Mad Men and The Morning Show actor Jon Hamm is partnering with Shawn Ryan, the producer of CBS’ Swat and Netflix’s The Night Agent, for a live-action adaptation of the American Hostage podcast. The project hails from Ryan and Sony Pictures, with Hamm reprising his narrative role from the audio presentation.
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s exclusive report, Sony describes American Hostage as a “psychological thriller that tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman, a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis, demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.”
Hamm plays Heckman in the adaptation co-written by Ryan and Eileen Myers. The duo completed scripting for the series before the writers’ strike, but Sony waited until now to send it to market. Ryan’s plans for the series go beyond the initial scripts,...
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s exclusive report, Sony describes American Hostage as a “psychological thriller that tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman, a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis, demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.”
Hamm plays Heckman in the adaptation co-written by Ryan and Eileen Myers. The duo completed scripting for the series before the writers’ strike, but Sony waited until now to send it to market. Ryan’s plans for the series go beyond the initial scripts,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Mad Men alum Jon Hamm and producer Shawn Ryan are teaming on a live-action television series adaptation of the podcast American Hostage, with Hamm set to reprise his role from the audio series, Deadline has confirmed.
American Hostage is described as a “psychological thriller that tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman, a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis, demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.”
Hamm will reprise his podcast role as Heckman.
The script was completed by Mad Dogs scribes Ryan and Eileen Myers before the writers strike. Sony, where Ryan is under an overall deal, will now begin shopping the project to streaming services. Ryan envisions the series as an anthology, which will focus on a different hostage case each season.
Hamm will also...
American Hostage is described as a “psychological thriller that tells the harrowing true story of Fred Heckman, a beloved Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker, Tony Kiritsis, demands to be interviewed on his popular radio news program.”
Hamm will reprise his podcast role as Heckman.
The script was completed by Mad Dogs scribes Ryan and Eileen Myers before the writers strike. Sony, where Ryan is under an overall deal, will now begin shopping the project to streaming services. Ryan envisions the series as an anthology, which will focus on a different hostage case each season.
Hamm will also...
- 11/15/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) is to star in and exec-produce historical-fiction podcast series The Foxes of Hydesville, which will also feature Mckenna Grace (Handmaid’s Tale), Phoebe Tonkin (Babylon) and Christina Brucato (The Menu).
The nine-episode series is inspired by the true story of the Fox sisters, whose controversial, supposed talent for speaking to the dead inadvertently helped spawn the religion of modern Spiritualism.
The three sisters heralded from Rochester, New York, and found success as mediums in the 19th Century. The two younger sisters used “rappings” to convince their older sister and others that they were communicating with spirits. Their older sister then took charge of them and managed their careers. After finding success, in 1888 one sister confessed that their rappings had been a hoax and publicly demonstrated their method. Their reputation was ruined and in less than five years they were all dead.
The...
The nine-episode series is inspired by the true story of the Fox sisters, whose controversial, supposed talent for speaking to the dead inadvertently helped spawn the religion of modern Spiritualism.
The three sisters heralded from Rochester, New York, and found success as mediums in the 19th Century. The two younger sisters used “rappings” to convince their older sister and others that they were communicating with spirits. Their older sister then took charge of them and managed their careers. After finding success, in 1888 one sister confessed that their rappings had been a hoax and publicly demonstrated their method. Their reputation was ruined and in less than five years they were all dead.
The...
- 4/24/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Why would a 20-something author at the critical and commercial height of his young career leave everything behind? The Vanishing of Sidney Hall, starring Logan Lerman, is a movie that centers on solving this mystery.
In the above clip for Sidney Hall, Lerman's Hall is beginning to unravel following the massive success of his book, all while his pants-less agent (Nathan Lane) is pushing him toward a second book and a possible Pulitzer.
"I'm seeing things. Things that aren't there," says Hall, alluding to the larger problems that will sideline his burgeoning literary ambitions.
Written and directed by Shawn Christensen, the A24 feature also stars...
In the above clip for Sidney Hall, Lerman's Hall is beginning to unravel following the massive success of his book, all while his pants-less agent (Nathan Lane) is pushing him toward a second book and a possible Pulitzer.
"I'm seeing things. Things that aren't there," says Hall, alluding to the larger problems that will sideline his burgeoning literary ambitions.
Written and directed by Shawn Christensen, the A24 feature also stars...
- 2/20/2018
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you like a good mystery, I've got an intriguing trailer here for you to watch for the film The Vanishing of Sidney Hall. The film premiered at Sundance last year and I heard good things. After watching this trailer, I think it looks like a movie worth checking out.
The movie tells the story of a character named Sidney Hall, played by Logan Lerman, who found success as a writer with a popular novel that he wrote at an early age. He then ends up disappearing without a trace, so his friends and family start searching for him to see what happened. It's going to be interesting to see how this mystery unfolds.
I like the tone and the vibe of what I'm seeing and it has a super great cast that includes Logan Lerman, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane, and Margaret Qualley. Here's the synopsis:...
The movie tells the story of a character named Sidney Hall, played by Logan Lerman, who found success as a writer with a popular novel that he wrote at an early age. He then ends up disappearing without a trace, so his friends and family start searching for him to see what happened. It's going to be interesting to see how this mystery unfolds.
I like the tone and the vibe of what I'm seeing and it has a super great cast that includes Logan Lerman, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane, and Margaret Qualley. Here's the synopsis:...
- 1/11/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Following his Oscar-winning short Curfew, director Shawn Christensen assembled a starry cast for his new feature, including Logan Lerman, Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Kyle Chandler, and Nathan Lane. The Vanishing of Sidney Hall–which premiered at last year’s Sundance as the shortened-title Sidney Hall–follows a young author who goes missing and the detective on the case. Ahead of an A24 release, the first trailer has arrived.
Unfortunately we weren’t big fans of it at Sundance, saying in our review, “Sometimes a movie just does not have any reason to exist. That would be the case with Shawn Christensen‘s misbegotten Sidney Hall, a film which offers a mystery that never feels mysterious, falls so flat one is bewildered as to why and how such a project could even be green lit.”
See the trailer and poster below.
After publishing a bestselling novel based on the death of...
