Every week, I get several press releases, screening invitations and other notifications from a handful of studio contacts. While I won’t be sharing any information regarding my screening invites, some of the press releases might be of interest to my readers, so I thought I’d start sharing them in toto with all of you. These could include new image galleries for various films or important updates to upcoming releases from various smaller studios and art house production companies.

• Image Gallery: The Dark Knight Rises, Part 2
• Press Release: Film Arcade Acquires U.S. Rights to ‘Simon and the Oaks’
• Press Release: ‘The Ambassador’ Rights Picked Up By Drafthouse Films
• Press Release: Sci-Fi Noteworthy J. Michael Straczynski Announces New Media Company
• Press Release: Giffoni Film Festival Information

Image Gallery: The Dark Knight Rises

Gallery of Images

Press Release: Film Arcade Acquires U.S. Rights to ‘Simon and the Oaks’

THE FILM ARCADE ACQUIRES ALL U.S. RIGHTS TO SWEDISH FILM SIMON AND THE OAKS

** Film set for October 12, 2012 release **

Los Angeles, CA (July 10, 2012) – Upstart film distribution company, The Film Arcade, has acquired all U.S. rights to the award-winning Swedish feature film, SIMON AND THE OAKS, directed by Lisa Ohlin. Film Arcade has set an October 12, 2012, release date for the film in NY and LA, with additional markets to follow.

An epic drama, SIMON AND THE OAKS (based on the international bestseller) is the gripping story of Simon, an intellectually gifted boy who feels out of place in his own family. The film offers a unique depiction of fate, destiny and free will and vividly portrays the situation for Jews in Sweden during World War II and stars Bill Skarsgard, Helen Sjoholm and Jan Josef Liefers. A major commercial success in its native Sweden, the film has grossed over $4 million at the Swedish box office and has received a record 13 nominations for the 2012 Sweden’s Guldbagge Awards (the local equivalent of the Oscars) including: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematography.

“Lisa Ohlin has crafted a poignant coming-of-age story about hope and survival during the darkest hours of the 20th century. We believe U.S. audiences will respond with the same incredible enthusiasm as international ones have and we are thrilled to bring this critically acclaimed film to theaters across the country” said principles of Film Arcade.

“I am very excited that Film Arcade has decided to release SIMON AND THE OAKS in the U.S., and I look forward to having U.S. audiences discover this film,” said Lisa Ohlin.

The Film Arcade negotiated the deal with Peter Torkelsson from NonStop Sales.

ABOUT THE FILM ARCADE
Founded in 2012, The Film Arcade is an independent film distribution company focused on the theatrical release of critically acclaimed films from visionary filmmakers. Since its inception, The Film Arcade has acquired two films, the award-winning Swedish film, The Simon and the Oaks, and the Sundance hit, The Other Dream Team, which the company co-bought with Lionsgate. Both films will be distributed theatrically throughout the country in the fall of 2012.

Press Release: ‘The Ambassador’ Rights Picked Up By Drafthouse Films

DRAFTHOUSE FILMS APPOINTS “THE AMBASSADOR” TO ITS SLATE

Controversial Sundance Hit Innovates New Documentary Genre “Performative Journalism” with Hilarious & Shocking Results

AUSTIN, TX – Monday, July 9th 2011 – Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the world-famous Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced their acquisition of The Ambassador, a darkly comic, genre-bending documentary that exposes the corrupt business of selling diplomatic titles to exploit the lucrative and limited resources of war torn, third world nations. Filmmaker/journalist/provocateur Mads Brügger (Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner for Red Chapel) uses humor in his jaw-dropping descent into one of the most dangerous places on the planet: Central African Republic. From each absurdly terrifying and hilarious situation to the next, The Ambassador is a one-of-a-kind excursion from the man whom The Huffington Post has called “the most provocative filmmaker in the world.” The Ambassador is scheduled to launch on VOD and digital platforms August 4th and theatrically in New York City (IFC Center) on August 29th, Los Angeles (The Cinefamily) and Austin (Alamo Drafthouse locations) on August 31st.

