Independent Film

Saboteur Media Taking Epic War Movie, DANGER CLOSE to Marché du Film in Cannes

[caption id="attachment_28812" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Travis Fimmel, Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh star in Danger Close[/caption] Saboteur Media (Saboteur) President of Distribution Mark Lindsay announced yesterday that the company will be selling worldwide rights on the upcoming epic war movie, Danger Close, starring Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft), Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge, Point Break, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Richard Roxburgh (Breath, Hacksaw Ridge, Moulin Rouge) and Daniel Webber (The Dirt, The Punisher), beginning at the Marché du Film in Cannes. The epic and dramatic exploration of war, was written by Stuart Beattie (Collateral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Australia), and will be directed by Kriv Stenders (Red Dog, Kill Me Three Times, Australia Day). The picture is being produced by John Schwarz (The Hunter’s Prayer, Killerman, Deadline Gallipoli), Michael Schwarz (The Hunter’s Prayer, Killerman, Deadline Gallipoli), and Martin Walsh (The Battle of Long Tan). The Australian production, with backing from the Federal Government and the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland, commences principal photography in May in Queensland, Australia, and will be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Transmission Films. Danger Close tells the incredible true story of when in the late afternoon on August 18, 1966 in South Vietnam, for three and a half hours, in torrential rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, Major Harry Smith and his dispersed company of 108 young and mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought for their lives, holding off an overwhelming enemy force of 2,500 battle hardened North Vietnamese and Main Force Viet Cong soldiers. With their ammunition running out, their casualties mounting and the enemy massing for a final assault, amid non-stop artillery barrages, each man braced themselves for the fight of their lives. Mark Lindsay, President of Distribution for Saboteur notes: “We are extremely honored and excited to help bring this epic story of heroism, courage and honor to the marketplace. With the full support of the Australian film community, as well as the Australian military services, there is a great deal of goodwill behind this project, and with Kriv Stenders directing a high profile cast with an amazing script from Stuart Beattie, we are confident the movie will appeal to audiences worldwide.” Kriv Stenders, Director, said: “I knew immediately when I finished the last page that this is a film I had to make, a story I needed to tell, and a project I absolutely had to be involved with. This is the most ambitious film I have ever directed, and one of the most ambitious films coming out of Australia in the last 30 years.”
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Watch First Trailer for THE TALE Starring Laura Dern, Sets HBO Premiere Date

