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: Taylor Lautner Cast in ‘Tracers’
• Press Release: English-Language Cast Announced for ‘A Cat in Paris’
• Press Release: GRB Entertainment Launches International Feature Film Division at Cannes
• Press Release: Strategic Film Partners Acquires International Rights to ‘Crooked Arrows’

Press Release: Taylor Lautner Cast in ‘Tracers’

TAYLOR LAUTNER TO STAR IN THE FAST-PACED PARKOUR THRILLER TRACERS

FilmNation Entertainment to Handle International Sales Starting at Cannes

Los Angeles, May 14, 2012 – FilmNation Entertainment will introduce the action thriller TRACERS to international buyers at the Cannes Film Festival. From the producers of Twilight and Dear John, TRACERS will star Taylor Lautner (The Twilight Saga, Abduction) and will be directed by Daniel Benmayor (Bruc, the Manhunt). Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey of Temple Hill Entertainment will produce. WME will handle sales in the US.

New York City bicycle messenger, Cam (Lautner) is the hottest thing on two wheels, but is in debt to an organized crime gang. When he crashes his bike into a sexy stranger, Nikki, Cam is immediately seduced by her and the thrill of the world of parkour.

At Cannes, FilmNation Entertainment is also handling international sales on THE BLING RING from director Sofia Coppola. In addition, FilmNation has two in-competition titles: LAWLESS from director John Hillcoat starring Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy; and Jeff Nichols’ MUD which is also produced by FilmNation’s Aaron Ryder, starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon.

About FilmNation Entertainment
One of the leading independent international sales & distribution and production companies in the world, FilmNation Entertainment was founded in 2008 by veteran international sales executive Glen Basner.

FilmNation Entertainment produced The Raven starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, which opened earlier this year from Relativity, along with House at the End of the Street starring Jennifer Lawrence in theaters fall 2012 also opening from Relativity. Additional production titles from FilmNation include Chernobyl Diaries opening at the end of May from Warner Bros.; currently developing Guy Hibbert’s screenplay Eye in the Sky; James McTeigue’s Message From the King from writers Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell; F*cking Engaged which will star Jessica Biel; The Faces to be directed by Paul Solet; and The Amateur American to be directed by Ross Katz.

FilmNation has delivered on its philosophy of providing an unrivaled level of “added value” for its clients across all aspects of its business and serves as the exclusive international sales agent for Relativity Media, Media Rights Capital (MRC), Samuels Media Group, GreeneStreet Films and a non-exclusive multi-picture deal with Endgame Entertainment.

About Temple Hill Entertainment
In February of 2006, veteran producer Wyck Godfrey and former United Talent Agency partner Marty Bowen created their own production company, Temple Hill Entertainment. They secured a deal with New Line Cinema and immediately entered into production on their first film, THE NATIVITY STORY, from director Catherine Hardwicke. The modestly-budgeted Christmas-themed movie went on to gross almost $40 million dollars domestically in December of 2006.

Next, the two went on to produce the Sidney Kimmel Entertainment-financed, romantic comedy, MANAGEMENT, starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn, which premiered at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival and went into wide release in May 2009. What followed was nothing short of a pop cultural phenomenon: production of Catherine Hardwicke-directed fantasy love story, TWILIGHT, based on the best-selling series of books by Stephanie Meyer. The film opened on November 21st from Summit Entertainment to a record-breaking $69.6 million opening weekend-and attracted a huge cult following. Bowen and Godfrey released the second film in the TWILIGHT saga, NEW MOON directed by Chris Weitz in November 2009.

Temple Hill Entertainment’s most recent productions are Lasse Hallstrom’s DEAR JOHN, starring Channing Tatum (STEP UP, GI JOE) and Amanda Seyfried (MEAN GIRLS, MAMMA MIA) based on the best-selling novel from Nicholas Sparks, David Slade’s ECLIPSE, the third film in the TWILIGHT Saga, and EVERYTHING MUST GO starring Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, and Lauren Dern, which sold to Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Press Release: English-Language Cast Announced for ‘A Cat in Paris’

GKIDS ANNOUNCES THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VOICE CAST FOR ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATED FILM“A CAT IN PARIS”

MARCIA GAY HARDEN, ANJELICA HUSTON, MATTHEW MODINE

NEW ENGLISH VERSION OF THE FILM OPENS JUNE 1ST IN NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO & SAN DIEGO

New York, New York – May 14, 2012 – Animation specialists GKIDS today announced the English language voice cast for A CAT IN PARIS, a 2012 Academy Award® nominee for Best Animated Feature, directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol. The new English language version features the voices of Academy Award® winners Marcia Gay Harden and Anjelica Huston, as well as Matthew Modine and Steve Blum. The film opens June 1st in select markets en route to a national platform expansion.

