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Navigating the precarious aspects of growing up while simultaneously buried deep in the throes of grief is one young woman’s struggle in director Jessie Barr’s “Sophie Jones.” This meaningful drama, co-written and starring Barr’s cousin Jessica, taps into the immediacy of being a teenager and the intimacy of sorrow, yielding astute insights. The pair set their story during the fertile period in a maturing teen’s life when hormones and complex emotions run roughshod. With Nicole Holofcener on board as executive producer, it’s a poignant exploration of this arduous age, rooted in staggering authenticity.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie (Jessica Barr) has been reeling since the recent death of her mother. The absence is achingly painful as Sophie scours Mom’s closet for any tangible remnant, any reminder, from smelling her clothes to sorting through her ashes. Sophie’s father Aaron (Dave Roberts) and younger sister Lucy (Charlie Jackson...

Clementine Review Clementine (2019) Film Review from the 18th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie directed by Lara Gallagher, starring Otmara Marrero, Sydney Sweeney, Will Brittain, Sonya Walger, Alissa Jessup, Lilian McNeil, Chase Offerle, and Samuel Summer. It’s often said about great things that the sum of their parts is greater than their whole. Sadly, Clementine seems to exemplify the opposite. [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Clementine: A Small Step for Story, A Large Step for Representation [Tribeca 2019]...

After premiering last year at the Los Angeles Film Festival, the coming-of -age sports comedy “Tracktown” is finally making its way to theaters and On Demand next month.

In anticipation of its release, IndieWire has an exclusive clip from the film in which we see the determination of Olympic hopeful Plumb Marigold, played by real-life Olympian Alexi Pappas, despite being forced to take a day off from her hardcore training regime. Plumb is determined to make it onto the Olympic team with absolutely no distractions getting in the way — except perhaps the nice boy who works at the bakery who catches her eye.

Read More: Laff Review: ‘Tracktown’ Is A Different Kind of Sports Movie

The quirky feature, which Pappas co-wrote and co-directed alongside Jeremy Teicher, follows Plumb after a minor injury makes her adjust a rather unforgiving schedule and she finds that her life as an athlete may...

"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done." Samuel Goldwyn has released a trailer for an indie drama titled Tracktown, a sort-of semi-autobiographical story of an Olympic athlete and her trials and tribulations in life and love. That athlete is Alexi Pappas, a Greek-American long distance runner who competed for Greece in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. She stars in, co-writes, and co-directs this film, taking on the full responsibility of bringing her story to the big screen. Also starring Chase Offerle, Rachel Dratch, Andy Buckley, Rebecca Friday, and Sasha Spencer. Her two biggest obstacles: a twisted ankle, a boy she meets that makes he heart beat. This looks charming. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Alexi Pappas & Jeremy Teicher's Tracktown, direct from YouTube: Plumb Marigold is a famous but lonely distance runner preparing for the biggest race of her life: The Olympic Trials.

Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.

– Grasshopper Film has announced the acquisition of all U.S. distribution rights to Michael Almereyda’s new documentary “Escapes,” a dynamic portrait of Hampton Fancher, executive produced by Wes Anderson. “Escapes” will open in theaters this summer followed by a VOD and Home Video release in the fall.

“Escapes” showcases the storytelling talents of Hampton Fancher, flamenco dancer, film and TV actor, and the unlikely producer and screenwriter of the landmark sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” as well as screenwriter on the upcoming sequel “Blade Runner 2049.” Fancher’s running commentary – with a little help from Philip K. Dick and Ridley Scott – works in concert with extensive archival footage as Fancher relates death-defying escapades from a remarkable life.

Al Pacino, Bono among talking heads in documentary profile. Separately, The Orchard has picked up Rotterdam premiere Super Dark Times, while Orion Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films acquire Tracktown.

The distributor has picked up North American rights to Italian filmmaker Pappi Corsicato’s profile of the artist and filmmaker.

Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait was created using a blend of material from Schnabel’s personal archives, newly filmed footage of the artist, and commentary from friends, family, actors and artists including Al Pacino, Mary Boone and Bono. Valeria Golino produced.

Cohen Media Group plans a theatrical release in May at the relaunched Quad Cinema in New York.

Charles S. Cohen, chairman and CEO of Cohen Media chairman and CEO Group Charles S. Cohenannounced that Cmg has acquired North American rights to Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait. The distributor

“Julian Schnabel is a brilliant artist and filmmaker and we are thrilled to bring the very personal...

Some say, write what you know. I guess the idiom here would be to…run with what you know. A project that producer Laura Wagner received support on via Sffs and the Sundance Institute, Tracktown is the sum of a devotion to a sport and a creative collaboration that sprung up at Dartmouth College. Grads Jeremy Teicher and Alexi Pappas combined forces (both personally and professionally) in 2012 on the micro feature Tall as the Baobab Tree, and they are currently in finish line mode with their second creative collaboration. Teicher (featured in Filmmaker Mag’s Top 25 in 2013) co-wrote/directed/produced the project with Pappas who stars an literally borrows from her blistered feet days of the sport. Lensing on Tracktown began back in October of 2014 in Eugene, Oregon and the film also includes players such as newbie Chase Offerle, Rachel Dratch and Andy Buckley.

Gist: This follows Plumb Marigold (Pappas...