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The Long Walk is one of Stephen King’s most beloved and haunting novels. Now, it’s finally being adapted into a movie, bringing a dystopian world to life. The horrors of the movie do not lie in any ghosts or ghouls, but in a dystopian future that follows a brutal regime.

The story follows a group of teenage boys who compete in an endurance contest, where the one who walks the longest and doesn’t give up midway is declared a winner and earns a cash prize. But this is no ordinary competition because the fallen members are executed on the spot!

The cast features breakout talents, relatively newer faces,...

Exclusive: Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment, the new London-based international sales and production company launched by Edoardo Bussi last month, has unveiled Before We Forget as its first global acquisition for its upcoming Cannes slate.

The nostalgic, coming-of-age story marks the feature directorial debut of Argentinian actor Juan Pablo Di Pace, and Andrés Pepe Estrada, who is best known as an award-winning editor on films such as Argentina, 1985 and Upon Open Sky).

Di Pace stars as man looking back on the moments that shaped him, returning to memories of his student days in 1990s Italy, to rediscover the friendships, heartbreaks, and quiet triumphs of youth. As the line between past and present begins to blur, he understands that growing up never truly ends, and that looking back can be the only way to move forward.

Originally titled Duino, the Argentinian-Italian-u.S. co-production is lead produced by Di Pace’s Momento Films.

Exclusive: Lionsgate has commenced production on The Long Walk, its adaptation of the 1979 novel from Stephen King, starring Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, adding seven to the cast.

The newcomers are Garrett Wareing (Ransom Canyon), Tut Nyuot (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Charlie Plummer (National Anthem), Ben Wang (American Born Chinese), Jordan Gonzalez (Pretty Little Liars: Summer School), Joshua Odjick (Welcome to Derry), and Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit). Details as to their roles are under wraps.

Originally published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk focuses on a dystopian America that is entertained by the Long Walk — a competition in which 50 teenage boys walk without rest. Each competitor must keep walking faster than three miles per hour — or risk being eliminated.

Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) is directing from a script by Jt Mollner. Lawrence is also producing the project through his company about:blank,...

Chloe Bailey has made a name for herself in the music industry as one half of the musical sibling duo Chloe x Halle and her recent solo album "In Pieces." Now in her latest film "Praise This," the "Grow-ish" star's music is merging with her burgeoning acting career, as she plays an up-and-coming singer named Sam who dreams of one day getting her big break. However, her plan goes off track when her father forces her to move from Los Angeles to Atlanta to live with her cousin Jess (Anjelika Washington). But after joining Jess's praise team, Sam realizes the group could be her ticket to stardom if she helps them win a national championship competition.

The film, which premieres on Peacock on April 7, seems like it will easily join the list of iconic choir movies alongside the likes of "The Fighting Temptations" and the "Sister Act" franchise. If you...

Justin Lin may be the foremost director of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, but he's taking a break from the Hollywood big leagues for his next film: an indie movie about the misguided missionary John Allen Chau. Before helming half of the entries in one of the most successful blockbuster series in modern times, Lin directed indie movies that centered on the Asian-American communities of Southern California, including the quirky comedy "Shopping for Fangs" and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-nominated "Better Luck Tomorrow."

Lin directed "Shopping for Fangs" with Quentin Lee when they were both students in UCLA's film school in 1997. The film marks the acting debut of John Cho, who would go on to work with Lin on his follow-up feature, "Better Luck Tomorrow," as well as years later on "Star Trek Beyond." "Better Luck Tomorrow," a drama about an aimless group of Asian-Americans who throw their successes...

Exclusive: After spending the past decade plus-directing some of the biggest tentpoles in town, Justin Lin is returning to his indie roots. Sources tell Deadline he is set to direct The Last Days of John Allen Chau as his next film. Ben Ripley is penning the script, with filming to begin this spring across the globe.

Lin has spent the past 15 years helping turn the Fast & Furious series into one of the biggest franchises in the industry while also stepping in to direct the tentpole Star Trek Beyond in that period as well. Even as he rose in the ranks of A-list directors, he would let it be known to be people in his inner circle that he always wanted to get back to his indie roots, and once the project landed financing the opportunity to direct the film was too hard to pass up.

That said, he is...

Former Channel 4 deputy director of programs and head of popular factual Kelly Webb-Lamb has set up a new production company.

Mothership Productions will focus on global formats and “ideas of scale” across the unscripted genres. The new outfit has already hit the ground running with a senior team that includes Charlotte Desai, Gilly Greenslade and Gudren Claire.

