The Inbox (Dec. 14-20, 2013)

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.

Image: 3 Days to Kill

Press Release: Eric Bogosian to Narrate “Listen Up Philip”

ERIC BOGOSIAN TO NARRATE ALEX ROSS PERRY’S “LISTEN UP PHILIP”

“Listen Up Philip” Starring Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce and Krysten Ritter To World Premiere At The 2014 Sundance Film Festival

(New York, NY) December 16th, 2013 – Eric Bogosian has signed on to narrate Alex Ross Perry’s “Listen Up Philip” which will have its world premiere at the upcoming 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Following up his critically acclaimed “The Color Wheel”, Alex Ross Perry scripts a complex, intimate and highly idiosyncratic comedy filled with New Yorkers living their lives somewhere between individuality and isolation. Jason Schwartzman leads an impressive cast including Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce and Krysten Ritter, balancing Perry’s quick-witted dialogue and their characters’ painful, personal truths. The film switches perspectives as seasons and attitudes change, offering a literary look into the lives of these individuals and the triumph of reality over the human spirit.

“Listen Up Philip” was produced by Katie Stern & Joshua Blum from Washington Square Films (the company’s follow-up film to the acclaimed “All Is Lost”) and Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston & David Lowery from Sailor Bear (the team behind last year’s Sundance hit “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”). John Sloss’ Cinetic Media will be handling the domestic sale of the film.

“Ever since I first saw “The Magnificent Ambersons”, I have dreamt of directing a film with a narrator. Throughout the process of making “Listen Up Philip”, probably the question I got asked the most was ‘who is going to narrate it?’ I knew what kind of diction I needed: a New York voice for my New York movie. Intelligent, cynical, nonjudgmental. Eric Bogosian is that voice and hearing him read the words finally made the film click for me in the way I always imagined it”, said director Alex Ross Perry.

“Alex’s movie is bitter, honest and very funny. I felt right at home in the world he created”, said Eric Bogosian.

Eric Bogosian is best known as a playwright, novelist and actor. He is currently completing a non-fiction book documenting “Nemesis”, a conspiracy that targeted and assassinated Turkish leaders responsible for the Armenian genocide. (To be published by Little, Brown in 2015)

Eric Bogosian wrote and starred in the play, “Talk Radio” (NYSF – 1987; Broadway with Liev Schreiber- 2007). For this work he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and the Tony award. For his film adaptation of the play, Bogosian received the Berlin Film Festival “Silver Bear.” His six solo performances Off-Broadway between 1980 and 2000, (including “Drinking in America”, “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll” and “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee”) received three Obie awards. In addition to “Talk Radio”, Bogosian has written a number of full-length plays including “subUrbia” (LCT, Second Stage, also adapted to film), “Griller” (Goodman), “Red Angel” (Williamstown Theater Festival), “Humpty Dumpty” (The McCarter), 1+1 (New York Stage and Film). He is also the author of three novels, “Mall”, “Wasted Beauty” and “Perforated Heart” and a novella, “Notes from Underground.”

As an actor, Bogosian has appeared in numerous films and television programs, starring in Robert Altman’s “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial”, Oliver Stone’s “Talk Radio”, as Travis Dane in “Under Siege II”, as Eddie Nash in “Wonderland” and as Captain Danny Ross in sixty episodes of “Law & Order: CI.” In 2010, he starred on Broadway in “Time Stands Still” with Laura Linney.

In January 2013, Theater Communications Group will publish the full collection of Bogosian’s monologues, titled “100 (monologues).” Bogosian lives in New York with his wife, director Jo Bonney.

Press Release: Release Date Announced for “After the Dark”

PHASE 4 FILMS ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR ADVENTURE THRILLER ‘AFTER THE DARK’

Starring James D’Arcy, Bonnie Wright, Daryl Sabara, Sophie Lowe, Rhys Wakefield, Freddie Stroma, Maia Mitchell, Katie Findlay, Jacob Artist, and Erin Moriarty

Formerly Titled THE PHILOSOPHERS, John Huddles’ Jakarta-Set Fantasy Slated for a National Day-and-Date Release February 7th

Los Angeles, CA (December 16, 2013) – Phase 4 Films has announced that AFTER THE DARK, formerly known as THE PHILOSOPHERS, will receive a national theatrical day-and-date release February 7, 2014. The film was penned and directed by John Huddles, and stars James D’Arcy, Bonnie Wright, Daryl Sabara, Sophie Lowe, Rhys Wakefield, Freddie Stroma, Maia Mitchell, Katie Findlay, Jacob Artist, and Erin Moriarty. George Zakk, Cybill Lui, and Huddles produced, with Eddy Sariaatmadja and Balaji Rao serving as executive producers.

