After a seven-way bidding war, A24 has landed the crime drama Trigger Point. The upcoming series will be directed and executive produced by Jeremy Saulnier, who wowed audiences last year with his 2024 action thriller Rebel Ridge.
According to Deadline, plot details are being kept under wraps for Trigger Point, although sources state that the project will be a crime drama series. The spec script was written by Harrison Query, whose credits include the upcoming Paramount+ miniseries Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey and the action comedy Heads of State starring John Cena and Idris Elba. Trigger Point reportedly cost A24 around $500,000, making this one of this year's biggest TV spec sales so far. The current plan is to attach talent before taking the project out to platforms, with Deadline noting that several "big-name actors" have already expressed interest in starring.
Saulnier most recently wrote, directed, and produced Rebel Ridge, which...
According to Deadline, plot details are being kept under wraps for Trigger Point, although sources state that the project will be a crime drama series. The spec script was written by Harrison Query, whose credits include the upcoming Paramount+ miniseries Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey and the action comedy Heads of State starring John Cena and Idris Elba. Trigger Point reportedly cost A24 around $500,000, making this one of this year's biggest TV spec sales so far. The current plan is to attach talent before taking the project out to platforms, with Deadline noting that several "big-name actors" have already expressed interest in starring.
Saulnier most recently wrote, directed, and produced Rebel Ridge, which...
- 5/15/2025
- by Lee Freitag
- CBR
Exclusive: Shōgun Emmy winner Anna Sawai and Drive My Car star Hidetoshi Nishijima are set to join the cast of the A24 crime pic Enemies, starring Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White. Henry Dunham is writing and directing.
Cameras roll this summer in Chicago on the reported $25M production, in which a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg are producing alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon also will produce. Josh Bachove executive produces.
Sawai took the town by storm last year following her star turn in Shōgun, winning a history-making Emmy, a SAG Award and a Golden Globe for her performance as Lady Mariko in the FX drama series.
Sawai is currently in production on (Saint) Peter, a coming-of-age dramedy executive produced by Peter Farrelly, and recently wrapped production on the second season...
Cameras roll this summer in Chicago on the reported $25M production, in which a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg are producing alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon also will produce. Josh Bachove executive produces.
Sawai took the town by storm last year following her star turn in Shōgun, winning a history-making Emmy, a SAG Award and a Golden Globe for her performance as Lady Mariko in the FX drama series.
Sawai is currently in production on (Saint) Peter, a coming-of-age dramedy executive produced by Peter Farrelly, and recently wrapped production on the second season...
- 5/15/2025
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeremy Allen White, the two-time Emmy-winning star of The Bearis teaming up with Oscar-nominee Austin Butler (Elvis)for A24’s newest film, a crime saga from writer-director Henry Dunham. Per Deadline,Enemies is set to begin filming this summer in Chicago, which should be familiar territory for White, as he starred in The Bear and Shameless, both of which are set in Chicago.
The project has a reported budget of about $25 million.Enemies will tell the story of a detective and a contract killer playing a deadly game of cat and mouse. Along with A24, the film is being produced by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg and Alejandro De Leon. The executive producer is Josh Bachove.
Writer-director Dunham also wrote The Standoff at Sparrow Creek (2018), which was about a former cop-turned militia man who investigates a shooting at a police funeral. Aster wrote and directed Eddington, which...
The project has a reported budget of about $25 million.Enemies will tell the story of a detective and a contract killer playing a deadly game of cat and mouse. Along with A24, the film is being produced by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg and Alejandro De Leon. The executive producer is Josh Bachove.
Writer-director Dunham also wrote The Standoff at Sparrow Creek (2018), which was about a former cop-turned militia man who investigates a shooting at a police funeral. Aster wrote and directed Eddington, which...
- 5/14/2025
- by Deana Carpenter
- CBR
Deadline is reporting that Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler will be going head-to-head in an upcoming crime drama from A24. White, who is a two-time Emmy-winner for his series The Bear, is set to star in Enemies opposite Academy Award-nominee Austin Butler. Enemies is the new film from Henry Dunham, who previously directed another crime thriller with 2018’s The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, which follows a former cop-turned-militia man who investigates a shooting at a police funeral.