“After 25 years in the industry on both sides of the pitching/buying table, it felt like it was time to take the leap and have a go at doing it for myself,” said Webb-Lamb. “I can’t honestly believe I’ve managed to persuade such a brilliant group of women to come along for the ride with me. We are super ambitious — and intend to make some properly great, entertaining, warm and witty programmes — and have a lot of fun.”

Webb-Lamb is one of the U.K. TV industry’s most well-respected executives.

Actor Ned Beatty passed away in his sleep on Sunday. The Oscar nominee, known for turns in Network, Deliverance and much more, was 83.

Beattie’s manager, Deborah Miller, confirmed the news to Deadline, saying that Beattie passed away from natural causes this morning, surrounded by his family and loved ones. No other details about his death were provided.

“Ned was an iconic, legendary talent, as well as a dear friend,” said Miller, “and he will be missed by us all.”

Born on July 6, 1937 in Louisville, Kentucky, Beatty kicked off his career as an actor around the age of 19, when he appeared on stage in the play Wilderness Road. He spent his first 10 years in the profession working in theaters across Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.

In 1972, he made his feature film debut in John Boorman’s thriller Deliverance, opposite Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds, playing the role of Atlanta businessman Bobby Trippe.

Beloved character actor Ned Beatty, who made his film debut in 1972’s “Deliverance” and delivered memorable performances in classics like 1976’s “Network” and 1978’s “Superman,” died on Sunday at age 83.

“Ned passed away from natural causes Sunday morning, surrounded by his family and loved ones,” Beatty’s manager, Deborah Miller, said in a statement provided to TheWrap. “His family has decided to keep details private at this time. Ned was an iconic, legendary talent, as well as a dear friend, and he will be missed by us all.”

Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1937, Beatty got his start as an actor in regional theater in the South in the 1960s before making his film debut in John Boorman’s 1972 film “Deliverance” as an Atlanta businessman on a canoe trip with three buddies who gets humiliated — and raped — by two Georgia mountainmen.

That memorable debut opposite Burt Reynolds and Jon Voight put...

Starring Clive Owen and Tim Roth, Canadian François Girard’s historical drama “The Song of Names” will close the 67th San Sebastian Festival on Sept. 28.

World premiering at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival as a Gala Presentation, “The Song of Names” will play out of competition at what will be its international premiere.

Hanway Films is selling worldwide the film, which was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for the U.S.. Elevation Pictures will distribute in Canada; Filmax in Spain.

“The Song of Names” is based on a novel by British award-winning novelist and cultural commentator Norman Lebrecht, which Jeffrey Caine (“The Constant Gardener”) adapted.

Described as an “emotional detective story,” the film unfolds at the start of World War II, focusing on Dovidl, a 9-year-old violin prodigy who is a Polish-Jewish refugee in London. His brother Martin, of the same age, is devoted to him.

Hours before Dovidl’s...

The San Sebastian International Film Festival will close this year's 67th edition with the international premiere of The Song of Names, starring Tim Roth, Catherine McCormack and Clive Owen.

The film will screen in an out-of-competition slot on the Spanish event's closing night on Sept. 28.

Canadian François Girard (The Red Violin, Silk, Boychoir) directed the drama, based on the novel of the same name by Norman Lebrecht. The story focuses on a 9-year-old boy in London at the start of World War II who befriends a violin prodigy who is also a Polish-Jewish refugee, only to have him disappear ...

The San Sebastian International Film Festival will close this year's 67th edition with the international premiere of The Song of Names, starring Tim Roth, Catherine McCormack and Clive Owen.

The film will screen in an out-of-competition slot on the Spanish event's closing night on Sept. 28.

Canadian François Girard (The Red Violin, Silk, Boychoir) directed the drama, based on the novel of the same name by Norman Lebrecht. The story focuses on a 9-year-old boy in London at the start of World War II who befriends a violin prodigy who is also a Polish-Jewish refugee, only to have him disappear ...

Happy Friday, "Pretty Little Liars" fans. We've got some pretty interesting new intel for you guys today. Some more major casting news has come out. It turns out that the production team for the new Pretty Little Liars spin off show "The Perfectionists" has decided to bring on a new, male character. According to the folks over at Deadline.com ,this new male character will be named Zach. Zach will be played by actor Garrett Wareing. Zach will be a recurring character on the show, which means we'll probably see him every now and then. The description for Zach reads like this, "A Bhu sophomore currently working three jobs to stay in school, and still manages to maintain stellar grades. His tough exterior hides a sensitive soul who can make anyone melt." Currently, there are no other details about who Zach will interact with. We're guessing he'll have scenes with...

