JAMES WHITE, the directorial debut from writer/director Josh Mond and starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi has set a Fall release date of November 13th via The Film Arcade. The film which had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the “Best of Next” Audience Award, is “a coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family changes.”
A confident and closely observed directorial debut by MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond, JAMES WHITE explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son. James White (Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City. He retreats further into a hedonistic lifestyle, but his mother’s battle with a serious illness forces James to take control of his life. As the pressure mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely. Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, the film follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity.
The film marks the first lead film role for stage and screen actor Christopher Abbott, whose previous film and TV credits include HELLO, I MUST BE GOING, THE SLEEPWALKER and “Girls.”
JAMES WHITE is considered a high profile release for the distributor The Film Arcade, and as a result the film will receive a traditional theatrical release followed by an awards campaign highlighting the career-best performances by Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon. Both actors topped Indiewire’s Sundance Criticwire poll for Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.Independent Film
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JAMES WHITE Starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon Sets Fall 2015 Release Date
JAMES WHITE, the directorial debut from writer/director Josh Mond and starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi has set a Fall release date of November 13th via The Film Arcade. The film which had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the “Best of Next” Audience Award, is “a coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family changes.”
A confident and closely observed directorial debut by MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond, JAMES WHITE explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son. James White (Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City. He retreats further into a hedonistic lifestyle, but his mother’s battle with a serious illness forces James to take control of his life. As the pressure mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely. Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, the film follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity.
The film marks the first lead film role for stage and screen actor Christopher Abbott, whose previous film and TV credits include HELLO, I MUST BE GOING, THE SLEEPWALKER and “Girls.”
JAMES WHITE is considered a high profile release for the distributor The Film Arcade, and as a result the film will receive a traditional theatrical release followed by an awards campaign highlighting the career-best performances by Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon. Both actors topped Indiewire’s Sundance Criticwire poll for Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
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Poster and Watch Trailer for YOUTH Starring Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel | TRAILER
Fox Searchlight Pictures has released the poster and trailer for YOUTH, directed by Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty), and starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules, Kingsmen: The Secret Service) and Academy Award nominee Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel), which debuted earlier this year at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. YOUTH will be released in theaters on December 4.
From Paolo Sorrentino, the director of Italy’s Oscar foreign language winner THE GREAT BEAUTY comes YOUTH, about two longtime friends vacationing in the Swiss Alps. Oscar winning actor Michael Caine plays Fred, an acclaimed composer and conductor, who brings along his daughter (Rachel Weisz) and best friend Mick (Harvey Keitel), a renowned filmmaker. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. The two men reflect on their past, each finding that some of the most important experiences can come later in life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNxQ8Wzr2I
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JAMES WHITE Starring Rapper Kid Cudi, Cynthia Nixon to Premiere in Canada at Toronto International Film Festival
Josh Mond’s JAMES WHITE will make its Canadian premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery Program. Starring Christopher Abbot, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Cynthia Nixon, Ron Livingston, David Call, and Mackenzie Leigh, JAMES WHITE is a coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. JAMES WHITE was the recipient of the 2015 Sundance “Best of Next” Award.
James White (Christopher Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City. He retreats further into a self-destructive, hedonistic lifestyle, but as his mother (Cynthia Nixon) battles a serious illness James is forced to take control of his life. As the pressure on him mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely. The directorial debut of MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond, JAMES WHITE, which had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2014 where it was the winner of the “Best of Next” Audience Award, is a confident and closely observed debut that explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son. Abbott’s strong central performance is aided by a stellar supporting cast featuring Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City”), Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi (“Comedy Bang! Bang!”), and Ron Livingston (DRINKING BUDDIES). Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, JAMES WHITE follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity.
JAMES WHITE is Josh Mond’s feature film debut as a director. He has worked as producer on a number of films including the award-winning MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE for which he was recognized with an Independent Spirit Award nomination and shared the Los Angeles Film Critic Association New Generation Award.
JAMES WHITE will be released theatrically Fall 2015 by The Film Arcade.
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WAFFLE STREET Starring James Lafferty, Danny Glover to World Premiere at On Location: Memphis International Film & Music Fest
Waffle Street, a dramedy starring James Lafferty (One Tree Hill, Oculus, S. Darko) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon 1-4, The Color Purple, Dreamgirls), will World Premiere at the 16th annual On Location: Memphis International Film & Music Fest to be held September 3-6th. Memphis native Autumn McAlpin, who co-wrote and produced the film, is “thrilled to bring my first feature film home to premiere in front of the friends and family who encouraged me to follow my dreams.”
Waffle Street is based on the true riches-to-rags tale of James Adams (James Lafferty), who jumps from the white-collar world of corporate finance to waiting tables at a waffle shop. Amid the greasy madness of a 24-hour diner, James befriends Edward Collins (Danny Glover), an ex-con grill master who serves up hard lessons about life, finance, and grits.