Unfortunately we weren’t big fans of it at Sundance, saying in our review, “Sometimes a movie just does not have any reason to exist. That would be the case with Shawn Christensen‘s misbegotten Sidney Hall, a film which offers a mystery that never feels mysterious, falls so flat one is bewildered as to why and how such a project could even be green lit.”
See the trailer and poster below.
After publishing a bestselling novel based on the death of...
- 1/11/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Kyle Chandler is on the hunt for a missing writer in the intriguing The Vanishing of Sidney Hall trailer. Shawn Christensen helms this new drama from indie super-studio A24, about a wildly popular writer who vanishes off the face of the earth. Or does he? A24 can’t stop, won’t stop – 2018 is barely 10 days old, […]
The post ‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall’ Trailer Cracks A Literary Mystery appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘The Vanishing of Sidney Hall’ Trailer Cracks A Literary Mystery appeared first on /Film.
- 1/10/2018
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Logan Lerman’s mystery “Sidney Hall” has sold distribution rights to reigning Best Picture-winner A24 and DirecTV, TheWrap has learned. The 2017 Sundance Film Festival selection will have a 30-day exclusive prerelease on DirecTV before A24 rolls it out in theaters. “Sidney” stars Lerman as a literary prodigy whose insights into his suburban town have serious consequences — bringing shame and forcing the young author into hiding. It costars Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Nathan Lane, Blake Jenner, Margaret Qualley and Tim Blake Nelson. Also Read: Neon Acquires Buzzy SXSW Thriller 'Gemini' Shawn Christensen, who helmed the Oscar-winning short “Curfew” and the feature “Before I Disappear,...
- 4/4/2017
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
One of the most anticipated projects from the Sundance film labs is getting into gear for an immient shoot and Variety reports that Blake Jenner (most recently seen in Shawn Christensen’s Sidney Hall), Barry Keoghan, Jared Abrahamson, Ann Dowd (seminal perf in Zobel’s Compliance) and legend veteran Udo Kier have been cast alongside Evan Peters in Bart Layton‘s fictional feature debut.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 2/9/2017
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
A Ghost StoryBelow you will find our favorite films of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, as well as an index of our coverage.Awardstop Picksjosh Cabritai.Call Me By Your NameII.A Ghost StoryIII.Beatriz at Dinner, Dayveon, Dina, Golden Exits, Kuro, Person to PersonLAWRENCE N Garciai.Call Me By Your NameII.Golden Exits, My Happy FamilyIII.Beatriz at Dinner, Dina, The Big Sick, Landline, Long Strange TripCORRESPONDENCESBy Josh Cabrita and Lawrence N Garcia#1 Josh Cabrita on William Oldroyd's Lady Macbeth, Dustin Guy Defa's Person to Person | Read#2 Lawrence N Garcia on Travis Wilkerson's Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?, Gillian Robespierre's Landline, Damien Power's Killing Ground, Taylor Sheridan's Wind River | Read#3 Josh Cabrita on Bryan Fogel's Icarus, Dee Rees' Mudbound, David Lowery's A Ghost Story | Read#4 Lawrence N Garcia on Luca Guadagnino's Call Me By Your Name, Matthew Heineman's City of Ghosts,...
- 2/1/2017
- MUBI
Composer Darren Morze collaborated with director Shawn Christensen to develop the lush sounds of Sundance entry ‘Sidney Hall.’ Sundance Film Festival entry Sidney Hall is a long-gestating labor of love for its creative team.
- 1/29/2017
- by Clarence Moye
- AwardsDaily.com
How a brilliant and clean-shaven young novelist could end up living like a bearded hobo is the central mystery of Sidney Hall, the sophomore feature from writer-director Shawn Christensen (Before I Disappear). The good-looking film scrambles three different timelines to tells its needlessly complicated — rather than complex — story: Sidney as a high-school student, being egged on by an inspirational teacher and interested in the cute girl across the street; Sidney as a young married man and successful author whose world starts to collapse around him; and finally Sidney as an aimless drifter, a poète maudit who has abandoned and...
- 1/27/2017
- by Boyd van Hoeij
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sometimes a movie just does not have any reason to exist. That would be the case with Shawn Christensen‘s misbegotten Sidney Hall, a film which offers a mystery that never feels mysterious, falls so flat one is bewildered as to why and how such a project could even be green lit.
Squandering a fine class of young talent, which includes Logan Lerman and Elle Fanning, the drama is tediously realized on page by screenwriter Jason Dolan and director Shawn Christensen (Before I Disappear), who appears to be game with stylish visual decisions, but can’t find a way to get the audience engaged.
The film begins with its titular character, Sidney (Lerman), reading aloud to the class an essay that ends up being a masturbatory fantasy about a cheerleader. The conservative teacher, who asked for an essay on the meaning of life, is obviously appalled. A particularly questionable decision...
Squandering a fine class of young talent, which includes Logan Lerman and Elle Fanning, the drama is tediously realized on page by screenwriter Jason Dolan and director Shawn Christensen (Before I Disappear), who appears to be game with stylish visual decisions, but can’t find a way to get the audience engaged.
The film begins with its titular character, Sidney (Lerman), reading aloud to the class an essay that ends up being a masturbatory fantasy about a cheerleader. The conservative teacher, who asked for an essay on the meaning of life, is obviously appalled. A particularly questionable decision...
- 1/26/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Long Strange TripDear Josh,If there's one minor upside to Sundance, it's that the films typically aren't very long. Since the festival is dedicated to indie film—or whatever mutated strain that it's become in recent years—runtimes typically average around 90 minutes, sometimes less. (This certainly isn't Cannes, where three-hour art films are the norm.) So when I was making my schedule, Amir Bar-Lev’s four-hour Grateful Dead documentary Long Strange Trip immediately stood out. (It apparently did so for a lot of other critics, too, given that this was, by far, the most sparsely attended press screening I went to.)Split into six “acts” (plus an intermission), the film chronicles the Grateful Dead from their start in the 1960s (“Act I: It's Alive!”) to the death of founding member Jerry Garcia in 1995 (“Act VI: It Becomes Everything”). Given the wealth of detail in the film—which covers everything from their time in Haight Ashbury,...