New 'Hallmark Hall of Fame' presentation Hear My Song, starring Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates, Academy Award nominee Debra Winger, Emmy Award winner Eddie Izzard, Ifthen's Janine Divita, Josh Lucas and Kevin McHale will be broadcast Saturday, April 16 800-1000 Pm, Etpt on the CBS Television Network. The inspirational, music-filled movie tells the tale of a neglected 12-year-old boy, Stet Garrett Wareing, whose devilish behavior obscures his angelic singing voice until he enters a boy choir boarding school where the demanding choir master Hoffman drives him to achieve beyond his wildest dreams.

★★★☆☆ This handsome-looking Canadian feature boasts an impressive cast and director François Girard is well-versed in musical milieu (Girard was behind the unconventional but highly acclaimed 1993 biopic Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould), but The Choir (2014) is a fairly airless coming-of-age tale whose exquisite, ethereal soundtrack often manages to tug at those heartstrings even if the unfolding narrative doesn't. It's the type of drama which looks like it was commissioned primarily with the grey pound firmly in mind.

To mark the release of The Choir on 5th October, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on DVD. From acclaimed director François Girard comes the inspirational story of a rebellious young boy with a remarkable singing voice. After being sent to a prestigious music school, he is challenged by a demanding teacher. A

The post Win The Choir on DVD appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Dustin Hoffman almost gets this formulaic musical melodrama over the line

“You’re a punk, and your clock is ticking!” So declares Dustin Hoffman in this saccharine sweet musical melodrama (originally titled Boychoir), about a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who winds up studying at an elite private school, with predictably life-changing results. Unable to read music and – worse – showing little flair for discipline, Stet (Garrett Wareing) causes consternation among teachers and pupils alike. But the fact that he might be able to hit a high D means he’s something of a catch, potentially helping the school to “go all the way to New York!”

The notes of this tune are tear-jerkingly familiar, and there’s never any doubt about the final chorus, replete with a descant line of convenient illness and last-minute substitution. On the plus side, Hoffman is clearly passionate about the material, Debra Winger...

★★★☆☆ With the continuous addition of films to the coming-of-age canon, it can often feel as though there is a dearth of originality. What is offered up by The Choir (2014) has a promising set-up that allows a window to be carved out, for audiences to witness a personal pivot in one child's rapid development towards manhood. But something feels hollow here. Maybe its the typical signposts of the coming-of-ager that are put firmly into place, or maybe its the squandering of the talent of an absolutely Grade A cast that holds back what is otherwise a fairly serviceable film. Stet (Garrett Wareing) is literally from the wrong side of the tracks.

Television has never been better, film has never been worse, argues Dustin Hoffman...

Dustin Hoffman was well into his 70s by the time he made his feature directorial debut with 2012's solidly-received Quartet. However, since then he's not moved onto another project to helm, and he reckons this is purely down to money.

"I don't think that has anything to do with whether you are good or not, it's just about whether your films make money or not" he told The Independent.

Hoffman (pictured above, on the right), who starred in the cancelled HBO series Luck, as well as the BBC's recent adaptation of Esio Trot, added that "I think right now television is the best that it’s ever been and I think that it’s the worst that film has ever been – in the 50 years that I’ve been doing it, it’s the worst".

Hoffman admits that...

Independence Day 2 has been busily filling out its cast over the past few weeks, recruiting a mixture of fresh faces and old faithfuls to power the second entry in what is planned as a blockbuster franchise. Now, a information sheet for Fox’s upcoming schedule has shed some light on the plot of the follow-up.

Though the information sheet synopsis isn’t quite an official one, it does give an idea of what fans can expect from the sequel:

After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global catastrophe on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

What...

Another day, another new face added to the burgeoning cast of Independence Day 2 – today brings word that Chin Han, the up-and-comer who appeared in Netflix’s Marco Polo and had a small part in The Dark Knight, has joined the blockbuster sci-fi sequel in a key role.

Han, who worked with ID2 director Roland Emmerich on disaster epic 2012, will play the leader of the Chinese Space Squadron, an invaluable asset in combatting a new extraterrestrial threat. His other projects have included Contagion, Restless and IFC’s The Spoils Before Dying.

The actor joins a cast that currently includes franchise newbies Maika Monroe (The Guest, It Follows), Jessie Usher (Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse), Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Sela Ward (The Day After Tomorrow), Travis Tope (The Town That Dreaded Sundown), Garrett Wareing (Boychoir), William Fichtner (Drive Angry) and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Nymphomaniac) alongside returning actors Judd Hirsch, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox and Jeff Goldblum.

After years as a character actor in flicks as diverse as Black Hawk Down, The Dark Knight and The Perfect Storm, William Fichtner is finally landing major roles. The actor, last seen in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has signed on to play a top general in Independence Day 2.

Fichtner’s character will first appear in the next Independence Day sequel before becoming a more central player (possibly even the main antagonist) in the already-planned third and fourth movies.

