of Volvo Cars, the Jalopnik Film Festival’s premiere sponsor, the Jalopnik Film Festival will provide filmmakers with the resources to make their films. Volvo Cars will provide the cars and elite filmmaking crew to make a short film about car culture that focuses on a theme of “Why We Care.” To enter this contest, filmmakers would need to submit their proposals by August 25th. Full details can be found here. The winner will be notified by September 5th, with project development beginning swiftly thereafter on September 9th, leading up to final delivery of the project on October 27th.

“Volvo Cars of North America are excited to be part of the Jalopnik Film Festival and support creative talent in this field, “ said Eriksson. “The “why we care” theme resonates strongly with the Volvo brand and we look forward to seeing the creative output.”

Sonders and Cambata’s 8112 Studios will serve as the production company behind the winning short film submission. 8112 Studios’ roster of work includes high-profile automotive content, music videos, and renowned commercial work. In addition, Sonders and Cambata will serve as the winner’s mentor throughout the whole process, and with Volvo’s Eriksson, provide an unparalleled opportunity for the winning filmmaker’s auto-themed submission.

“Nicholas and I love everything that is automotive,” said Sonders. “Cars have been a huge inspiration to the creative team that we are today. We look forward to helping the winner through the entire process of production so we can create a striking final product that they will make them, Jalopnik, and Volvo Cars proud.”

In addition to this original, Volvo short film, the Jalopnik Film Festival will also screen an “Official Selection” program of premieres of films about cars and car culture, as well as a roster of film submissions. Last year, the festival screened a variety of studio films, including the first public showing of Ron Howard’s RUSH and Asif Kapadia’s SENNA; this year, audiences should be in for a treat with premieres from some of car culture’s most prominent filmmakers. The big screening night is November 6th in New York City, bringing together an exciting mix of special guests, big films, and film submission from emerging filmmakers with a passion for cars. All chosen submissions will be screened alongside the premiere titles.

Press Release: Lotus Entertainment Bolsters Executive Team

LOTUS ENTERTAINMENT BOLSTERS EXECUTIVE TEAM ADDING AARON MICHIEL AS EVP, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS

Los Angeles, August 20, 2014 – Lotus Entertainment expands their team with the hire of Aaron Michiel as Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs. Michiel will oversee all of Lotus’ business affairs including its film slate and international sales activities. He will report directly to Lotus Co-Founders and Co-Chairmen Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson.

Lotus Entertainment’s Johnson and Seibel jointly commented: “Aaron is a tremendous addition to the Lotus team and has an impressive understanding of the film finance business. We’re very excited to have him onboard to oversee affairs across our current and future slate of films.”

Prior to joining Lotus, he served as EVP of Business & Legal Affairs at OddLot Entertainment for six years. While at OddLot, Michiel helped close financing and provided production legal for RABBIT HOLE, DRIVE, THE WAY WAY BACK, ENDER’S GAME and ROSEWATER, in addition to helping close the company’s $50M credit facility with JP Morgan and Comerica, and the overall co-financing and distribution agreement with Lionsgate.

Michiel worked for Relativity Media starting in 2005, as Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, and has more than 15 years of broad experience in the entertainment industry. Michiel has worked at both film and television production companies, and as a transactional associate at a law firm, representing talent.

Lotus’ current film 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: “K2” Opens The Quad Cinema

“K2: Siren of the Himalayas” opens The Quad Cinema in New York City

First Run Features to release acclaimed climbing film in select cities

NEW YORK CITY — First Run Features presents the new award-winning feature documentary “K2: Siren of the Himalayas” in New York City starting Friday, August 22. The film is slated for three screenings per day during its week long run at The Quad Cinema (34 W. 13th Street).

Filmmakers Dave Ohlson and Jason Reid will be in attendance at select screenings on opening weekend. Tickets are available on the Quad Cinema website.

“K2: Siren of the Himalayas” follows a breathtaking high-altitude mountaineering experience presenting the stunning vistas, perilous adventure, close teamwork and blissful serenity that is part of an elite climbing group’s 2009 attempt to summit the world’s most challenging peak.

The Village Voice wrote that the film is “as thrilling as any Hollywood summer blockbuster, with real-life plot twists of death, unexpected heroism, and surprise endings.”