- 1/26/2017
- MUBI
The first indication something is horribly awry in Shawn Christensen’s “Sidney Hall” announces itself early on, thanks to a scene in which the precocious eponymous character (Logan Lerman, who also produced) reads aloud an essay, one dedicated to the middle-school object of his masturbatory obsessions, in his high school class. His classmates are alternately amused and disgusted, his pal Brett (Blake Jenner) is super into it, and his teacher is rightly offended. “Sidney Hall” makes its allegiances clear immediately — Sidney is smart and funny, the teacher is a square, the world is unfairly against him — and that perspective pervades the rest of the execrable film.
Sidney gets away with the stunt (he’s even supported by an English teacher who thinks it’s justified by Sidney’s wit), and so does the film itself. Initially it seems as if “Sidney Hall” will just be another film about lone geniuses...
Sidney gets away with the stunt (he’s even supported by an English teacher who thinks it’s justified by Sidney’s wit), and so does the film itself. Initially it seems as if “Sidney Hall” will just be another film about lone geniuses...
- 1/26/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Shawn Christensen’s second feature following his Oscar-winning short Curfew, Sidney Hall chronicles the tumultuous life of a writer at the ages of 18, 24 and 30. The film boasts an impressive cast (Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane) to supports its titular lead, played by Logan Lerman. Below, cinematographer Daniel Katz speaks to Filmmaker about the cameras, lenses and lighting approaches he used to distinguish each era of Sidney’s life. Sidney Hall held its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors […]...
- 1/25/2017
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Producer Uri Singer and actors Geena Davis, Tim Robbins, Lois Smith and Jon Hamm, “Marjorie Prime” Photographed by Jana Cruder for TheWrap. Writer-director Shawn Christensen and stars Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Logan Lerman, Blake Jenner, “Sidney Hall” Photographed by Jana Cruder for TheWrap. Actors Julia Ormond, Martin Donovan and Peter Dinklage with writer-director Mark Palasky, “Rememory” Photographed by Jana Cruder for TheWrap. Actress Shiri Appleby, actress Judy Greer, director Janicza Bravo, actress Nia Long, co-writer-star Brett Gelman, “Lemon” Photographed by Jana Cruder for TheWrap. Actress Alfre Woodard, actor DeRon Horton, writer-director Gerard McMurray, executive producer Common, and actors Tosin Cole and Trevor Jackson,...
- 1/24/2017
- by Photographed by Jana Cruder for TheWrap
- The Wrap
Comprising a considerable amount of our top 50 films of last year, Sundance Film Festival has proven to yield the first genuine look at what the year in cinema will bring. Now in its 39th iteration, we’ll be heading back to Park City this week, but before we do, it’s time to highlight the films we’re most looking forward to, including documentaries and narrative features from all around the world.
While much of the joy found in the festival comes from surprises throughout the event, below one will find our 20 most-anticipated titles. Check out everything below and for updates straight from the festival, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@TheFilmStage, @jpraup, @djmecca and @FinkJohnJ), and stay tuned to all of our coverage here.
20. Come Swim (Kristen Stewart)
With her pair of career-best performances under the direction of Olivier Assayas, as well as working with Kelly Reichardt, Woody Allen,...
While much of the joy found in the festival comes from surprises throughout the event, below one will find our 20 most-anticipated titles. Check out everything below and for updates straight from the festival, make sure to follow us on Twitter (@TheFilmStage, @jpraup, @djmecca and @FinkJohnJ), and stay tuned to all of our coverage here.
20. Come Swim (Kristen Stewart)
With her pair of career-best performances under the direction of Olivier Assayas, as well as working with Kelly Reichardt, Woody Allen,...
- 1/16/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It seems you can’t turn around without bumping into another movie starring Elle Fanning these days, and that’s just fine by us. The actress is one of the finest talents of her generation, and next month she’ll be at the Sundance Film Festival to get the word out about “Sidney Hall.”
Read More: 2017 Sundance Film Festival Adds ‘Wilson,’ Dee Rees’ ‘Mudbound,’ ‘Wind River’ Starring Jeremy Renner, & More
Co-written and directed by Shawn Christensen (“Before I Disappear“), and co-starring Logan Lerman, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane, and Margaret Qualley, in a movie that follows the titular character across a dozen years.
Continue reading Sundance Film Festival: Elle Fanning In ‘Sidney Hall’ at The Playlist.
Read More: 2017 Sundance Film Festival Adds ‘Wilson,’ Dee Rees’ ‘Mudbound,’ ‘Wind River’ Starring Jeremy Renner, & More
Co-written and directed by Shawn Christensen (“Before I Disappear“), and co-starring Logan Lerman, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane, and Margaret Qualley, in a movie that follows the titular character across a dozen years.
Continue reading Sundance Film Festival: Elle Fanning In ‘Sidney Hall’ at The Playlist.
- 12/5/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
“Bloodline” Season 2, now streaming on Netflix, is a must-see. And much of the credit goes to its star, Kyle Chandler.
From “Damages” creators Todd and Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman, the feverish Florida neo-noir is a dysfunctional family drama that reveals how and why three siblings would turn on their oldest brother (Ben Mendelsohn). The writers were fascinated by the roles taken on by each member of a family, from the black sheep to the fixer. When volatile wild card Danny Rayburn re-enters the scene, he disrupts the Rayburn family, led by its hotelier and matriarch (Sissy Spacek) and local detective John Rayburn (Chandler). (Mendelsohn and Chandler both scored acting Emmy nominations for Season 1.)
In Season 2, John and his two agitated siblings (Linda Cardellini and Norbert Leo Butz) must deal with the aftermath of Danny’s murder. Danny haunts them in more ways than one, not only messing with their heads,...
From “Damages” creators Todd and Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman, the feverish Florida neo-noir is a dysfunctional family drama that reveals how and why three siblings would turn on their oldest brother (Ben Mendelsohn). The writers were fascinated by the roles taken on by each member of a family, from the black sheep to the fixer. When volatile wild card Danny Rayburn re-enters the scene, he disrupts the Rayburn family, led by its hotelier and matriarch (Sissy Spacek) and local detective John Rayburn (Chandler). (Mendelsohn and Chandler both scored acting Emmy nominations for Season 1.)
In Season 2, John and his two agitated siblings (Linda Cardellini and Norbert Leo Butz) must deal with the aftermath of Danny’s murder. Danny haunts them in more ways than one, not only messing with their heads,...
