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: Acclaimed Documentary “Shoah” Available Online for First Time
• Press Release: Sales Closed for “Shelby”
• Press Release: Strong Sales Reported for “Elvis & Nixon”
• Press Release: “Come Back to Me” Releasing on Netflix November 25
• Press Release: AFI Co-Sponsoring White House Student Film Festival

Press Release: Acclaimed Documentary “Shoah” Available Online for First Time

CLAUDE LANZMANN’S SHOAH ONLINE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AVAILABLE NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON SUNDANCENOW DOC CLUB

The digital premiere of the restored 4K HD transfer of the groundbreaking film is live on DocClub.com

New York, NY (November 10, 2014) – SundanceNow Doc Club, the member-based advertising-free streaming video service dedicated to documentaries is hosting the exclusive digital premiere of Claude Lanzmann’s groundbreaking Holocaust saga SHOAH. Named the number two “Greatest Documentary of All Time” by Sight & Sound Magazine, SHOAH reinvented documentary cinema by using survivors’ first-person accounts, rather than archival footage, to examine how the horrors of the past are always present. This achievement in filmmaking, which has never before been available online is available now for streaming exclusively on SundanceNow Doc Club.

Thom Powers, SundanceNow Doc Club’s curator and programmer at Toronto International Film Festival and DOC NYC, says: “Shoah is a landmark both of filmmaking and history. For many years Claude Lanzmann’s herculean effort to preserve memory was incredibly hard to see. Now audiences have a fresh opportunity to experience this work of great profundity.”

This restoration of SHOAH is an impressive 4K HD transfer and is presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, as recently released on Blu-Ray and DVD by the Criterion Collection. The transfer and restoration took place last year and was created in 4K from the original 16mm negative. There is still a consistent layer of grain, but with the restoration and transfer, the depth and clarity is significantly improved.

SundanceNow Doc Club offers a carefully curated selection of acclaimed, and in many cases hard-to-find, documentaries including exclusive digital releases of groundbreaking documentaries, premieres of new films and handpicked membership perks. Member benefits also include special screenings, free movie tickets, events with filmmakers, exclusive filmmaker interviews and updates, and behind the scenes looks at film festivals.

Press Release: Sales Closed for “Shelby”

HIGHLAND FILM GROUP CLOSES MAJOR TERRITORY SALES ON CHEVY CHASE STARRER “SHELBY”

Starz Media Acquires the North American Rights at AFM

Los Angeles, November 10, 2014 – Highland Film Group (HFG) today announced the closing of major territory sales, including: US, UK, France, Australia and more, on Brian K. Roberts’ Christmas heart-warmer SHELBY, starring Chevy Chase (CADDYSHACK, COMMUNITY), John Paul Ruttan (ROBOCOP), Tom Arnold (TRUE LIES), and the vocal talents of Rob Schneider (GROWN UPS) as the mischievous dog.

The U.S. rights have been acquired by Starz Media with home video distribution via Anchor Bay Entertainment. In addition to the following territories and respective distributors have been secured: Signature Entertainment in the UK; Jigsaw in Australia/New Zealand; Just Bridge in Benelux; Zylo in France; Falcon in the Middle East; TV JOJ in Slovakia; Fox Asia for PanAsia TV; Padora in Ex Yugo; and Profile Media in Turkey.

SHELBY is an uplifting Christmas tale of a down-on-his-luck orphaned dog (voiced by Schneider), who escapes from the local pound and finds himself in the home of a young wannabe magician and his Grandpa (Chase), with a dogcatcher hot on his tail.

UK and LA based producer / financier The Fyzz Facility fully developed the original story in house before going on to finance the project in conjunction with Canadian producers Naked Fury and Outpost Media. Executive produced by Wayne Marc Godfrey (CAKE,THE PRINCE), David Gilbery (THE SURVIVALIST, HOOLIGAN FACTORY) and Robert Jones (BABYLON, CENTURION) for The Fyzz Facility. Highland Film Group (HFG) handled worldwide sales.

Actor Rob Schneider who voices Shelby commented: “This movie has a lot of heart and a lot of laughs, it isn’t just for kids, and it’s fun for the whole family.”

Actor Chevy Chase continued: “As actors, we’ve all been warned never to work with dogs and children, but there’s something about SHELBY that’s very refreshingly family and funny at the same time.”

HFG recently announced that Saban Films picked up the North American distribution rights to Alex and Ben Brewer’s crime thriller THE TRUST starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage.

Press Release: Strong Sales Reported for “Elvis & Nixon”

ALEX WALTON’S BLOOM BOLSTERS STRONG SALES ON “ELVIS & NIXON” STARRING Academy Award® Nominee Michael Shannon AND TWO-TIME Academy Award® WINNER KEVIN SPACEY

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Takes Multiple Territories Including Eastern Europe, Latin America, Portugal, Scandinavia, and Spain

LOS ANGELES (November 10, 2014) – BLOOM announced today that they have seen strong international sales on director Liza Johnson’s (HATESHIP LOVESHIP, RETURN) ELVIS & NIXON starring Academy Award® Nominee Michael Shannon (MAN OF STEEL, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) as Elvis Presley and two-time Academy Award® Winner Kevin Spacey (AMERICAN BEAUTY, THE USUAL SUPSPECTS) as Richard Nixon. BLOOM introduced the extraordinary true story to buyers last week at the AFM.