Shot in the Karakoram range of the Himalayan mountains of Pakistan, “K2” follows world renowned alpinists Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner — National Geographic Explorer of the Year and the first woman to reach all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters without porters or supplemental oxygen; Jake Meyer, the youngest Brit to climb the Seven Summits; and veteran North American alpine leaders Fabrizio Zangrilli and Chris Szymiec.

Director Dave Ohlson followed this elite group’s attempt to summit the world’s second-highest peak, K2, in 2009, marking the 100-year anniversary of Italian exploration of the Duke of Abruzzi and Vittorio Sella’s landmark expedition to the same peak in 1909. Rare archival footage and vintage photos from the Duke’s attempt, as well as his commentary, provide a historical perspective on extreme mountaineering expeditions throughout the past century.

Mixed amongst the spectacular views and harrowing mountain experiences of the climbs is the stunning history and breathtaking geography of the Karakoram mountains, where each climber contemplates the risks, rewards and personal nature of exploration in an age when there are few blank spots left on the map.

“K2: Siren of the Himalayas” had its world premiere at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Canada and then made its U.S. Premiere at Mountainfilm in Telluride in 2013. It has played several international festivals, winning the “Grand Prize” at both the Torello Mountain Film Festival in Spain and the Bansko Mountain Film Festival in Bulgaria; “Best Action Sports Film” at the Salyulita Festival in Mexcio and the “Best Audience Award” and the “Golden Spiffy” at the Spokane International Film Festival.

First Run Features announced the following dates for “K2” as part of its theatrical run:

Aug. 22 – 28 | New York, NY
The Quad Cinema
Aug. 22 – 28 | Spokane, WA
Magic Lantern Theatre
Sept. 6 – 10 | San Diego, CA
Media Arts Center
Sept. 17 – 20 | Boulder, CO
Boedecker Theatre
Sept. 26 – 28 | Seattle, WA
SIFF Film Center
Oct. 6 – 11 | Tianjin, China
Tianjin Worldwide Final of World FICTS Challenge
Oct. 12 | Nevada City, CA
Nevada Theatre
Dec. 3 – 8 | Milano, Italy
32nd Milano International FICTS Fest
Feb. 20, 2015 | Boulder, CO
Colorado Chautauqua

ABOUT THE CLIMBERS

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner – Alpinist / Explorer of the Year
Originally from Austria, Gerlinde now calls Germany home, where she lives with her husband Ralf Dujmovits. In 2011, Gerlinde became the first woman to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without oxygen when she reached the summit of K2 via the rarely climbed North Pillar route. She was named the 2012 National Geographic Explorer of the Year.

Jake Meyer – Alpinist
Jake is based in the UK near London. When he was 21 years old, he became the youngest Brit to climb the Seven Summits after reaching the top of Mt. Everest. He is a sought after speaker for corporate and charitable organizations, where he uses his experiences in the mountains to motivate and entertain.

Fabrizio Zangrili – Alpinist
Based in Colorado, Fabrizio spends a good portion of every year guiding in Nepal, Tibet and Pakistan. When he’s not guiding, he pursues personal goals on some of the biggest mountain faces in the world.

Chris Szymiec – Alpinist
Based in the Canadian Rockies, Chris spends most of his time guiding on mountains in India and Pakistan. He has led successful expeditions to several 8,000-meter peaks including Cho Oyu and Broad Peak.

The Duke of Abruzzi – 1909 Explorer
The Duke led expeditions all over the world during the late 19th and early 20th century. He travelled to the Wrangell St. Elias Range in Alaska, the Rumenzori’s of Africa and in 1909 he travelled to K2 to “contribute to the solution of the problem as to the greatest height to which man may attain in mountain climbing.”

Vittorio Sella – 1909 Photographer
Sella was undoubtedly the greatest mountain photographer of his time. He accompanied the Duke on several expeditions and also explored the Alps and Caucusus extensively. He was considered a master by none other than Ansel Adams.

Dave Ohlson – Director / Producer
Dave is a photographer, filmmaker and student of life. His interests in climbing and photography have taken him to Africa, Tibet, Nepal and Pakistan. When he’s not enjoying the outdoors, he’s currently pursuing a degree in medicine.

