Press Releases Archive for January, 2011

Women’s Media Center Video Spotlights Serious Gender Disparity in Film Industry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 31, 2011 NOTE: Most WMC Sundance coverage is available for reposting with permission and the following disclaimer, as well as a link to the post: This article originally appeared on the Women’s Media Center Blog New York City: The Women’s Media Center (WMC) released a video it produced during the…

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Screen Actors Guild Honors Outstanding Film And Television Performances at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 30, 2011) – Screen Actors Guild presented its coveted Actor® statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2010 at the “17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®” in ceremonies attended by film and television’s leading actors, held Sunday, Jan. 30, at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. The “17th…

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2011 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS

Happy, Happy, Hell and Back Again, How to Die in Oregon and Like Crazy Earn Grand Jury Prizes Audience Favorites Include Buck, Circumstance, Kinyawaranda and Senna; to.get.her Awarded Best of NEXT! Audience Award For Immediate Release – January 29, 2011 – Park City, UT–The Jury, Audience, NEXT! and other special award-winners of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival were…

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ALFRED P. SLOAN FEATURE FILM PRIZE AWARDED TO MIKE CAHILL’S ANOTHER EARTH

For Immediate Release Sundance Institute/Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grants and Lab Fellow Also Announced Park City, UT, January 28, 2011 – Sundance Institute today announced that Another Earth, directed and written by Mike Cahill and written by Brit Marling,  is the recipient of the 2011 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at this year’s Sundance Film…

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FOCUS FEATURES ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO PARIAH

FOCUS FEATURES ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO PARIAH, DEBUT FEATURE FROM WRITER/DIRECTOR DEE REES, EXECUTIVE-PRODUCED BY SPIKE LEE; DRAMA WORLD-PREMIERED AT THIS YEAR’S SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL NEW YORK, January 28, 2011 – Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to the contemporary drama Pariah, the debut feature from writer/director Dee Rees. Pariah world-premiered In Competition this past week at the…

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NEW VIDEO ACQUIRES DAVID SINGTON’S 2011 SUNDANCE ENTRY, “THE FLAW,” FOR MULTI-PLATFORM RELEASE

New York, NY – January 27, 2011 – New Video, a leading independent film and TV distributor, announced today that the Company has acquired THE FLAW (www.theflawmovie.com) for release across DVD, Cable VOD and digital distribution platforms, with plans for a limited theatrical run. THE FLAW (www.theflawmovie.com), a new documentary directed by British filmmaker David…

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CHERIEN DABIS WINS 2011 SUNDANCE/NHK INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER AWARD

For Immediate Release, January 28, 2011 WHAT: Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) have announced Cherien Dabis, director of May in the Summer, as winner of the 2011 Sundance / NHK International Filmmaker Award. Originally created to celebrate 100 years of Cinema, the annual award recognizes and supports a visionary filmmaker on his or…

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IFC FILMS AND SONY PICTURES WORLDWIDE ACQUISITIONS JOIN TO TAKE NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO GEORGE RATLIFF’S SALVATION BOULEVARD

Park City, UT (January 27, 2011) – IFC Films and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) announced today from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival that the companies are partnering to acquire North American rights to George Ratliff’s SALVATION BOULEVARD, which premiered this week in the festival’s Premieres section. The film, with a screenplay by Ratliff (whose…

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RENDEZ-VOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA 2011 ANNOUNCED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RENDEZ-VOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA 2011 THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER AND UNIFRANCE PRESENT THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FRENCH FILM, MARCH 3-13 Francois Ozon’s “POTICHE,” starring Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu selected for Opening Night NEW YORK – January 27, 2011 – The 16th edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, the Film…

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DADA FILMS ACQUIRES THEATRICAL RIGHTS TO BILL HANEY’S “THE LAST MOUNTAIN”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE: Film Recently had its World Premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in the Documentary Competition section. LOS ANGELES, CA – January 27, 2011 – MJ Peckos announced today that Dada has acquired U.S. theatrical rights to Bill Haney’s “The Last Mountain” and will release the film June 3.  The film…

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SUNDANCE INSTITUTE LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAM TO CONNECT ARTISTS WITH AUDIENCES

Three-Year Plan with Kickstarter as Creative Funding Collaborator Facebook® to Provide Guidance to Institute Alumni PARK CITY, UT — Sundance Institute today announced a new program to connect its artists with audiences by offering access to top-tier creative funding and marketing backed by the Institute’s promotional support. These essential services will act as building blocks for…