Per Deadline, Enemies is about a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Dunham directs from a script that he also wrote, and was able to secure a $25 million budget for the film. The production is scheduled to commence sometime this summer on location in Chicago. The movie will be an A24 production with Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg producing alongside Alejandro De Leon.
Per Deadline, Enemies is about a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Dunham directs from a script that he also wrote, and was able to secure a $25 million budget for the film. The production is scheduled to commence sometime this summer on location in Chicago. The movie will be an A24 production with Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg producing alongside Alejandro De Leon.
- 5/14/2025
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
A24 has greenlit Enemies, a crime drama pairing Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White under Henry Dunham’s direction. The screenplay, also by Dunham, follows a relentless detective in pursuit of an infamous contract killer. Producers Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen will oversee the project for Square Peg alongside A24, with Alejandro De Leon producing and Josh Bachove executive producing. Cameras roll this summer in Chicago on a reported $25 million budget.
White reunites with A24 after successes on The Bear and Shameless. Later this year, he appears in the Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere for 20th Century Studios. His performance in The Iron Claw demonstrated his skill at embodying complex figures. White is represented by WME, Entertainment 360 and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Butler, fresh from roles in Dune Part 2 and The Bikeriders, is also featured this week at Cannes in Aster’s Eddington.
White reunites with A24 after successes on The Bear and Shameless. Later this year, he appears in the Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere for 20th Century Studios. His performance in The Iron Claw demonstrated his skill at embodying complex figures. White is represented by WME, Entertainment 360 and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Butler, fresh from roles in Dune Part 2 and The Bikeriders, is also featured this week at Cannes in Aster’s Eddington.
- 5/14/2025
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White will face off in A24 crime film “Enemies” from writer-director Henry Dunham.
The casting was confirmed on Wednesday after rumors had been swirling for a while. The film’s plotline reads: “A relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.” Production is set to begin in Chicago this summer.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce alongside A24 and Alejandro De Leon. Josh Bachove is on board as an executive producer.
Oscar nominee Butler recently collaborated with Aster on his latest directorial effort, “Eddington,” also for A24. Butler and Aster will be on hand at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday to premiere the movie, which has been described as a contemporary Western and co-stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone. Butler also stars in “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky’s next film,...
The casting was confirmed on Wednesday after rumors had been swirling for a while. The film’s plotline reads: “A relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.” Production is set to begin in Chicago this summer.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce alongside A24 and Alejandro De Leon. Josh Bachove is on board as an executive producer.
Oscar nominee Butler recently collaborated with Aster on his latest directorial effort, “Eddington,” also for A24. Butler and Aster will be on hand at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday to premiere the movie, which has been described as a contemporary Western and co-stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone. Butler also stars in “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky’s next film,...
- 5/14/2025
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
A24 has confirmed that Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White are to star in crime story Enemies, from writer-director Henry Dunham.
The film centres on a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Production is due to start this summer in Chicago. A24 is handling international sales.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce with A24 and Alejandro De Leon. Josh Bachove will serve as executive producer.
Butler was most recently seen in awards contender Dune: Part Two and starred in Elvis and The Bikeriders. He is...
The film centres on a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Production is due to start this summer in Chicago. A24 is handling international sales.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce with A24 and Alejandro De Leon. Josh Bachove will serve as executive producer.
Butler was most recently seen in awards contender Dune: Part Two and starred in Elvis and The Bikeriders. He is...
- 5/14/2025
- ScreenDaily
Academy-award nominated Austin Butler and Emmy-winning Jeremy Allen White are set to star in Henry Dunham’s new crime saga “Enemies” at A24, the company announced on Wednesday.
The upcoming film is written and directed by Dunham and will be his sophomore effort following his directorial debut “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek,” which was released in 2018.
The official logline for the film is as follows: A relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The film kicks off production in Chicago this Summer.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon will also produce. Josh Bachove will executive produce.
Ahead of the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival this week, A24 and Apple will also be unveiling “Highest 2 Lowest.” The new Spike Lee joint stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul with...