It’s great to see Fichtner scoring bigger parts in blockbuster fare. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in which he played villain Eric Sacks, was a breakthrough pic for the actor, actually allowing him to showcase a dramatic range that has been reined in in his past projects.

In Independence Day 2, he’ll join a cast of fresh faces and familiar franchise players, including newcomers Maika Monroe (The Guest, It Follows), Jessie Usher...

Central Intelligence

Aaron Paul is in negotiations to join Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Amy Ryan and Danielle Nicolet in Rawson Marshall Thurber's action comedy "Central Intelligence" at New Line. Filming is underway in Boston.

Hart plays a boring accountant who was previously the cool guy in high school. He reconnects with an acquaintance (Johnson), a formerly bullied nerd who turns out to be a rogue spy. Paul will play Johnson's CIA partner who seemingly sacrifices himself for Johnson. [Source: THR]

The Belko Experiment

Michael Rooker ("Guardians of the Galaxy") has joined the cast of the horror film "The Belko Experiment". Rooker will play Bud Melks, the head of maintenance in the Belko building.

Greg McLean helms and James Gunn produces the film which deals with an American company after it’s mysteriously sealed off in South America. It's currently targeting a May 5th 2017 release. [Source: Variety]

Independence Day 2

Garrett Wareing ("Boychoir") has joined...

The cast for Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day 2 is shaping up to be a mixture of familiar and fresh faces, with franchise vets and newcomers both factoring into the new film. Today brings word that up-and-comer Garrett Wareing, who recently broke out in the acclaimed drama Boychoir, has booked a supporting role in the pic.

Wareing will play a boy who winds up in hiding with America’s First Family when aliens return to menace humankind.

He joins a cast of franchise newbies including Maika Monroe (The Guest, It Follows), Liam Hemsworth (Paranoia, The Hunger Games), Jessie Usher (Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse), Travis Tope (Men, Women & Children), Sela Ward (Gone Girl) and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Nymphomaniac), along with returning stars Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox and Judd Hirsch.

Details are under wraps, but Independence Day 2 will find a new generation, including the stepson (Usher) of Will Smith’s fast-talking pilot,...

Some critics derided Avengers: Age of Ultron as bloated, bombastic and nonsensical, but Australian moviegoers clearly dismissed or didn.t read the reviews

The Marvel blockbuster directed by Joss Whedon captured $15.7 million last weekend and $17.1 million including Wednesday night previews.

That.s the third biggest 4-day opening of all time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

The superhero adventure starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo eclipsed the 2012 debut of The Avengers, which raked in $13.3 million.

To be fair, the original opened on a Wednesday, Anzac Day, making $6 million on that day, and finished up with a towering $53.2 million.

The Disney release accounted for a whopping 71% of the entire market as nationwide receipts shot up by 34% to $22.1 million, according to Rentrak.s estimates. The four-day tally was up 18.5% on last year.

Universal.s Fast & Furious 7...

Kevin McHale has admitted that the Glee cast missed out on opportunities outside the show because of its hectic schedule.

The actor - who hosts E4's panel show Virtually Famous - told Digital Spy that casting directors began to realise that there was no chance of hiring any of the cast.

Speaking about the end of Glee, McHale said: "I would love to do more television. But we'll see. This will be the first time I've had any free time in the past six years, so it's terrifying and exciting all at the same time. I got to do a film last year and I really enjoyed doing that.

"It was a weird thing too because our schedules were so tough that people knew they couldn't hire us for six years. When a show becomes successful people want to hire the people on the show for other things, and...

The Angels’ Share: Girard’s Musical Drama a Conventional Return

Quebecois filmmaker Francois Girard returns from a near decade long hiatus with Boychoir, his first cinematic venture since 2007’s Silk. The absence may not be much for Girard, who never seems to be in a much of a hurry when it comes to filmed endeavors, considering he last received breakout notices in that realm for 1998’s The Red Violin. Returning once more to his favored subject matter, the connective tissue of music, his latest feels a bit too familiar, a commonplace underdog tale that never quite feels invested in itself. True, Girard bypasses the general sense of staunch melodrama that saddles these diamond in the rough tales where troubled yet talented youth meets grizzled mentor (Finding Forrester, for instance), but there’s an air of nonchalant convenience to its rudimentary structure that tends to undermine some potential powerful elements, such...

Long before two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman decided to become an actor he dreamed of a career as a classical pianist. Now, at age 77, Hoffman gets the chance to indulge his passion as Boychoir’s inscrutable Master Carvelle.

“I wanted to be a musician but I was never talented enough,” says Hoffman during an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival. Initially, he studied music at Santa Monica College before making the switch to acting.