HBO today released the trailer for The Tale starring Laura Dern that chronicles one woman’s powerful investigation into her own childhood memories, as she is forced to reexamine her first sexual experience – and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. Debuting Saturday, May 26 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT), the HBO Films presentation is written and directed by Sundance Grand Prize winner and Emmy(R) nominee Jennifer Fox, who based it on her own true story. The film will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms. The Tale stars Laura Dern (Oscar(R) nominee for “Wild” and “Rambling Rose”; Emmy(R) winner for HBO’s “Big Little Lies”; Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “Enlightened,” “Recount” and “Afterburn”), Isabelle Nélisse (“Mama”), Elizabeth Debicki (“The Night Manager”), Jason Ritter (“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World”), Frances Conroy (Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “Six Feet Under”) and John Heard (Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “The Sopranos”), with Common (Oscar(R) winner for “Selma”) and Ellen Burstyn (Academy Award(R) winner for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”). An accomplished documentarian working in New York, Jennifer (Laura Dern) is completing her latest project about the lives of women around the world. She receives a series of phone calls from her mother, Nettie (Ellen Burstyn), who has found a short story Jennifer wrote at age 13, in which she describes various encounters with her riding instructor, Mrs. G (Elizabeth Debicki), and her running coach, Bill (Jason Ritter), while at summer camp. Nettie is unnerved by the implications of her daughter’s writing, but Jennifer is nonplussed. She has always looked back with fondness on the time she spent with these two charismatic adults. Egged on by Nettie and encouraged by her supportive fiancé (Common), Jennifer yearns to know more and sets out on a journey, 30 years later, to find those people from her past – the children, now adults, who also attended the camp back then – and eventually the coaches themselves. But the more she learns, the more her memories shift and the more questions she unearths. As Jennifer’s frustration mounts, she finds herself turning inward to get to the truth, imagining conversations with her 13-year-old self (Isabelle Nélisse) and even Mrs. G and Bill in an effort to understand how and why events occurred so long ago. An unforgettable meditation on the elusive nature of memory, The Tale is the first narrative feature from Jennifer Fox, whose documentary films have earned international acclaim for their groundbreaking artistry and unflinching honesty. Based on Fox’s own life story, The Tale sees the filmmaker bravely pushing forward the boundaries of conventional storytelling, creating a dialogue between past and present to illustrate the interplay between memory and trauma. “My goal was not to ask, ‘Did this happen?,’ because I always remembered it,” explains writer and director Fox. “It was, ‘How and why did it happen, and how and why did I spin it as a positive story to myself?’ There was a lightbulb moment when I was making another film about women all around the world, and it seemed that every other woman – regardless of class, culture or color – had an abuse story to tell. Their stories just floored me, because they had a system or a paradigm that looked like my story. Suddenly, I couldn’t see it as my own private little narrative and knew that it was time to investigate what happened in the open space of a fictional film.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXpYsr3AL4U The Tale is produced by Jennifer Fox, Oren Moverman, Laura Rister, Mynette Louie, Simone Pero, Lawrence Inglee, Sol Bondy, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman and Reka Posta. Julie Parker Benello, Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, Wendy Ettinger, Abigail E. Disney, Robert & Penny Fox, Jayme Lemons, Amy Rodrigue, Ali Jazayeri, Jason Van Eman, David Van Eman, Ross Marroso and Ben McConley are executive producers.
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Coming Soon: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Essence Atkins, Terrence J to Star in Derege Harding’s SAME DIFFERENCE

[caption id="attachment_28465" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Demetrius Shipp Jr., Essence Atkins[/caption] Demetrius Shipp Jr. (All Eyez On Me), Essence Atkins (NBC’s “Marlon”), Terrence Jenkins (MTV’s “SafeWord”) and Edwina Findley (The CW’s “Black Lightning”) have all signed on to star in the indie mysterious drama titled Same Difference. Already in production in Los Angeles, the film, produced by Datari Turner for Datari Turner Productions, was written and directed by Derege Harding. Additional co-stars include: Kandi Burruss, Affion Crockett, Kris D. Lofton, Gabby Douglas, Lew Temple, and Page Kennedy. Same Difference follows a young woman (Atkins) who is told that her death is imminent by a mysterious group of people who all start dying one by one. The woman becomes compelled to let go of the past and reconcile with her estranged twin sister, also played by Atkins, who is suffering from alcohol addiction. Making his feature film directorial debut, Harding is a Film Independent Project Involve Alum. His short film “First Date, Last Date” won numerous festival awards and was bought and distributed by HBO. He was the Winner of last year’s 2017 Turner (TNT) / ABFF Pilot Screenwriting Competition.
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See New Trailer + Poster Debut for THE ESCAPE Starring Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper

IFC Films has released the brand new trailer and poster for The Escape, writer/director Dominic Savage’s intelligent, empathetic portrait of a stay-at-home mother in suburban England. The Escape stars Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace; The Girl With All The Gifts; Their Finest) as a wife held prisoner by the monotony and isolation of her seemingly perfect life and Dominic Cooper (“Preacher;” My Week With Marilyn; An Education) as a husband ill-equipped to understand her pain. The film, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, will be released by IFC Films on Friday, May 11 in New York and Los Angeles, as well as on Digital and On Demand platforms, with a national theatrical rollout to follow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx05E-99DPA A woman sets out to reclaim her life in this stirring, emotionally rich look at what it means to start over. Tara (Arterton), a housewife and mother in suburban London, is living a life that is no longer hers: it belongs to her loving but overworked and self-absorbed husband (Cooper), her young son and daughter and the numbing routine of housework and childcare. In desperate need of a change, Tara one day makes a bold decision. Armed with a one-way ticket to Paris, she leaves everything behind to rediscover herself in a new city – but walking out on your life isn’t so simple. Built around a remarkable central performance from Gemma Arterton, The Escape is a perceptive, deeply compassionate portrait of a woman on the rocky road to becoming herself.
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See Trailer + Poster for HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES Starring Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp, Nicole Kidman

