Strand Releasing is acquiring North American rights to Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ critically acclaimed documentary MALA MALA. A celebration of the trans and drag communities in Puerto Rico, the film made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and will have its highly anticipated debut in theaters on July 1st at the IFC Center.
Strand has a rich history of distributing a wide array of LGBT films from around the world, including Gregg Araki’s MYSTERIOUS SKIN, Daniel Ribeiro’s THE WAY HE LOOKS, James Franco’s INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR., and Hong Khaou’s LILTING. They are also distributing the upcoming Alanté Kavaïté’s THE SUMMER OF SANGAILÉ, Anucha Boonyawatana’s THE BLUE HOUR, and Dean Francis’ DROWN.
MALA MALA is a unique exploration of self-discovery and activism, featuring a diverse collection of subjects that include LGBTQ activists, business owners, sex workers, and a boisterous group of drag performers who call themselves The Doll House, MALA MALA portrays a fight for personal and community acceptance paved with triumphant highs and devastating lows. Filmed over the course of a historic three-year period, MALA MALA records the beginning of a new transliberation movement in Puerto Rico, as trans people came out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Through riveting cinematography that encapsulates the candy-colored, vivacious personalities as well as their frequently dark personal experiences, directors Santini and Sickles dynamically present the passion and hardships reflective of this distinctly binary human experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEy6pJ80nwFilms
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Strand Releasing Grabs Puerto Rican Transgender Documentary MALA MALA For Release in U.S. | TRAILER
Strand Releasing is acquiring North American rights to Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ critically acclaimed documentary MALA MALA. A celebration of the trans and drag communities in Puerto Rico, the film made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and will have its highly anticipated debut in theaters on July 1st at the IFC Center.
Strand has a rich history of distributing a wide array of LGBT films from around the world, including Gregg Araki’s MYSTERIOUS SKIN, Daniel Ribeiro’s THE WAY HE LOOKS, James Franco’s INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR., and Hong Khaou’s LILTING. They are also distributing the upcoming Alanté Kavaïté’s THE SUMMER OF SANGAILÉ, Anucha Boonyawatana’s THE BLUE HOUR, and Dean Francis’ DROWN.
MALA MALA is a unique exploration of self-discovery and activism, featuring a diverse collection of subjects that include LGBTQ activists, business owners, sex workers, and a boisterous group of drag performers who call themselves The Doll House, MALA MALA portrays a fight for personal and community acceptance paved with triumphant highs and devastating lows. Filmed over the course of a historic three-year period, MALA MALA records the beginning of a new transliberation movement in Puerto Rico, as trans people came out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Through riveting cinematography that encapsulates the candy-colored, vivacious personalities as well as their frequently dark personal experiences, directors Santini and Sickles dynamically present the passion and hardships reflective of this distinctly binary human experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEy6pJ80nw
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Award-Winning Thriller TWO STEP Sets Release Date, Opens July 31st | TRAILER
Director Alex R. Johnson’s award-winning thriller TWO STEP begins its limited theatrical release in New York City and Los Angeles, premiering on July 31st at the Village East Cinema, and opening in LA the following week. TWO STEP will be available across major iVOD/cVOD platforms starting on September 1st.
TWO STEP is a throwback Texas thriller in which the lives of James, a directionless college dropout, and Webb, 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, 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, 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.
Jason Tyrrell, Director of Acquisitions and Distribution for Traverse Media said, ‘TWO STEP is one of the most riveting films to come out of the festival circuit in 2014, and every moment of the fantastic imagery and powerful performances stick with you long after the credits roll. We are thrilled to be bringing Alex’s vision to a wider audience this summer’.
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://vimeo.com/93220155
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Cinedigm to Release LIFE Starring Robert Pattinson in Fall 2015 | VIDEO
Following its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, Cinedigm has acquired all U.S. distribution rights to Anton Corbijn’s LIFE, starring Dane DeHaan (Life After Beth; Kill Your Darlings; Place Beyond The Pines), Robert Pattinson (Twilight, Cosmopolis, Maps To The Stars), and Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Sexy Beast, Schindler’s List ). LIFE will open with a theatrical, digital and television VOD release beginning in Fall 2015.
Corbijn’s follow-up to A Most Wanted Man, LIFE captures the nuances and complexities of the relationship between photographer and subject in a way rarely seen or understood by someone outside the business. In a nod to Corbijn’s own past experience, the film is told from the perspective of the Life photographer Dennis Stock (played by Pattinson) who meets and profiles Dean (DeHaan) for the magazine, turning out some of Dean’s most iconic photographs.