Press Release: AFI Directing Workshop for Women Launches 40th Year

AFI DIRECTING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN LAUNCHES 40th YEAR WITH INNOVATIVE NEW EPISODIC PROGRAM

Call for Applications Begins August 21st

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, LOS ANGELES (August 21, 2014) — The AFI Directing Workshop for Women (AFI DWW) announced today that it will launch an innovative new episodic program, expanding its 40-year-old directing program beyond the making of short films. Women participating in the episodic strand of the program will produce content for the Web or streaming services, and will work alongside women participating in the shorts program. The application for the 2015 AFI DWW is available here.

The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation (WJSFF) have provided pivotal sponsorship for this year’s initiatives along with engagement of NBCUniversal. The WJSFF will support an individual participant who embodies a diverse voice. Throughout her career, Jada has worn multiple hats as an actor, producer and director and through WJSFF, she will take part in nurturing and creating opportunities for new female filmmakers.

AFI DWW is a prestigious, highly selective workshop that offers talented women who have established themselves in the arts a tuition-free training program comprised of classroom learning, hands-on production experience and the opportunity to direct a project and advance their careers as visual storytellers. This year, the program will accept a total of eight participants. All women will receive comprehensive training, together with new classes in Running a Series and Building an Audience, among others, and new mentors from the television and new media worlds will join the AFI DWW faculty.

While great strides have been made to lessen the gap of working female directors in the film community, there are still limited training opportunities for directors with diverse visions who want to work in the changing landscape of episodic storytelling across multiple platforms. AFI’s DWW will provide aspiring female directors the opportunity to develop their skills as storytellers across multiple platforms, working in an environment where they can gain insights from accomplished mentors working in the field of directing.

Mentors for the 40th anniversary class included Artists-in-Residence Jamie Babbit (BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER, THE QUIET), AFI Conservatory alumnus Patty Jenkins (THE KILLING, MONSTER) and Kimberly Peirce (BOYS DON’T CRY, CARRIE).

Since the AFI DWW program’s inception in 1974, more than 275 women have been trained in screen directing. Among its distinguished alumnae are Maya Angelou, Anne Bancroft, Neema Barnette, Tricia Brock, Ellen Burstyn, Rebecca Cammisa, Dyan Cannon, Hanelle Culpepper, Jan Eliasberg, Naomi Foner, Jennifer Getzinger, Lyn Goldfarb, Randa Haines, Victoria Hochberg, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Matia Karrell, Lesli Linka Glatter, Lynne Littman, Nancy Malone, Becky Smith, Cicely Tyson and Joanne Woodward.

Press Release: Jackhammer Films Establishes New Distribution Strategy

JACKHAMMER FILM PRODUCERS INNOVATE NEW DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

Self-funded comedy Day and Date Release on Multiple Platforms September 2nd, 2014

Los Angeles, CA/Vancouver (August 21, 2014) – Gravitas (US and International) and Phase 4 Films (Canada) announced today that they have acquired VOD rights to JACKHAMMER, a male stripper comedy from writer/director/star Michael Hanus, co-writers Guy Christie, Duncan MacLellan, Julian Paul and Jason Burkart. The film features Jamie Kennedy, Jason Burkart, Peter Shinkoda, Robb Wells, Nicole Sullivan and a cameo appearance from Pamela Anderson. The film is slated for a VOD release with numerous cable operators, online platforms and Reelhouse.org online partnerships, worldwide on September 2nd, 2014.

An audition gone horribly wrong leaves actor Julius Warner (Christie) blacklisted by the city’s most powerful casting agent, Lance Selmour (Kennedy). Pushed to the edge after being fired from his job at the sandwich hut, and finding his girlfriend in bed with another “man”, Julius turns to his older brother, protein addicted, wanna-be-rapper, award winning male stripper JACKHAMMER (Hanus) and is thrust into the wild world of male stripping. Things quickly go sideways for Julius when they get mixed up with the Russian mob, crazy ex-girlfriends, protein-dealing thugs, and a host of colorful characters. The hi-jinx doesn’t let up as JACKHAMMER takes it upon himself to make things right.