AFTER THE DARK is set at an international school in Jakarta, where a philosophy teacher (D’Arcy) challenges his class of twenty students to a final thought experiment. Faced with an impending nuclear apocalypse, they must determine which ten of them would take shelter underground and reboot the human race. The decision quickly becomes deadly as each in the group turns against each other in a desperate fight for survival that blurs the lines between theory and reality.

“We’re really proud to have made such a unique film and assemble this all-star young cast,” notes Zakk. His fellow producer Lui added, “We hope audiences are going to appreciate the big ideas that AFTER THE DARK brings to life on screen.”

The film opened theatrically in Russia and Ukraine on October 10th, and was victorious at the box-office over studio-backed films like Ron Howard’s RUSH starring Chris Hemsworth, and the Hugh Jackman/Jake Gyllenhaal starrer PRISONERS, in the first week of release for all three films in Russia/C.I.S. Total box-office receipts in Russia/C.I.S. topped $1.6 million.

About the cast
James D’Arcy was recently seen alongside Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel as Anthony Perkins in HITCHCOCK, as well as the Wachowskis’ Warner Bros. feature CLOUD ATLAS, opposite Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. He will soon be seen with Andy Garcia, Jake Johnson, Rob Riggle, Keegan-Michael Key and Damon Wayans Jr. in Luke Greenfields’s comedy LET’S BE COPS, and he’s teaming up with the Wachowskis again in their upcoming sci-fi adventure feature JUPITER ASCENDING with Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, and Sean Bean. Bonnie Wright is best known for her role as Ginny Weasley in JK Rowling’s HARRY POTTER franchise, where she starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint from the age of 9. Wright has been recently seen alongside Chevy Chase, Tom Sizemore and Eric Roberts in the Sharff brothers’ BEFORE I SLEEP, and was recently announced to star opposite Cameron Monaghan and Eiza Gonzalez in Adrian Cervantes’ ALL HAIL THE SQUASH BLOSSOM QUEEN.

Daryl Sabara shot to fame as Juni Cortez in the Robert Rodriguez SPY KIDS franchise. He worked with Rodriguez again in MACHETE, and costarred in JOHN CARTER. He was recently seen in Eli Roth’s THE GREEN INFERNO, and just finished starring alongside Cary Elwes and Kristin Bauer van Straten in Blaine Thurier’s comedy TEEN LUST. Sophie Lowe made her feature film debut as the title character in Rachel Ward’s BEAUTIFUL KATE, for which she received a “Best Lead Actress” nomination in the 2009 Australian Film Institute Awards. She currently stars as “Alice” in ABC’s “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.” Rhys Wakefield appeared opposite Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady on James DeMonaco’s thriller THE PURGE, and alongside John Krasinski and Olivia Thirlby in Ry Russo-Young’s feature film NOBODY WALKS.

Freddie Stroma played the role of “Cormac McLaggen” in HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE, and HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1 & 2. He was recently seen opposite Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson in Jason Moore’s hugely successful Universal feature PITCH PERFECT, and will soon be seen in Colin Minihan’s sci-fi thriller THE VISITORS. Maia Mitchell is best known for Disney’s TEEN BEACH MOVIE, and ABC Family’s “The Fosters.” Katie Findlay can currently be seen in the CW’s “The Carrie Diaries,” and previously starred in AMC’s “The Killing.” Jacob Artist can currently be seen starring as “Jake Puckerman” in FOX’s hit series “Glee.” Erin Moriarty was recently seen in Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ THE KINGS OF SUMMER, and with Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill in Avika Schaffer’s THE WATCH.