Sold territories include: Airlines (Jaguar), Australia (eOne), Eastern Europe (SPWA), Greece (Italia), Iceland (SPWA), Israel (United King), Italy (Videa), Latin America (SPWA), the Middle East (Italia), Pan Asian TV (SPWA), Portugal (SPWA), Scandinavia (SPWA), Spain (SPWA), and the UK (eOne).

BLOOM’S Alex Walton said: “This unfathomable true story attracted a flock of buyers. Much like at the market, this untold story is bound to continue gaining attention worldwide.”

Based off a screenplay by Cary Elwes and Hanala and Joey Sagal, ELVIS & NIXON is produced by Cassian Elwes (Dallas Buyers Club, The Butler), and Holly Wiersma (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, BOBBY) while Byron Wetzel and Prescience’s Tim Smith and Paul Brett are executive producing. Prescience is financing the film.

ELVIS & NIXON follows two men at the height of their powers, conscious they could not stay on top forever, both ripped with fear of the inevitable, sharing one famous private moment in the Oval office. The film recounts the morning of December 21st 1970, when the King of Rock’ n Roll (Michael Shannon) showed up on the White House lawn to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey). He had a very urgent request: to be sworn in as an undercover Federal Agent at large. This intimate moment in the Oval office between two men at the height of their powers has never been told.

BLOOM is currently in production on Shane Black’s detective thriller The Nice Guys starring Academy Award® Winner Russell Crowe and Academy Award® nominee Ryan Gosling and in post on Gus Van Sant’s THE SEA OF TREES starring Academy Award® Winner Matthew McConaughey. The BLOOM slate also includes: Michael Apted‘s Unlocked starring Noomi Rapace, Academy Award® Winner Michael Douglas and Orlando Bloom; Renny Harlin’s Skiptrace starring Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville; and The Hunters, which will be directed by John Moore. The existing slate includes: Gillian Flynn’s best-selling novel Dark Places starring Charlize Theron; A Walk Among the Tombstones starring Liam Neeson; The Woman in Black: Angel of Death; PELE, the biopic about the legendary Brazilian soccer player; Jane Got a Gun starring Natalie Portman; and Out of the Dark starring Julia Stiles and Scott Speedman.

Press Release: “Come Back to Me” Releasing on Netflix November 25

Suspense-Thriller “Come Back to Me” to Arrive on Netflix November 25th

Indie Horror with a Twist Ending Originally Released by Freestyle This Summer

Los Angeles, CA (November 12, 2014) – Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media (FDM) announced today that their horror/thriller COME BACK TO ME, based on the terrifying novel, The Resurrectionist, will debut on Netflix on Tuesday, November 25th.

Directed and adapted by actor/director Paul Leyden (As the World Turns/Director Crackle’s Cleaners) in his feature film directorial debut and starring Matt Passmore (“The Glades”) and Katie Walder (“How I Met Your Mother”) with a supporting cast that includes Nathan Keyes (“Cleaners”) and Laura Gordon (“Twentysomething”). The film was executive produced by Sergin Akyaz and produced by Anne Clements and was released in limited theaters and on all digital platforms on July 25, 2014.

Sarah (Walder) and Josh McLaren (Passmore) are a young married couple living in suburban Las Vegas. Shortly after a car accident, Sarah begins to suffer a series of disturbing memory lapses and frequent blackouts that seem to be increasing in intensity. Unsure of what is happening, and feeling as though she is losing her mind, Sarah comes to learn she is pregnant. To add to her shock, she subsequently discovers that her husband is sterile. As her marriage and world begin to fall apart, she makes a desperate attempt to find the truth by planting a hidden camera in her home. What she discovers is both horrific and life-altering and involves a dark secret about her neighbor Dale (Keyes) that proves to be even more far-reaching than anyone could imagine.

Recent Freestyle titles include the box office hit GOD’S NOT DEAD, LEFT BEHIND starring Nicolas Cage, TIGER EYES, the first big screen adaptation of a Judy Blume novel starring Willa Holland, the SXSW festival favorite FUNERAL KINGS from the McManus Brothers and THE IDENTICAL starring Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta.

Press Release: AFI Co-Sponsoring White House Student Film Festival

THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE TO CO-SPONSOR SECOND ANNUAL “WHITE HOUSE STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL”

Partnership with White House to Focus on “The Impact of Giving Back”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, LOS ANGELES, CA, November 12, 2014 – The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today its collaboration with the White House on the second annual White House Student Film Festival to be held in the spring of 2015. Open to K-12 student filmmakers, the theme of this year’s festival is “The Impact of Giving Back” – public service on local and national levels.

“The American Film Institute was born of an ideal in the White House Rose Garden nearly 50 years ago,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI’s President & CEO. “Since that day, new technologies have allowed the art form to encourage voices from a new generation, and we are proud and honored to partner with the White House in encouraging the young people of America to tell their inspiring tales.”

The first White House Student Film Festival received thousands of submissions on the theme of technology and its role in education. Sixteen young filmmakers were welcomed by President Obama and screened their films in the East Room of the White House to an audience that included leaders of the education and entertainment communities.

The White House Student Film Festival highlights both the Administration’s commitment to public service and AFI’s ongoing mission to nurture the next generation of filmmakers.

Read the complete rules and submission guidelines at WhiteHouse.Gov/FilmFest. Submissions are being accepted now through January 20, 2015.