“I have small hands so I can’t reach much more than an octave,” he says with his fingers stretched over an imaginary keyboard. “And, I think you have to have one of two qualifications; you have to have a really good ear or be a good sight-reader, and I’m neither.”

Directed by Canadian François Girard (The Red Violin), Boychoir stars Garrett Wareing as 11-year-old Stet, a troubled kid blessed with a golden singing voice.

Screenwriter Ben Ripley has followed up his time-travel thriller “Source Code” in a most unpredictable way. From an adrenaline-fueled terrorist atmosphere to the private confines of a boy’s choir school, Ripley’s rather plainly titled “Boychoir” bursts with harmony and euphoric melody thanks to a group of supernaturally talented boys. Unfortunately, Ripley’s talents for thrills don’t transition well into a coming-of-age story, unadventurous direction by François Girard provides no support, and the film’s voice is broken before it hits any soulful heights. Garrett Wareing plays Stet, a troubled youth whose attitude towards schoolwork and schoolmates is augmented by scorn and violent outbursts. Since he’s one of the brighter kids in his choir class, however, Stet follows the endless list of protagonists whose mischievous behavior is partly caused by being surrounded by inferiority. He comes home to a barely conscious, neglectful, boozing mother and proceeds to dump her.

The Mid-Atlantic Accent, that most self-conscious of acting choices, can still provide a good self-aware laugh. A particularly snooty variant appears early in François Girard's Boychoir, by way of Eddie Izzard playing a teacher at a Boy Choir school with maximum haughtiness. In a different film this might be delicious, but, symptomatically of Boychoir's larger problems, this character uncomfortably skewers the tone: Though Izzard is going full camp, Boychoir is incredibly earnest — at times, it veers into the garden-variety sentimentality of underdog sports movies, a subgenre to which it effectively belongs. Stet (Garrett Wareing) is an impoverished youth who, upon the death of his alcoholic mother, is sent by his absentee father (Josh L...

A troubled 12-year-old boy finds his voice with a lot of help from his demanding choir master, played by Dustin Hoffman. This is the first trailer for drama Boychoir. Stet is a troubled yet very talented 12-year-old boy who ends up at an elite music school, the National Boychoir Academy. There, completely out of his […]

Read Dustin Hoffman Finds a Kid’s Voice in Boychoir on Filmonic.

Today we have the trailer for the upcoming "Boychoir" drama, starring Dustin Hoffman, Josh Lucas, Eddie Izzard, Kathy Bates, Kevin McHale, and Garrett Wareing. Check it out below. Plot: The story focuses on Stet (Wareing), a rebellious preteen with a remarkable gift who is challenged by a demanding vocal teacher (Hoffman) at one of the most prestigious music academies in the country as they prepare for the National Championship. The new movie is directed by Francois Girard from a script by Ben Ripley (Source Code). It's set to hit select theaters on April 3rd. Trailer:...

Late screenwriting guru Syd Field often wrote in his Bibles for wannabe film scribes that if the writer doesn’t grab the viewer in the first 10 minutes (or the first 10 pages), then there’s no reason to stay with the story. Often these introductory minutes indicate the kind of story we are about to see, and illuminate important aspects of the protagonist whose journey we will follow. If one judges Boychoir from its opening scenes, few would want to stick around to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

The film begins going steadily through a checklist of conventions for stories about a downtrodden young protagonist with prodigal talent. The first shot of the film is of Stet, played by newcomer Garrett Wareing, crouching behind a train as it rattles through a Texas town. (If one was looking for a more trite way to show that the main character...

Boyhood and Whiplash? That’s old news! This year, let’s combine them for Boychoir. The first trailer for the film, directed by François Girard, hit the web on Tuesday. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Kevin McHale, Kathy Bates, Eddie Izzard, Joe West, Josh Lucas, and Debra Winger. Wareing plays Stet (as in Stetson), an 11-year-old Texan who’s sent to “the premier boy choir school in the nation” after the death of his single mother. He immediately fails to fit in — he’s a poor kid with behavioral issues, in a fancy school full of fancy people — but his vocal talents capture the attention of the sour Carvelle (Hoffman).

Boychoir seems to be a more sedated version of Whiplash with Hoffman playing the teacher that will be pushing Stet past him limits to make him the best singer in the choir. Hoffman looks strong in the role, but the overall...