Shot over 5 years in small town Victoria Canada, Hanus started shooting on weekends, and ended up attracting his Hollywood dream comedy cast and industry professionals. Beyond some finishing funds via Telefilm, JACKHAMMER was entirely self-funded. Now Mike Hanus‘s power producing team that consists of wife Silvana (who stars alongside him), McKinley Hlady and Jason Burkart are not slowing down. The team is now focused on releasing a subsequent series of episodes based on the characters in the movie. Fans will have a chance to be a part of the series by donating to JACKHAMMER’s crowd source campaign, also launching Sept 2.

JACKHAMMER has entertained audiences with multiple sold out screenings and won awards at festivals globally most recently screening at the 2014 Cannes Marché du Film

In addition to the integrated distribution strategy, the team has partnered with Reelhouse.org to create an innovative profit share partnership program for social media stars, high traffic websites, and bloggers across North America and Worldwide. They are also partnering with select charities to give 100% of profits from those affiliate links.

Press Release: Brigade’s 2014 Fall Preview

BIRD PEOPLE – September 12th

Directed by Pascale Ferran

Written by Pascale Ferran and Guillaume Bréaud

Cast: Josh Charles, Anaïs Demoustier, Roschdy Zem, Camélia Jordana, Radha Mitchell

Gary, an American businessman en route to Dubai, views his overnight layover as an opportunity to start fresh in Europe, while Audrey, a chambermaid in Gary’s hotel, also experiences a startlingly unexpected change in her life while working one night.

HELLAWARE – September 26th

Written and Directed by Michael M. Bilandic

Cast: Keith Poulson, Sophia Takal, Kate Lyn Sheil, and Brent Butler

A wannabe photographer finds a Goth rap group on YouTube – Insane Clown Posse knock-off Young Torture Killers – and travels to Delaware to immerse himself in their culture.

10.000KM – October (Date TBD)

Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet

Written by Carlos Marques-Marcet and Clara Roquet

Cast: Natalia Tena and David Verdaguer

Alexandra and Sergi are a young couple in love. When an artistic residency takes Alexandra from Barcelona to Los Angeles, they must rely on technology to keep their relationship alive, attempting to bridge the gap of the 10,000 km that divide them.

HARMONTOWN – October 3rd in LA and on VOD; October 10th in NYC

Directed by Neil Berkeley

Featuring: Dan Harmon, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, Jason Sudeikis, and Joel McHale

A documentary chronicling Dan Harmon’s podcast tour following his firing from his cult-like creation, NBC’s “Community,” Harmontown provides untapped insight to Harmon’s personal demons and his ever-present talent that is poised to redeem him.

LISTEN UP PHILIP – October 17th

Written and Directed by Alex Ross Perry

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine De La Baume, Dree Hemingway, Jess Weixler

A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol’s daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York.

STATIONS OF THE ELEVATED – October 17th

Directed by Manfred Kirchheimer

Restored from its original 1981 version, STATIONS weaves together vivid images of graffiti-covered elevated subway trains crisscrossing the gritty urban landscape of 1970s New York, to a commentary-free soundtrack that combines ambient city noise with jazz and gospel by Charles Mingus and Aretha Franklin.

REVENGE OF THE GREEN DRAGONS – October 24th

Presented by Martin Scorsese

Directed by Andrew Lau & Andrew Loo

Written by Michael Di Jiacomo & Andrew Loo

Cast: Justin Chon, Kevin Wu, Harry Shum, Jr., Ray Liotta, Jin Auyeung, Shuya Chang, Eugenia Yuan, Billy Magnussen

The story of two immigrant brothers Sonny and Steven who survive the impoverished despair of New York in the 1980s by joining Chinatown gang The Green Dragons.

THE BABADOOK – November 28th

Written and Directed by Jennifer Kent

Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman

A sinister children’s book called Mister Babadook mysteriously appears in the home of Amelia and her increasingly odd son Samuel. As the book continues to reappear, and things begin to go bump in the night, Amelia begins to wonder if there’s a presence in the house more disturbed than her son.