A24 released the official trailer for How to Talk to Girls at Parties, starring Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp, Nicole Kidman, and Ruth Wilson, that tells the story of a boy falling in love with a girl in 1970s London. The movie which is based on Neil Gaiman‘s short story of the same name, is directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus). From the raucous dual imaginations of fantasy laureate Neil Gaiman (“American Gods,” CORALINE) and glamrock multi-hyphenate John Cameron Mitchell (HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, SHORTBUS) comes the electrifying and singular pop extravaganza film, HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES. Enn (Tony Award-winner Alex Sharp) is a shy suburban London teenager in 1977, sneaking out with his best friends to after-hours punk parties. One night they stumble upon a bizarre gathering of sexy teenagers who seem like they are from another planet. In fact, they are from another planet, visiting Earth to complete a mysterious rite of passage. That doesn’t stop Enn from falling madly in love with Zan (Elle Fanning), a beautiful and rebellious alien teenage who, despite her allegiance to her strange colony, is fascinated by Enn. Together they embark on a delirious adventure through the kinetic punk rock world of 1970s London, inadvertently setting off a series of events that will lead to the ultimate showdown of punks vs. aliens, and test the limits of how far each of them will go for true love. How to Talk to Girls at Parties will be released on May 11th in the UK and on May 18th in the US. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWzHaRM8jeo
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See New Trailer + Poster for Miguel Arteta’s DUCK BUTTER – Modern Romance Packed Into an Intense 24 Hours

[caption id="attachment_27974" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Alia Shawkat as Alia and Laia Costa as Laia in DUCK BUTTER. Photo credit: Hillary Spera.[/caption] The trailer and poster debuted for Duck Butter, the latest film from Miguel Arteta, the director behind Beatriz at Dinner, The Good Girl and Chuck & Buck, set to World Premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. The Orchard will release Duck Butter in New York and Los Angeles on April 27th and on digital platforms nationwide on May 1st. When Naima (Alia Shawkat, “Search Party”) and Sergio (Laia Costa, Victoria ) meet at a club, they hit it off instantly, connecting over their disdain for the dishonesty they have experienced in their respective romantic relationships. High on their fast chemistry, the two women concoct a romantic experiment: They plan to spend the next 24 hours together, having sex on the hour. Above all, they commit to perfect honesty with each other, a theoretical remedy to the deceit they believe to be an element of modern relationships. But their relationship in a vacuum doesn’t go as planned, and soon the weight of their commitment begins to close in, threatening the ideals of the daylong experiment and their chances for a romantic future tomorrow. The latest film from Miguel Arteta, the director behind Beatriz at Dinner, The Good Girl and Chuck & Buck, Duck Butter is a blistering look at intimacy in a pressure cooker. Co-written by Shawkat and executive produced by the Duplass Brothers, the film offers a searing interrogation of modern romance, with all its dizzying highs and heartbreaking betrayals, all packed into an intense 24 hours. Tribeca Film Festival Screenings World Premiere: Friday, April 20th at 8:30pm (SVA Theater 1) Public Screening #2: Saturday, April 21st at 9:30pm (Cinepolis Chelsea 8) Public Screening #3: Sunday, April 22nd at 7:45pm (Cinepolis Chelsea 1) Public Screening #4: Thursday, April 26th at 9:00pm (Regal Battery Park 11 – 10)
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Watch New Trailer + Poster for Sadaf Foroughi’s Award-Winning Debut AVA – A Young Girl’s Coming-of-Age in Iran