- 6/27/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
“Bloodline” Season 2, now streaming on Netflix, is a must-see. And much of the credit goes to its star, Kyle Chandler.
From “Damages” creators Todd and Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman, the feverish Florida neo-noir is a dysfunctional family drama that reveals how and why three siblings would turn on their oldest brother (Ben Mendelsohn). The writers were fascinated by the roles taken on by each member of a family, from the black sheep to the fixer. When volatile wild card Danny Rayburn re-enters the scene, he disrupts the Rayburn family, led by its hotelier and matriarch (Sissy Spacek) and local detective John Rayburn (Chandler). (Mendelsohn and Chandler both scored acting Emmy nominations for Season 1.)
In Season 2, John and his two agitated siblings (Linda Cardellini and Norbert Leo Butz) must deal with the aftermath of Danny’s murder. Danny haunts them in more ways than one, not only messing with their heads,...
From “Damages” creators Todd and Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman, the feverish Florida neo-noir is a dysfunctional family drama that reveals how and why three siblings would turn on their oldest brother (Ben Mendelsohn). The writers were fascinated by the roles taken on by each member of a family, from the black sheep to the fixer. When volatile wild card Danny Rayburn re-enters the scene, he disrupts the Rayburn family, led by its hotelier and matriarch (Sissy Spacek) and local detective John Rayburn (Chandler). (Mendelsohn and Chandler both scored acting Emmy nominations for Season 1.)
In Season 2, John and his two agitated siblings (Linda Cardellini and Norbert Leo Butz) must deal with the aftermath of Danny’s murder. Danny haunts them in more ways than one, not only messing with their heads,...
- 6/27/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Revealing that the project was chased at the script stage by Fox Searchlight and Amazon, you’ll want to keep tabs on this project as Variety reports that Michelle Monaghan, Kyle Chandler and Nathan Lane have been cast in supporting player roles alongside the already cast / “ageless’ pairing of Logan Lerman and Elle Fanning in Shawn Christensen’s soon to be lensed Sidney Hall.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 4/22/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Editor's Note: This article is part of a partnership between Indiewire and Vimeo in support of the 3Rd Annual Lexus Short Films Series. Lexus and The Weinstein Company are crowd sourcing director submissions from the filmmaking community worldwide for the third series of Lexus Short Films. Click here for more details, and here to view the call for submissions and past winners' videos. Filmmaker Shawn Christensen wrote and directed "Curfew," which won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. In the above video, he explains his motivation and his process for crafting the film about a depressed young man (played by Christensen) who, at the lowest point in his life, is asked to watch his 9-year-old niece. Though each filmmaker has to find their own process, Christensen finds that outlines don't work for him. "I don't outline -- the premise being that I don't want to get boxed into something I have to do.
- 8/26/2015
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Two outings for The Toxic Avenger and a surprisingly good vampire movie feature in this month's Bottom Shelf...
The advent of high definition technology has ushered in an era of unsurpassed quality in terms of the home-cinema experience. With TVs now able to match filmmakers' original visions closer than ever, the path has been cleared for the true maverick masters of cinema to shine on the small screen. Which brings us to Troma Entertainment head honchos Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, whose final two Toxic Avenger sequelsmake their way onto Blu-ray this month.
Not by any stretch of the imagination a pair of essential HD releases (you could argue the grainy footage of any Troma film is best viewed on ancient VHS), The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation Of Toxie and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV are what they are: both the best and worst of Kaufman...
The advent of high definition technology has ushered in an era of unsurpassed quality in terms of the home-cinema experience. With TVs now able to match filmmakers' original visions closer than ever, the path has been cleared for the true maverick masters of cinema to shine on the small screen. Which brings us to Troma Entertainment head honchos Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, whose final two Toxic Avenger sequelsmake their way onto Blu-ray this month.
Not by any stretch of the imagination a pair of essential HD releases (you could argue the grainy footage of any Troma film is best viewed on ancient VHS), The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation Of Toxie and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV are what they are: both the best and worst of Kaufman...
- 2/17/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Electric Entertainment closes multiple territories on thriller starring Anthony Hopkins
Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment has closed multiple territories on the thriller Go With Me starring Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta and Hal Halbrook.
Go With Me is in post in Sweden and centres on a woman who turns to a former logger and his sidekick to take on a bullying local crime lord in a Pacific Northwest town.
Deals have closed in Spain (Corbi Media), Latin America (California Filmes), Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria (Grandview Castle), Taiwan (Cmc), Middle East (Eagle), Turkey (Central Park), Israel (Shoval) and former-Yugoslavia (Cinemania).
Fox acquired select Southeast Asian territories, Mnet has picked up in South Africa and Entertainment In Motion will handle international airlines.
Electric and Enderby Entertainment co-finance the project, which Daniel Alfredson directs from Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs’ adaptation of the book by Castle Freman Jr.
Rick Dugdale produces...
Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment has closed multiple territories on the thriller Go With Me starring Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta and Hal Halbrook.
Go With Me is in post in Sweden and centres on a woman who turns to a former logger and his sidekick to take on a bullying local crime lord in a Pacific Northwest town.
Deals have closed in Spain (Corbi Media), Latin America (California Filmes), Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria (Grandview Castle), Taiwan (Cmc), Middle East (Eagle), Turkey (Central Park), Israel (Shoval) and former-Yugoslavia (Cinemania).
Fox acquired select Southeast Asian territories, Mnet has picked up in South Africa and Entertainment In Motion will handle international airlines.
Electric and Enderby Entertainment co-finance the project, which Daniel Alfredson directs from Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs’ adaptation of the book by Castle Freman Jr.
Rick Dugdale produces...