The upcoming film is written and directed by Dunham and will be his sophomore effort following his directorial debut “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek,” which was released in 2018.
The official logline for the film is as follows: A relentless detective and an infamous contract killer collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The film kicks off production in Chicago this Summer.
Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg will produce alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon will also produce. Josh Bachove will executive produce.
Ahead of the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival this week, A24 and Apple will also be unveiling “Highest 2 Lowest.” The new Spike Lee joint stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul with...
- 5/14/2025
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Two of the biggest young actors in Hollywood are facing off for a gritty crime drama that is now being set up at A24. A24 has set “Enemies,” a new film that will star Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White and will be produced by Ari Aster.
This is the second feature for Henry Dunham, the director of the 2018 thriller “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek.” He wrote and will direct the feature about a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Aster and Lars Knudsen are producing for their Square Peg banner alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon will also produce. Josh Bachove will executive produce.
“Enemies” will also return White to the home of “The Bear” and “Shameless,” as it’s set to kick off production in Chicago later this summer.
After the return of Season 4 of “The Bear” later this summer,...
This is the second feature for Henry Dunham, the director of the 2018 thriller “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek.” He wrote and will direct the feature about a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer who collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Aster and Lars Knudsen are producing for their Square Peg banner alongside A24. Alejandro De Leon will also produce. Josh Bachove will executive produce.
“Enemies” will also return White to the home of “The Bear” and “Shameless,” as it’s set to kick off production in Chicago later this summer.
After the return of Season 4 of “The Bear” later this summer,...
- 5/14/2025
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Andor and Hit Man’s Adria Arjona is to star alongside Emilio Perez, American Crime Story and Carlos’ Edgar Ramirez in Jayro Bustamante’s dystopian thriller El Sombreron.
The feature is being launched at Cannes by The Match Factory which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will handle North American rights. Jayro Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films serve as producers.
Bustamante’s previous crime horror La Llorona won Bustamente the GdA’s Best Director and Best Film awards in Venice Days.
The feature is being launched at Cannes by The Match Factory which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will handle North American rights. Jayro Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films serve as producers.
Bustamante’s previous crime horror La Llorona won Bustamente the GdA’s Best Director and Best Film awards in Venice Days.
- 5/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
Adria Arjona and Edgar Ramirez, the Golden Globe-nominated actor of “American Crime Story” and “Carlos,” have been tapped to star in “El Sombreron,” a dystopian thriller from Jayro Bustamante, the acclaimed director of “La Llorona” (2019) and “Ixcanul” (2015).
The feature is to be launched at Cannes by the Match Factory, which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will represent North American rights.
Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films will serve as producers.
“El Sombreron” tells the story of Lila, an ambitious woman trapped in hell as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss.
Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger named Ramón, who promises to smuggle her north to Paradise.
However, as Lila journeys with him, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and...
The feature is to be launched at Cannes by the Match Factory, which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will represent North American rights.
Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films will serve as producers.
“El Sombreron” tells the story of Lila, an ambitious woman trapped in hell as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss.
Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger named Ramón, who promises to smuggle her north to Paradise.
However, as Lila journeys with him, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and...
- 5/18/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Adria Arjona and Edgar Ramirez have been announced to co-star in Jayro Bustamante’s dystopian thriller El Sombreron as The Match Factory launches worldwide sales on the project in Cannes, with CAA Media Finance representing North America.
Guatemalan director Bustamante previously made waves with Mayan drama Ixcanul (2015), which premiered in competition in Berlin, winning the Alfred Bauer Prize (since renamed the Silver Bear Jury prize), and war criminal horror La Llorona, which won Best Director and Best Film in Venice’s Giornate degli Autori in 2019.
Arjona will play an ambitious woman trapped in a marriage as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss. Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger (Ramirez), who promises to smuggle her north. However, once on route, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and finds herself thrust into a surreal odyssey.
Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark,...
Guatemalan director Bustamante previously made waves with Mayan drama Ixcanul (2015), which premiered in competition in Berlin, winning the Alfred Bauer Prize (since renamed the Silver Bear Jury prize), and war criminal horror La Llorona, which won Best Director and Best Film in Venice’s Giornate degli Autori in 2019.