Joining Lafferty and Glover in the starring line-up is Julie Gonzalo (Dallas, Eli Stone, Christmas with the Kranks), who plays Lafferty’s wife, Becky Adams. Other well-known talent includes Dale Dickey (Iron Man 3, Super 8, The Pledge), Marshall Bell(Total Recall, Rescue Dawn, Stand by Me) and William Knight (Ghost in the Shell, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Akira).
Screenwriter Autumn McAlpin optioned the memoir and produced the film along with John J. Kelly (Spy, Divergent, 127 Hours, Warrior) and Brad Johnson (VampU, Friend Request, Dawn of the Dragon Slayer). Brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms (Lost on Purpose) co-penned the script with McAlpin and directed the film, which will screen in festivals across the nation this fall.
Waffle Street’s world premiere will occur at On Location: Memphis on Sunday, Sept. 6th at 4pm at Studio on the Square at 2105 Court Ave., Memphis, TN 38104.
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Bronx Indie Film BABYGIRL on iTunes + VOD August 25, 2015 | TRAILER
BABYGIRL, a coming-of-age drama following Bronx teenager Lena (Yainis Ynoa) as she attempts to expose her mother’s latest boyfriend Victor (Flaco Navaja) as the creep he is, will be available on iTunes and VOD beginning August 25, 2015. BABYGIRL, is written and directed by Macdara Vallely.
Set in the Bronx, BABYGIRL is a bittersweet drama about teenager Lena who, since she can remember, has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy starts hitting on her, Lena sets up an elaborate honey-trap, hoping to show her mom what a scumbag the guy really is. But the plan backfires. Trapped in a twisted love-triangle between Victor and her mom, Lena finally realizes that the only way out is to stand up and finally confront some difficult truths about her home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohaKTlsbP1E
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Award-Winning Texas Thriller TWO STEP Coming to VOD September 1st | TRAILER
Director Alex R. Johnson’s award-winning thriller TWO STEP which began its limited theatrical release on July 31st is now scheduled for a wide VOD release on September 1st.
TWO STEP is a throwback Texas thriller in which the lives of James (Skyy Moore), a directionless college dropout, and Webb (James Landry Hébert), a career criminal with his back against the wall, violently collide. Kicked out of college, James visits Grams, his only remaining family, who dies shortly after his arrival. He finds consolation in the company of Grams’ neighbor, Dot (Beth Broderick), a dance teacher, as he figures out his next move. While settling Grams’ affairs, James learns she’s been the victim of the ‘Grandparent Scam’, in which someone posing as James has been slowly bilking her out of thousands. But before James can go looking for the culprit, he shows up at the front door, desperate for money. The culprit, Webb, has his own problems in the form of Duane (Jason Douglas), who has ordered Webb to pay an old debt or else. And if Webb can’t get it from Grams, James will have to do – no matter who stands in his way.
After premiering at the 2014 SXSW film festival, TWO STEP went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the New Hampshire International Film Festival and the Best Narrative Feature award at the Flyaway Film Festival. It has also played at the International Film Festival of India, Cucalorus Film Festival, Vancouver International, Reykjavik International and many more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMv9SgzBjdw
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Patrick Kennelly’s SXSW Psychological Thriller EXCESS FLESH Gets a 2016 Theatrical Release | VIDEO
Patrick Kennelly’s feature film debut, EXCESS FLESH about an obsessive woman who imprisons her new roommate in their apartment in a sick attempt to bring them closer together, will have its U.S. theatrical release early next year via Acort International’s Midnight Releasing. The film premiered earlier this year at 2015 SXSW Film Festival and stars Bethany Orr and Mary Loveless.
In EXCESS FLESH, Jill is obsessed with her new roommate Jennifer, a promiscuous and sexy hotshot in the LA Fashion scene. New to the city and recently single, Jill is unable to keep up as she binges and purges to stay thin; eventually hating herself and everyone around her. Her jealousy and rage spiral out of control — Jennifer has everything, and Jill wants to be just like her. If Jill can’t BE Jennifer, she must destroy her.
“Excess Flesh is an original, next-level, powerhouse film that has proven itself with both mainstream and genre audiences in the festival circuit,” said Acort vice-president of acquisitions Chris Wilembrecht.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgHeUjKaCFM
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ASTHMA, Directorial Debut of Jake Hoffman, Dustin Hofman’s Son, Sets Release Date
ASTHMA the directorial debut of Dustin Hofman’s son, Jake Hoffman, will be released in theaters on October 23 via IFC Films. Asthma which World Premiere at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, stars Benedict Samuel and Krysten Ritter alongside Nick Nolte, Rosanna Arquette, Goran Visnjic, Dov Tiefenbach, Rene Ricard and Iggy Pop.
