Model and dancer Rina Lipa, the sister of pop-star Dua Lipa, is set to make her feature film debut in an adaptation of English author Charles Dickens’ classic novel ‘Great Expectations’. As reported by Deadline, the movie will follow ‘Great Expectations’ character Pip (played by McAuliffe) later in life. When he receives a mysterious invitation for a weekend retreat from his childhood benefactor Miss Havisham, he thinks his bad luck is about to change. Only, Miss Havisham never actually shows up. Instead, Pip is reunited with his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella (Blu Hunt).
He also meets Avery Harper, a chef with an agenda (Annie Q. Riegel), Bernard Nasby, a hedge fund manager with a chip on his shoulder (Samuel Arnold), and a group of other characters who have all been invited to play Havisham’s succession game and solve a riddle that could unlock the inheritance of her fortune.
He also meets Avery Harper, a chef with an agenda (Annie Q. Riegel), Bernard Nasby, a hedge fund manager with a chip on his shoulder (Samuel Arnold), and a group of other characters who have all been invited to play Havisham’s succession game and solve a riddle that could unlock the inheritance of her fortune.
- 7/8/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Callan McAuliffe (The Walking Dead), Blu Hunt (X-Men New Mutants), Samuel Arnold (Emily in Paris) and Annie Q. Riegel (The Leftovers) are starring in a contemporary movie spin-off of Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations.
Model Rina Lipa, sister of singer Dua Lipa, is making her feature debut in the family-oriented project, which is in post-production.
Additional cast includes Colin Ferguson (Eureka), Chris Gray (Ray Donovan: The Movie), Nadia Alexander (Blame), and Jenna Leigh Green (Sabrina the Teenage Witch).
The movie will follow Great Expectations character Pip (played by McAuliffe) later in life. When he receives a mysterious invitation for a weekend retreat from his childhood benefactor Miss Havisham, he thinks his bad luck is about to change. Only, Miss Havisham never actually shows up. Instead, Pip is reunited with his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella (Blu Hunt). He also meets Avery Harper, a chef with an agenda (Annie Q.
Model Rina Lipa, sister of singer Dua Lipa, is making her feature debut in the family-oriented project, which is in post-production.
Additional cast includes Colin Ferguson (Eureka), Chris Gray (Ray Donovan: The Movie), Nadia Alexander (Blame), and Jenna Leigh Green (Sabrina the Teenage Witch).
The movie will follow Great Expectations character Pip (played by McAuliffe) later in life. When he receives a mysterious invitation for a weekend retreat from his childhood benefactor Miss Havisham, he thinks his bad luck is about to change. Only, Miss Havisham never actually shows up. Instead, Pip is reunited with his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella (Blu Hunt). He also meets Avery Harper, a chef with an agenda (Annie Q.
- 7/7/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Freestyle Digital Media has acquired North American VOD rights to Slater Brothers Entertainment’s horror-thriller, The Darker The Lake, with plans to release it across internet, cable, and satellite platforms on March 1, 2022.
The Australian AFM entry directed by Lok Kwan Woo tells the story of what happens when strange, supernatural murders suddenly become the talk of a peaceful, small town. As two local detectives struggle to solve a deadly game, the myth of this game begin to reveal secrets too close to home.
Lok, Z Zoccolante and Yang Yang penned the film, which stars stars Elyse Levesque, Veronica Ferres (The Unforgivable), Gina Stiebitz (Dark), Vladimir Burlakov (Kleo) and Wei-Ning Hsu (The Victim’s Game).
Lok also produced, with Udum Media’s Anni Hsu exec producing alongside Todd and Grant Slater of Slater Brothers Entertainment.
“I am thrilled to have partnered up with Entertainment Studios,...
The Australian AFM entry directed by Lok Kwan Woo tells the story of what happens when strange, supernatural murders suddenly become the talk of a peaceful, small town. As two local detectives struggle to solve a deadly game, the myth of this game begin to reveal secrets too close to home.
Lok, Z Zoccolante and Yang Yang penned the film, which stars stars Elyse Levesque, Veronica Ferres (The Unforgivable), Gina Stiebitz (Dark), Vladimir Burlakov (Kleo) and Wei-Ning Hsu (The Victim’s Game).
Lok also produced, with Udum Media’s Anni Hsu exec producing alongside Todd and Grant Slater of Slater Brothers Entertainment.
“I am thrilled to have partnered up with Entertainment Studios,...
- 11/2/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group/Entertainment Studios, has acquired North American VOD rights to the Horror-Thriller Sanzaru. Sanzaru will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms on November 16, 2021 through Freestyle Digital Media. Check out this scary trailer:
Sanzaru is a horror-thriller that tells the story of a nurse hired to care for an elderly woman who uncovers a shocking family secret. Evelyn, a young Filipina nurse, is living on an isolated estate while taking care of Dena, the aging matriarch of a Texas family. As Dena slips deeper into dementia, Evelyn begins to sense something ominous lurking behind the walls. Is the house a conduit for a malevolent supernatural force? Or is she just hearing things? As Evelyn’s paranoia pushes her to uncover her employer’s awful past, she may...
Sanzaru is a horror-thriller that tells the story of a nurse hired to care for an elderly woman who uncovers a shocking family secret. Evelyn, a young Filipina nurse, is living on an isolated estate while taking care of Dena, the aging matriarch of a Texas family. As Dena slips deeper into dementia, Evelyn begins to sense something ominous lurking behind the walls. Is the house a conduit for a malevolent supernatural force? Or is she just hearing things? As Evelyn’s paranoia pushes her to uncover her employer’s awful past, she may...
- 10/26/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. rights to The Gig Is Up, Shannon Walsh’s feature documentary that explores the real costs of the controversial gig economy through the lives of workers from around the world for companies including Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo. The deal comes after London-based sales outfit Dogwoof acquired world rights at the European Film Market. Gravitas will now release the film October 8 in theaters and on-demand.