A new trailer and poster has been released for AVA written and directed by Sadaf Foroughi, winner of the Toronto International Film Festival 2017 FIPRESCI Discovery Award. The film starring Mahour Jabbari, Bahar Noohian, Vahid Aghapour, Shayesteh Sajadi, and Sarah Alimorad will opening theatrically on April 27th. Based on her own adolescent experiences, Sadaf Foroughi’s AVA is a gripping debut about a young girl’s coming-of-age in a strict, traditional society. Living with her well-to-do parents in Tehran, Ava is a bright and focused teen whose concerns— friendships, music, social status, academic performance—resemble that of nearly any teenager. When Ava’s mistrustful and overprotective mother questions her relationship with a boy —going as far as to visit a gynecologist— Ava is overwhelmed by a newfound rage. Formerly a model student, Ava begins to rebel against the structures imposed by her parents, her school, and the society at large. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIgiOw69YyM&feature=youtu.be
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Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires ‘A BOY. A GIRL. A DREAM’ Starring Omari Hardwick and Meagan Good [ CLIP]

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the acclaimed Sundance Film A BOY. A GIRL. A DREAM directed by Qasim Basir and starring Omari Hardwick (“Power”), Meagan Good (A GIRL LIKE GRACE). The film which co-stars Jay Ellis (“Insecure”), Dijon Talton (“Glee”), Wesley Jonathan (ROLL BOUNCE), and Affion Crockett (THE WEDDING RINGER), was written by written by Qasim Basir & Samantha Tanner. The story follows a Los Angeles club promoter named Cass (Hardwick), who on the night of the 2016 Presidential Election meets a woman named Free (Good) who challenges him to revisit his broken dreams. This happens during a series of unfortunate events during the time that Trump is surging ahead of Hilary Clinton. “I can’t think of a better company to partner with for this next phase of the journey of getting our film out to the world,” says director/writer Qasim Basir. “Samuel Goldwyn has a solid track record. They were extremely passionate about our film and the talented people involved with making it so we believe we are in good hands,” added producer Datari Turner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g25UY0Pwctc
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Daniel Roebuck’s Critically Acclaimed Family Film GETTING GRACE Now Playing in Theaters | Trailer