Gus is suffocating in life (and not just figuratively speaking), and finding a meaningful existence is an almost impossible task. His asthma attacks come at the most inopportune times, and are a constant reminder of his attempts to resolve his uncertain situation in a radical manner. Somewhere between the drugs, the lack of money, and his ongoing sense of alienation, Gus sees a shimmer of light in the form of Ruby, a charming and self-confident rocker whose life is much more certain than his. In his endeavor to escape from himself, the young outsider – who bears a striking resemblance to Mick Jagger – sets out on an unpredictable trip in a stolen convertible. Jake Hoffman’s feature debut is a vibrant and authentic look at New York’s bohemian scene, whose members try to find out who they are to a soundtrack of rock hits. The young acting duo Benedict Samuel and Krysten Ritter are supported in smaller roles by their more experienced colleagues Rosanna Arquette, Iggy Pop and Nick Nolte.
Jake Hoffman (b. 1981, Los Angeles County, California) studied film at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has been active in the film industry since childhood, appearing in Rain Man (1988) at age seven. His acting career then continued with Hook (1991),Liberty Heights (1999), Click (2006) and Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Besides acting, he also directs music videos and has written and directed several short films, including Walk into the Bar(2004), Pancho’s Pizza (2005) and Please, Alfonso(2012). asthma (2014) is his feature film debut.
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Rory Culkin and Lin Shaye Set to Star in Indie Film JACK GOES HOME
Rory Culkin (Gabriel, Scream 4) (pictured above) and Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise, There’s Something About Mary) will star in writer/director Thomas Dekker’s upcoming feature film Jack Goes Home. The announcement was made today by writer/director Thomas Dekker and producers Jordan Yale Levine and Scott Levenson. Jack Goes Home will commence production this week in Kingston, New York. The film is produced by Jordan Yale Levine/Yale Productions, Scott Levenson, and Thomas Dekker. Co-Producers are Nikki Reed and Jon Keeyes, and Executive Producers include Shaun S. Sanghani/ SSS Entertainment, Jason Rose and Jessica Chang.
Previously confirmed cast members include Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) and Nikki Reed (Twilight Saga). Rory Culkin will play the title character, with Lin Shaye starring as his mother Teresa. Britt Robertson plays Jack’s pregnant fiancé Cleo, Daveigh Chase plays Jack’s loyal best friend Shanda, Nikki Reed play’s Shanda’s girlfriend Crystal, and Louis Hunter plays Jack’s seductive neighbor Duncan. “Lin Shaye and Rory Culkin are both exceptionally talented actors who are perfectly suited to lead the cast of Jack Goes Home,” commented writer and director Thomas Dekker. “We could not be more thrilled to watch them bring our script to life as the film’s key mother/son duo.” Blending elements of family drama and horror films, JACK GOES HOME follows Jack, an educated and well versed magazine editor living in Los Angeles. He is mid 20s, engaged and expecting his first child. Grappling with the natural release of his childhood and the promise of his forthcoming adulthood, he is hit hard by the news of his father’s death. In a violent and horrific car crash, his father has perished while his mother has survived. He returns to his hometown of Denver, Colorado to nurse his mother through her physical and emotional injuries. During his stay at home, he uncovers long buried secrets and lies within his family history, his parents, his friends and his very identity. Jack’s journey to the truth is fueled by madness, sexuality, hauntings and violence. For Jack, there truly is NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Dekker’s acting credits include TV series Backstrom and The Secret Circle. On the film side, he appeared in 2009’s My Sister’s Keeper and 2010’s A Nightmare on Elm Street and directed the 2008 indie Whore. He’s repped by MGMT Entertainment and Sloane, Offer.
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MI AMERICA Film Explores Violence Against Migrant Workers Sets Release Date
As the immigration debate takes center stage in a presidential campaign marked by increasingly divisive and racially charged rhetoric, a new film MI AMERICA offers an on-the-ground look at some of the reality of this conflict.
The film is inspired by true stories from around the country and delivers a harrowing narrative on the conflict between disenfranchised Americans and immigrant workers. MI AMERICA opens in theaters on October 16th and is directed by Robert Fontaine who also stars in the film. The cast also includes Michael Brainard, Brad Lee Wind, Grant Boyd, Michael Derek, Stephen Booth and Annemarie Lawless.
The story explores the circumstances surrounding a brutal hate crime targeting five Hispanic migrant laborers. Rolando Ramirez (Robert Fontaine) has been assigned to this case by chance. This journey will force him to question his own identity, and beliefs, on what it means to be an American, and in turn, attempt to bring those who committed this crime to justice.
A hate-crime has been committed, that has upset the delicate balance of a small, ethnically diverse waterfront city Braxton in upstate New York. The film explores the circumstances around the kidnapping and disappearance of Five Hispanic migrant labors.