From delivering food and driving ride shares to tagging images for AI, millions of people are finding work task by task online, with the gig economy worth more than $5 trillion and growing worldwide. The pic tells the stories of the workers behind this tech revolution who have gone largely neglected amid often dangerous work conditions, inconsistent pay and the threat of being effectively fired through deactivation or a bad rating.
“We are thrilled to be releasing The Gig Is Up...
From delivering food and driving ride shares to tagging images for AI, millions of people are finding work task by task online, with the gig economy worth more than $5 trillion and growing worldwide. The pic tells the stories of the workers behind this tech revolution who have gone largely neglected amid often dangerous work conditions, inconsistent pay and the threat of being effectively fired through deactivation or a bad rating.
“We are thrilled to be releasing The Gig Is Up...
- 8/13/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Whelm, the Great Depression-era indie written and directed by Skyler Lawson and shot on Kodak 16mm, is setting its rollout that will include a 35mm roadshow screenings that begins next month in Beverly Hills.
The news comes as Gravitas Ventures came aboard to acquired North American digital rights to the pic, which is set in the Midwest at the height of the Great Depression and follows estranged brothers (Ronan Colfer and Dylan Grunn) as they become tangled in a rivalry between a legendary bank robber and an eccentric young criminal, finding they are a part of a larger historic scheme.
Lawson’s Endrow Pictures has theatrical rights to the pic, which will screen it in 35mm format at select theaters beginning with the Fine Arts Theatre Beverly Hills from August 13-21.
Lawson is executive producer via Endrow, Lawson, Ed Herrera and Noelle Hubbell are producers, with Herrera also the cinematographer.
The news comes as Gravitas Ventures came aboard to acquired North American digital rights to the pic, which is set in the Midwest at the height of the Great Depression and follows estranged brothers (Ronan Colfer and Dylan Grunn) as they become tangled in a rivalry between a legendary bank robber and an eccentric young criminal, finding they are a part of a larger historic scheme.
Lawson’s Endrow Pictures has theatrical rights to the pic, which will screen it in 35mm format at select theaters beginning with the Fine Arts Theatre Beverly Hills from August 13-21.
Lawson is executive producer via Endrow, Lawson, Ed Herrera and Noelle Hubbell are producers, with Herrera also the cinematographer.
- 7/30/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Chris Gray (The Society) is set to play young Ray in Showtime’s follow-up feature-length movie Ray Donovan. The film picks up where Season 7 of the popular series left off following its surprise cancellation last year, with Mickey (Jon Voight) in the wind and Ray (Liev Schreiber) determined to find and stop him before he can cause any more carnage. Gray plays the younger version of Schreiber’s Ray Donovan. Like his older self, he is a physically imposing young man who can convey much with only a few words and is decisive and calm in times of crisis. The film is executive produced by Hollander, Schreiber, Mark Gordon, Bryan Zuriff and Lou Fusaro. Gray was recently seen in a recurring role in The Society and in the feature Almost Love. He’s repped by Sweet 180 and Cesd.
Saad Siddiqui (Seal Team) has been tapped for a recurring role...
Saad Siddiqui (Seal Team) has been tapped for a recurring role...
- 7/15/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The 31st Inside Out Toronto 2Slgbtq+ Film Festival this week unveiled its full lineup for its virtual edition, which will run May 27-June 6. A total of 143 films including 33 features and five episodic series will unspool, according to new executive director Lauren Howes and director of programming Andrew Murphy. A total of 70% of this year’s selected films are by women/trans/non-binary directors
Natalie Morales’ directorial debut Language Lessons, which won the audience award at this year’s SXSW, will open the festival, with the Charli Xcx documentary Alone Together set to close. Highlights of the slate include Sundance winner Ma Belle, My Beauty, Wes Hurley’s Potato Dreams of America and Mari Walker’s See You Then, along with the world premiere of Shelley Thompsons’ trans family drama Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor. Docs include the Zachary Quinto-narrated Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story and Drag Invasion,...
Natalie Morales’ directorial debut Language Lessons, which won the audience award at this year’s SXSW, will open the festival, with the Charli Xcx documentary Alone Together set to close. Highlights of the slate include Sundance winner Ma Belle, My Beauty, Wes Hurley’s Potato Dreams of America and Mari Walker’s See You Then, along with the world premiere of Shelley Thompsons’ trans family drama Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor. Docs include the Zachary Quinto-narrated Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story and Drag Invasion,...
- 5/7/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Gravitas Ventures has released the first trailer for Light Years, the coming-of-age comedy with Andrew Lauren and DJ Gugenheim at Andrew Lauren Productions and Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin’s Free Association producing and Colin Thompson directing.
The film follows a thirtysomething man as he embarks on a cosmic vision quest. Thompson stars in the pic alongside Christopher Gray, Jennifer Lafleur, Makenzie Leigh, Russell Posner and Libby Winters.
The story of how the film came together has its own, overcoming-the-odds feel to it as Thompson did everything from overcoming hurdles in post-production due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to having to play a number of characters to cover the actors not able to partake in filming, and to the script eventually finding its way into the hands of Free Association.
In these trying times when even the most sure-thing tentpoles are up in the air of where and when they end...
The film follows a thirtysomething man as he embarks on a cosmic vision quest. Thompson stars in the pic alongside Christopher Gray, Jennifer Lafleur, Makenzie Leigh, Russell Posner and Libby Winters.
The story of how the film came together has its own, overcoming-the-odds feel to it as Thompson did everything from overcoming hurdles in post-production due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to having to play a number of characters to cover the actors not able to partake in filming, and to the script eventually finding its way into the hands of Free Association.
In these trying times when even the most sure-thing tentpoles are up in the air of where and when they end...
- 11/10/2020
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Mpc Episodic, which offers its VFX expertise to series creators, has expanded its senior team with the hire of seven key creatives. The outfit has also opened a Berlin office.