About Phase 4 Films
Phase 4 Films (www.phase4films.com) is one of the leading full service independent studios. With offices in nine cities in the U.S. and Canada, Phase 4 provides a full range of services relating to the sales, marketing, licensing and distribution of feature films, television and special interest content across all media in the North American market. Its recent releases include THE BAYTOWN OUTLAWS, starring Eva Longoria and Billy Bob Thornton, and GENERATION UM starring Keanu Reeves. Upcoming releases include Lucy Walker’s hit Sundance documentary THE CRASH REEL and Shana Betz’s FREE RIDE starring Anna Paquin. Its dedicated kids & family label, kaboom! Entertainment, is one of the most recognizable brands in the market.

About An Olive Branch
An Olive Branch Productions, Inc. (www.anolivebranchmedia.com) develops and produces high-quality and award-worthy content, from independent feature film to television projects. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and has filmed in the US, Canada, and Southeast Asia. Kevin Spacey earned a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal Jack Abramoff in their feature CASINO JACK, also starring Barry Pepper, Kelly Preston and Jon Lovitz. An Olive Branch has a number of projects in development and pre-production, including Tom Sierchio’s THE GIRL WHO INVENTED KISSING, starring Natalie Dormer, Zachary Quinto and Adelaide Clemens.

Press Release: Release Date Announced for “Garibaldi’s Lovers”

GARIBALDI’S LOVERS AVAILABLE ON DVD JANUARY 21st

Contemporary comedy from acclaimed Italian director Silvio Soldini played Seattle Int’l Film Festival

December 17, 2013 (NY, NY) – Film Movement, the distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, announces today that GARIBALDI’S LOVERS, the latest from accliamed Italian director Silvio Soldini, is available to own on DVD January 21, 2014. Set in bustling Milan, Italy, this contemporary farce follows a widower and his two teenage children, the down-on-her-luck artist he falls for and the corrupt real estate broker she works for.

All Film Movement DVD releases include a short film – this month’s release includes THE KIOSK, by Anete Selece. The animated film, from Switzerland and 7 minutes in length, tells the story of a woman with a sweet tooth so strong she ends up too big to leave the candy store where she indulges day in and day out.

An official selection at the Seattle International Film Festival, Garibaldi’s Lovers will be available on DVD at Film Movement, and also through major retailers such as Amazon.com. The film will be available to stream directly from Film Movement for just $3.99; online streaming begins January 21st and can be accessed here. Additionaly, Amazon Instant will make the film available for rent and download beginning January 21st.

Synopsis of GARIBALDI’S LOVERS:
Garibaldi’s Lovers presents a fizzy ride through a magical vision of metropolitan Italy, while at the same time casting a critical eye on modern life in the city. Widowed plumber Leo is struggling to dealw ith the growing pains of his two adolescent children, when his life intersects with penniless artist Diana and her eccentric landlord Amanzio. Through a hilarious series of conincidences, they give each other new hope for their futures – and for the city itself, so emblematic of our times.

GARIBALDI’S LOVERS |2013 | Comedy | Italian with English subtitles | 108 minutes I Unrated
Additional information, press kit, trailer and film stills can be found here.

About Film Movement:
Launched in 2003, Film Movement is a full-service North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, based in New York City. Film Movement has released more than 250 feature films and shorts from 50 countries on six continents, including top prize winners from Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca and other prestigious festivals. Film Movement releases its films through numerous distribution channels, including thousands of art-house cinemas, universities and libraries; home video (Netflix and Amazon); television outlets (Sundance Channel, HBO, IFC and Showtime); Cable Video on Demand (including its very own branded cable VOD platform—Film Festival on Demand—available in over 40 million US homes); In-flight Entertainment (Alaska Airlines, Air Canada and United/Continental,) and broadband outlets (iTunes, Hulu, Amazon and YouTube).

Press Release: American Zoetrope Obtains Rights to “Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father”

New York, NY (December 16, 2013) – American Zoetrope announced today that it has acquired the motion picture rights for Alysia Abbott’s critically acclaimed memoir, FAIRYLAND: A Memoir of My Father (W. W. Norton & Company). Sofia Coppola (LOST IN TRANSLATION, THE BLING RING) and Roman Coppola (THE DARJEELING LIMITED, MOONRISE KINGDOM) will produce the film. Ms. Coppola and Andrew Durham will co-write the screenplay. Mr. Durham is a photographer who collaborates regularly with Ms. Coppola.

Praised by Alexandra Styron in The New York Times as “a daughter’s compassionate, clear-eyed reckoning with the truths that defined her singular girlhood,” FAIRYLAND is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s vibrant cultural scene in the 1970s and ’80s, both before and after the AIDS epidemic, a crisis that would later claim the life of Abbott’s father, Steve Abbott, a widowed poet and gay activist.

“I love the book Fairyland; it’s a sweet and unique love story of a girl and her dad, both growing up together in 1970’s San Francisco. I think it will make an engaging and touching movie on a subject I’ve never seen before,” said Ms. Coppola.

Alysia Abbott said, “I’m delighted that Sofia Coppola and Zoetrope are going to create the film version of Fairyland. Sofia’s understanding of the feminine perspective and the artistic vision that she shares with Andrew Durham make them ideal partners to make this movie. I could not be happier.”

Published by W. W. Norton & Company in June, FAIRYLAND was featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” and was further extolled in The New Yorker as a memoir that “doubles as a portrait of a city and a community at a crucial point in history… [Abbott] remembers playing dress-up with her father’s flamboyant friends, learning about sex and gender without a mother, being immersed in art and creativity, and, finally, watching as the AIDS epidemic decimated the life she knew.”

The author was represented by Brandy Rivers at The Gersh Agency, David Davoli of Davoli Law Firm, and David Patterson at Foundry Literary + Media. Zoetrope was represented by ICM Partners and attorneys Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof + Fishman.

Press Release: AFI Announces The Warner Fellowship

The American Film Institute Announces TIME WARNER FELLOWSHIP to Advance Diversity in Filmmaking

Time Warner Foundation Awards Over $500,000 in Full-Tuition Scholarships to AFI Conservatory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 17, 2013, Los Angeles, CA – The American Film Institute (AFI) announced a half million dollar grant from the Time Warner Foundation to create five full scholarships to the AFI Conservatory for applicants from communities traditionally under-represented in film and television. The scholarships, named as Time Warner Fellowships, are part of the AFI Conservatory’s notable increase in scholarship opportunities for both current and incoming Fellows. As previously announced, more than $6.2 million has been raised for the select program of approximately 260 Fellows.

“Diversity is often the essential spark that catalyzes the creative process,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of the American Film Institute. “We are honored that Time Warner has chosen the AFI Conservatory as the place to illustrate their global commitment to ensuring new voices in America’s art form.”

The first of these five scholarships was issued this Fall 2013 to Adriana González-Vega, a first-year AFI Directing Fellow who stands out as an exemplary model of American auteur filmmaking.

About Adriana González-Vega
Adriana González-Vega is a first year Directing Fellow at the AFI Conservatory. She received a BFA in Film from Syracuse University. She also studied abroad at the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in the Czech Republic where she directed a 35mm narrative short film. González-Vega lists her influences among a wide range of filmmakers such as Luis Buñuel, Satyajit Ray, Pedro Almodóvar and Sally Potter.

Her film and entertainment experiences have included Mandalay Entertainment Group, the sitcom RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, Badillo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, FAST AND FURIOUS: FAST FIVE and Paradiso Films. Most recently, González-Vega took an advanced screenwriting workshop with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga. Her thesis film FRENTE AL MAR (OCEANFRONT) won the Renée Crown University Honors’ Orlin Prize, Best Student Film at the Carmel Art and Film Festival and Best Actress at Cinefiesta and was an official selection at the Montreal World Film Festival.

About the Time Warner Foundation
The Time Warner Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation that is wholly supported by Time Warner Inc. and its subsidiary companies Home Box Office, Inc., Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Its mission is to seek innovative and powerful ways to discover, nurture and celebrate the next generation of storytellers. Through its New Works/New Voices initiatives, the Foundation strives to build impactful partnerships with best-in-class nonprofit organizations that push the boundaries of artist development and support underrepresented storytellers, with the ultimate goal of cultivating an artistic community that is rich, vibrant and relevant to audiences of today and tomorrow.

About the AFI Conservatory
The American Film Institute is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. The AFI Conservatory offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. Aspiring artists learn from the masters in a collaborative, hands-on production environment with an emphasis on storytelling. AFI Conservatory’s alumni are consistently recognized with all of the major industry awards – Academy® Awards, Emmy® Awards, Guild Awards – and even the Tony Award. Esteemed director, producer and screenwriter James L. Brooks serves as Artistic Director to the AFI Conservatory where he provides creative leadership of the renown film program. Sony is a proud supporter of the AFI Conservatory.

Press Release: Brigade’s 2014 Sundance Festiavl Lineup

2014 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

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Below please find a list of the films Brigade will be handling at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival (in alphabetical order).

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APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR – NEXT
Directed by Desiree Akhavan
(Acquisition Title / Cinetic)

Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed

Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, politically correct bisexual and hip young Brooklynite but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold onto can be a lonely experience.

THE BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASEBALL – Documentary Premieres
Directed by Chapman and Maclain Way
(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Featuring: Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Louise Russell, Jim Bouton, Jack Faust, Rob Nelson, Frank Peters

In the 1970s, Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the Portland Mavericks.

HELLION – U.S. Dramatic Competition
Directed by Kat Candler
(Acquisition Title / UTA)

Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars

When motocross and heavy metal obsessed 13-year-old Jacob’s delinquent behavior results in the authorities placing his little brother Wes with their aunt, he and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home.

KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER – U.S. Dramatic Competition
A Zellner Brothers Film
(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Cast: Rinko Kikuchi

A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune.

LAND HO! – NEXT
Directed by Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz
(Acquisition Title / Film Sales Company)

Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson

A pair of ex-brothers-in-law set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavík nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. This bawdy throwback to 1980s road comedies is a candid exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship.

LISTEN UP PHILIP – NEXT
Directed by Alex Ross Perry
(Acquisition Title / Cinetic)

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume

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.

LOVE IS STRANGE – Premieres
Directed by Ira Sachs
(Acquisition Title / WME)

Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias

Cast: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Darren Burrows, Charlie Tahan, Cheyenne Jackson

After 39 years together, Ben and George finally tie the knot, but George loses his job as a result, and the newlyweds must sell their New York apartment and live apart, relying on friends and family to make ends meet.

THE ONE I LOVE – Premieres
Directed by Charlie McDowell
(Acquisition Title / ICM & Submarine)

Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson

Struggling with a marriage on the brink of falling apart, a couple escapes for the weekend in pursuit of their better selves, only to discover an unusual dilemma waiting for them.

TO BE TAKEI – Documentary Premieres
Directed by Jennifer Kroot
(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Featuring: George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Howard Stern, Dan Savage

Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei journeyed from a World War II internment camp to the helm of the Starship Enterprise, and then to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join George and his husband, Brad, on a wacky and profound trek for life, liberty, and love.

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FILM DETAILS

APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

(Acquisition Title / Cinetic)

Section: NEXT
Written and Directed by: Desiree Akhavan

Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed

For Shirin (Desiree Akhavan), being part of a perfect Persian family isn’t easy. Acceptance eludes her from all sides: her family doesn’t know she’s bisexual, and her ex-girlfriend, Maxine (Rebecca Henderson), can’t understand why she doesn’t tell them. Even the six-year-old boys in her moviemaking class are too ADD to focus on her for more than a second. Following a family announcement of her brother’s betrothal to a parentally approved Iranian prize catch, Shirin embarks on a private rebellion involving a series of pansexual escapades, while trying to decipher what went wrong with Maxine.

Written and directed by Akhavan, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR introduces a gray area to the coming-out narrative; in an Iranian-American family, sharing information about one’s sexuality isn’t always the right approach to liberation. With her priceless deadpan delivery, Akhavan’s portrayal of Shirin is the film’s true revelation—a woman caught between self-doubt and self-possession, trapped in a web of family mores and societal expectations, with all their accompanying—and often hilarious—complexities.

TRT: 82 minutes
Country: USA, UK
Language: English
Genre: Comedy

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Saturday, January 18th, 6:00pm (Yarrow, Park City)
P&I Screening – Sunday, January 19th, 3:00pm (Holiday 2, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Tuesday, January 21st, 11:30am (Prospector, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 6:45pm (Broadway 3, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #4 – Thursday, January 23rd, 4:00pm (Redstone 2, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Friday, January 24th, 11:30am (Library, Park City)

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THE BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASEBALL

(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Section: Documentary Premieres
Directed by: Chapman Way, Maclain Way

Featuring: Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Louise Russell, Jim Bouton, Jack Faust, Rob Nelson, Frank Peters

THE BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASEBALL is one of baseball’s last great, unheralded true stories. In 1973, Hollywood veteran Bing Russell (best known for playing Deputy Clem on “Bonanza”) created the only independent baseball team in America at the time, the legendary Portland Mavericks. Bing operated without a Major League affiliation while playing in a city that was considered a wasteland for professional baseball. Tryouts for the Mavericks, which were open to the public, were filled with hopefuls who arrived in droves from every state in America, many of whom had been rejected by organized baseball.

Skeptics agreed it would never work. But Bing’s Mavericks generated unprecedented success: they shattered attendance records, signed Kurt Russell – Bing’s son – as a player and team Vice President, produced the most successful batboy in baseball (future Oscar® nominated filmmaker Todd Field), re-launched the controversial career of Jim Bouton, hired the first female general manager in Baseball, and inspired one of America’s beloved bubblegums – Big League Chew.

THE BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASEBALL is as much about the independent spirit as it is about baseball. The Mavericks’ in your face attitude was contagious to fans, and during their short reign, they – and Bing Russell – basically held up their middle finger to the sports establishment and said we’re playing this game on our terms, not yours. They were the real life Bad News Bears.

TRT: 80 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Documentary

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Monday, January 20th, 5:30pm (MARC, Park City)
P& I Screening – Tuesday, January 21st, 2:30pm (Holiday 1, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 6:30pm (Redstone 1, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Thursday, January 23rd, 6:00pm (Tower, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #4 – Saturday, January 25th, 10:00pm (Holiday 4, Park City)

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HELLION

(Acquisition Title / UTA)

Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Written and Directed by: Kat Candler

Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars

Writer/director Kat Candler’s HELLION paints the powerful portrait of a family on the brink of dissolution set against the haunting backdrop of the refineries of Southeast Texas.

Obsessed with heavy metal, dirt bike racing and partaking in the occasional act of vandalism with his band of delinquents, the behavior of 13-year-old Jacob Wilson (Josh Wiggins in his feature film debut) has begun to raise concerns around town, especially when it starts to involve his younger brother Wes (newcomer Deke Garner). While the boys’ father Hollis (two-time Emmy Award-winner Aaron Paul) loves his sons, he is still reeling from the loss of their mother, spending more time drowning his sorrows at the local bar and working on his damaged beach house than being an active parent.

When the local authorities catch wind of the increasingly volatile situation, Wes is taken into custody by his Aunt Pam (Academy Award nominee Juliette Lewis), leaving Jacob and Hollis to fend for themselves. In Wes’ absence, Jacob becomes increasingly obsessed with two things: winning a local motocross championship and getting his brother back.

With a scorching central performance by Wiggins and heart-wrenchingly raw turns by Paul and Lewis, HELLION is impossible to shake. Executive Produced by Jeff Nichols (MUD) and Sarah Green (THE TREE OF LIFE).

TRT: 94 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Drama

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Friday, January 17th, 2:30pm (Library, Park City)
P&I Screening – Friday, January 17th, 9:00pm (Holiday 2, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Saturday, January 18th, 3:30pm (Rose Wagner, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #3 – Monday, January 20th, 9:00am (Yarrow, Park City)
Public Screening #4 – Tuesday, January 21st, 12:15pm (Eccles, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Friday, January 24th, 5:30pm (Library, Park City)

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KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER

(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Directed by: David Zellner
Written by: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

Cast: Rinko Kikuchi

A psychological adventure from the Zellner Brothers, KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER tells the haunting and strangely funny story of a young Japanese woman set on fulfilling the wildest of dreams.

In a hectic city of 35 million, Kumiko (Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi) feels devastatingly alone. Trapped in isolating psychological torment, Kumiko —a meek twenty-something struggling to make it on her own in Tokyo—lives in constant resentment of her dead-end job and demeaning boss, her more successful and attractive peers, and her relentlessly nagging mother. But her spirits lift when, in a fictional American film, she observes a man bury a satchel of money in the wintry Midwestern wilderness. Though only witnessed on a staticky VHS tape, she becomes convinced that the treasure is real and merely awaiting discovery by a courageous dreamer like herself.

With little more than a self-made treasure map, Kumiko sets off on an epic, unpredictable journey across the Pacific and through the icy plains of Minnesota to unearth her mythical fortune.

Rinko Kikuchi commands the screen in a complex, heartbreaking performance, and filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner are also featured in key supporting roles. Inspired by a true story, KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER was filmed on location in Tokyo and Minnesota.

TRT: 105 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English, Japanese (with English subtitles)
Genre: Adventure/Drama

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Monday, January 20th, 12:15pm (Eccles, Park City)
P&I Screening– Tuesday, January 21st, 9:30am (Holiday 3, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 3:30pm (Redstone 1, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Thursday, January 23rd, 2:30pm (Prospector, Park City)
Public Screening #4 – Friday, January 24th, 6:00pm (Tower, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #5 – Saturday, January 25th, 9:00am (Egyptian, Park City)

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LAND HO!

(Acquisition Title / Film Sales Company)

Section: NEXT
Written and Directed by: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz

Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson

Feeling disenchanted with life after retirement, Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), a brassy former surgeon, convinces mild-mannered Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), his ex-brother-in-law, to vacation with him in Iceland. The pair sets off in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, adventurous restaurants, and rugged campsites. But they quickly discover that you can’t escape yourself, no matter how far you travel.

Nelson and Eenhoorn exude a natural chemistry as Mitch and Colin endearingly bond via their raucous adventures and respective journeys to self-discovery.

Written and directed by independent film wunderkinds Stephens (PILGRIM SONG) and Katz (COLD WEATHER) and executive produced by David Gordon Green, LAND HO! is a bawdy, endearingly shaggy exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship.

TRT: 96 minutes
Country: USA, Iceland
Language: English
Genre: Comedy

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Sunday, January 19th, 11:30am (Library, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Monday, January 20th, 9:00pm (Broadway 6, Salt Lake City)
P&I Screening – Tuesday, January 21st, 3:00pm (Holiday 2, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 9:00pm (Egyptian, Park City)
Public Screening #4 – Friday, January 24th, 2:45pm (MARC, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Saturday, January 25th, 12:00pm (SLC Library, Salt Lake City)

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LISTEN UP PHILIP

(Acquisition Title / Cinetic)

Section: NEXT
Written and Directed by: Alex Ross Perry

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume

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, and his own indifference to promoting the novel. When Philip’s idol Ike Zimmerman offers his isolated summer home as a refuge, he finally gets the peace and quiet to focus on his favorite subject—himself.

Following up his critically-acclaimed THE COLOR WHEEL, Alex Ross Perry scripts a complex, intimate and highly idiosyncratic comedy filled with New Yorkers living their lives somewhere between individuality and isolation. Schwartzman leads an impressive cast including Elisabeth Moss, Krysten Ritter and Jonathan Pryce, balancing Perry’s quick-witted dialogue and their characters’ painful, personal truths. With narration by Eric Bogosian, we switch perspectives as seasons and attitudes change, offering a literary look into the lives of these individuals and the triumph of reality over the human spirit.

LISTEN UP PHILIP was produced by Washington Square Films (the company’s follow-up film to the acclaimed ALL IS LOST) and Sailor Bear Productions, the team behind last year’s Sundance hit AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS.

TRT: 108 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Monday, January 20th, 5:30pm (Library, Park City)
P&I Screening – Tuesday, January 21st, 11:30am (Holiday 1, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Tuesday, January 21st, 9:00pm (Sundance Resort, Provo)
Public Screening #3 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 5:30pm (MARC, Park City)
Public Screening #4 – Thursday, January 23rd, 8:30am (Prospector, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Friday, January 24th, 6:00pm (Broadway 6, Salt Lake City)

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LOVE IS STRANGE

(Acquisitions Title / WME)

Section: Premieres
Directed by: Ira Sachs
Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias

After nearly four decades together, Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) finally tie the knot in an idyllic wedding ceremony in lower Manhattan. But when George loses his job soon after, the couple must sell their apartment and – victims of the relentless New York City real estate market – temporarily live apart until they can find an affordable new home. While George moves in with two cops (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez) who live down stairs, Ben lands in Brooklyn with his nephew (Darren Burrows), his wife (Marisa Tomei), and their temperamental teenage son (Charlie Tahan), with whom Ben shares a bunk bed. While struggling with the pain of separation, Ben and George are further challenged by the intergenerational tensions and capricious family dynamics of their new living arrangements.

