By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com

LEADING INDEPENDENT FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY LIKELY STORY EXPANDS WITH LOS ANGELES OFFICE

Los Angeles / New York, NY – November 21, 2011 – Likely Story, a New York based independent film production company is expanding, with Head of Production and Development Stefanie Azpiazu relocating from the New York headquarters to open a Los Angeles office.  Azpiazu has been with Likely Story since its inception in 2006, previously working with Likely Story Founder Anthony Bregman at This Is That and Good Machine.

Bregman explained the expansion, “At Likely Story we are hands on with development and production.  With the number of projects and filmmakers based on the West Coast growing, there is a definite demand for a team to be based in Los Angeles. Stefanie and I have worked together for 11 years and she is the perfect person to build the Likely Story team in LA.”

Azpiazu added, “Anthony and I have been traveling back and forth to Los Angeles quite a bit. It’s time for Likely Story to have a presence on both coasts that will enable us to be more involved on a daily basis and to continue to develop new ideas.”

Likely Story is known for its long-term relationships with some of the best filmmakers in the business, including Charlie Kaufman, Nicole Holofcener, Jesse Peretz and Bennett Miller. Likely Story has a number of productions targeted for 2012, including Charlie Kaufman’s new film FRANK OR FRANCIS which shoots in February of 2012, Bennett Miller’s next film FOXCATCHER which aims to shoot in the Fall of 2012, as well as new projects by Holofcener, Peretz, Lawrence Kasdan. Keith Bunin, Chris Milk and Ann Peacock, amongst many others.

In 2011, Likely Story produced Stephen Frears latest film LAY THE FAVORITE, starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones and Rebecca Hall. Three of its most recent productions,  Jesse Peretz’ OUR IDIOT BROTHER, Lawrence Kasdan’s DARLING COMPANION and Julian Farino’s THE ORANGES, found theatrical distribution through The Weinstein Company, Sony Pictures Classics and ATO Pictures, respectively.

ABOUT STEFANIE AZPIAZU

Stefanie Azpiazu, heads Production and Development at Likely Story, producer Anthony Bregman’s production company.  She has been an executive producer on various Likely Story films, including: Jesse Peretz’s OUR IDIOT BROTHER, Julian Farino’s THE ORANGES and Lawrence Kasdan’s DARLING COMPANION, Shari Springer Berman & Bob Pulcini’s THE EXTRA MAN and Nicole Holofcener’s PLEASE GIVE as well as a production executive on Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK.  Stefanie was formerly a Creative Executive at This is that, where she oversaw production on Nicole Holofcener’s FRIENDS WITH MONEY, Mike Mills’ THUMBSUCKER, and Michel Gondry’s ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND.  Prior to that, she worked at the famed NY independent production company Good Machine with Bregman, in production at USA Films and acquisitions at October Films.

ABOUT LIKELY STORY

Likely Story is a New York-based production company founded by Anthony Bregman in October 2006.  The company is currently completing Stephen Frears’ “Lay The Favorite,” and working on the release of Lawrence Kasdan’s “Darling Companion,” which Sony Pictures Classics will release in April 2012, and Julian Farino’s “The Oranges,” which ATO will release in Fall 2012. Most recently, The Weinstein Company released Jesse Peretz’s “Our Idiot Brother,” in August 2011.  Other recent Likely Story productions include Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give” (Sony Pictures Classics); Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman’s “The Extra Man” (Magnolia); Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York” (Sony Pictures Classics); Alex Rivera’s “Sleep Dealer” (Maya Releasing); and David and Alex Pastor’s “Carriers” (Paramount Vantage).  Bregman’s previous producing credits include “Friends with Money,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Lovely & Amazing,” “Thumbsucker,” “The Tao of Steve,” “The Savages,” “Trick,” “The Ice Storm,” “The Brothers McMullen,” and “Human Nature.”  Likely Story recently signed a first look deal with graphic novel and comic book publisher Top Shelf Productions, and has output deals with Village Roadshow Pictures and Svensk Filmindustri.

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