Rolando Ramirez (a Hispanic-American Detective, and a longtime resident of the community), has been assigned to this case by chance. Or was it fate? His journey will force him to question his own identity, and beliefs, on what it means to be a North American, and in turn, attempt to bring those who committed this crime to justice…some of whom were close friends from childhood.
Violence against Latinos and the story told in MI AMERICA is not unfamiliar to cities and towns across the U.S. where the conflict of disenfranchised Americans and immigrant workers have resulted in tragedy. The immigration dilemma and debate continues to rage on as we enter the politically charged battlefield of the 2016 election and Latinos continue to be targets.
This gripping murder mystery offers a potent opportunity to take a closer look at this dire issue in the media.
[via release]
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Museum of the Moving Image in NYC to Honor Alex Ross Perry with a Retrospective
From August 22 through 25, 2015, Museum of the Moving Image in New York City will honor director Alex Ross Perry with a Retrospective, and will present all of his features, including a special preview screening of the new film Queen of Earth.
“Alex Ross Perry’s two most recent films feature unforgettable and vivid performances—most notably Elisabeth Moss’s daring portrayal of emotional despair in the astonishing Queen of Earth,” said Chief Curator David Schwartz. “The Museum is pleased to offer New Yorkers an opportunity to catch up on an impressive body of work by this unique emerging talent who has incorporated his love of cinema into his own original vision.”
Impolex
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 4:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2009, 73 mins. 35mm. With Riley O’Bryan, Kate Lyn Sheil, Bruno Meyrick Jones. In his feature debut, Perry was loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow. Taking place just after World War II, the film follows the shambling young soldier Tyrone S. as he wanders through the forest looking for German V2 rockets and encounters a number of inexplicably figures, including an eyepatch-wearing Englishman, a garrulous octopus, and the girlfriend he left behind to join the army.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJqIOt7UHI0
The Color Wheel
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 3:00 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2011, 83 mins. 35mm. With Carlen Altman, Alex Ross Perry. Having recently broken up with her boyfriend and former professor, aspiring TV weathergirl JR calls on her estranged younger brother Colin to help retrieve her possessions at her ex’s apartment. What follows is one of the most uncomfortable road movies ever, as the two equally despicable characters incessantly pick on, undercut, and attack one another. “Perry gives a harsh, sarcastic twist to the intimate rivalry of siblings…. [He] directs these uproarious rapid-fire flareups with exquisite comic timing and incisive comic framing,” wrote Richard Brody in The New Yorker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOtO8JBtxpE
Listen Up Philip
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 5:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2014, 109 mins. With Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce. Feeling alienated by the pressures of the New York literary world and the girlfriend who financially supports him, the narcissistic and self-involved author Philip Lewis Friedman seeks refuge in the country home of his equally self-obsessed idol, the older, more established writer Ike Zimmerman. “Words do more than hurt, they also slash and burn in this sharp, dyspeptic, sometimes gaspingly funny exploration of art and life […],” noted Manohla Dargisin The New York Times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkjn5ICqmJI
SPECIAL PREVIEW SCREENING
Queen of Earth
With Elisabeth Moss and Alex Ross Perry in person
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 7:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 90 mins. With Elisabeth Moss, Patrick Fugit, Katherine Waterson. Catherine (played in what Variety calls “an utterly fearless central performance by Elisabeth Moss”) has entered a particularly dark period in her life. Following her father’s death and a bad breakup with her longtime boyfriend, she decides to spend a week recuperating in the lake house of her best friend, Virginia. However, fissures between the two women begin to appear, sending Catherine into a downward spiral of delusion and madness. As Scott Foundas points out in his Variety review, ”Perry is working in a style that seems equally influenced by doppelganger narratives like Bergman’s Persona and Brian De Palma’s Sisters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU3a8oniq2s
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Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie are Sex Addicts in Red Band Trailer for SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE
IFC Films debuted the official poster and Red Band trailer for the romantic comedy SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, directed by Leslye Hedland and starring Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie. Sleeping With Other People open in theaters on September 11, 2015.
Can two serial cheaters get a second chance at love? After a one-night stand in college, New Yorkers Lainey (Alison Brie) and Jake (Jason Sudeikis) meet by chance twelve years later and discover they each have the same problem: because of their monogamy-challenged ways, neither can maintain a relationship. Determined to stay friends despite their mutual attraction, they make a pact to keep it platonic, a deal that proves easier said than done. Fresh, funny, and full of witty insights about modern love, this hilariously heartfelt film “is the rare rom-com that reminds us why we love them so much in the first place” (Time Out New York). Amanda Peet, Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne, and Jason Mantzoukas co-star.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8gsb2g9YGk