Arjona will play an ambitious woman trapped in a marriage as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss. Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger (Ramirez), who promises to smuggle her north. However, once on route, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and finds herself thrust into a surreal odyssey.
Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Coming to select theaters and VOD services this Friday is The Devil Below, from Chernobyl Diaries director Bradley Parker, and we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!
"There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone."
Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton
The post Watch an Exclusive “Purgatory” Clip from The Devil Below appeared first on Daily Dead.
"There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone."
Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton
The post Watch an Exclusive “Purgatory” Clip from The Devil Below appeared first on Daily Dead.
- 3/4/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Watch the Trailer for The Devil Below: "There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone."
Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton
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State Of Survival: Survive The Zombie Apocalypse: "It's been six months since the zombie apocalypse began. The virus has infected the city. Six months of terror, horror, survival and fighting against zombies. You are a survivor and your friends are in a brave fight against monsters.
Distributed By: Vertical Entertainment In Select Theaters, On VOD & Digital March 5, 2021 Directed By: Bradley Parker Written By: Eric Scherbarth, Stefan Jaworski Produced By: Julio Hallivis, Diego Hallivis, Andres Rosende, Alejandro de Leon Starring: Alicia Sanz, Adan Canto, Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, Jesse Latourette, with Jonathan Sadowski and Will Patton
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State Of Survival: Survive The Zombie Apocalypse: "It's been six months since the zombie apocalypse began. The virus has infected the city. Six months of terror, horror, survival and fighting against zombies. You are a survivor and your friends are in a brave fight against monsters.
- 2/9/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Will Patton, Alicia Sanz, and Adan Canto, and Zach Avery have been tapped to star in a yet-to-be-titled horror film which will shoot in Kentucky next month. Brad Parker (Chernobyl Diaries) is directing the film from a script by Eric Scherbarth and Stefan Jaworski. Julio and Diego Hallivis are producing and financing the pic via 1inMM Productions.
The plot centers on a geological expedition to an Appalachian sinkhole that becomes a terrifying fight for survival against a mysterious deadly force.
Jaworski and Chinaza Uchi round out the cast. Alejandro De Leon and Andres Rosende are also producing the project with Jared Ian Goldman as an executive producer.
Sanz was seen in the Steven Soderbergh-executive produced sci-fi thriller Perfect, which debuted at SXSW, and co-stars in James Cox’s upcoming film Billionaire Boys Club. Canto currently stars ABC’s opposite Kiefer Sutherland in ABC’s Designated Survivor while Avery...
The plot centers on a geological expedition to an Appalachian sinkhole that becomes a terrifying fight for survival against a mysterious deadly force.
Jaworski and Chinaza Uchi round out the cast. Alejandro De Leon and Andres Rosende are also producing the project with Jared Ian Goldman as an executive producer.
Sanz was seen in the Steven Soderbergh-executive produced sci-fi thriller Perfect, which debuted at SXSW, and co-stars in James Cox’s upcoming film Billionaire Boys Club. Canto currently stars ABC’s opposite Kiefer Sutherland in ABC’s Designated Survivor while Avery...
- 5/2/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Chernobyl Diaries director Brad Parker is set to helm an indie horror-thriller set against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains.
The yet-to-be-titled feature follows a geological expedition to an Appalachian sinkhole that becomes a terrifying fight for survival against a mysterious deadly force. Eric Scherbarth and Stefan Jaworski penned the script.
Julio and Diego Hallivis' 1inMM Productions is behind the production, which will also be produced by Alejandro De Leon and Andres Rosende, with Jared Ian Goldman serving as an executive producer. It is set to begin filming this month in Kentucky.
“We’re thrilled to finally realize this amazing script with a sharp...
The yet-to-be-titled feature follows a geological expedition to an Appalachian sinkhole that becomes a terrifying fight for survival against a mysterious deadly force. Eric Scherbarth and Stefan Jaworski penned the script.
Julio and Diego Hallivis' 1inMM Productions is behind the production, which will also be produced by Alejandro De Leon and Andres Rosende, with Jared Ian Goldman serving as an executive producer. It is set to begin filming this month in Kentucky.
“We’re thrilled to finally realize this amazing script with a sharp...
- 4/12/2018
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Plus… Film Indpendent announces 2015 Producing Lab filmmakers, Rowish launches Kickstarter campaign and more.The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) announced on Tuesday the Breakthrough Series nominees for the 25th Gothams on November 20 in New York. This marks the first time the awards will honour serialised TV and web content. Click here for full details.
Film Independent has unveiled its 2015 Producing Lab filmmakers and their projects: The Dust by Sarah Dorman; Farewell Tour by Frederick Thornton; Give Me Liberty by Drew Houpt; Manuscript by Alejandro De Leon; Moxie by Christina Sibul; Wannabe by John Ramos; and You And Me Both by Carolyn Mao. Click here for more information.
Dan Stevens has joined the cast of Colossal starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis. Principal photography continues this week in Vancouver via Brightlight Pictures. Voltage Pictures handles international sales.
Rowish Productions is to launch a Kickstarter campaign to support the November 20 theatrical and day-and-date release of Altered Minds, distributed worldwide...
Film Independent has unveiled its 2015 Producing Lab filmmakers and their projects: The Dust by Sarah Dorman; Farewell Tour by Frederick Thornton; Give Me Liberty by Drew Houpt; Manuscript by Alejandro De Leon; Moxie by Christina Sibul; Wannabe by John Ramos; and You And Me Both by Carolyn Mao. Click here for more information.
Dan Stevens has joined the cast of Colossal starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis. Principal photography continues this week in Vancouver via Brightlight Pictures. Voltage Pictures handles international sales.
Rowish Productions is to launch a Kickstarter campaign to support the November 20 theatrical and day-and-date release of Altered Minds, distributed worldwide...
- 10/27/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A few months ago we told you about a great and young non-profit in Los Angeles that is constantly working to create spaces for emerging talent to showcase both short and feature length works for local audiences. NewFilmmakers Los Angeles hosts a monthly event that aim to help filmmakers launch their careers, connect with crucial support, and exchange ideas with each other and attendees.
Read More: Endless Indie Talent: Larry Laboe on NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
This week NewFilmmakers L.A. is taking part in a weeklong series of diverse events across L.A entitled BritWeek, which celebrate the rich culture of our neighbors across the pond. First on Monday April 27th at the At&T Center in Downtown, NewFilmmakers will host three feature length programs consisting of both recent British and international shorts
Then on April 30th the organization will screen Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film “Far From the Madding Crowd” ahead of its theatrical release in collaboration with Fox Searchlight and Melnitz Movies at UCLA's James Bridges Theater.
We had the chance to reconnect with Larry Laboe, co-director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and James Defebaugh, who co-programmed the event with Nfmla Artistic Director Susie Kim and the Nfmla Programming team, to talk about this exciting new program.
Tickets for the event on April 27th can be purchased Here!
Aguilar: How this particular initiative come about and what are some of the elements that make distinct from other NewFilmmakers programs?
Larry Laboe: Our programs usually consist of two feature lengths programs that are made up of shorts and then one feature, but for this one we are doing all shorts the whole night. It’s 13 shorts for our first event on the 27th. Two of the programs are all English films and the third program is made up of international shorts. We have a film from Argentina, a film from Brazil, and two from the U.S. I’m particularly excited about a film titled “The Girlfriend Game”
As you know a huge goal in our organization is to showcase international films. We feel that as a festival in Los Angeles is important to help people in the city experiences films from all over the world. Our initiatives have always focuses on highlighting films from different parts of the world. This year we decided we wanted to do a British film program.
We reached out to Brit Week, and actually one of the NewFilmmakers board members is also BritWeek and BAFTA committee member as well. He had a relationship with Brit Week and we pitched them the idea for this program and they were really excited about it, particularly because they didn’t have any other film programs as part of BritWeek. As you might know Brit Week is a celebration of British art and culture in Los Angeles that includes exhibitions, musical performances, and other events that make it a very well rounded experience.
This initiative grew into a two-part event. We are doing the program I just mentioned and the Fox Searchlight movie “Far from the Madding Crowd.” We wanted to show a film that more people from the community would feel compelled to come out and see based on the talent that was involved in making the film, As we were researching what indie labels had new films coming out that could work with our program. We got in touch with Fox Searchlight and they were very excited to take part. Obviously this film is an English film, so it was a really fit.
Aguilar: Tells us more about the diverse British shorts included in the extensive program
James Defebaugh: We are really excited about this screenings. We feel like this program really represents a huge variety of what U.K. cinema has to offer in an array of genres. There is a film called “Anemone,” which is a beautiful portrait of a forbidden love that has some fantastic performances by its cast. We have “Madeleine Makes a Man,” which is a whimsical, fairy tale-like retelling of Frankenstein in which the lead character is trying to create the ideal romantic partner.
There are also a couple of interesting character driven dramas, one is titled “I’m in the Corner with the Bluebells” about two siblings who meet for the first time which find themselves with a this sort of genetic attraction, which is uncomfortable but very interesting and it’s beautifully shot. There is also “Stalemate,” a historical character driven work that takes place on Christmas Day during Wwi
We have two science fiction pieces, one of them is "Perfect State," a dystopian view of the U.K. in which the government has sold out to major corporations that run all the public services, and then there is "Roadside,"which is a post-apocalyptic short that feel very kinetic and has several successful action sequences. We have a couple of comedies.
One is “The Trouble Downstairs” a comedic mystery about a guy who is trying to figure out the culprit behind his Chlamydia, and then we have “Anita’s Birthday Wish” about a teacher whose birthday is coming up and who is bored and looking for something interesting to do. She decides to smoke pot but realizes that she has solicited the pot from one of her students, which is evidently an awkward situation. We have a big range of what U.K. filmmakers have to offer.
Aguilar: What are some highlights of the non-British program that will be screening alongside the films you already mentioned?
James Defebaugh: For the other program we have some great international films. We have one from Brazil called “The Passenger,” which is about a man’s displacement, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery throughout his homeland after his wife’s death. We have a really great film from Argentina called "Esperame" based on Dante’s Divine Comedy but sues corporate imagery in a metaphorical manner to retell that story.
There is also the one Larry mentioned earlier called “The Girlfriend Game,” which is an erotic thriller with a twisted game that a couple plays at bars. It’s tone and subject matter feels like “Gone Girl” in terms of the sexual tension. This film feature Ryan Eggold who starts in NBC’s “The Blacklist” and Sarah Roemer who was in the film “Disturbia”
Larry Laboe: Ryan Eggold actually has a special relationship with NewFilmmakers. We screened a short that he directed, and we’ve screened a few shorts that he starred in. It’s really exciting to see him back again at the festival. Specifically regarding “The Girlfriend Game,” the guy who produced it, Alejandro de Leon, has produced other great shorts. I’m really excited about him as a producer. One of the shorts he’s produced is called "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons," which I was really impressed by. He was also Upm of the short “Narcocorrido," which won a Student Academy Award in 2012. I particularly expect to see great things from Alejandro.
Aguilar: Why is it crucial for NewFilmmakers to balance special programs like this with films from diverse regions and backgrounds?
Larry Laboe: We do a lot of special themed programs, from Latino film programs, to African American film programs, or programs like this British one, but the reason why during these events you see a program made up of films from around the world is because we don’t want to put people inside a box. We do want to honor storytellers from different backgrounds but we don’t to make it so that storytellers become stereotyped or labeled based on being Latino, or British, or female. It’s great to honor different types of filmmakers but I think we have to be careful not to put too much of a label on it. When you see programs from NewFilmmakers that are special programs we typically like to mix it up.
James Defebaugh: We want to spotlight films that come from a specific cultural place but we also want to make sure we support indie filmmaking as a whole.
Larry Laboe: We want to support diversity all around.
Read More: Endless Indie Talent: Larry Laboe on NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
This week NewFilmmakers L.A. is taking part in a weeklong series of diverse events across L.A entitled BritWeek, which celebrate the rich culture of our neighbors across the pond. First on Monday April 27th at the At&T Center in Downtown, NewFilmmakers will host three feature length programs consisting of both recent British and international shorts
Then on April 30th the organization will screen Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film “Far From the Madding Crowd” ahead of its theatrical release in collaboration with Fox Searchlight and Melnitz Movies at UCLA's James Bridges Theater.