- 2/9/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Becoming consumed by endless self-pity can often lead people to become disconnected from the world that they fail to fully recognize the extreme emotional effects the self-imposed isolation begins to have on them. It isn’t until they’re forced into a dire situation with their estranged relatives that they finally grasp that they miss the once close relationships they used to have, and how irrational their recent decisions have become. Filmmaker Shawn Christensen powerfully emphasized the significance of people truly embracing and appreciating the opportunity to rekindle those close bonds to help them overcome their internal struggles in his new drama, ‘Before I Disappear.’ The movie, which marks the screenwriter’s feature [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Shawn Christensen Talks Before I Disappear (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Shawn Christensen Talks Before I Disappear (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/28/2014
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Stars: Katherine Waterston, Scott Eastwood, Sara Paxton, Shaun Sipos, Christopher Denham, Jesse Perez, Leigh Lezark, Vic Finalborgo | Written by Shawn Christensen, Jason Dolan | Directed by Jack Heller
Three strangers find themselves lost in a strange forest. Stuck together in the same cabin with supplies and heat scarce, they try to figure a way out of their situation. As they begin to learn more about each other, secrets are revealed and they find that they may be all connected in more ways than they realised. As the mystery grows about their situation, they find there is no way to escape their cabin in the woods, and that they might not be as alone as they first thought…
The Haunting of Black Wood (aka Enter Nowhere) is a mystery film that will keep you guessing right until the end. This film is definitely in the same vein as Cabin in the Woods,...
Three strangers find themselves lost in a strange forest. Stuck together in the same cabin with supplies and heat scarce, they try to figure a way out of their situation. As they begin to learn more about each other, secrets are revealed and they find that they may be all connected in more ways than they realised. As the mystery grows about their situation, they find there is no way to escape their cabin in the woods, and that they might not be as alone as they first thought…
The Haunting of Black Wood (aka Enter Nowhere) is a mystery film that will keep you guessing right until the end. This film is definitely in the same vein as Cabin in the Woods,...
- 12/21/2014
- by Richard Axtell
- Nerdly
This year, we've already seen two examples of filmmakers taking their short films and expanding them to feature length releases: the hugely acclaimed "Whiplash" from Damien Chazelle, and Shawn Christensen with "Before I Disappear." And now, director Diego Ongaro is hoping to weave similar success with "Bob And The Trees." He's headed to the Sundance Film Festival next month to premiere the film. Based on his 2010 short of the same name, the film is led by Bob Tarasuk, playing a 50 year-old logger who is struggling to make ends meet in the ever changing economy. When his cow gets mysteriously wounded and his job takes a turn for the worst, his darker personality rises to the surface. In this exclusive clip, we can see Bob trying to defend the ownership of a business that doesn't seem to be amounting to much. "Bob And The Trees" will screen in the Next section...
- 12/17/2014
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Title: Before I Disappear Director: Shawn Christensen Starring: Shawn Christensen, Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley and Ron Perlman Harrowingly struggling to find the true purpose in your life, and bravely fighting against with the morally correct decisions surrounding, despite the consequences those actions might cause, is a commendable effort that most people don’t follow through with until they’re forced to face the distressing obstacles in their lives. ‘Before I Disappear,’ the new independent drama that marks the feature film directorial and acting debuts of screenwriter Shawn Christensen, grippingly explores the heartfelt reunion between an estranged family. At the same time, the story is brazenly set in a dangerous criminal [ Read More ]
The post Before I Disappear Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Before I Disappear Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/29/2014
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Before I Disappear
Written and directed by Shawn Christensen
USA/UK, 2014
We don’t get many cinematic one-man shows these days. Shawn Christensen takes up the challenge by writing, directing and starring in the new indie mind-screw, Before I Disappear. Though thin on plot and heavy on convulsions, there’s enough visual flair and wickedly-dark humor to reward your patience. Psychedelic-noir gets mashed-up with The Odd Couple, and it works a lot better than you might imagine.
Richie (Christensen) would love to kill himself, if only his damn telephone would stop ringing! Even though he just slashed his wrists and downed a bottle of pills, life won’t allow him the courtesy of a dignified death. He’s just about to throw his phone out the window when he gets a call from his estranged sister, Maggie (Emmy Rossum). She’s in a bind and needs Richie to watch her precocious 11 year-old daughter,...
Written and directed by Shawn Christensen
USA/UK, 2014
We don’t get many cinematic one-man shows these days. Shawn Christensen takes up the challenge by writing, directing and starring in the new indie mind-screw, Before I Disappear. Though thin on plot and heavy on convulsions, there’s enough visual flair and wickedly-dark humor to reward your patience. Psychedelic-noir gets mashed-up with The Odd Couple, and it works a lot better than you might imagine.
Richie (Christensen) would love to kill himself, if only his damn telephone would stop ringing! Even though he just slashed his wrists and downed a bottle of pills, life won’t allow him the courtesy of a dignified death. He’s just about to throw his phone out the window when he gets a call from his estranged sister, Maggie (Emmy Rossum). She’s in a bind and needs Richie to watch her precocious 11 year-old daughter,...
- 11/28/2014
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
This year, Damien Chazelle took his award winning short film "Whiplash" and turned it into an acclaimed, awards contending feature length movie. And that's the same path Shawn Christensen has taken with "Before I Disappear." His 2012 short "Curfew" took home an Academy Award, and now he's arrived two years later with the full length version of that tale and today we have an exclusive clip. Starring Christensen himself, along with Ron Perlman, Emmy Rossum, and Fatima Ptacek, the story follows Richie, a depressed and suicidal young man, who suddenly is thrust into caring for his young niece, Sophia. And so begins their time together and a journey through Manhattan, though it isn't always smooth sailing. As you'll see in this scene, Sophia wants to know as much as possible about the man who's looking after her, much to Richie's chagrin. "Before I Disappear" is on VOD today and now playing in limited release.
- 11/28/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
For all but the biggest cinephiles, the Academy Awards shorts categories can feel like a game of chance, seeking to throw off viewers’ shots at winning the office Oscar pool. Shawn Christensen’s “Curfew” picked up the prize for 2012 in live-action short, and his film has been expanded into the full-length “Before I Disappear.” The feature gains a few recognizable faces and roughly 80 minutes in the translation, while it loses some of its charms, proving that sometimes less is more. Depressed and deep in debt, Richie (Christensen) is in the midst of a suicide attempt when his estranged sister Maggie (Emmy Rossum) calls in a panic. She needs Richie to pick up her 11-year-old daughter Sophia (Fatima Ptacek) from a recital and keep an eye on her for a few hours. Richie reluctantly agrees, but a few hours turns into a day. Richie takes Sophia across New York City, sharing...