“Getting Grace,” is all about a spunky teenaged girl with terminal cancer who decides to make her own funeral arrangements, and sets in motion a plan that affects all of those around her. The critically-praised family film from director and star Daniel Roebuck, opened in theaters across the USA on Friday, March 23; and is now playing at fifty-nine locations across the country, with another fifty locations planned for expansion over the next three weeks. Daniel Roebuck is a widely recognized star from over one-hundred feature film roles (including “The Fugitive”, “U.S. Marshalls” and the current Christian theatrical hit “Let There Be Light“) as well as from the enormously successful TV series recurring roles in “LOST” and 8-seasons of “Matlock” with Andy Griffith. During the recently completed, multi-city Bus Tour, Roebuck was joined in different cities by other cast members, including newcomer Madelyn Dundon in the title role and film veteran Marsha Dietlein. “Getting Grace” tells the story of a teenaged girl’s unusual response to a terminal cancer diagnosis. Other stars include Dana Ashbrook, Timothy Goodwin and Duane Whitaker. The film is rated PG-13 and has already won the best picture accolade at two, major film festivals. Audiences would be hard-pressed to find a more likable protagonist in any film. GRACE, the title character, is funny, sarcastic, empathetic and riveting. But, unfortunately, she is going to die. Although Grace’s time is short, her positive impact on the world around her is monumental. The story is about a young girl who knows that she is dying. Grace goes into a funeral home to learn about death and ends up teaching the disenfranchised funeral director, BILL, about life. We soon learn that while trying to “hedge the bet” about her afterlife possibilities she is also trying her best to prepare her mother, VENUS, for a future without her only child. Venus, we learn, is not dealing with the sad imminent truth well and is reverting to her old ways of drinking and “drugging.” Simultaneously, Grace humorously hijacks an ironically named “EMBRACE LIFE” class offered by her hospital for children dealing with their own fatal diseases and moves it to the funeral home. Not only does she do her best to teach the adults in her life to live their lives to the fullest, she has the same effect on her peers. And she discovers love, herself. Grace is also desperately searching for someone to take care of her mother. Will it be Bill, REVEREND OSBURN (the hospital’s chaplain) or RON, the charismatic and successful author of a book about the afterlife. Once those around her actually “GET” Grace (meaning they finally understand her), every one of them is able to transition to their own new life. “Getting Grace” is an extraordinary story with a lead character who affects a chain of positive events in the lives of all she comes in contact with…be they doctors or morticians or her own mother. Through Grace, her loved ones learn that life need not be lived long to be lived fully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5j28U_ocVU GETTING GRACE – March 23 Theatres Alabama Regal Mobile Stadium, Mobile, AL Arizona Harkins Arizona Mills 25, Tempe, AZ Harkins Superstition Springs, Mesa, AZ California Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica, CA Edwards Fairfield Stadium, Fairfield, CA Regal Fresno 22, Fresno, CA Regal Merced 13, Merced, CA Ontario Palace Stadium 22, Ontario, CA Regal Long Beach Stadium 26, Long Beach, CA Conneticut AMC Plainville Stadium, Plainville, CT Florida Regal Citrus Park Stadium, Tampa, FL Cypress Creek Station, Fort Lauderdale, FL Oveido Mall Stadium, Oveido, FL Pointe Orlando Stadium, Orlando, FL Regal Sawgrass Stadium, Sunrise, FL South Beach Stadiu, Miami Beach, FL Park Place Stadium 16, Pinellas Park, FL Belltower Stadium 20, Fort Myers, FL Regal Beach Blvd. Stadium, Jacksonville, FL Georgia Hollywood24 @ I-85, Chamblee, GA Austell Stadium, Austell, GA Hawaii / Pacifica Regal Dole Cannery 18, Honolulu, HI Guam Megaplex Stadium, Guam Illinois Round Lake Beach Stadium, Round Lake Beach, IL GQT Willow Knolls 14, Peoria, IL Indiana New Albany Stadium 16, New Albany, IN Village Park Stadium 17, Carmel, IN Kansas B&B Overland Park 16, Overland Park, KS Kentucky Regal Bowling Green 12, Bowling Green, KY Minnesota Marcus Shakopee Cinema, Shakopee, MN Marcus Hastings Cinema, Hastings, MN Marcus Elk River Cinema, Elk River, MN Regal Eagan Stadium, Eagan, MN Missouri St. Louis Stadium, Hazelwood, MO New York Elmwood Center 16, Buffalo, NY Henrietta Stadium 18. Rochester, NY North Carolina Stonecrest at Piper Glenn, Charlotte, NC Crossroads Stadium 20, Cary, NC Greensboro Grand 16, Greensboro NC Greenville Grand Stadium, Greenville, NC Ohio Chakeres Springfield 10, Springfield, OH Oklahoma Spotlight 14, Norman, OK Promenade Palace 12, Tulsa, OK Oregon Movies on TV Stadium, Hillsboro, OR Pennsylvania U.E.C. College 9, State College, PA Regal Riverview Plaza, Philadelphia, PA Regal Cinema Oaks 24, Oaks, PA Harrisburg Stadium 14, Harrisburg, PA AMC Allentown 16, Allentown, PA AMC Center Valley 16, Center Valley, PA Tennessee Regal Opry Mills Stadium, Nashville, TN Streets of Indian Lake Stadium, Hendersonville, TN Pinnacle Stadium, 18, Knoxville, TN Texas Edwards Marq’E Stadium, Houston, TX Regal West Oaks Mall 14, Houston, TX Regal Metropolitan Cinemas, Austin, TX Regal Fiesta Stadium, San Antonio, TX Washington Parkway Plaza Stadium, Tukwila, WA West Virginia Morgantown Stadium 12, Morgantown, WV
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Watch Chiwetel Ejiofor as Pastor Carlton Pearson in COME SUNDAY Trailer