Since its launch in January, Mpc Episodic has been working on a number of series for clients including Disney Plus, BBC Studios, Apple TV Plus and Amazon Studios. It has just confirmed it will be partnering with Sky Studios and HBO to create the visual effects for the forthcoming miniseries “The Third Day,” which stars Jude Law and Naomie Harris.
Christopher Gray joins the studio leadership team from Framestore as executive producer, and visual effects supervisors David Sewell and Michael Bell, CG supervisor Steven Godfrey and VFX producer Patrick Dean all join from Double Negative. The team brings a combined experience of more than 60 years to Mpc, with credits including “The Witcher,” “Black Mirror,” “Chernobyl,” “The Boys” and the “Watchmen” series.
Since its launch in January, Mpc Episodic has been working on a number of series for clients including Disney Plus, BBC Studios, Apple TV Plus and Amazon Studios. It has just confirmed it will be partnering with Sky Studios and HBO to create the visual effects for the forthcoming miniseries “The Third Day,” which stars Jude Law and Naomie Harris.
Christopher Gray joins the studio leadership team from Framestore as executive producer, and visual effects supervisors David Sewell and Michael Bell, CG supervisor Steven Godfrey and VFX producer Patrick Dean all join from Double Negative. The team brings a combined experience of more than 60 years to Mpc, with credits including “The Witcher,” “Black Mirror,” “Chernobyl,” “The Boys” and the “Watchmen” series.
- 6/18/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
There are more than enough streaming and VOD titles of all genres in the specialty arena making their debut this weekend as they shift from theatrical to streaming for your quarantine entertainment. For those who need to quench their thirst for a rom-com, Mike Doyle’s Almost Love is set to premiere.
The Vertical Entertainment film made its debut in 2019 at Toronto’s Lgbtq film fest Inside Out and already took a bow in the UK in March under the title Sell By. Now, audiences stateside can stream the ensemble pic starring Scott Evans.
More from Deadline'Resistance' Pivots To Digital Release, 'Tape' Sets Virtual Premiere, Kino Lorber And Music Box Films Launch Online Exhibitions - Specialty Streaming PreviewCoping With Covid-19 Crisis: Hard-Hit Publicists Fight To Survive In The Ashes Of CancellationsSearchlight, A24, Focus Features Alter Release Slate; 'Dosed', 'Human Capital' And More Shift Theatrical Plans - Specialty Box Office
The...
The Vertical Entertainment film made its debut in 2019 at Toronto’s Lgbtq film fest Inside Out and already took a bow in the UK in March under the title Sell By. Now, audiences stateside can stream the ensemble pic starring Scott Evans.
More from Deadline'Resistance' Pivots To Digital Release, 'Tape' Sets Virtual Premiere, Kino Lorber And Music Box Films Launch Online Exhibitions - Specialty Streaming PreviewCoping With Covid-19 Crisis: Hard-Hit Publicists Fight To Survive In The Ashes Of CancellationsSearchlight, A24, Focus Features Alter Release Slate; 'Dosed', 'Human Capital' And More Shift Theatrical Plans - Specialty Box Office
The...
- 4/3/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
The seven-year-itch arrives a couple of years early for Adam and Marklin in independent romantic comedy “Almost Love.” Could that be because they’re gay men? Adam tries to tamp down that thought shortly after he and Marklin celebrate their fifth anniversary. Maybe it’s because they aren’t yet hitched, even though gay marriage has been an option for more than a decade. Why aren’t they? Marklin asks himself. It’s not that either is stepping out. There’s just a malaise. And then there’s the fact that they — and their coterie of gal pals — are at that age when reassessing love, coupledom and career is common. Whatever is ailing these New York City friends, it isn’t compelling enough to help writer-director Mike Doyle’s solid debut outshine the other Lgbtq-inflected offerings it will compete with when it arrives digitally and on demand April 3.
“Almost Love...
“Almost Love...
- 4/2/2020
- by Lisa Kennedy
- Variety Film + TV
“Almost Love” (which screened at festivals under the title “Sell By”) is the first narrative feature written and directed by actor Mike Doyle, best known for playing forensics tech Ryan O’Halloran on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” from 2002 to 2009. This is an ensemble movie, and Doyle makes the common mistake of first-time writer-directors of cramming far too many characters into his story.
“Almost Love” is one of those ultra-mild movies that is reliant almost entirely on the likability of its large cast, which includes Scott Evans and Augustus Prew (who recently co-starred in the Hulu horror movie “Midnight Kiss”) as the central couple, Adam and Marklin. Adam is a visual artist who pays the bills by working on canvasses for art star Ravella Brewer, who is played in an all-too-brief cameo by Patricia Clarkson.
Marklin operates some kind of fashion site that is so well known and influential that...
“Almost Love” is one of those ultra-mild movies that is reliant almost entirely on the likability of its large cast, which includes Scott Evans and Augustus Prew (who recently co-starred in the Hulu horror movie “Midnight Kiss”) as the central couple, Adam and Marklin. Adam is a visual artist who pays the bills by working on canvasses for art star Ravella Brewer, who is played in an all-too-brief cameo by Patricia Clarkson.
Marklin operates some kind of fashion site that is so well known and influential that...
- 4/2/2020
- by Dan Callahan
- The Wrap
"It's all so confusing...!" Vertical Entertainment has released an official trailer for an indie ensemble comedy titled Almost Love, a film about romance in the smartphone era. Also known as Sell By, which is the title the film is using for the UK release. This originally premiered at the Toronto Inside Out Film Festival, and also played at numerous Lgbtq festivals including Outfest, Out on Film Festival, and a few others. Adam and Marklin's 5-year relationship has gone from a passionate flame to a simmer, forcing them to reconcile with each other's shortcomings while their friends endlessly search for/deal with love in New York City. The film marks the directorial debut of actor Mike Doyle, and stars Scott Evans, Augustus Prew, Michelle Buteau, Colin Donnell, Zoe Chao, Christopher Gray, John Doman, Patricia Clarkson, and Kate Walsh. This looks a bit cheesy and cliche, no surprise, mixed with some modern charm and humor.
- 2/27/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
How do you know when the person you’re with is the one?
That’s what three friends in New York City are struggling with in Almost Love, a romantic comedy following three very different relationships at a crossroads — and People has an exclusive look at the first trailer. The film marks the directorial debut of actor Mike Doyle.
How do you know who’s right for you? How do you know who’s not? How do you know when to stay together?
The first question applies to Scott Evans (Chris Evans‘ younger brother) and Augustus Prew, whose characters have...
That’s what three friends in New York City are struggling with in Almost Love, a romantic comedy following three very different relationships at a crossroads — and People has an exclusive look at the first trailer. The film marks the directorial debut of actor Mike Doyle.
How do you know who’s right for you? How do you know who’s not? How do you know when to stay together?
The first question applies to Scott Evans (Chris Evans‘ younger brother) and Augustus Prew, whose characters have...
- 2/26/2020
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
Stars: Munro Chambers, Christopher Gray, Emily Tyra | Written and Directed by Rob Grant
When Richard’s girlfriend Sasha and best friend Jonah give him a spear gun for his birthday, he wants to try it out straight away. The three of them set out for a day trip on a boat, but suspicion and jealousy soon start to get the upper hand. When the boat’s engine fails with no supplies on board, a nerve-wracking struggle for survival ensues that spares nobody’s secrets – or blood.
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends.
When Richard’s girlfriend Sasha and best friend Jonah give him a spear gun for his birthday, he wants to try it out straight away. The three of them set out for a day trip on a boat, but suspicion and jealousy soon start to get the upper hand. When the boat’s engine fails with no supplies on board, a nerve-wracking struggle for survival ensues that spares nobody’s secrets – or blood.
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends.
- 1/29/2020
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Rob Grant's killer horror flick Harpoon is getting quite the luxery treatment for its Canadian Bluray and DVD release next month. When maladjusted Jonah (Munro Chambers) is attacked by his hot-headed best friend Richard (Christopher Gray) - who believes Jonah and his long-term girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) are sleeping together - the caustic bond between the three friends is quickly called into question. Once Jonah and Sasha convince Richard that the allegations are false, Richard apologizes by taking them on a pleasure cruise on his fancy new yacht. After an accident renders the boat inoperable, Richard soon discovers that the affair was in fact, real. As more dark secrets and sexual tensions emerge, and with their rations of food and water starting to quickly...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/21/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Stars: Munro Chambers, Christopher Gray, Emily Tyra | Written and Directed by Rob Grant
When Richard’s girlfriend Sasha and best friend Jonah give him a spear gun for his birthday, he wants to try it out straight away. The three of them set out for a day trip on a boat, but suspicion and jealousy soon start to get the upper hand. When the boat’s engine fails with no supplies on board, a nerve-wracking struggle for survival ensues that spares nobody’s secrets – or blood.
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends.
When Richard’s girlfriend Sasha and best friend Jonah give him a spear gun for his birthday, he wants to try it out straight away. The three of them set out for a day trip on a boat, but suspicion and jealousy soon start to get the upper hand. When the boat’s engine fails with no supplies on board, a nerve-wracking struggle for survival ensues that spares nobody’s secrets – or blood.
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends.
- 10/6/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Arrow Video have announced that hit horror Harpoon (which is screening at Grimmfest this weekend) will premiere exclusively on its Cult Film video-on-demand service The Arrow Video Channel from 18th October, just in time for Halloween. The Arrow Video Channel is now available to UK customers of Apple TV channels in the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and select Samsung smart TVs, in addition to Amazon Prime Video subscribers.
Hot on the heels of its UK Premiere at Arrow Video FrightFest where it received critical acclaim, Harpoon is written, directed and edited by Rob Grant, Produced by Michael Peterson and Kurtis David Harder and stars Munro Chambers, Emily Tyra, Christopher Gray with narration by Brett Gelman.
With his perfect family and perfect upbringing, Richard (Christopher Gray) appears to have it all. So when he thinks that his long-term girlfriend, Sasha (Emily Tyra), and best friend, Jonah (Munro Chambers), are having an affair,...
Hot on the heels of its UK Premiere at Arrow Video FrightFest where it received critical acclaim, Harpoon is written, directed and edited by Rob Grant, Produced by Michael Peterson and Kurtis David Harder and stars Munro Chambers, Emily Tyra, Christopher Gray with narration by Brett Gelman.
With his perfect family and perfect upbringing, Richard (Christopher Gray) appears to have it all. So when he thinks that his long-term girlfriend, Sasha (Emily Tyra), and best friend, Jonah (Munro Chambers), are having an affair,...
- 10/2/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Prolific Canadian writer-director Rob Grant, who’s made five features and one documentary in the last decade, once again puts a limited setting and budget to resourceful use in “Harpoon.” This thriller about three none-too-loyal friends adrift on a yacht made a splash at Fantasia (after a lower-key Rotterdam premiere) with its genre-fan-friendly mix of grisly action and jaunty black comedy.
That balance was particularly successful in Grant’s 2012 “Mon Ami,” wherein two would-be kidnappers kept bungling their way to an ever-higher accidental body count. His latest is slicker but also more glibly mean-spirited, with characters it’s hard to care about and some twists that seem more contrived than clever — or credible. Nonetheless, . It opens in a few U.S. theaters Oct. 4, followed a few days later by Blu-ray and Tvod release.
The arch tone is set immediately by comedian Brett Gelman’s omnipresent narrator, who paraphrases Aristotle on...
That balance was particularly successful in Grant’s 2012 “Mon Ami,” wherein two would-be kidnappers kept bungling their way to an ever-higher accidental body count. His latest is slicker but also more glibly mean-spirited, with characters it’s hard to care about and some twists that seem more contrived than clever — or credible. Nonetheless, . It opens in a few U.S. theaters Oct. 4, followed a few days later by Blu-ray and Tvod release.
The arch tone is set immediately by comedian Brett Gelman’s omnipresent narrator, who paraphrases Aristotle on...
- 10/1/2019
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Writer/director Rob Grant wastes zero time getting us in the right frame of mind with Brett Gelman’s perfectly sardonic voice narrating an auspiciously violent collision of three close friends caught in a lovers’ misunderstanding. Harpoon‘s first scene provides effect—a stranded yacht in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with “Sos” duct taped to the deck—while the second supplies cause as Jonah (Munro Chambers) gets his face punched in by best friend Richard (Christopher Gray) with the latter’s long-term partner Sasha (Emily Tyra) imploring him to stop. Move those temperamental seeds of mistrust to a boat’s tight quarters and we can guess why the vessel will eventually find itself in distress. The question then becomes which, if any, of those passengers will be alive to accept help.
The misunderstanding: Richard thinks Jonah and Sasha are having an affair. It stems from texts found on...
The misunderstanding: Richard thinks Jonah and Sasha are having an affair. It stems from texts found on...
- 10/1/2019
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
When their yacht breaks down in isolated ocean waters, three "friends" find out just how much they really hate each other (and what they're capable of doing to each other) in Rob Grant's Harpoon. With the dark comedy coming out in select cinemas and on VOD this October from Dread, we caught up with co-writer/director Rob Grant to discuss assembling his game cast, finding a shooting location at the last minute, the challenges of filming on the water (especially in an area filled with curious kayakers), getting Brett Gelman involved as the movie's narrator, and exploring the "darker side of human behavior."
Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us, Rob, and congratulations on Harpoon! How and when did you get the idea for Harpoon?
Rob Grant: Thanks for the support! The idea originated on just the premise of three people who hate each other stuck...
Thanks for taking the time to catch up with us, Rob, and congratulations on Harpoon! How and when did you get the idea for Harpoon?
Rob Grant: Thanks for the support! The idea originated on just the premise of three people who hate each other stuck...
- 9/26/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
NewFest has released its full lineup for their 31st annual fest that features the year’s best Lgbtq films from around the world. The fest runs October 23-29 at the Sva Theatre, Cinépolis Chelsea, as well as The Lgbt Community Center in New York City.
As Deadline revealed exclusively last week, the festival will feature Mike Doyle’s Manhattan-set ensemble rom-com Sell By as their opening night film. The film stars Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie), Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy), Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Buteau (Tales of the City) and Augustus Prew (High-Rise). The fest will feature Martha Stephen’s To The Stars as the U.S. Centerpiece Gala and close with Rodrigo Bellott’s award-winning Tu Me Manques.
NewFest will also feature the world premiere of Alexis Clements’ documentary All We’ve Got which looks into what it takes in America for queer, spaces for women to survive and why/how they are disappearing. In addition, Megan Wennberg’s Drag Kids, which follows the lives of four young drag performers from around North America, will make its U.S. premiere and the fest will have a spotlight screening of Martin Krejcí’sThe True Adventures of Wolfboy, a modern-day fairytale starring Jaeden Martell, John Turturro. and Chloë Sevigny.
NewFest will also serve up some scares with thier queer-centric “HalloKween” program with the transgender vampire film Bit with Nicole Maines, the documentary Scream Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street about the controversial sequel of the Wes Craven classic that ended Mark Patton’s acting career, and the Spanish alien rescue mission film Brief Story From the Green Planet which won the coveted Teddy Award at this year’s Berlinale Film Festival.
The full program of 27 narrative features, 14 documentary features, 15 episodic series, 8 centerpiece and spotlight screenings, and 100 shorts from all over the world. 71% of content is by and about underrepresented voices.
The complete lineup of full-length features can be read below. Read the lineup of shorts here.
Opening Night Gala
Sell By
New York Premiere
Dir. Mike Doyle, USA, 2019, 94 mins
Cast: Scott Evans, Augustus Prew, Kate Walsh, Michelle Buteau, Zoe Chao, Patricia Clarkson, Christopher Gray, Colin Donnell, John Doman
Having been together for five years, Adam and rising social media celeb Marklin are faced with confronting their commitment to each other, while both Cammy and Haley (Zoe Chao) face their own challenges with companionship. Rounding out the lively and talented cast under Doyle’s assured direction is Kate Walsh (Grey’S Anatomy) and Academy Award-nominee Patricia Clarkson (High Art). Imbued with a can-do charm so becoming of our great metropolis, Sell By captures both how we let ourselves go, as well as how we grow closer to those we love.
Closing Night Gala
Tu Me Manques
New York Premiere
Dir. Rodrigo Bellott, USA/Bolivia, 2019, 110 mins
Cast: Oscar Martinez, Rossy de Palma, Fernando Barbosa
After his son Gabriel passes away, conservative Bolivian patriarch Jorge (Oscar Martínez) accidentally Skypes Gabriel’s ex-boyfriend Sebastian (Fernando Barbosa), leading him on a journey from Bolivia to New York City in search for the truth about his child. Based on writer/director Rodrigo Bellott’s own electrifying and influential play, Tu Me Manques is an inspiring story that celebrates community, love, and storytelling, and excavates both familial and international homophobia with tremendous tact and care.
International Centerpiece
And Then We Danced
New York Premiere
Dir. Levan Akin, Sweden/France, 2019, 113 mins
Cast: Levan Gelbakhiani, Bachi Valishvili, Ana Javakishvili
Sweden’s official selection for Best International Feature Film at the 2019 Academy Awards, And Then We Danced offers a riveting and visceral lead performance from newcomer Gelbakhiani, while featuring dynamic cinematography and a cathartic dance sequence that will leave you breathless.
U.S. Centerpiece
To The Stars
New York Premiere
Dir. Martha Stephens, USA, 2019, 111 mins
Cast: Kara Hayward, Liana Liberato, Jordana Spiro, Malin Akerman, Shea Whigham, Tony Hale, Lucas Zumann, Adelaide Clemens
Set in the conservative, bobby-socked setting of a 1960s Oklahoma high school, mysterious cosmopolitan new girl Maggie (Liana Liberato)—a coveted recruit among the popular girls—takes an unexpected shining to Iris, a withdrawn pariah. As the two teens grow closer, we learn the curious circumstances behind Maggie’s sudden arrival in the small Dust Bowl town.
New York Centerpiece
Cubby
New York Premiere
Dir. Mark Blane, USA, 2019, 83 mins
Cast: Mark Blane, Joseph Seuffert, Patricia Richardson, Zachary Booth, Christian Patrick
Written and co-directed by breakout star Mark Blane and shot in crisp 16mm, this quirky dark comedy tells the semi-autobiographical story of an anxious midwestern twenty-something who moves to New York City in hopes of becoming an artist. We follow Mark as he navigates his new life in this overwhelming city and chemically imbalanced flights of fancy, all while fostering a friendship with Milo, a precocious 6-year-old he begins to babysit in brownstone-filled Brooklyn.
Documentary Centerpiece
Drag Kids
Us Premiere
Dir. Megan Wennberg, Canada, 2019, 78 mins
This documentary follows the four young stars as they prepare for the biggest performance of their lives at Montreal Pride, demonstrating the importance of artistic expression, community-building, and non-judgmental support for people of all ages. A surprisingly moving film about gender, art, and affirming parenting, Drag Kids will have you cheering through tears by its end. This oft misunderstood segment of the drag community deserves more accurate representation in media, and Megan Wennberg’s film is only the beginning.
Narrative Features
15 Years
New York Premiere
Dir. Yuval Hadadi, Israel, 2019, 89 mins Cast: Oded Leopold, Udi Persi, Ruth Asarsai
When his best friend becomes pregnant and his longtime boyfriend starts talking about adopting, the often-unfazed Yoav begins to unravel. Small arguments fester to extreme degrees in Yuval Hadadi’s stunning portrait of a relationship in crisis. Shot against the backdrop of contemporary Tel Aviv, Hadadi explores ingrained pressures on the Israeli Lgbt community in his confident feature directorial debut.
A Dog Barking At The Moon
New York Premiere
Dir. Lisa Zi Xiang, China/Spain, 2019, 107 mins
Cast: Naren Hua, Nan Ji, Wu Reyuan, Thomas Fiquet
While visiting her broken family with her American husband, pregnant writer Huang Xiaoyu finds herself trapped between her cult-brainwashed mother and her secretly homosexual father. An epic Chinese family saga that unfolds over–and weaves together–multiple periods of time, Lisa Zi Xiang’s directorial debut is a masterful tale of secrets, infidelity, and the enormous weight of societal norms.
Benjamin
New York Premiere
Dir. Simon Amstell, UK, 2019, 85 mins
Cast: Gabe Gilmour, Jack Rowan, Colin Morgan, Anna Chancellor, Robin Peters, Arnab Chanda, Jessica Raine, James Bloor, Joel Fry, PhéniYES Brossard, Jessie Cave
Benjamin is an anxious, awkward filmmaker who feels stuck ahead of the premiere of his second feature. His lack of confidence in the film is eating him away, and, though love fuels his writing material, he’s overwhelmed by his self-proclaimed inability to love. When a beautiful young French musician named Noah comes into Benjamin’s life, he begins to let go of his past love traumas and see the light. It’s not long, however, before Benjamin’s insecurities come knocking and threaten to throw his life and relationship into disarray.
Billie & Emma
New York Premiere
Dir. Samantha Lee, Philippines, 2019,107 mins
Cast: Gabby Padilla, Zar Donato, Beauty Gonzales, Chelo Aquino
In the Philippines during the 1990s, out teenager and rock music-lover Billie is sent from Manilla to live with her aunt in a rural village. Sticking out like a sore thumb in her strict Catholic high school, Billie develops an intimate bond with Emma, an ambitious classmate who is hiding the fact that she’s pregnant from their peers. Together, Billie and Emma stand up against oppressive school officials and gossipy classmates, and discover there is so much more to live for aside from religious doctrine.
Holy Trinity
New York Premiere
Dir. Molly Hewitt, USA, 2019, 97 mins
Cast: Molly Hewitt, Theo Germain, Heather Lynn, Imp Queen
Holy Trinity is an absolute acid trip of kinky, drug-induced, gender-fluid adventures through an alternative universe’s Chicago. We follow Trinity, a queer dominatrix, who, after huffing a new brand of magic aerosol, can see dead people.
Last Ferry
New York Premiere
Dir. Jaki Bradley, USA, 2019, 86 mins
Cast: Ramon O. Torres, Myles Clohessy, Sheldon Best
When lonely lawyer Joseph ventures out to The Pines for the first time, he is drugged and mugged, and witnesses a murder on the beach. After he is found and taken in by a group of friends he quickly acclimates, but then begins to wonder, who can he trust? This taut thriller offers a delightfully gay spin on the classic thriller formula and features excellent cinematography from Alexa Wolf, who manages to capture the beauty and brightness of beaches and mimosa-drenched brunches, as well as the darkness that always seems to be lurking underneath this story’s surface.
Monsters
East Coast Premiere
Dir. Marius Olteanu, Romania, 2019, 116 mins Cast: Judith State, Cristian Popa
Presenting a clear snapshot of a contemporary Romanian couple through three distinct chapters, Marius Olteanu’s formal portrait of a marriage in quiet disarray is immersive in its naturalism and sneaky in its sense of humor. Subtly exploring the varied routes through which humans seek connection, whether through an extended all-night conversation with a cab driver or a secretive Grindr hookup, Monsters. is an observational film that refuses to judge its characters no matter how desperate they appear to be at times.
Music For Bleeding Hearts
World Premiere
Dir. Rafael Gomes, Brazil, 2019, 102 mins
Cast: Victor Mendes, Mayara Constantino, Caio Horowicz, Icaro Silva, Denise Fraga
In present day São Paulo, a trio of young hearts are about to break. Ricardo has both a steady boyfriend and a wandering eye for a new coworker. Isabella is taking a break from both her boyfriend and best friend Ricardo. And hopeless romantic Felipe has suddenly found himself caught between the two of them. These three have big dreams, yearning passion, and opinionated acquaintances, but they’re all unprepared for what’s to come from Cupid’s arrows.
Nevrland
New York Premiere
Dir. Gregor Schmidinger, Austria, 2019, Tbc mins Cast: Simon Frühwirth, Paul Forman, Josef Hader
Seeking escape from his drab life at home and at work in a slaughterhouse, Jakob retreats into online worlds in search of excitement. After making a connection with tight-torsoed Kristjan in a cam chatroom, Jakob ventures out to meet up in person, leading to a mind-bending journey to the center of the self that will irreparably alter both of their lives.
Second Star On The Right
New York Premiere
Dir. Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2019, 82 mins
Cast: Silvia Varón, Ximena Rodríguez, Alejandra Lara, Tatiana Rentería, Diana Wiswell, Andrés Jiménez, Lorena Castellanos, Justin Vahala, Gina Medina
In the blink of an eye, gregarious bisexual Emilia (Silvia Varón) has gone from being a core member of a tight-knit group of women to its biggest burden. As her thirties close in on her, Emilia flits from day job to passion project to romantic interest without wholly committing to any. As the group’s focus shifts from friendship to careers, partners, and kids, Emilia becomes yet another load its members must shoulder.
Seventeen
New York Premiere
Dir. Monja Art, Austria, 2019, 104 mins
Cast: Elisabeth Wabitsch, Magdalena Wabitsch
As summer looms in bucolic Austria, seventeen year-old Paula studies and silently pines for her boarding school classmate and close friend, Charlotte, who is biding time with an unremarkable boyfriend and exercising restraint in her shared feelings for Paula. Rather than dwelling, Paula attempts to date Tim, an eccentric but earnest classmate, in turn striking an imperfect balance between erotic connection and attraction that ultimately proves satisfying.
Siberia & Him
World Premiere
Dir. Viatcheslav Kopturevskiy, USA/Russia, 2019, 72 mins
Cast: Ilya Shubochkin, Anastasiya Voskresenskaya, Irina Novokreshennyh, Aleksandr Savin, Viatcheslav Kopturevskiy
Meek farmhand Sasha and policeman Dima have a fraught relationship. They’re brothers-in-law, travel companions, and—secretly—lovers. Over the course of their journey to visit Sasha’s grandmother, unspoken truths are uttered, intimacy is built, and authenticity is challenged. Although they may be far from the peering eyes of their oppressive society, their relationship teeters on a dangerous precipice.
Straight Up
New York Premiere
Dir. James Sweeney, USA, 2019, 95 mins
Cast: Katie Findlay, James Sweeney, Randall Park
Writer/director/producer James Sweeney stars in this witty comedy as Todd, an obsessive-compulsive and Gilmore Girls-loving twentysomething plagued by intense anxieties. Todd has never been comfortable with his queerness, or with most aspects of his life, and consistently struggles with insecurity. That is until he thinks he’s met his soulmate. The only problem? She’s a woman.
Tremblores (Tremors)
New York Premiere
Dir. Jayro Bustamante, Guatemala/France/Luxembourg, 2019, 107 mins Cast: Juan Pablo Olyslager, Mauricio Armas, Diane Bathen
In Guatemala, earthquakes (or tremors) can be a very common occurrence. Temblores explores what happens to an affluent religious family as a rumbling rift symbolically tears them apart after patriarch Pablo (a revelatory Juan Pablo Olyslager) reveals that he’s been sustaining a loving relationship with another man. What follows is a tale of passionate romance, immense inner conflict and devastating tragedy. Separated from his wife, his children and his life of Evangelical tradition, Pablo initially finds a sense of freedom. But how long can he sustain this new and exciting life when he’s fired from his job and his religious creed begins to take over again?
The Shiny Shrimps
New York Premiere
Dir. MaYESime Govare and Cédric Le Gallo, France, 2019, 103 mins Cast: Nicolas Gob, Alban Lenoir, Michaël Abiteboul, Geoffrey Couët
After an Olympic swimmer near the end of his career makes a homophobic comment on TV, he’s barred from any further events unless he agrees to coach the Shiny Shrimps, a flambouyant gay water-polo team. They might have the worst record in the amateur league, but they’re dead-set on qualifying for the most prestigious and challenging Lgbtq sporting event in Europe, the Gay Games.
Top 3 (And Other Animated Tales)
New York Premiere
Dir. Sofie Edvardsson, Sweden, 2019, 44 mins
Cast: Eric Ernerstedt, Jonas Jonsson, Caroline Johansson Kuhmunen
In this inventive and bittersweet animated rom-com, perpetual list-maker Anton falls in love with David and the two share a globetrotting young romance. But things start to go awry when Anton realizes that his dreams could be in direct opposition to his crush’s. Sofie Edvardsson’s charming and moving tale of miscommunication, idealization, and star-crossed love premiered at Frameline and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Outfest.
Zen In The Ice Rift
New York Premiere
Dir. Margherita Ferri, Italy, 2019, 90 mins
Cast: Eric Ernerstedt, Jonas Jonsson, Caroline Johansson Kuhmunen
Maia “Zen” Zenassi is a quick-tempered, nonconforming sixteen year-old living in a provincial Italian mountain village. A standout on the local boys hockey team, Zen uses the sport as a vital outlet for rage, an escape from emotional vulnerability, and a stage for gender performance. While being scouted for the national women’s team, Zen develops an improbable friendship with a male teammate’s reluctant girlfriend, causing an icy demeanor to melt away as Zen finally shares a closely-guarded desire to be a boy. Here, an open heart comes with mixed results.
Documentary Features
A Night At Switch ‘N’ Play
New York Premiere
Dir. Cody Stickels, USA, 2019, 72 mins
You are cordially invited to a night at Switch n’ Play! Meet the daring and dazzling Queer artists behind one of Brooklyn’s most popular and groundbreaking performance groups. Come along for the ride as they display their own unique blend Burlesque and drag, and navigate how gender identity, body image, and familial issues affect their performance personas and personal lives.