We had the chance to reconnect with Larry Laboe, co-director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and James Defebaugh, who co-programmed the event with Nfmla Artistic Director Susie Kim and the Nfmla Programming team, to talk about this exciting new program.
Tickets for the event on April 27th can be purchased Here!
Aguilar: How this particular initiative come about and what are some of the elements that make distinct from other NewFilmmakers programs?
Larry Laboe: Our programs usually consist of two feature lengths programs that are made up of shorts and then one feature, but for this one we are doing all shorts the whole night. It’s 13 shorts for our first event on the 27th. Two of the programs are all English films and the third program is made up of international shorts. We have a film from Argentina, a film from Brazil, and two from the U.S. I’m particularly excited about a film titled “The Girlfriend Game”
As you know a huge goal in our organization is to showcase international films. We feel that as a festival in Los Angeles is important to help people in the city experiences films from all over the world. Our initiatives have always focuses on highlighting films from different parts of the world. This year we decided we wanted to do a British film program.
We reached out to Brit Week, and actually one of the NewFilmmakers board members is also BritWeek and BAFTA committee member as well. He had a relationship with Brit Week and we pitched them the idea for this program and they were really excited about it, particularly because they didn’t have any other film programs as part of BritWeek. As you might know Brit Week is a celebration of British art and culture in Los Angeles that includes exhibitions, musical performances, and other events that make it a very well rounded experience.
This initiative grew into a two-part event. We are doing the program I just mentioned and the Fox Searchlight movie “Far from the Madding Crowd.” We wanted to show a film that more people from the community would feel compelled to come out and see based on the talent that was involved in making the film, As we were researching what indie labels had new films coming out that could work with our program. We got in touch with Fox Searchlight and they were very excited to take part. Obviously this film is an English film, so it was a really fit.
Aguilar: Tells us more about the diverse British shorts included in the extensive program
James Defebaugh: We are really excited about this screenings. We feel like this program really represents a huge variety of what U.K. cinema has to offer in an array of genres. There is a film called “Anemone,” which is a beautiful portrait of a forbidden love that has some fantastic performances by its cast. We have “Madeleine Makes a Man,” which is a whimsical, fairy tale-like retelling of Frankenstein in which the lead character is trying to create the ideal romantic partner.
There are also a couple of interesting character driven dramas, one is titled “I’m in the Corner with the Bluebells” about two siblings who meet for the first time which find themselves with a this sort of genetic attraction, which is uncomfortable but very interesting and it’s beautifully shot. There is also “Stalemate,” a historical character driven work that takes place on Christmas Day during Wwi
We have two science fiction pieces, one of them is "Perfect State," a dystopian view of the U.K. in which the government has sold out to major corporations that run all the public services, and then there is "Roadside,"which is a post-apocalyptic short that feel very kinetic and has several successful action sequences. We have a couple of comedies.
One is “The Trouble Downstairs” a comedic mystery about a guy who is trying to figure out the culprit behind his Chlamydia, and then we have “Anita’s Birthday Wish” about a teacher whose birthday is coming up and who is bored and looking for something interesting to do. She decides to smoke pot but realizes that she has solicited the pot from one of her students, which is evidently an awkward situation. We have a big range of what U.K. filmmakers have to offer.
Aguilar: What are some highlights of the non-British program that will be screening alongside the films you already mentioned?
James Defebaugh: For the other program we have some great international films. We have one from Brazil called “The Passenger,” which is about a man’s displacement, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery throughout his homeland after his wife’s death. We have a really great film from Argentina called "Esperame" based on Dante’s Divine Comedy but sues corporate imagery in a metaphorical manner to retell that story.