Netflix has released the Trailer for Come Sunday, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, that premiered earlier this year at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. The film is directed by Joshua Marston whose first film, Maria Full of Grace, won an Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Come Sunday, also starring Martin Sheen, Jason Segel, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield and Danny Glover will launch on Netflix on April 13, 2018. In the film, internationally-renowned pastor Carlton Pearson, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor – experiencing a crisis of faith – risks his church, family and future when he questions church doctrine and finds himself branded a modern-day heretic. Based on actual events. Every Sunday, Bishop Carlton Pearson—evangelical megastar, brilliant orator, and television host with millions of followers—preaches the fundamentalist gospel to six thousand supplicants at his Higher Dimensions Church. He’s the pride and joy of his spiritual father, Oral Roberts, and the toast of Tulsa. One day, rattled by an uncle’s suicide and distraught by reports of the Rwandan Genocide, Pearson receives an epiphany. Suddenly it’s crystal clear—God loves all humankind; everyone is already saved, whether Christian or not; and there is no hell. But these ideas are heretical, violating sacrosanct doctrines. The next Sunday, when Pearson unveils this theology of inclusion to his flock, shock waves sweep the enormous hall. Church leaders and members begin to defect in droves, and his empire topples. Based on the true story of a controversial and courageous man of God, Come Sunday elegantly and respectfully captures the authentic texture and tone of Pearson’s devout world, never resorting to hyperbole. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s tour-de-force performance embodies the effusive charisma and grounded humility of a character with everything to lose, yet even more to gain by heeding his convictions. Sundance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVQFWvm_fbU
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Coming Soon: Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco and Matt Bomer Star in Maryam Keshavarz’s VULTURE CLUB

[caption id="attachment_27698" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco and Matt Bomer Star in Maryam Keshavarz’s VULTURE CLUB[/caption] YouTube has completed principal photography on the upcoming film VULTURE CLUB starring Academy Award-winner Susan Sarandon and award-winning actors Edie Falco and Matt Bomer. In VULTURE CLUB, a veteran emergency room nurse secretly struggles to free her grown son, a journalist, from capture by a terrorist group. After running into roadblocks with government agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists and advocates who might be able to help her. VULTURE CLUB will debut in theaters and then on YouTube Red later this year. VULTURE CLUB was directed by Maryam Keshavarz (writer-director of Circumstance) and was co-written with Jonathan Mastro. This powerful film is a thought-provoking story about a mother forced to take drastic measures to try and save her only son. “VULTURE CLUB follows the singular journey of a woman abandoned by her government who finds community in the most unexpected places,” says Maryam Keshavarz. “It’s an honor to work with Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco and Matt Bomer who are the incredible talents and an innovator like YouTube to tell this timely story.” “This emotional drama grapples with relevant issues journalists around the world face today. Maryam Keshavarz lends her powerful perspective as an Iranian-American filmmaker, and Susan Sarandon’s moving performance immediately drew us into this compelling film,” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube. “We are excited to be in business with Anna Gerb, Neal Dodson, and J.C. Chandor and work with the extremely talented cast of Vulture Club.” VULTURE CLUB features Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking, Thelma & Louise) who plays “Helen” a mother desperate to rescue her son. Sarandon was recently nominated for a 2017 Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe and a SAG Award for Feud. Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning actress Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) plays “Charlotte” who is also the mother of a journalist. Golden Globe Award-winning and Primetime Emmy-nominated actor Matt Bomer (Normal Heart, White Collar, Magic Mike) plays “Sam,” a journalist who is trying to help Helen save her son. Julian Morris (Pretty Little Liars, Mark Felt) plays Helen’s son “Andy,” a war journalist covering dangerous international events. Rounding out the cast are Lola Kirke (Mozart In The Jungle, Gone Girl) who plays “Amy” the mother of a patient at the hospital, Adepero Oduye (12 Years A Slave, The Big Short) plays “Keesha,” the head emergency room nurse at the hospital, and Sheila Vand (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Girl Walks Home Alone At Night) as “Sheila,” a journalist and Andy’s former girlfriend.
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I CAN ONLY IMAGINE Hits High Note As #1 New Indie Film At The Box Office | Trailer