“Life gorgeously chronicles the back story behind the 1955 photo spread that brought moody young heartthrob James Dean to the attention of the American public seven months before his death,” said Yolanda Macias, Cinedigm’s Executive Vice President of Acquisitions. “Beautiful to look at, powerful to experience, Life, using an Eisenhower-era America as prism, brilliantly presages America’s coming celebrity culture.”
The film was produced by Iain Canning’s See-Saw Films (The King’s Speech, Slow West), and is the second project in an ongoing collaboration between Corbijn and Canning, following their work together on Control. The script was written by Luke Davies (Candy, Lion).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-0Zym0vFWw
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2015 deadCENTER Film Festival to Open With ‘Best of Enemies’ and ‘Rolling Papers’
For the first time in its 15-year history, 2015 deadCENTER Film Festival will roll-out two official Opening Night films: “Best of Enemies,” at 6 p.m. and “Rolling Papers” at 8:30 p.m.at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Dr.
The 15th Annual deadCENTER Film Festival will take place from Wednesday, June 11 through Sunday, June 14 at five locations in downtown Oklahoma City.
“Best of Enemies” is a feature documentary directed by Robert Gordon and Oscar winner Moran Neville that follows William F. Buckley, leader of the new conservative movement, and Gore Vidal, leftist novelist and polemicist, as they battle for the soul of America in a series of debates hosted by ABC during the 1968 Presidential Conventions. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Running time: 87 min.
“Rolling Papers” (pictured above) is a feature documentary directed by Mitch Dickman about the Denver Post’s Ricardo Baca, the world’s first marijuana editor of a major newspaper. Policy news, strain reviews, parenting advice and edible recipes are the new norm on a new beat: pot journalism. Running time: 79 min.
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Oklahoma Film HOLLIS to Premiere at deadCENTER Film Festival
Filmed in rural Oklahoma, the feature film HOLLIS will premiere at Oklahoma City’s deadCENTER Film Festival taking place June 10 through 14, 2015
On Thursday, June 11, “Hollis” will be playing at Harkins Theater (150 East Reno Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73104) at 7 p.m., with an encore showing Saturday, June 13 at noon. Individual tickets will go on sale 20 minutes before the showing.
The film follows a young man, Darryl, who is forced to make the decision of staying in small town Hollis, Okla. to take care of his family versus going of to college to pursue his lifelong dreams.
Should Darryl stay home and protect his brother Hollis, who has cerebral palsy, from his abusive father? Or, should he head of to Duke University to make his dreams come true?
Written and directed by Sonny Priest (of Tall Gardener Motion Pictures), this film showcases a talented cast including Ty Fanning (“Secrets of a Psychopath”, “Home Run”) who plays Darryl, and Matt Altobelli, an OU acting graduate. The film also stars the talented Terry Masters and Cassidee Vandalia (who has acted alongside Javier Bardem in “To the Wonder”).
Produced by Adam Carter of Tall Gardener Motion Pictures, Brian Christopher Cates of Behold Motion Pictures(“Where Was God?”) and Vahid Farzaneh of Freestyle Marketing + Films (“The Posthuman Project,” “No One Knows”) this film is shot entirely in Oklahoma.
“Everything was for Okies by Okies. We shot in Hollis, El Reno, Wellston, near Kingfisher, and all around Oklahoma City. People really opened their doors for us, and we felt the support of the communities as a whole,” said writer and director Sonny Priest.
“We are extremely proud and excited to have Hollis’ world premiere at deadCENTER in Oklahoma City,” said producer Adam Carter. “It’s very cool to think that all of this started here in Oklahoma and is now coming to fruition in Oklahoma. I could not be more proud of our team who worked so hard and long for this dream to be realized. We are so excited for the world to see a bit of Oklahoma filmmaking.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1cY3_r6Azs
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THE SURFACE Starring Australian Model Harry Hains to Premiere at Frameline
THE SURFACE directed by Michael J. Saul (Crush, Adults Only, Go Go Reject) will World Premiere at Frameline, the San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival, at 6:00 pm, June 27, 2015 at the historic Castro Theatre. THE SURFACE follows a lost young man through his struggles to create his own sense of family.