Financed by filmmaker Lars Von Trier’s production company Zentropa (Melancholia, Klown) to expose the violence, greed and corruption of foreign businessman in the Central African Republic, Brügger developed a new documentary style that he calls “performative journalism,” in which he creates an absurd caricature of a corrupt diplomat and arms himself with a phalanx of hidden cameras, black-market credentials and razor-sharp wit. It’s part performance art, part investigative journalism, producing humor, shocking revelations and above all a tragic picture of a failed and corrupt state.

Brügger, who experienced blood diamond smuggling, bribery and murder, said, ”I want to show an Africa stripped of NGOs (non-governmental organizations), Bono, child soldiers and kids with bloated bellies, to show the kind of people you never see in the documentaries: white businessmen and diplomats, the fat cats in the urban centers, all the people who are in post-colonial Francafrique (French Africa) having a great time. To show this Africa of the affluent I use “performative journalism” – instead of disguising as a fly on the wall observing neutrally, I dress for my part and interact as an agent provocateur. With all the intentions of a journalist to disclose an unnoticed world I went to Central African Republic as a rich white business man with diplomatic credentials pursuing all the perks that follows this title (reckless diamond hunt, practicing power misuse etc.), and became a respected member of their society.”

“The Ambassador is the kind of exciting and provocative work from a fearless visionary that is an exact DNA match for our brand,” says Drafthouse Films Director of Acquisitions Evan Husney, “and from his jaw-dropping stunts in Northern Korea as seen in Red Chapel to the hostile blood diamond mines in central Africa, Brügger is this generation’s foremost gonzo journalist.”

The deal was negotiated by James Emanuel Shapiro of Drafthouse Films and Susan Wendt of Trustnordisk on behalf of the film’s producers at Zentropa.

See what people are saying about The Ambassador:
“There’s Unlikely To Be A Ballsier Film This Year!” (GQ)
“Shockingly Entertaining!” (The Hollywood Reporter)
“Brügger is sort of the VICE Magazine Version of Sasha Baron Cohen as Financed by Lars Von Trier.” (The Village Voice)
“Engaging & Exciting!” (NY Magazine’s Vulture)

About THE AMBASSADOR
This darkly comic, genre-bending piece of gonzo journalism from international provocateur Mads Brügger (filmmaker of Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Red Chapel) rips the corroded lid off the global scheme of political corruption and exploitation happening in one of the most dangerous places on the planet: the Central African Republic. Armed with a phalanx of hidden cameras, black-market diplomatic credentials and a bleeding-edge wit, Brügger transforms himself into an outlandish caricature of a European-African consul. As he immerses himself in the life-threatening underworld of nefarious bureaucrats, Brügger encounters blood diamond smuggling, bribery, and even murder — while somehow managing to crack amazing razor-sharp barbs at every step along the way. From each absurdly terrifying/hilarious situation to the next, The Ambassador is a one-of-a-kind excursion from the man whom The Huffington Post has called “the most provocative filmmaker in the world.”

Press Release: Sci-Fi Noteworthy J. Michael Straczynski Announces New Media Company

Los Angeles – July 11, 2012 – Today it was announced that J. Michael Straczynski will launch a new media company aptly named Studio JMS. Studio JMS will combine all of the mediums in which Straczynski has been successfully working for decades, encompassing comic books, web and television series, feature films and video games.

Straczynski has won multiple awards as writer and producer of hit television series including Babylon 5 and Jeremiah. His contributions to the comic book world include Amazing Spider-Man (with sales during his tenure averaging one million copies per year) and Superman: Earth One (which spent 37 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List for Graphic Novels). His film credits include THOR, CHANGELING (for which he received a British Academy Award nomination), NINJA ASSASSIN and UNDERWORLD AWAKENING. Formerly a journalist for The Los Angeles Times and various major magazines, Straczynski has been writing and selling his work since the age of seventeen.

Also joining Studio JMS is Patricia Tallman. Tallman, best known for her acting roles in science fiction and horror films, met Straczynski when she was cast in his Hugo award-winning TV series Babylon 5. For over a decade, Tallman has been the creator and co-owner of the award winning business, Talent To Go.

Studio JMS already has a number of projects in various stages of development. The studio has signed on to produce a web series for MTV.com entitled THE ADVENTURES OF APOCOLYPSE AL and is self-financing a second web series, LIVING DEAD THE MUSICAL. Straczynski also has two television series in development: EPIDEMIC for Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment and VLAD DRACULA for Starz and Sam Raimi’s company. Studio JMS is also developing THE FLICKERING LIGHT, a feature film based on a true story set in World War II, in which Straczynski will make his directorial debut.