- 11/27/2014
- by Kimber Myers
- The Playlist
The 90-minute expansion of an Oscar-winning short chooses art over heart, and lacks the emotional conviction of its progenitor. I’m “biast” (pro): enjoyed the short film this is based on
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have seen the source material (and I like it)
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
A few years ago, writer-director Shawn Christensen won the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short for his film “Curfew,” about a depressed young man (played by the filmmaker) whose suicide attempt is interrupted by a phone call from his estranged sister asking him to do some emergency babysitting of her nine-year-old daughter. The 19-minute short was blackly charming and deeply unsentimental in how it went about its tale of redemption and reconciliation. For this 90-minute expansion of the story, Christensen, alas, chose hallucinatory style over emotional conviction, and the result is far less satisfying; sometimes briefer is better.
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have seen the source material (and I like it)
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
A few years ago, writer-director Shawn Christensen won the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short for his film “Curfew,” about a depressed young man (played by the filmmaker) whose suicide attempt is interrupted by a phone call from his estranged sister asking him to do some emergency babysitting of her nine-year-old daughter. The 19-minute short was blackly charming and deeply unsentimental in how it went about its tale of redemption and reconciliation. For this 90-minute expansion of the story, Christensen, alas, chose hallucinatory style over emotional conviction, and the result is far less satisfying; sometimes briefer is better.
- 11/27/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
In case you needed more proof that the SXSW festival has become an overblown tech and marketing event with zero artistic credibility, look no further than Shawn Christensen's Before I Disappear, the Audience Award Winner at 2013's festival. Expanded from a 2012 Oscar-winning short, this tedious debut feature hits on every typical American indie cliché: siblings who don't get along, bad parenting, a (man's) refusal to grow up, dancing, droll attempts at humor, and a protagonist with a crappy job who can still afford a giant Manhattan apartment. Of course, the greatest cliché of all — writing, directing, and starring in your own emotionally mealy movie — is, well, the entire problem here. Aside from having no distance from this project, C...
- 11/26/2014
- Village Voice
The Sting Called Love: Christensen’s Debut Rife with Melodramatic Cliché
Shawn Christensen, who won an Academy Award for his 2013 short film, Curfew, expands his award winning triumph to feature length with Before I Disappear. Something gets a little lost in the translation, however, in this tale about a vagabond hipster loser who actually inspires less empathy the more time we experience his dilemma on screen. It takes the right blend of melancholy personality to strike the correct balance of the loveable, love-struck loser (i.e., Joaquin Phoenix in Her) and Christensen, who casts himself in the lead, doesn’t feel quite right, though character and narrative development are partially to blame for the ambivalence as well. It’s a tale that requires a strong, emotional component to be successful, and its glaring absence only becomes more and more apparent as it shuttles us off into the vacuum of the hopeful ending.
Shawn Christensen, who won an Academy Award for his 2013 short film, Curfew, expands his award winning triumph to feature length with Before I Disappear. Something gets a little lost in the translation, however, in this tale about a vagabond hipster loser who actually inspires less empathy the more time we experience his dilemma on screen. It takes the right blend of melancholy personality to strike the correct balance of the loveable, love-struck loser (i.e., Joaquin Phoenix in Her) and Christensen, who casts himself in the lead, doesn’t feel quite right, though character and narrative development are partially to blame for the ambivalence as well. It’s a tale that requires a strong, emotional component to be successful, and its glaring absence only becomes more and more apparent as it shuttles us off into the vacuum of the hopeful ending.
- 11/24/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
With yesterday's announcement of the live action short film finalists we have our finalists in all three of those miniature categories. You can read more about all of them on their Oscar chart. It's exciting to see how many debut filmmakers or people who've never been recognized before are in the running. Some of them are about to have a life-changing experience. Take Shawn Christensen who won the 2012 Live Action Short Oscar for Curfew. He's just taken that all the way to his first feature which is an expansion of that. It's called Before I Disappear and it hits On Demand And iTunes a week and some theatrical later I believe.
If the nominees don't have a life-changing moment -- it's hard to get a movie made period. Even if you've won awards -- they can at least have a glamorous one in the Dolby with all the movie stars.
If the nominees don't have a life-changing moment -- it's hard to get a movie made period. Even if you've won awards -- they can at least have a glamorous one in the Dolby with all the movie stars.
- 11/21/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
You may not have heard of director Shawn Christensen, but there’s one thing you should know about him – he’s an Oscar winner. Back in 2013, the filmmaker bagged the Best Live Action Short golden statuette for Curfew. Embracing the Academy’s reception of his little movie, he took his victory as a sign that he should adapt the gritty drama into a feature. Now, one year later, the full-length version, retitled Before I Disappear, looks set to follow in the footsteps of the original.
Christensen’s updated take expands on the story we were first introduced to in the short. For those of you who’ve not had the chance to see it, you can get a good glimpse at what’s in store via the latest trailer. With a brilliant cast this time around, the movie follows a precocious 11-year old (Fatima Ptacek) who winds up in the...
Christensen’s updated take expands on the story we were first introduced to in the short. For those of you who’ve not had the chance to see it, you can get a good glimpse at what’s in store via the latest trailer. With a brilliant cast this time around, the movie follows a precocious 11-year old (Fatima Ptacek) who winds up in the...
- 10/29/2014
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
Shawn Christensen's Before I Disappear has released a new trailer.
The writer-director-actor's comedy received an Audience Award at SXSW.
Emmy Rossum, Ron Perlman, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Fatima Ptacek also feature in the movie.
Before I Disappear centres around struggling Richie (Christensen), who agrees to look after his estranged sister's 11-year-old daughter.
After a day of misadventures, Richie begins to realise that he may be the one who needs to grow up.
Before I Disappear will open on November 28 in the Us. A UK release date is yet to be announced.
The writer-director-actor's comedy received an Audience Award at SXSW.
Emmy Rossum, Ron Perlman, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Fatima Ptacek also feature in the movie.
Before I Disappear centres around struggling Richie (Christensen), who agrees to look after his estranged sister's 11-year-old daughter.
After a day of misadventures, Richie begins to realise that he may be the one who needs to grow up.
Before I Disappear will open on November 28 in the Us. A UK release date is yet to be announced.