Roadside Attractions is celebrating today – the Erwin Brothers faith-based family drama I Can Only Imagine shattered pre-weekend tracking expectations to become #3 at the box-office this weekend and the #1 faith-based movie of 2018. The film took in an estimated $17,064,640 for a per-screen average of $10,475 from 1,629 locations in North America. The film received a rare A+ CinemaScore with an audience that was 67% female and 80% over 35. The weekend estimates include an exceptional $6,234,535 for Friday; $5,983,485 on Saturday; and a projected $4,846,620 for today. Roadside Attractions co-president Howard Cohen commented, “When we first saw this incredibly well-crafted, emotional and moving film, we jumped on the opportunity to work with the Erwins and their team and our partners at Lionsgate on I Can Only Imagine. And we were not disappointed. This is Roadside’s highest grossing opening ever! With the trifecta of the song’s double platinum crossover appeal, the Erwin brothers success with such films as Moms’ Night Out and Woodlawn plus world-class talent like Dennis Quaid on board, we felt that the film’s inspiring story of hope and forgiveness made for a very compelling collaboration. With an A+ Cinemascore, we expect I Can Only Imagine will continue to play solidly through the Easter holiday and well into Spring.” “Howard, Eric, and the team at Roadside are incredibly talented and resourceful partners,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chair Joe Drake. “Their belief in this film, coupled with the vision of the filmmakers and our acquisition group’s ability to spot an amazing property, shows once again the vitality of the market for faith-based films.” Producer Kevin Downes said, “We are so thankful to our amazing team and all the partners who worked so hard alongside us to get this story out.” Andrew Erwin, co-director & co-editor added, “God’s hand has been on this song and on this story from the beginning. We are delighted to see a story about forgiveness and redemption connect with so many people. We are humbled for the privilege of telling Bart’s story.” Jon Erwin, co-director & co-screenwriter said, “We are amazed and humbled to see the response to this story. We set out to honor Bart Millard’s journey and the band’s amazing, life-changing song. It’s our privilege to watch this film engage in such a powerful way with the audience.” Word of mouth, media attention, grassroots marketing and social media sharing drove audiences to the theater this weekend. Campaign highlights included coordinated field marketing and talent PR with a number of initiatives, including a partnership targeting MercyMe’s latest tour. The company also promoted the forthcoming film strongly on Christian radio and at faith-based events. Heading into the weekend, there were more than 130 million combined views on the film’s trailers and marketing materials online. Additionally, the I Can Only Imagine trailer was featured ahead of screenings of Lionsgate’s box office hit Wonder, which grossed nearly $300 million worldwide. I Can Only Imagine is the latest faith-based film from Lionsgate following breakout successes including double Oscar® winner Hacksaw Ridge and The Shack. The film will be distributed through Lionsgate’s IDC joint venture in Latin America, where The Shack was a massive hit in Brazil. I Can Only Imagine is the fourth feature for the Erwin Brothers, whose previous films included October Baby, Moms’ Night Out and Woodlawn. The screenplay was written by Jon Erwin & Brent McCorkle from a story by Jon Erwin & Brent McCorkle and Alex Cramer. I Can Only Imagine was produced by Kevin Downes, Cindy Bond, Daryl Lefever, Mickey Liddell, and Pete Shilaimon. Travis Mann, Tony Young, Scott Brickell and Simon Swart served as executive producers. The film features an all-star cast including Golden-Globe® nominee Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, The Rookie, Soul Surfer), Oscar®-winner Cloris Leachman (The Iron Giant, The Last Picture Show, Young Frankenstein), platinum-selling country music legend Trace Adkins, author and actress Priscilla Shirer (War Room), Madeline Carroll (Mr. Poppers Penguins) and Broadway’s J. Michael Finley (“Les Miserables”). I Can Only Imagine brings to life the true story behind the song of ultimate hope, “I Can Only Imagine.” A transformed relationship with his troubled father inspired Bart Millard, the lead singer of the Christian band MercyMe, to write what is now the most-played radio single in Christian music history. A gripping reminder of the power of forgiveness, I Can Only Imagine beautifully illustrates that no one is ever too far from God’s love — or from an eternal home in Heaven. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm_zzAMuvyQ Image credit: Bart Millard (John Michael Finley) and Amy Grant (Nicole DuPort) rehearse in the new film I CAN ONLY IMAGINE releasing March 16, 2018. Courtesy of Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.
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