"This is the premier boychoir school in the nation." While Whiplash dived into the world of competitive jazz band with a terrifying drill instructor of a leader, Boychoir looks to take a softer route in exploring adolescence and the inspiration of music. Dustin Hoffman plays a tough but stupendous conductor who has been brought in to maintain a premiere boychoir at a very elite school. But there's one student who doesn't seem too keen on using his talent, complacent with squandering his gift. Hoffman doesn't get quite as crazy as J.K. Simmons did in Whiplash, but this still looks like it could be a nice, inspiring story. Watch? Here's the Us trailer for Francois Girard's Boychoir (via Collider): You can still watch the Canadian trailer for Boychoir right here. Boychoir is directed by Francois Girard (Silk, The Red Violin) and written by Ben Ripley (Source Code). A recently orphaned...

Love tales of talented young musicians and cranky old teachers, but found Whiplash a bit too intense for your liking? You might be the right audience for Boychoir, an upcoming indie drama starring Dustin Hoffman as a choir master who finds a promising preteen talent in Garrett Wareing. Hoffman snaps things like “How dare you squander […]

The post ‘Boychoir’ Trailer: Dustin Hoffman Trains Kid Singers appeared first on /Film.

While you likely won't see Dustin Hoffman straight up abuse his young charges in "Boychoir," and the overall vibe is more feel-good than deliciously vicious, the general outline of the movie is not unlike "Whiplash": a young kid with talent struggles to find his way with a gruff teacher who expects nothing but the best. And a new trailer has dropped for the movie that trades jazz fills for perfectly blended baritones and sopranos. Kathy Bates, Kevin McHale, Eddie Izzard, Josh Lucas and Garrett Wareing co-star in the movie that follows a young kid with an extraordinary gift for singing who lands himself in a prestigious music academy. And with the National Championships on the horizon, everyone must learn to get along and meet their potential to win the day. So yes, it's all standard formula feel-good stuff, with less chair throwing than "Whiplash." "Boychoir" arrives on April 3rd.

If you’ve ever participated in a band, an orchestra, or a choir, you know the time, talent and dedication it takes to become an world class musician.

In Boychoir, a rebellious preteen (Garrett Wareing) with a remarkable gift is challenged by a demanding vocal teacher (Dustin Hoffman) at one of the most prestigious music academies in the country as they prepare for the National Championship.

Here is your first look at the trailer for Boychoir.

Boychoir also features Eddie Izzard as a teacher who serves as Hoffman’s right-hand at the school. Josh Lucas as Stet’s estranged father, while “Glee” star Kevin McHale plays a young music teacher who champions the boy. Debra Winger is the principal from Texas who first spots his talent.

Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film is from Francois Girard (director of “The Red Violin”) with an original screenplay by Ben Ripley.

Director Fran&#231ois Girard, known for his acclaimed films Silk, The Red Violin and Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, is back with an all-new drama this spring. Boychoir arrives in theaters this April, and is headlined by acclaimed actor Dustin Hoffman as a demanding vocal teacher. He is joined on screen by an all-star cast that includes Kathy Bates, Josh Lucas, Debra Winger, Kevin McHale, Eddie Izzard and River Alexander.

Boychoir follows Stet, a troubled and angry 11-year-old orphan from a small Texas town who ends up at a Boy Choir school back East after the death of his single mom. Completely out of his element, he finds himself in a battle of wills with a demanding Choir Master who recognizes a unique talent in this young boy. The man will push Stet to the breaking point, hoping the prodigy will discover his creative heart and soul in music.

Last year’s indie upstart Whiplash, which premiered at Sundance, banked three Academy Awards this February, including one for the compulsively-watchable powerhouse performance by J.K. Simmons as conservatory conductor Terence Fletcher.

Quebec native François Girard has already retraced the first few steps made by Whiplash director Damien Chazelle; His next film, Boychoir, played the festival circuit, starting with September’s Toronto International Film Festival, and his music conservatory-set film also features a noted portrayer of antiheroes – this time Dustin Hoffman – as the conductor.

The only difference we can see thus far? Boychoir will be 100% more lighthearted than Whiplash. It’s about a children’s choir after all!

Girard’s 1998 film The Red Violin, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Canada’s own Colm Feore, netted an Academy Award win for Best Original Score. Though The Red Violin’s seventy-seven-year-old composer John Corigliano won’t be reteaming with Girard for Boychoir, we...

The Weinstein Company secures sale of drama starring Helen Mirren, set to world premiere at Berlinale.

German distributor SquareOne Entertainment has acquired all German-speaking European rights, excluding Switzerland, to historical drama Woman In Gold from The Weinstein Company (TWC).

The deal was negotiated by Al Munteanu and Ingrid Pittana for SquareOne Entertainment with TWC.

Directed by Simon Curtis‘ (My Week With Marilyn), the film stars Oscar-winner Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds and Daniel Brühl. Co-stars include Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, Katie Holmes and Max Irons.