A CAT IN PARIS was nominated for Academy Awards® in the Best Animated Feature category along with GKIDS’ title CHICO & RITA, marking the first time that an independent distributor has received two simultaneous nominations in the category. It was the third nomination in three years for GKIDS, following THE SECRET OF KELLS nod at the 82nd Academy Awards® in 2010.

A CAT IN PARIS opens June 1 at New York’s Angelika Film Center and AMC Empire 25, at Landmark Nuart in Los Angeles, and at Landmark theaters in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Diego. The film will have a national roll out throughout June and July, with dates set for Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, St. Louis and other major and secondary markets. US consumer website for the film is www.catinparis.com

ABOUT “A CAT IN PARIS”
Dino is a cat that leads a double life. By day he lives with Zoe, a little girl whose mother is a detective in the Parisian police force. But at night he sneaks out the window to work with Nico, a slinky cat burglar with a big heart, whose fluid movements are poetry in motion as he slips and swishes from rooftop to rooftop across the Paris skyline. The cat’s two worlds collide when young Zoe decides to follow Dino on his nocturnal adventures – and falls into the hands of Victor Costa, a blustery gangster planning the theft of a rare statue. Now cat and cat burglar must team up to save Zoe from the bumbling thieves, leading to a thrilling acrobatic finale on top of Notre Dame. A Cat in Paris is a warm and richly humorous love letter to classic noir films and the stylized wit of the Pink Panther cartoons – and Dino the cat manages to steal the show with little more than a subtle swish of the tail and quiet mew. Directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol. English voice cast includes Marcia Gay Harden, Anjelica Huston, and Matthew Modine.

ABOUT GKIDS
GKIDS is a distributor of award-winning filmed entertainment specializing in animation for both adult and family audiences. The company has scored three Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations in the past three years, with The Secret of Kells in 2010 and A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012 – marking the first time an independent distributor has had two simultaneous nominations in the category. GKIDS also handles North American theatrical distribution for Oscar winner Hayao Miyazaki’s famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS is also producer of New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival, North America’s largest festival of film for children and teens. NYICFF is an Oscar®-qualifying event and jury members include Uma Thurman, Susan Sarandon, Gus van Sant, Matthew Modine, Jeffrey Wright, John Canemaker, James Schamus, Michel Ocelot, and Christine Vachon.

Press Release: GRB Entertainment Launches International Feature Film Division at Cannes

GRB ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM DIVISION AT CANNES

‘Queen Freak’ and ‘When Angels Sing ‘are the first two titles on inaugural slate

Los Angeles, CA – (May 14, 2012) Gary R. Benz (President & CEO) of long established TV company GRB Entertainment announced today the official launch of the company’s international feature film division which will be selling rights to two films at this year’s Marche du Film. GRB’s expansion into feature theatrical films began last year when Benz set up the feature division and brought Todd Olsson on board. The company has been looking for high quality commercially viable features that are a cut above the usual fare.

“We’ve been working hard to find the right films to get off to a great start, and both of these films are extraordinary,” said Benz.

The company will bring QUEEN FREAK, which stars Matthew Modine, Kristin Chenoweth, Joey King, Shirley Jones, and a relatively new-comer in the lead, Olesya Rulin. It’s a wickedly sharp tale about a dysfunctional family, where the kids take matters into their own hands to “re-educate” their eccentric and distant parents (Modine and Chenoweth), in an attempt to form an actual family, very much in ‘Wes Anderson-style.’ The film was directed by Benjamin Epps and produced by Adam Saunders and Chris Aronoff, through their Footprint Features banner, in association with The Bedford Falls Company.

WHEN ANGELS SING is a unique Christmas film, produced by the iconic producer of the SPY KIDS franchise, Elizabeth Avellán, and producer Shannon McIntosh. They bring an ensemble cast led by Harry Connick Jr. and Connie Britton and including Chandler Canterbury, Fionnula Flanagan, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Lyle Lovett. Tim McCanlies directs from a script based on the Turk Pipkin novel of the same name. The film is about Michael (Connick) who got the ‘Christmas kicked out of him’ and now avoids it in every way possible. But when a mysterious man ‘Nick’ sells him a very special house, he soon finds out he now lives exactly in the heart of Christmas central.

Todd Olsson, VP Feature Films, and Joey Sabella, Director of International for GRB will be selling both films at Cannes.

Said Olsson, “We have two really phenomenal films coming out of the gate. Both will have their World Premiere in Cannes. It’s a nice bonus they’re screening at the first market we’re presenting them. It gives buyers a great opportunity to really know what the film is, and how strong it plays.”