- 10/28/2014
- Digital Spy
Shawn Christensen might not be an immediately familiar name, but in 2013 he took home an Best Live Action Short Oscar for "Curfew." Now he's returned with "Before I Disappear," a feature length take on the same story which earned him an Audience Award from SXSW among other honors from festivals around the world. And now the film is headed to theaters. Starring Emmy Rossum, Ron Perlman, Paul Wesley, Fatima Ptacek, and Christensen, "Before I Disappear" tells the tale of the unraveling Richie, who's tasked with looking after his 11 year-old niece. And while that might seem a familiar premise, the trailers suggests a unique, heartfelt perspective. The movie also screened at the Venice Film Festival as well this summer, suggesting the film is more than just another quirky indie. "Before I Disappear" opens on November 28th. Watch below.
- 10/28/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Thriller to be directed by Daniel Alfredson and is headed to the Afm.
Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment has injected some vitality into a torpid pre-afm stretch on the Us side, announcing it will co-finance and has taken all worldwide rights to Go With Me starring Anthony Hopkins.
Kidnapping Freddy Heineken director Daniel Alfredson reunites with Hopkins on the story of a young woman who enlists the help of a former logger and his sidekick to confront a local crime lord.
Alfredson also directed The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest. Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs adapted the book by Castle Freeman Jr.
Electric is co-financing with Enderby Entertainment. Rick Dugdale of Enderby produces alongside Lindsay Williams and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein of The Gotham Group, Jacobs and Hopkins.
International sales executive Nolan Pielak, who heads up Electric’s British Columbia offices, brought in the project.
Production is set...
Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment has injected some vitality into a torpid pre-afm stretch on the Us side, announcing it will co-finance and has taken all worldwide rights to Go With Me starring Anthony Hopkins.
Kidnapping Freddy Heineken director Daniel Alfredson reunites with Hopkins on the story of a young woman who enlists the help of a former logger and his sidekick to confront a local crime lord.
Alfredson also directed The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest. Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs adapted the book by Castle Freeman Jr.
Electric is co-financing with Enderby Entertainment. Rick Dugdale of Enderby produces alongside Lindsay Williams and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein of The Gotham Group, Jacobs and Hopkins.
International sales executive Nolan Pielak, who heads up Electric’s British Columbia offices, brought in the project.
Production is set...
- 10/23/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hollywood Film Festival executive director Jon Fitzgerald has announced the event’s winners.
The jury prize for best documentary feature went to Joe Piscatella’s #Chicago Girl, while Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear won the jury prize for best narrative feature.
Brendan Calder’s Learning To Float won the jury prize for best documentary short and Edwin Adlam Herod and Drue Pennella’s Fourteen Seeds took best narrative short.
Turning to the Cincecause Spotlight filmmakers, Michael Barnett’s Becoming Bulletproof earned recognition in the documentary category while narrative honours went to Andy Landen’s Sequoia.
As previously announced Harry Belafonte was given the first CineCause ChangeMaker Icon honour earlier this year and his daughter Gina Belafonte spoke on his behalf at the celebration.
The revamped Hollywood Film Festival ran from October 16-19.
The jury prize for best documentary feature went to Joe Piscatella’s #Chicago Girl, while Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear won the jury prize for best narrative feature.
Brendan Calder’s Learning To Float won the jury prize for best documentary short and Edwin Adlam Herod and Drue Pennella’s Fourteen Seeds took best narrative short.
Turning to the Cincecause Spotlight filmmakers, Michael Barnett’s Becoming Bulletproof earned recognition in the documentary category while narrative honours went to Andy Landen’s Sequoia.
As previously announced Harry Belafonte was given the first CineCause ChangeMaker Icon honour earlier this year and his daughter Gina Belafonte spoke on his behalf at the celebration.
The revamped Hollywood Film Festival ran from October 16-19.
- 10/20/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The festival’s 25th edition will feature a contribution from Ai Weiwei and competition titles including Whiplash, Nightcrawler and Foxcatcher.
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
I Can Quit Whenever I Want wins the Golden Puffin; Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear gets special jury mention.
Italian comedy I Can Quit Whenever I Want (Smetto quando voglio) has won the Golden Puffin at the Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
The film marks the directorial debut of Sydney Sibilia and topped the 12 titles in Riff’s New Visions competitive strand, which are all first or second features.
The story centres on a university researcher who is fired because of cutbacks and decides to produce drugs with his former colleagues
A special mention of the jury was given to drama Before I Disappear, written, directed and starring Shawn Christensen.
The jury comprised Icelanic actor Björn Thors, international distributor Pascale Ramonda, Film London CEO Adrian Wooton, Peter Debruge, and festival advisor Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, keeper of the national treasures and the manager of the Office of National Heritage.
The jury described...
Italian comedy I Can Quit Whenever I Want (Smetto quando voglio) has won the Golden Puffin at the Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
The film marks the directorial debut of Sydney Sibilia and topped the 12 titles in Riff’s New Visions competitive strand, which are all first or second features.
The story centres on a university researcher who is fired because of cutbacks and decides to produce drugs with his former colleagues
A special mention of the jury was given to drama Before I Disappear, written, directed and starring Shawn Christensen.
The jury comprised Icelanic actor Björn Thors, international distributor Pascale Ramonda, Film London CEO Adrian Wooton, Peter Debruge, and festival advisor Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, keeper of the national treasures and the manager of the Office of National Heritage.
The jury described...
- 10/4/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Day Two at the Port Townsend Film Festival heralded the arrival of legendary independent filmmaker, John Sayles. Screening his Academy Award-nominated film, Lone Star, Sayles comes armed with many stories of horror and inspiration from the indie frontlines. He notes that current “filmmaking has democratized incredibly,” becoming a land of opportunity for young (read: resource poor) filmmakers.
Several features made their debut, including, Noble, the real-life story of the slightly-crazy, Christina Noble. Writer-director, Stephen Bradley, gives us a fictionalized account of Noble’s courageous quest to help the street children of Vietnam. Also premiering was director, Yorgos Tsemberopoulos’ troubling meditation on vengeance, The Enemy Within. Incorporating current social themes in Athens, Greece, this film asks that age-old cinematic question, “How far would you go to protect your home and family?”
Part history lesson, part Ecology 101, Return of the River is an uplifting documentary about how hope and perseverance can sometimes undo past wrongdoings.
Several features made their debut, including, Noble, the real-life story of the slightly-crazy, Christina Noble. Writer-director, Stephen Bradley, gives us a fictionalized account of Noble’s courageous quest to help the street children of Vietnam. Also premiering was director, Yorgos Tsemberopoulos’ troubling meditation on vengeance, The Enemy Within. Incorporating current social themes in Athens, Greece, this film asks that age-old cinematic question, “How far would you go to protect your home and family?”