The film will have its world premiere at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival (Feb 5-15) where the film debuts as a Berlinale Special Gala.

Playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell wrote Woman In Gold, which is produced by David M. Thompson for Origin Pictures and Kris Thykier, executive produced by Harvey and Bob Weinstein for TWC, and BBC Films’ Christine Langan.

It tells the true story of Maria Altmann (Mirren), an octogenarian Jewish refugee, who takes...

Today we have a trailer for Dustin Hoffman's upcoming "Boychoir" film, which co-stars Kathy Bates, Josh Lucas, Eddie Izzard, Kevin McHale, and Debra Winger. Check it out below. Plot: A recently orphaned 12-year-old boy is sent to a boarding school, where he struggles to join an elite group of world-class singers. No one expects this rebellious loner to excel, least of all the school.s relentlessly tough conductor, who is forced into a battle of wills to bring out the boy.s extraordinary musical gift. The new movie is directed by Francois Girard (The Red Violin) from a script by Ben Ripley (Source Code). It's set to hit theaters in Canada on March 6th. A Us release date has yet to be set. Trailer:...

Despite some excellent movies coming out in the past year, we’ve been somewhat scant on the true feel-good, underdog stories of a troubled person who makes good. That is all about to change, however, with the upcoming release of Boychoir, which will hit theatres this March.

Boychoir premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, but is only just now getting a Canadian release. It features Dustin Hoffman as a stern conductor at a boys’ school renowned for its choir. Into his midst comes a recently orphaned twelve-year old boy (Garrett Wareing), a troubled but very gifted young singer. Against the odds, the choirmaster must help the boy find his voice.

The film has an impressive cast in addition to Hoffman, as it also includes appearances by Eddie Izzard, Kathy Bates, Debra Winger, and Josh Lucas. The recent trailer for Boychoir gives them all a chance to shine,...

"How dare you squander your talent?" If Whiplash was a little too brutal for your tastes, but you still have an interest in a film set in the world of music, then it looks like the Toronto International Film Festival selection Boychoir may be for you. The film follows an adolescent boy (Garrett Wareing) fresh in a new boarding school who wastes his natural talent for singing when he could be a pivotal part of a world-class choir of boys. But luckily, Dustin Hoffman is there as his choir leader to help inspire him, even if it means getting a little tough and stern. Eddie Izzard and Kathy Bates come along for good measure too. Watch! Here's the Canadian trailer for Francois Girard's Boychoir from Mongrel Trailers: Boychoir is directed by Francois Girard (Silk, The Red Violin) and written by Ben Ripley (Source Code). A recently orphaned 12-year-old boy (Garrett Wareing...

The Creative Coalition has announced the 2015 Spotlight Initiative Awards will be bestowed on Zoë Kravitz, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kellan Lutz and recent Golden Globe Winner Jeffrey Tambor at The Creative Coalition Awards Gala Dinner in Park City, Utah on January 24th. The annual gala evening is a marquee event with creative talent and executives from the arenas of entertainment and media gathering to celebrate these luminaries and the art and craft of independent film.

Details are as follows:

Saturday, January 24, 2015

8:00 pm

Nikki Beach at Riverhorse on Main

540 Main Street

Park City, Utah

“This year’s class of honorees represents a journey of triumph for independent film. The Creative Coalition’s Spotlight Initiative Award was created to support the artistry of independent film and those who create it,” said CEO of The Creative Coalition Robin Bronk.

For ticket information visit Here

About The Creative Coalition and the Spotlight Initiative:

The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan 501 (c)(3) social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating, mobilizing, and activating its members on issues of public importance. Actor Tim Daly serves as the organization’s President. The Spotlight Initiative Awards are a prestigious honor in the independent film arena.

Previous recipients include Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Eddie Izzard, and Josh Lucas for Boychoir; William H. Macy and John Hawkes for The Sessions; Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, and Stanley Tucci for Margin Call; Vera Farmiga for Goats; Maggie Gyllenhaal for Hysteria; and directors Quentin Tarantino, Taylor Hackford, George Hickenlooper, Lee Daniels, Roland Emmerich, and Barry Levinson. Other Spotlight Initiative Award winners include Cicely Tyson, Marcia Gay Harden, Melissa Leo, Elijah Wood, Anna Kendrick, Ellen Barkin, Alan Arkin, Tracy Morgan, Kate Bosworth, Jane Lynch, Shailene Woodley, Alfred Molina, Cheryl Hines, Josh Gad, Jonathan Pryce, Rose McGowan, and Emile Hirsch, among others.