There is also the one Larry mentioned earlier called “The Girlfriend Game,” which is an erotic thriller with a twisted game that a couple plays at bars. It’s tone and subject matter feels like “Gone Girl” in terms of the sexual tension. This film feature Ryan Eggold who starts in NBC’s “The Blacklist” and Sarah Roemer who was in the film “Disturbia”
Larry Laboe: Ryan Eggold actually has a special relationship with NewFilmmakers. We screened a short that he directed, and we’ve screened a few shorts that he starred in. It’s really exciting to see him back again at the festival. Specifically regarding “The Girlfriend Game,” the guy who produced it, Alejandro de Leon, has produced other great shorts. I’m really excited about him as a producer. One of the shorts he’s produced is called "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons," which I was really impressed by. He was also Upm of the short “Narcocorrido," which won a Student Academy Award in 2012. I particularly expect to see great things from Alejandro.
Aguilar: Why is it crucial for NewFilmmakers to balance special programs like this with films from diverse regions and backgrounds?
Larry Laboe: We do a lot of special themed programs, from Latino film programs, to African American film programs, or programs like this British one, but the reason why during these events you see a program made up of films from around the world is because we don’t want to put people inside a box. We do want to honor storytellers from different backgrounds but we don’t to make it so that storytellers become stereotyped or labeled based on being Latino, or British, or female. It’s great to honor different types of filmmakers but I think we have to be careful not to put too much of a label on it. When you see programs from NewFilmmakers that are special programs we typically like to mix it up.
James Defebaugh: We want to spotlight films that come from a specific cultural place but we also want to make sure we support indie filmmaking as a whole.
Larry Laboe: We want to support diversity all around.
- 4/26/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
AFI Fest 2013 has made an international selection of films for the New Auteurs and Shorts sections at this year’s festival (November 7 through 14). The fest takes place at the Tcl Chinese Theatre complex as well as the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The New Auteurs section highlights first and second-time international feature film directors and the shorts are a diverse program from around the world. Both sections are juried and eligible for Grand Jury Awards. This year’s New Auteurs jury features Peter DeBruge (Variety), Karina Longworth (author and critic), Amy Nicholson (La Weekly) and Betsy Sharkey (Los Angeles Times). The Shorts jury features Alejandro De Leon (producer), Kitao Sakurai (filmmaker), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (filmmaker) and Heidi Zwicker (shorts programmer). New Auteurs Selections (10 titles) The Fake – In this controversial animated drama from South Korea, a rural village in danger of a flood turns to a church that...
- 10/15/2013
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
As fans of Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, most of our coverage of Kelly Reichardt‘s eco-terrorism film, Night Moves, has made mention of the similarities between her film and Marling and Batmanglij’s latest, The East, as both films center on eco-terrorism groups who are bent on destruction. However, it now appears that we should have been playing closer attention to yet another eco-terrorism film and its similarities to Night Moves, mainly because the team behind that other film are alleging that Reichardt’s film has lifted from the production’s material in a big way. THR reports (via Cinema Blend) that Edward R. Pressman Film has filed a lawsuit against the production (including Reichardt, screenwriter Jonathan Raymond, executive producers Todd Haynes, Larry Fessenden, Alejandro De Leon, Film Science, Rt Features CEO Rodrigo Teixeira, and foreign sales agent The Match Factory GmbH) that demands that all work the film stop because “the plaintiffs claim that the...
- 9/17/2012
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Breaking: The Match Factory is selling foreign at Toronto for the Kelly Reichardt-directed Night Moves, which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard as three radical environmentalists who come together to execute the most spectacular direct action event of their lives: the explosion of a hydroelectric dam — the very source and symbol of the energy-sucking, resource-devouring industrial culture they despise. Shooting begins next month and UTA Independent Film Group is handling domestic sales on the co-production of Maybach Film Productions, Rt Features and filmscience. Match Factory today closed a French rights deal with Paris-based Ad Vitam Distribution, with Ad Vitam’s Alexandra Henochsberg and Gregory Gajos making the deal with Match Factory’s Brigitte Suarez and Michael Weber. Reichardt, who last directed Meek’s Cutoff, wrote the script with Jon Raymond. Neil Kopp and Anish Savjani are producing with Chris Maybach, Saemi Kim and Rodrigo Teixeira. Saerom Kim,...
- 9/9/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
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