Under the studio, Straczynski has just partnered with Image Comics to revive his critically acclaimed imprint, Joe’s Comics, which previously published the best-selling graphic novels Midnight Nation and Rising Stars. The first four comics that will appear under the label beginning in Spring 2013 will be Falling Angel, Ten Grand, Guardians and Sidekick.

“For twenty years, I’ve had the remarkable good fortune to work successfully as a writer and producer in a wide variety of fields, from television to comics and movies. I’ve always dreamed of creating a mini-studio where I can put all of that work under one roof, telling stories that I want to tell and which can be spun up between various platforms: comics that can become TV shows, TV shows that can become movies, and movies that can become comics. With the tremendous recent success of films such as THE AVENGERS, THOR, and the BATMAN series of films, this feels like the best time to tackle that dream. Best of all, unlike many other startup ventures, I’m not looking to get into these areas, I’m already working in them; now it’s just a matter of taking the next logical step: consolidation.”

Press Release: Giffoni Film Festival Information

GIFFONI 2012 – 42nd YEAR

HAPPINESS

Napoli, June 19 2012 – July 14 – 24 are the dates set for the new edition of the most popular film event for children and youth in the world, which comes back with greater enthusiasm and numerous activities. The 42nd edition will see a huge number of International and Italian talent take to the stage, exclusive premieres and films in competition, animation for thousand of children and youth whom represent the core of the Festival, and are ready to take over Giffoni Valle Piana and morph it into a huge party filled with good fun and joy. 11 days of film, art, culture and music thanks to Neapolis Rock Festival set to bring an estimated 180 thousand people, 30 thousand more than in 2011.

THE THEME
HAPPINESS is the fil rouge of the new edition. In such troubled times Giffoni Film Festival feels the need to look at the future with a positive state of mind, encouraging youth to be positive rather than bringing them down. It is an invitation to search for the light in the dark because happiness is out there and is a priority.
”Like never before – claims founder and managing director, Claudio Gubitosi – Giffoni feels the need to avoid cuts, but to change and evolve. François Truffaut’s words on the Festival, deemed by the French filmmaker as “the most necessary” ring true more than ever today’. Giffoni intends to be a social security cushion for culture through its activities, free of charge for everyone with no glitz and glamour but sobriety. This year’s theme is happiness. An happiness will pave its way in this time of crisis. The festival will spread everywhere, in piazzas, streets, houses, courtyards and will travel beyond borders echoing in every corner of the world like never before. An engine of positive energy, a strong empathy with the territory, a shared festival. We have built a huge programme over the last 12 months thanks to the collaboration of the thousands of youth who have chosen, suggested, proposed and the end results are amazing and we are happy to share it with all the youth from all over the world whom are set to join Giffoni for “their” event.

THE JURIES
3.300 children, kids, youth from all over the globe to live the GFF experience. An opportunity to meet, come together in the name of art, culture and film. Being a juror means watching films, discussing about them and voting them. Being a juror is a one of a kind experience which leaves an indelible mark. This is the reason why thousand of children and kids and their families apply as jurors at the GIFFONI EXPERIENCE in order to be part of the experience where magic repeats over and over. The most necessary jury for the most necessary festival. 54 countries worldwide and 160 Italian towns to become a melting pot. Among the new countries added to the list this year: China, Venezuela and Argentina. Giffoni is a continued and shared experience for 365 days a year. It is the jurors who have chosen many of the talent gracing the Festival this year through our social network page because we strongly believe that A Children and Youth Film Festival must be made by children and youth themselves.

SECTIONS AND FILMS
Over 11 days of Festival, the young jurors will watch films that have a very deep and emotional impact. The competitive sections are: Elements +3 (3-5 ), Elements +6 (6-9),Elements +10 (10-12i), Generator +13 (13-15), Generator +16 (16-17), Generator +18 (from 18 on). The non competitive sections are: Reload/Parental Control (some of the best films that have already been distributed in Italy. Short is Happy (8 short animations which revolve around happiness) and Amnesty in shorts.