About Nikki Beach Worldwide:

In 1998, entrepreneur Jack Penrod introduced the world to Nikki Beach; the ultimate beach club concept that combines the elements of entertainment, dining, music, fashion, film and art into one. Today, the Nikki Beach concept has transcended its international venues and grown into a global, multifaceted luxury lifestyle & hospitality brand comprising of a Beach Club Division; a Lifestyle Division (including an exclusive branding & clothing line found at the Boutiques located at all Nikki Beach locations, a music label and Nikki Style Magazine, a luxury travel, fashion & lifestyle publication produced two times a year); a Special Events Division; a Hotels & Resorts Division; and Nikki Cares, a 501c3 Non-Profit Charity Division

Nikki Beach can now be experienced in: Miami Beach, Florida, USA; St. Tropez, France; St. Barth, French West Indies; Marbella, Spain; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Marrakech, Morocco; Koh Samui, Thailand; Mallorca, Spain; Ibiza, Spain; Phuket, Thailand; Porto Heli, Greece; Bali, Indonesia; and pop-up locations in Cannes, France during the Cannes International Film Festival, Canada during the Toronto International Film Festival and in Park City, Utah, USA during the Sundance Film Festival. The Hotels & Resorts division has a current location in Koh Samui, Thailand & Porto Heli, Greece and in 2015 will be opening a hotel property in Dubai, UAE; For more information about Nikki Beach Worldwide, please visit:Here...

Paramount's "Selma" from director Ava Duvernay is picking up steam this awards season. The Martin Luther King drama has been announced to be the opening night movie of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. The festival will close on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of "Boychoir" from director Francois Girard. David Oyelowo, who plays the beloved King in "Selma," is also being honored at the fest with Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor.

Here's the complete press release which includes the list of Easter European movies in a program titled Eastern Promises:

Palm Springs, CA (December 16, 2014) . The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will launch on Friday, January 2 with the opening night screening of the GoldenGlobe nominated Selma directed by Ava Duvernay. The Festival will wrap on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of Boychoir directed by François Girard. New this year, the festival will focus on...

The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will launch on Friday, January 2 with the opening night screening of the Golden Globe nominated "Selma," directed by Ava Duvernay and starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. Paramount has been quietly building a late awards season surge for the already revered biopic opening in select cities on December 25 ahead of a national rollout in January. Read More: David Oyelowo on How Late-Breaking "Selma" Found Its Time The Festival will wrap on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of "Boychoir," directed by François Girard. New this year, the festival will focus on 20 films from Eastern Europe in a program titled Eastern Promises. The film is about a troubled 12-year-old from a disadvantaged background who gets accepted at an elite music school, The National Boychoir Academy. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Garrett Wareing, Kathy Bates, Eddie Izzard, Kevin McHale, Josh...

The 2015 Palm Springs International Film Festival will present the world, international, North American or U.S. premieres of films featuring James Franco, Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Annette Bening and many others, as well as films directed by Michel Hazanavicius and Peter Bogdanovich, Psiff organizers announced on Thursday.

The festival, which runs from Jan. 2 through Jan. 12 in the desert resort town east of Los Angeles, announced its full lineup, which is made up of 192 films from 65 countries.

Psiff world premieres will include “Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha,” a collaboration between James Franco and eight writers and 11 directors from...

The Price of Fame, St Vincent among ‘Cinema of the World’ strand.

The Dubai International Film Festival (Dec 10 – 17) has finalised its ‘Cinema of the World’ section, with films including Xavier Beauvois’ comedy The Price of Fame, starring Benoît Poelvoorde, Roschdy Zem and Nadine Labaki, and Theodore Melfi’s St Vincent, starring Bill Murray.

Also among the lineup are Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure, Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, Danis Tanović’s Tigers and Peter Ho-sun Chan’s Chinese box office hit Dearest.

Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden also plays alongside Sergei Loznitsa’s documentary Maidan, François Girard’s Boychoir, Gabe Polsky’s doc Red Army and comedy Meet the Patels.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Diff artistic director, said: “The Cinema of the World section of Diff is one of the most popular programming segments, bringing directors, actors and writers from around the globe to the multicultural audience at the Festival.”

Nashen Moodley, head of the...

St. Vincent, the comedy that helped spark a ‘Bill Murray Day’ in Toronto, and Boychoir, in which Dustin Hoffman plays a demanding choirmaster, have joined the international lineup of films set for the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival. The films were announced on Wednesday for the festival’s Cinema of the World section, alongside Xavier Beauvois’ comedy The Price of Fame, Cannes’ Un Certain Regard jury prize winner Force Majeure by Ruben Ostlund, Christian Petzold’s post-wwii drama Phoenix and Tigers by Danis Tanovic, who won the Oscar for No Man’s Land in 2001. Read more Lee Daniels to Head Dubai

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