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FILM DETAILS

BIRD PEOPLE

Opens September 12th

Directed and Co-Written by Pascale Ferran

Co-Written by Guillaume Bréaud

Cast: Josh Charles, Anaïs Demoustier, Roschdy Zem, Camélia Jordana, Radha Mitchell

Synopsis:
Fed up with the stresses of his work and home life, Gary (Josh Charles), an American businessman en route to Dubai, views his overnight layover as an opportunity to start fresh in Europe. For Audrey (Anaïs Demoustier), a Parisian chambermaid, the hotel is her ticket through college and a path away from her humdrum life. As their paths cross nearer in the halls of the hotel, their lives change in a way neither ever could have imagined.

Directed and co-written by French filmmaker Pascale Ferran, and co-starring Radha Mitchell, BIRD PEOPLE is a genre-defying exploration of how life can change in an instant in the most unexpected of ways.

TRT: 127 minutes
Country: France
Language: English, French, Japanese
Genre: Drama/Romance/Fantasy
Distributor: Sundance Selects

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HELLAWARE

Opens September 26th

Written and Directed by Michael M. Bilandic

Cast: Keith Poulson, Sophia Takal, Kate Lyn Sheil, Brent Butler

Synopsis:
HELLAWARE gently satirizes the world of highbrow art through the eyes of a wannabe photographer who becomes consumed by the bright lights of mainstream success. Jaded by the “incestuous, New York, socialite shit” that sells at prominent art galleries, Nate (Keith Poulson) embarks on a quest for a more authentic brand of contemporary art.

When a coked-up YouTube search leads to a music video from Delawarean Goth rappers Young Torture Killers, an Insane Clown Posse knock-off, Nate knows he’s found his subjects. He soon drags his friend-with-benefits Bernadette (Sophia Takal) to rural Delaware to shoot the group playing in their parents’ basement. To “immerse himself” in the group’s culture and add an extra layer of realism to his work, Nate befriends the rappers and makes return trips to get to know them. But as his relationship with group develops, he becomes increasingly aware that, while you can take the boy out of the art world, you can’t take the art world out of the boy.

A coming-of-age New York comedy in the class of modern indie darlings like TINY FURNITURE or FRANCES HA, HELLAWARE is written and directed by Michael Bilandic and made its world debut at BAM Cinemafest.

TRT: 73 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Comedy
Distributor: Factory 25

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10.000KM

Opens October (Date TBD)

Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet

Written by Carlos Marques-Marcet and Clara Roquet

Cast: Natalia Tena and David Verdaguer

Synopsis:
Alexandra and Sergi make love in their tiny Barcelona apartment. They’ve decided to have a baby, but find their plans dashed when Alex receives an offer for an artistic residency in Los Angeles. Understanding this may be Alex’s last chance to re-launch her photography career, the couple decides to put their plans on hold for a year. Separated by 10,000 kilometers, Alex and Sergi must rely on virtual communication to keep the flame of their relationship alive. But with their realities no longer shared and the touch of one another gone, the technology that has supposedly brought the world closer together may just tear them apart.

TRT: 99 minutes
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Genre: Drama
Distributor: Broad Green Pictures

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HARMONTOWN

Opens October 3rd in LA and on VOD; October 10th in NYC

Directed by Neil Berkeley

Featuring: Dan Harmon, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, Jason Sudeikis, and Joel McHale

Synopsis:
A kindred spirit to nerds everywhere, writer-comedian Dan Harmon has achieved celebrity via the hit series “Community,” but cut his teeth writing for shows such as “The Sarah Silverman Program” and the Jack Black/Ben Stiller pilot “Heat Vision and Jack.” After being fired from his signature creation, Harmon hits the road with his popular podcast and performs live for his cult-like fan base across the country. Known for his wit, cynicism, and disarming vulnerability, Harmontown finds Harmon bathed in the adoration of his fans as he confronts his personal demons and comes out on the other side.

From acclaimed filmmaker Neil Berkeley (Beauty Is Embarrassing), and featuring past and present collaborators Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, Allison Brie, Joel McHale and many more, Harmontown tells Harmon’s story with unabashed candor — showing his highs, his lows, and everything in-between.