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IFC FILMS TAKES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO DAVID MACKENZIE’S PERFECT SENSE

Park City, UT (January 26, 2011) – IFC FILMS announced today from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights to director David Mackenzie’s romantic thriller PERFECT SENSE, which had its world premiere in the Premieres section this week.  Directed by Sundance alum Mackenzie (who was at the festival in…

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OVERBROOK ENTERTAINMENT AND SHAWN “JAY-Z” CARTER FORM JOINT FILM VENTURE

OVERBROOK ENTERTAINMENT AND SHAWN “JAY-Z” CARTER FORM JOINT FILM VENTURE Los Angeles, Calif., January 26, 2011 – Overbrook Entertainment partners James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have formed a joint venture with Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter to develop and produce major motion pictures. One of the projects being discussed is the re-imagination…

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FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES ACQUIRES “ANOTHER EARTH”

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES A UNIT OF FOX FILMED ENTERTAINMENT For Immediate Release FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES ACQUIRES “ANOTHER EARTH” Specialty Arm Acquires Rights to English Speaking Territories PARK CITY, UT January 26, 2011 – Fox Searchlight Pictures Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley announced today that the company has acquired rights to English speaking territories for…

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FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES ACQUIRES REMAKE RIGHTS TO THE BENGALI DETECTIVE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Specialty Arm Acquires Worldwide Remake Rights PARK CITY, UT January 24, 2011 – Fox Searchlight Pictures President of Production Claudia Lewis announced today that the company has acquired worldwide remake rights from Native Voice Films to the entertaining original feature documentary, THE BENGALI DETECTIVE, directed by Philip Cox and produced by Giovanna…

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS WITH SCOTT FREE UK AND YOUTUBE FOR THE NEXT PHASE IN THE LIFE OF KEVIN MACDONALD’S ‘LIFE IN A DAY’

Nat Geo will release film domestically in partnership with YouTube World Premiere Thursday, Jan. 27, as Part of Premiere Section of Sundance Film Festival PARK CITY, Utah (Jan. 24, 2011) – National Geographic has acquired the U.S. rights to the global film project “Life in a Day,” executive produced by Ridley Scott, through his Scott…

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PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND INDIAN PAINTBRUSH ACQUIRE WORLDWIDE RIGHTS OUT OF SUNDANCE FOR “LIKE CRAZY”

For Immediate Release HOLLYWOOD, CA (January 23, 2011) – Paramount Pictures and Indian Paintbrush announced today the worldwide acquisition of LIKE CRAZY for Paramount Pictures to release in 2011. The Super Crispy Entertainment production from co-writer and director Drake Doremus (“Douchebag”), producers Jonathan Schwartz (“The Way Back,” “Douchebag,” “Funny Games”) and Andrea Sperling (“Kaboom,” “Sympathy…

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SUNDANCE SELECTS TAKES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO CINDY MEEHL’S BUCK

Park City, UT (January 24, 2011) – Sundance Selects announced today from the Sundance Film Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights to director Cindy Meehl’s BUCK. The film, which is playing in the U.S. Documentary Competition section at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival premiered on Friday, January 21.  The film centers around…

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IFC FILMS TAKES U.S. RIGHTS TO MATTHEW CHAPMAN’S THE LEDGE

THEATRICAL RELEASE PLANNED FOR LATE SPRING Park City, UT (January 24, 2011) – IFC FILMS announced today from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival that the company acquired the U.S. rights to THE LEDGE. The film, which is playing in the U.S. Dramatic Competition premiered this past Friday.  THE LEDGE, directed and written by Matthew Chapman, stars Charlie Hunnam…

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Paramount Acquires Like Crazy

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND INDIAN PAINTBRUSH ACQUIRE WORLDWIDE RIGHTS OUT OF SUNDANCE FOR “LIKE CRAZY” HOLLYWOOD, CA (January 23, 2011) – Paramount Pictures and Indian Paintbrush announced today the worldwide acquisition of LIKE CRAZY for Paramount Pictures to release in 2011. The Super Crispy Entertainment production from co-writer and director Drake Doremus (“Douchebag”), producers Jonathan Schwartz…

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Press Releases

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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon