The Inbox (May 25-31, 2013)

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.

Press Release: “London: The Modern Babylon” Opens in New York City on June 4

Docurama Premieres Julien Temple’s Rousing Documentary “London: The Modern Babylon” at Cinema Village in New York City on June 4

Temple (Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten) time-travels through London from the start of the 20th century to the 2012 Olympics, threading past and present voices with film archives and popular music across the century.

Every screening begins with Nelson George’s 3-minute short film ALL HAIL THE BEAT GE FOCUS FORWARD and is followed by a pre-taped Q&A with Temple

NEW YORK – LONDON: THE MODERN BABYLON is legendary filmmaker and music-video director Julien Temple’s (Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten) epic time-traveling voyage to the heart of his hometown. From musicians, writers and artists to dangerous thinkers, political radicals and, above all, ordinary people, is the story of London’s immigrants, its bohemians and how together they changed the city forever.

Reaching back to the dawn of film in London at the start of the 20th century, the story unfolds through film archives and voices of Londoners past and present, powered by the flow of popular music across the century—a stream of urban consciousness, like the river which flows through its heart. It ends in present day, as London prepares to welcome the world to the 2012 Olympics.

LONDON: THE MODERN BABYLON will screen at Cinema Village in New York City on the following dates:

• Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 9:10 PM
• Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 9:10 PM
• Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 9:10 PM

Ticket prices: $11 adults, $5.50 children, $6 seniors, $8 students.

The theatrical release of LONDON: THE MODERN BABYLON in 15 U.S. markets during the week of June 3 is the final film in Cinedigm’s (NASDAQ: CIDM) new DOCURAMA multi-platform film brand and inaugural series of national theatrical screening events (http://www.docuramafest.com). The DOCURAMA film series has attracted national attention for its unique series that has brought 7 award-winning documentary films in 7 weeks into theaters nationwide, from April 22 through June 16.

Time Out London says it’s: “An astonishing film…a rousing, powerful portrait of a city.” The film had its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Later it was nominated for Best Documentary at both the British Independent Film Awards and the European Film Awards.

In partnership with GE FOCUS FORWARD-Short Films, Big Ideas, a curatorial program inspired by GE’s vision of innovative people being the catalyst for world change, DOCURAMA will present a 3-minute short documentary with each feature film that has a complementary theme or subject matter.

ALL HAIL THE BEAT, from author, historian and filmmaker Nelson George, will be shown before every screening of LONDON. The sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine inspire musicians around the world, even though the device hasn’t been made since 1984 and most of its avid users have never actually seen one.

Every screening of LONDON will be followed by a pre-taped Q&A with the director.

Press Release: New Multi-Platform Home Distribution Label Founded by GKids and Cinedigm

GKIDS AND CINEDIGM ANNOUNCE NEW MULTI-PLATFORM HOME DISTRIBUTION LABEL FOR SELECT GKIDS ANIMATED FILMS

LABEL LAUNCHES WITH STUDIO GHIBLI’S “FROM UP ON POPPY HILL” SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2013 ON DVD, BLU-RAY AND CABLE VOD

ELEVEN ANIMATED FEATURES INCLUDED IN PACT

New York, NY, May 30, 2013 – GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning animation for adult and family audiences, has teamed with Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) to launch a new multi-platform animation label. GKIDS will continue to distribute the films theatrically and Cinedigm will handle ancillary distribution under the GKIDS brand.

FROM UP ON POPPY HILL is the first of seven new GKIDS titles included under the pact, which brings critically acclaimed feature animation to North American audiences. The agreement builds upon the existing partnership between GKIDS and Cinedigm, which currently handles home-video on GKIDS’ three Oscar-nominated films, The Secret of Kells, Chico & Rita and A Cat in Paris, as well as Michel Ocelot’s Tales of the Night, for a total of eleven titles now included within the new label.

“There’s an explosion of world-class animation coming from all corners of the globe and these films cross borders seamlessly. GKIDS has an incredible sense for what works and how to introduce these films to welcoming audiences,” said Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm. “We are excited to extend our already successful relationship with Eric, Dave and the team and bring their content to an even broader audience.”

“We are looking forward to teaming up with Cinedigm to build the US market for international animation,” said GKIDS President, Eric Beckman. “As anyone who has discovered the films of Studio Ghibli will attest, some of the most exciting animated filmmaking is taking place outside the US. We are thrilled to be able to share these wonderful movies with a growing American audience for animation in all its forms.”

FROM UP ON POPPY HILL will be released to DVD/Blu-ray and cable VOD on September 3, 2013 following the current theatrical release by GKIDS. The film was written and supervised by legendary studio founder and Academy Award®-winner Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) and directed by his son Goro Miyazaki.

The stunning, hand-drawn FROM UP ON POPPY HILL is set in Yokohama in 1963, as Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the Olympics. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi and Shun – but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart. Multiple Academy Award®-winner Gary Rydstrom directed the English language version with voice cast including Gillian Anderson, Sarah Bolger, Beau Bridges, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Fuhrman, Christina Hendricks, Ron Howard, Chris Noth, Emily Osment, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Saxton, Alex Wolff and Anton Yelchin. Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy executive produced.

The Blu-ray and DVD release of FROM UP ON POPPY HILL contains over three hours of bonus materials and includes: original Japanese language and English language versions with subtitles and dubtitles; feature-length storyboards; celebrity cast recording featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews; an interview with Goro Miyazaki; original Japanese trailer and TV spots; the music video for the theme song by Aoi Teshima; and a featurette about Yokohama, exploring the history of the sea-side setting where the film takes place. Bonuses exclusive to the Blu-ray edition include a staff speech and press conference by Hayao Miyazaki days after the Fukushima earthquake; and a 20-page booklet containing the original project proposal by Hayao Miyazaki and a letter from Goro Miyazaki.

Other new titles included in the GKIDS/Cinedigm agreement are Jean Francoise Laguionie’s THE PAINTING; Joann Sfar’s THE RABBI’S CAT; A LETTER TO MOMO from Japan’s Production I.G; Ignacio Ferrera’s award-winning graphic novel adaptation, WRINKLES; the break-out French hit ZARAFA; and the animated documentary APPROVED FOR ADOPTION based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Jung Henin.

About GKIDS
GKIDS is a distributor of award-winning filmed entertainment specializing in animation for both adult and family audiences. The company has scored three Best Animated Feature Oscar® nominations, with “The Secret of Kells” in 2010 and both “A Cat in Paris” and “Chico & Rita” in 2012 – marking the first time an independent distributor has had two simultaneous nominations in the category. GKIDS also handles North American theatrical distribution for Oscar®-winner Hayao Miyazaki’s famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Princess Mononoke” and others. GKIDS is longtime producer of the New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival, an Oscar®-qualifying event and North America’s largest festival of film for children and teens. www.gkids.com/films

About Cinedigm
Over the past decade, Cinedigm has led the digital distribution revolution that continues to transform the media landscape. In addition to its pioneering role in transitioning movie theatres from traditional film prints to digital distribution, Cinedigm continues to advance worldwide cinema modernization with its suite of software products allowing exhibitors and distributors to manage their newly digital businesses with efficiency, insight and certainty. And, as the leading distributor of independent content in the world, Cinedigm collaborates with producers and the exhibition community with unequalled transparency to market, source, curate and distribute quality content across all digital platforms to targeted and profitable audiences. The company’s library of over 5,000 titles includes award-winning documentaries from Docurama Films®, next-gen indies from Flatiron Film Company® and acclaimed independent films and festival picks through partnerships with the Sundance Institute and Tribeca Film. Cinedigm is proud to distribute many Oscar®-nominated films including “The Invisible War,” “Hell and Back Again,” “GasLand,” “Waste Land” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.”

Press Release: “Jug Face” To Open August 9

Modernciné’s Horror-Thriller JUG FACE rolls out nationally on August 9th in theaters via Modern Distributors

Slamdance title will have a Pre-Theatrical VOD release on July 8th, followed by a VOD release day and date with theaters on August 9th

Los Ageles, CA (May 30, 2013) – Modernciné announced today that JUG FACE, the tense horror-thriller written and directed by Chad Crawford Kinkle, will have a national theatrical roll out on August 9th through its domestic distribution arm Modern Distributors. The film was produced by Andrew van den Houten (“Funeral Kings,” ‘’The Woman”) and Robert Tonino (‘’Home Movie,” “Ghoul”) for Modernciné, and stars Lauren Ashley Carter (“The Woman”), Sean Bridgers (“Deadwood”), Sean Young (“Blade Runner”), Larry Fessenden (“I Sell the Dead”) and Daniel Manche (“The Girl Next Door”). JUG FACE was executive produced by Lucky McKee, Arrien Schiltkamp and Loren Semmens. The film will have a pre-theatrical VOD roll out in the U.S. on July 8th, and is slated for a VOD release, day and date with theatrical, on August 9th.

JUG FACE tells the story of a pregnant teen trying to escape a backwoods community when she discovers that she may be sacrificed to a mysterious pit. The entity in the pit requires a life for keeping the community safe. The face of the person to be sacrificed is crafted onto a ceramic jug. When ignored, the entity unleashes an evil onto the community. Now no one is safe as tragedy befalls each member one by one and they soon realize that the pit wants what it wants.

“Chad Crawford Kinkle’s uniquely original southern gothic tale is filled with amazing performances and beautiful cinematography. We believed in the project from the beginning and are pleased to be supporting its domestic release through Modern Distributors, our new-founded distribution and film sales arm. Jug Face is exactly the kind of director driven filmmaking we will continue to get behind,” said van den Houten.

JUG FACE won the Slamdance Grand Prize Screenwriting Award in 2011 and debuted as a Special Screening selection at this year’s festival.

About Modernciné
Modernciné is dedicated to making high-quality films by telling stories that are edgy and groundbreaking. Modernciné has been behind the development, financing and production of over a dozen feature length motion pictures. Among them are the recent released “Funeral Kings,” the cult classic “Jack Ketchum’s The Girl Next Door,” “Offspring,” “The Woman,” “Home Movie,” and the Chiller Network presentation, “Ghoul.” Modernciné has gained a solid reputation as a company that is willing to tackle the most controversial subjects and as a result attracted the talents of cutting edge filmmakers Lucky McKee, the McManus Brothers, Patrick Wang and Gregory M. Wilson. The company’s films have been recognized worldwide by The Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, The Deauville Film Festival, Brussels International Fantastic Film Fest, Sitges, Fantastic Fest, FrightFest, Busan International Film Festival, New York City Horror Film Festival and many others.