TRT: 101 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Documentary
Distributor: The Orchard

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LISTEN UP PHILIP

Opens October 17th

Written and Directed by Alex Ross Perry

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine De La Baume, Dree Hemingway, Jess Weixler

Synopsis:
A complex, intimate, and highly idiosyncratic comedy, Listen Up Philip is a literary look at the triumph of reality over the human spirit. Anger rages in Philip (Jason Schwartzman) as he awaits the publication of his sure-to-succeed second novel. He feels pushed out of his adopted home city by the constant crowds and noise, a deteriorating relationship with his photographer girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), and his indifference to promoting his own work. When Philip’s idol Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce) offers his isolated summer home as a refuge, he finally gets the peace and quiet to focus on his favorite subject — himself.

TRT: 109 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Distributor: Tribeca Film

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STATIONS OF THE ELEVATED

Opens October 17th

Directed by Manfred Kirchheimer

Music Composed by Charles Mingus

Synopsis:
STATIONS OF THE ELEVATED (1981) is a 45-minute city symphony directed, produced and edited by Manfred Kirchheimer. Shot on lush 16mm color reversal stock, the film weaves together vivid images of graffiti-covered elevated subway trains crisscrossing the gritty urban landscape of 1970s New York, to a commentary-free soundtrack that combines ambient city noise with jazz and gospel by Charles Mingus and Aretha Franklin. Gliding through the South Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan – making a rural detour past a correctional facility upstate – STATIONS OF THE ELEVATED is an impressionistic portrait of and tribute to a New York that has long since disappeared.

STATIONS captures the exuberant height of the 1970’s graffiti movement in New York, featuring the work of early legends including Lee, Fabulous 5, Shadow, Daze, Kase, Butch, Blade, Slave, 12 T2B, Ree, and Pusher. At a time when graffiti was largely dismissed as vandalism and a symbol of urban decay, Kirchheimer explores it as a form of self-expression and a reaction to New York’s social and economic conditions, an artistic counterpoint to the “legalized vandalism” dominating the city’s visual landscape in the form of corporate advertising. Juxtaposing the colorful imagery of ‘tagged’ cars with shots of hand-painted billboards depicting hamburgers and bikini-clad women, STATIONS forces audiences to ask: “What is urban art, and what role does it play in the daily life of a city?”

TRT: 45 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Documentary
Distributor: Artists Public Domain

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REVENGE OF THE GREEN DRAGONS

Opens October 24th

Presented by Martin Scorsese

Directed by Andrew Lau & Andrew Loo

Written by Michael Di Jiacomo & Andrew Loo

Cast: Justin Chon, Kevin Wu, Harry Shum, Jr., Ray Liotta, Jin Auyeung, Shuya Chang, Eugenia Yuan, Billy Magnussen

Synopsis:
In the vein of crime classics like MEAN STREETS and INFERNAL AFFAIRS, REVENGE OF THE GREEN DRAGONS follows two immigrant brothers Sonny and Steven who survive the impoverished despair of New York in the 1980s by joining Chinatown gang The Green Dragons. The brothers quickly rise up the ranks, drawing the unwanted attention of hard-boiled city cops. After an ill- fated love affair pits Sonny against his own brother, he sets out for revenge on the very gang who made him who he is. From acclaimed director Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo, and legendary executive producer Martin Scorsese comes a brilliant mix between a Hong Kong action film and a New York City crime thriller, portraying the never-before-told true story of The Green Dragons.

TRT: 94 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
Distributor: A24

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THE BABADOOK

Opens November 28th

Written and Directed by Jennifer Kent

Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley McElhinney, Barbara West, Ben Winspear

Synopsis:
Young widow Amelia lives with her seven-year-old son, Samuel, who seems to get odder by the day. His father’s death in an accident when driving Amelia to the hospital to give birth to him may have something to do with the boy’s unnerving behavior, which scares other children and perhaps even his own mother. But when a sinister children’s book called Mister Babadook mysteriously appears—and keeps reappearing—Amelia begins to wonder if there’s a presence in the house more disturbed than her son. Jennifer Kent’s visually stunning debut genuinely frightens us with the revelation that the things that go bump in the night may be buried deep inside our psyches, not just in the basement.

TRT: 94 minutes
Country: Australia
Language: English
Genre: Horror/Drama
Distributor: IFC Midnight