Both films will screen several times during the market and are currently available for all international territories. Domestic distributors have been circling the films, and will have a chance to see the titles for the first time in Cannes.

About GRB Entertainment:
Since Gary R. Benz founded the company over 26 years ago, GRB has distributed more than 2500 hours of television content, including programs aired during primetime in over 190 countries. GRB’s international team is recognized as one of the premiere distributors of quality programming, with timely servicing and unmatched professionalism.

As an industry trendsetter in the unscripted alternative programming arena, GRB is expanding the success of the company with the launch of GRB’s theatrical feature film division. This new division will be dedicated to the acquisition, production, and co-production of films for international distribution. The launch is part of a far-ranging effort by the company to expand the reach of its renowned business, bringing a slate of high-caliber feature films to markets and audiences around the world. GRB’s strategy to create partnerships with producers with proven track records, will bring 8-10 high quality theatrical films to market each year.

Press Release: Strategic Film Partners Acquires International Rights to ‘Crooked Arrows’

STRATEGIC FILM PARTNERS ACQUIRES INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS TO CROOKED ARROWS

Crooked Arrows Will Be Released in the U.S. on May 18th Prior to the 2012 World Championship Lacrosse Tournament

LOS ANGELES, CA MAY 18, 2012 –Strategic Film Partners has acquired international sales rights to the feature film Crooked Arrows starring Brandon Routh (Superman Returns). The film, which depicts the story of an underdog American lacrosse team, was directed by Steve Rash (The Buddy Holly Story, Bring It On 3 & 4) and opens in limited engagements in the U.S. on May 18th, expanding with a wider national and Canadian release on June 1st. The timing of the release is significant as global interest in the sport is at an all time high due to the upcoming 2012 World Championships of the Federation of International Lacrosse in July in Finland.

Crooked Arrowsis the first mainstream lacrosse movie. It pays homage to the fast growing sport’s history by featuring a Native American high school team as the heroic underdogs, who rediscover their spirit when paired with a reluctant coach (Routh). Routh plays the mixed blood son of the nation’s chairman who has returned to his reservation to expand the community’s fledgling casino, but his traditionalist father and the tribal council insist that he must first re-examine his spirit before he can undertake his enterprise. Together with his skeptical team, he leads them on an unlikely journey to the New York prep league championship game.

In addition to Routh, the movie stars Gil Birmingham (Twilight), Crystal Allen, Chelsea Ricketts, Dennis Ambriz, and Tom Kemp. The lacrosse players are actual lacrosse players from around the country. The Native high school team was cast by Sports Studio’s Mark Ellis (Invincible, Miracle, Game Plan) in a visit to Syracuse last spring with all of the team’s players originating from the Six Nations Confederacy in upstate New York, with most being Onondaga, Tuscarora, or Mohawk.

The movie, which was shot in Massachusetts last August, has attracted substantial attention from the international lacrosse world, which is booming in several markets under the Federation of International Lacrosse. Leagues and teams from the UK, Spain, France, Germany Netherlands, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Japan and Australia have all made multiple inquiries about the film’s international plans.

“This is a fun family-oriented movie that should play very well overseas,” said Strategic Film Partners’ CEO Alex Barder. “It’s much more than a typical sports picture, with several positive messages about finding one’s family and spirit and a father and son reconnecting. I think people will laugh and cry and be thrilled by the action, whether they know lacrosse or not.”
From its first stages of development, the picture organically attracted widespread support in the both the lacrosse and Native American worlds. Sponsors include Reebok, US Lacrosse, and the Onondaga Nation, which also made a substantial investment in the $10M movie. The film has also gained endorsements from Inside Lacrosse Magazine, Major League Lacrosse, National Lacrosse League, and dozens of the sport’s top players, including Paul Rabil.

Producers J. Todd Harris (Bottle Shock, The Kids Are All Right) and Mitchell Peck (Priest) led the charge to put the production and P&A financing together, along with former All-American Jeff McCormick, a Boston-based venture capitalist who led his 1983 Syracuse lacrosse team to the NCAA championship. Over fifty investors, most of them lacrosse enthusiasts, participated in the film’s financing.

Branded Pictures Entertainment is releasing the film in conjunction with Freestyle Releasing and Pandemic Marketing. May 18th will see a release on 55 screens in 17 cities and June 1st should see an expansion to over 400 screens in over 75 cities.

About Freestyle Releasing
Freestyle Releasing is a full-service, theatrical motion picture distribution company that specializes in representing independent companies, major studios, and mini-major studios for the purpose of exhibiting their films in a first class theatrical release. The Principles of Freestyle Releasing are highly regarded and experienced motion picture veterans with a combined total of over a century of respected work in the industry.