Part history lesson, part Ecology 101, Return of the River is an uplifting documentary about how hope and perseverance can sometimes undo past wrongdoings.
- 9/21/2014
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Titles include Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear and Suha Arraf’s Villa Touma [pictured]; guests include Mike Leigh and Ruben Ostlund.
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
- 9/18/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Jon Fitzgerald and his team at the reboot Hollywood Film Festival with its emphasis on socially conscious films have unveiled the line-up of features by first-time directors.
The roster includes the world premiere of Pancakes by Yasu Shibuya, the previously announced world premiere of My Name Is Water by Justin Arana and the Us premiere of
Also set to screen in Horizons are: Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear; Andy Landen’s Sequoia Sister by David Lascher; Time Lapse by B.P. Cooper and Bradley King and Alex Of Venice (pictured) by Chris Messina; The Dramatics by Scott Rodgers; and You Must Be Joking by Jake Wilson.
“New talent continues to be the lifeblood of Hollywood,” said Fitzgerald. “Horizons is a natural fit in providing a platform for emerging directors to be on the industry’s radar.”
The Hollywood Film Festival will run from October 16-19. To see the full line-up visit the official website.
The roster includes the world premiere of Pancakes by Yasu Shibuya, the previously announced world premiere of My Name Is Water by Justin Arana and the Us premiere of
Also set to screen in Horizons are: Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear; Andy Landen’s Sequoia Sister by David Lascher; Time Lapse by B.P. Cooper and Bradley King and Alex Of Venice (pictured) by Chris Messina; The Dramatics by Scott Rodgers; and You Must Be Joking by Jake Wilson.
“New talent continues to be the lifeblood of Hollywood,” said Fitzgerald. “Horizons is a natural fit in providing a platform for emerging directors to be on the industry’s radar.”
The Hollywood Film Festival will run from October 16-19. To see the full line-up visit the official website.
- 9/8/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Mr. Turner among first 12 films named in the Riff line-up.
British filmmaker Mike Leigh has been named the guest of honour at the Reykjavík International Film Festival, ahead of its 11th edition (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
His latest film, Mr. Turner, which picked up a Best Actor prize for Timothy Spall at the Cannes Film Festival in May, will be screened at the festival.
Previous Riff guests of honour include Milos Forman, Lukas Moodysson and Jim Jarmusch.
More than 80 features will be screened at the festival and 12 films by new directors will compete for the Golden Puffin in the New Visions category.
Other strands include Open Seas, featuring a variety of recent prize-winning films; green movies, comprising documentaries on environmental matters, in strand titled A Different Tomorrow; Icelandic short films; and a variety of docs.
Ahead of releasing the full line-up, an initial 12 titles have been teased out. As well as Mr. Turner, these include:...
British filmmaker Mike Leigh has been named the guest of honour at the Reykjavík International Film Festival, ahead of its 11th edition (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
His latest film, Mr. Turner, which picked up a Best Actor prize for Timothy Spall at the Cannes Film Festival in May, will be screened at the festival.
Previous Riff guests of honour include Milos Forman, Lukas Moodysson and Jim Jarmusch.
More than 80 features will be screened at the festival and 12 films by new directors will compete for the Golden Puffin in the New Visions category.
Other strands include Open Seas, featuring a variety of recent prize-winning films; green movies, comprising documentaries on environmental matters, in strand titled A Different Tomorrow; Icelandic short films; and a variety of docs.
Ahead of releasing the full line-up, an initial 12 titles have been teased out. As well as Mr. Turner, these include:...
- 9/4/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
IFC Films has picked up North American rights to Shawn Christensen’s drama ahead of its international premiere in Venice. Separately, The Orchard has picked up Marshall Curry’s Tribeca-winning doc Point And Shoot.
Christensen wrote Before I Disappear and stars alongside Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Ron Perlman.
Damon Russell, Lucan Toh, Christensen, Wesley and Terry Leonard produced and the executive producers are Christopher Eoyang, Nick Harbinson, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo.
IFC plans a November roll-out for the story of a down-at-heel man whose sister asks him to babysit his 11-year-old niece for the night. The film won the SXSW narrative feature audience award.
“Curfew [Christensen’s short film on which the feature is based] was only a glimpse at Shawn’s incredible talent, and we cannot wait to bring his fully realised vision to audiences nationwide,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring. “Before I Disappear marks an amazing feature directorial debut.”
“Working with Shawn...
Christensen wrote Before I Disappear and stars alongside Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Ron Perlman.
Damon Russell, Lucan Toh, Christensen, Wesley and Terry Leonard produced and the executive producers are Christopher Eoyang, Nick Harbinson, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo.
IFC plans a November roll-out for the story of a down-at-heel man whose sister asks him to babysit his 11-year-old niece for the night. The film won the SXSW narrative feature audience award.
“Curfew [Christensen’s short film on which the feature is based] was only a glimpse at Shawn’s incredible talent, and we cannot wait to bring his fully realised vision to audiences nationwide,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring. “Before I Disappear marks an amazing feature directorial debut.”
“Working with Shawn...
- 8/5/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Shawn Christensen‘s “Before I Disappear” has been picked up by IFC Films for North American distribution, the company announced Tuesday. The film, which stars Christensen, Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum and Paul Wesley (“The Vampire Diaries”), will have its international premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in the Venice Days sidebar and will be released in the U.S. in November 2014. It had its world premiere at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Also read: SXSW Audience Award Winners: Oscar Winner Shawn Christensen's ‘Before I Disappear,’ ‘Vessel’ (Complete List) Based...
- 8/5/2014
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
Shawn Christensen wrote, directed and stars in the pic, which had its world premiere at SXSW and won the Audience Award for narrative feature. IFC Films has snagged North American rights to Before I Disappear, in which a guy at a low point in his life gets a call from his estranged sister asking him to take his 11-year-old niece (Fatima Ptacek) for the night. Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Ron Perlman co-star in the film based on the 2013 short Curfew. Before I Disappear will have its international premiere in the Venice Days sidebar at the Venice […]...
- 8/5/2014
- Deadline
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