Directed by Ira Sachs (KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, FORTY SHADES OF BLUE), LOVE IS STRANGE blends the romance of New York City’s streets and skyline with a delicate Chopin piano score to poignantly capture both the lightness and sorrows of this modern-day love story.

TRT: 98 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Drama

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Saturday, January 18th, 6:30pm (Eccles, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Sunday, January 19th, 8:30am (Library, Park City)
P&I Screening – Sunday, January 19th, 7:00pm (Holiday 4, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 9:30pm (Rose Wagner, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #4 – Saturday, January 25th, 8:30pm (MARC, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Sunday, January 26th, 10:00am (Sundance Resort, Provo)

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THE ONE I LOVE

(Acquisition Title / ICM & Submarine)

Section: Premieres
Directed by: Charlie McDowell
Screenwriter: Justin Lader
Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson

Synopsis:
Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss) are a married couple on the brink of separation when, at the urging of their therapist (Ted Danson), they decide to salvage their relationship by escaping to a beautiful vacation house for the weekend. What starts off as a relaxing and tranquil retreat soon spirals into a dizzying and unusual experience that forces the troubled couple to really look at themselves and reflect on the complexities of their relationship. Over the course of a few days, Ethan and Sophie struggle to pursue their better selves as they watch everything they once thought to be real merge with the surreal.

The anticipated debut feature from acclaimed author Charlie McDowell, THE ONE I LOVE is a highly original tale that continues to showcase McDowell’s keen observations of human relationships with a distinct and comedic voice. THE ONE I LOVE, written by Justin Lader, was produced by Mel Eslyn and executive produced by Duplass.

TRT: 91 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Comedy/Drama

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Tuesday, January 21st, 8:30pm (MARC, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Wednesday, January 22nd, 8:30am (Library, Park City)
P&I Screening – Wednesday, January 22nd, 4:00pm (Holiday 4, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Thursday, January 23rd, 9:00pm (Broadway 6, Salt Lake City)
Public Screening #4 – Saturday, January 25th, 2:30pm (MARC, Park City)
Public Screening #5 – Sunday, January 26th, 6:00pm (Tower, Salt Lake City)

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TO BE TAKEI

(Acquisition Title / Submarine)

Section: Documentary Premieres

Directed by: Jennifer Kroot

Featuring: George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Howard Stern, Dan Savage

George Takei was always searching for the perfect role – only to find it within himself.

Jennifer Kroot’s TO BE TAKEI follows Takei and his husband Brad, capturing their day-to-day as they prepare for Takei’s dream project, ALLEGIANCE, a musical based on his harrowing childhood experiences inside a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. Intertwined with this narrative is a look into Takei’s life history, from his rise to fame as helmsman Hikaru Sulu on the iconic television series, STAR TREK, to his advocacy for marriage equality and civil rights across the United States. What emerges is a portrait of an outspoken activist who utilizes wit, whimsy, grace and humor to bring attention to the sorrows of his past and the joys of love and creativity in his present.

Featuring interviews with STAR TREK’s William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, and Walter Koenig, plus journalist Dan Savage and radio host Howard Stern, TO BE TAKEI shows Takei as he’s never been seen before.

TRT: 90 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Documentary

Screenings:
Premiere Screening – Saturday, January 18th, 9:00pm (Yarrow, Park City)
Public Screening #2 – Sunday, January 19th, 12:30pm (Rose Wagner, Salt Lake City)
P&I Screening – Monday, January 20th, 11:30am (Holiday 1, Park City)
Public Screening #3 – Monday, January 20th, 6:30pm (Redstone 1, Park City)
Public Screening #4 – Saturday, January 25th, 9:00pm (Temple Theater, Park City)