Starring Australian model Harry Hains in his leading role debut, alongside Michael Redford and Nicholas McDonald, The Surface tells the story of Evan Jones, an orphan who was shifted from one foster home to another for years. Now a disaffected college student, he lives with his wealthy boyfriend, Chris. Their social and financial differences have made their relationship increasingly volatile despite their love for one another.
While sifting through relics at an elderly man’s yard sale, Evan finds an 8mm movie camera. The man offers to teach Evan how to use it if he comes back the following week. Upon returning, Evan meets the man’s 43-year-old son, Peter. Peter gives him reels of old 8mm movies that are collecting dust in the garage. The home movies, featuring a young Peter and his boyhood friend touch a nerve with Evan. Their youthful flirtations and tenderness are uncomplicated and pure. Evan begins to live vicariously through the home movies and his friendship with Peter soon turns romantic. Evan’s relationship with Chris splinters as he pushes for greater understanding of himself and the notions of family, love and fulfillment.
https://vimeo.com/110314788
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Watch Trailer for HBO Documentary LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE & ANGER
HBO has released the trailer for LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE & ANGER, premiering on Monday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. Directed by Jean Carlomusto, Larry Kramer in Love & Anger is a feature-length documentary about the legendary author, activist and playwright, Larry Kramer. It is an in-depth, “warts and all” portrait of one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired a generation of gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives.
Known simultaneously as egotistic, irrationally angry, self-promoting and rude, to his admirers he is a prophet whose early warnings to the gay community about promiscuity and AIDS now read as eerily prescient. A pioneering activist, Larry co-founded Gay Men’s Health Crisis and ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), where his calls for direct action protest made AIDS a national issue, forever changing public health policy. At the same time, his literary achievements championed the lives of gay people: a Tony Award for The Normal Heart; an Emmy Award for the HBO movie THE NORMAL HEART and an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay for Women in Love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIYPJDaITwU
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Trailer + Release Date for Horror Comedy BURYING THE EX
Check out the trailer for BURYING THE EX, the horror comedy from renowned director Joe Dante which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Written by Alan Trezza (TV’s “Sanctuary”), and starring Anton Yelchin (ODD THOMAS, FRIGHT NIGHT), Ashley Greene (TWILIGHT) and Alexandra Daddario (TV’s “True Detective”), the film will be released in theaters on June 19.
BURYING THE EX follows Max (Anton Yelchin), an all-around nice guy, and his overbearing but incredibly beautiful girlfriend, Evelyn (Ashely Greene). Their relationship takes a nosedive after they decide to move in together and Evelyn turns out to be a controlling, manipulative nightmare. Max realizes it’s time to call it quits, but there’s just one problem: he’s too afraid to break up with her. Fate steps in when Evelyn is involved in a freak accident and dies, leaving Max single and ready to mingle. Several weeks later, he has a chance encounter with Olivia (Alexandra Daddario), a cute and spirited girl who just might be his soul mate. But that same night, Evelyn returns from the grave as a dirt-smeared Zombie and she’s determined to live happily ever after with Max …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3vuRYFCwjo
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Gay French Drama TOM AT THE FARM To Be Released in U.S. Unrated
The gay French-language drama TOM AT THE FARM directed by Xavier Dolan, will finally be released in the U.S., nearly two years after it premiered at the 2013 Venice Film Festival.
Tom at the Farm, starring Dolan, along with Caleb Landry Jones and Pierre-Yves Cardinal, will be released in theaters and on VOD platforms on August 14, 2015.
“After the sudden death of his lover, Guillaume (Jones), Tom (Dolan) travels from his home in the city to Guillaume’s family’s remote country farm for the funeral. Upon arriving, he’s shocked to find that the family knows nothing of him and was expecting a woman in his place. Tom keeps his identity a secret but soon finds himself increasingly drawn into a twisted, sexually charged game by Guillaume’s aggressive brother (Cardinal), who suspects the truth.”
“It’s hard to say it in a fully modest way, but I was truly puzzled as to how exactly ‘Tom At The Farm’ had never landed distribution in the U.S.,” said Dolan. “To me, it was by far my most accessible film; I mean, it’s a 90-minute psychological thriller, and it’s sort of gory but then very conventional too. I’m obviously psyched that Amplify Releasing has taken ‘Tom’ under their wing. But the topic remains truly relevant — can intolerance and psychological violence ever be dull? — and I’m proud to know the American public will be able to see it. And hopefully, like it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOJpY6DfAE
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Horror Film ‘The Green Inferno’ Finally Gets U.S. Release Date
Eli Roth’s The Green Inferno will finally be released in the U.S. on September 25, 2015 in collaboration with Universal Pictures and High Top Releasing. The companies will debut The Green Inferno on approximately 1,000 screens.
The Green Inferno premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
In The Green Inferno, a group of student activists travels to the Amazon to save the rain forest and soon discover that they are not alone, and that no good deed goes unpunished.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fyb8vW6Y8
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Musical Comedy LUCKY STIFF Sets NYC Release Date + Day And Date Release
LUCKY STIFF will be released in New York City on July 24th, 2015, and also available to all U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite and digital platforms for a simultaneous day and date release.
The film is directed by Christopher Ashley (Tony nominated Broadway director of MEMPHIS, XANADU, ROCKY HORROR SHOW) with a screenplay and lyrics and music by the Tony Award winners and Academy Award nominated composer-lyricist team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (RAGTIME, ROCKY THE MUSICAL, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. The film is produced by Victor Symris (PSYCHO BEACH PARTY) and J. Todd Harris (Broadway’s DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, off Broadway’s HEAHERS THE MUSICAL, Academy nominated THE KIDS ARE ALLRIGHT, BOTTLE SHOCK.)
The film stars Jason Alexander (SEINFELD, Broadway’s FISH IN THE DARK), Nikki M. James (Tony Award winner for THE BOOK OF MORMON), Pamela Shaw (SCARCITY -HILLTOWN PLAYS (Obie 2014) MASKS OUTRAGEOUS, THE WHISTLEBLOWER, WALTER), Dennis Farina (LAW AND ORDER, EMPIRE FALLS) and Dominic Marsh (The Royal Shakespeare Company), Cheyenne Jackson (XANADU, ALL SHOOK UP, LOVE IS STRANGE) and KATE SHINDLE (LAW AND ORDER, CAPOTE).
Lucky Stiff is a musical comedy with a romantic heart. A young down and out British show salesman named harry Witherspoon (Dominic Marsh) takes his dead American uncle (Don Amendolia) to Monte Carlo for the best time of his life – a week of fun, dancing, gambling and sun. If the young man fulfills his dead uncle’s will to the letter, he will inherit 6 million dollars left to him. If he doesn’t, the money will go to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. As Harry races from casino to nightclub to beach and bedroom with his dead uncle, he is chased by a desperate put-upon optometrist (Jason Alexander) his controlling myopic trigger happy sister (Pamela Shaw) a mysterious Italian playboy (Dennis Farina) as well as young woman from Brooklyn (Nikki M James) dead set on getting that money for he dogs. Guns go off, disguises go on, champagne corks pop romance blossoms, dogs bark and everyone sings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXdT4FGiUnw
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Sports Documentary THE SEARCH FOR FREEDOM Set For One-Day Release in Theaters
The documentary THE SEARCH FOR FREEDOM, written and directed by Jon Long, is gearing up for a national one-day theatrical event release on June 10, 2015 in more than 75 theaters. The Earth Network, Abramorama, GrindTV, Tugg and Vimeo are collaborating on the US theatrical release.
The film’s VOD release in the United States will be on August 10, 2015. eONE and Universal are releasing the film on VOD across Canada and the around the world on August 10th as well.
THE SEARCH FOR FREEDOM is described as a visceral, visual experience chronicling how an electrifying new world came about through pure energy and imagination and the infinite possibilities of self-expression available to anyone willing to drop in. Told through the eyes, and the footage, of some of the brightest pioneers, legends, visionaries and champions of surfing, snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, mountain biking and more.
The film features interviews with skate board legend Tony Hawk, world champion surfer Kelly Slater, the modern day “Evel Knievel” Robbie Maddison, climbing icon Ron Kauk, windsurfing world Champion Robby Naish, world champion paddle boarder Kai Lenny, world champion long boarder Kelia Moniz, street skater Nyjah Huston, X Games Gold Medalist Tom Schaar, as well as the Godfather of the Action sports film Warren Miller, the father of the mountain bike Gary Fisher, Quiksilver founder and surfer Bob McKnight, filmmaker Bruce Brown, and rock climber and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, among others.
Filmmaker Jon Long stated, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with this group to bring ’The Search for Freedom’ to such a wide audience. This unique collaboration is a wonderful achievement for an independent film.”
https://vimeo.com/129512882