All We’Ve Got
World Premiere
Dir. Alexis Clements, USA, 2019, 67 mins
Since 2010, over 100 queer women’s spaces—from dive bars to bookstores and dance halls to health centers—have shuttered across the United States. As concern grows over this death and dearth of these essential social hubs, this documentary takes inventory of those that continue to thrive across the country, inciting a powerful conversation about the importance of community. Whether at Alibi’s Club in Oklahoma City or Wow Café Theatre in our own New York City, queer women are tirelessly making room for one another on barstools, stages, and activism’s front lines.
Burn Down The House (Screening with Fabulous)
Dir. Giselle Bailey and Nneka Onuorah, France, 2019, 44 mins
Giselle Bailey & Nneka Onuorah’s immersive documentary follows Kiddy Smile and several Parisian dancers as they prepare to perform in his next concert (and also features Fabulous’ Lasseindra Ninja). After DJing for Emmanuel Macron in a T-shirt that read “Fils d’immigrés, noir et pédé”, Smile was the subject of extraordinary praise and backlash. But he and his friends won’t let that faze them. As they discuss contemporary racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and the art that binds them, these rising stars make it clear that they won’t stop until everyone knows Paris is still burning.
Fabulous (Screening with Burn Down The House)
Dir. Audrey Jean-Baptiste, France, 2019, 46 mins
Audrey Jean-Baptiste’s triumphant Fabulous follows Lasseindra Ninja, a notable fixture of the ballroom scene in Paris, who travels from France to French Guiana in order to teach the art of voguing to Lgbtq young adults in her home country. A powerful and personal look at one woman’s return home, Fabulous gives the gift of empowerment and community to the next generation of queer dancers.
Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life
Dir. Tomer Heymann, Israel/Germany, 2019, 106 mins
Jonathan Agassi, one of the world’s most successful gay porn stars, splits his time between Israel, where both his parents live, and Berlin. The recipient of multiple international porn awards, Agassi built his fame on something considered taboo but enjoyed by millions worldwide. But as Agassi’s success starts to wane, he responds in increasingly self-destructive ways.
Leonard Soloway’S Broadway
New York Premiere
Dir. Jeff Wolk, USA, 2019, 84 mins
Leonard Soloway is a Broadway legend, and he’s got the Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and unforgettable stories to prove it. Narrated by Campbell Scott, this documentary follows the octogenarian producer as he works tirelessly to bring Maurice Hines’ musical memoir Tappin Thru Life to New York City. Interwoven with footage from Soloway’s more than 70 years in show business, the film features hilarious anecdotes about Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich, and Elaine Stritch, alongside candid interviews with friends and colleagues including John Slattery, Olympia Dukakis, Elizabeth Ashley, and Tovah Feldshuh. Leonard Soloway’S Broadway vividly paints the portrait of a great man of the theater, and pulls back the curtain on what it takes to get a show to the Great White Way.
Markie In Milwaukee
New York Premiere
Dir. Matt Kliegman, USA, 2019, 88 mins
Markie Wenzel, a transgender Tsa agent and former minister, struggles with being ostracized within her conservative community as she debates whether to de-transition. On the eve of her confirmation surgery, Markie professes that she heard the voice of God who convinced her not to go forward with it. In the aftermath of this decision, Markie reintegrates into her family and fundamentalist church, while reconciling the mutability of gender and the explicit and implicit transphobia of those she loves. Shot over ten years, director Matt Kliegman provides space for Markie to tell her own story while beautifully stitching together an endearing and often challenging portrait of gender fluidity, transphobia, and self-acceptance in the American Midwest.
Mr. Leather
New York Premiere
Dir. Daniel Nolasco, USA, 2019, 85 mins
Brazil’s leather community gets up close and personal in Daniel Nolasco’s playful documentary about the titular competition. Nolasco follows judges, past winners, and current contenders for the title of Mr. Leather Brazil, as they prepare for the annual contest, where one participant will win the honor of representing their country at Chicago’s annual International Mr. Leather contest. Combining vérité footage with stylized sequences, Mr. Leather keeps its audience on their toes through its illuminating, playful, and uncompromising depiction of this kinky subculture. Sex, activism, and community-building collide to make Mr. Leather a one-of-a-kind glimpse into São Paulo’s fetish scene.
One Taxi Ride
New York Premiere
Dir. Mak Ck, Mexico/Sinagpore, 2019, 84 mins
When Erick was seventeen-years-old, his life changed forever. Ten years after a traumatic taxi ride, he’s ready to reclaim his future and set out on a journey that will not only shift his path, but that of those closest to him. One Taxi Ride is a thoughtful and delicate look at how sexual violence impacts survivors, their relationships, and their futures. C.K. Mak’s documentary doesn’t turn Erick’s trauma into a source of spectacle, but, rather, a means of healing and honest introspection.
Our Dance Of Revolution
New York Premiere
Dir. Phillip Pike, Canada, 2019, 102 mins
Our Dance Of Revolution is an enriching documentary that celebrates the unsung heroes of Toronto’s black Lgbtq community. Tracing four decades of necessary rebellion while highlighting the crucial role of black women and black queer spaces, director Phillip Pike gives voice to the trailblazers who fought on the frontlines against violence and police brutality via fascinating archival footage and first person interviews.
Queen Of Lapa
New York Premiere
Dir. Theodore Collatos and Carolina Monnerat, Brazil, 2019, 73 mins
Against the backdrop of political corruption and flagrant transphobia in Brazil, the late, great Luana Muniz—cabaret performer, activist, and sex worker since age eleven—minced no words about the challenges in calling Lapa, Rio de Janeiro home. In her hostel, she provided a rare safe haven and a heavy dose of tough love for the next generation of trans sex workers.
Queer Japan
New York Premiere
Dir. Graham Kolbeins, USA/Japan, 2019, 100 mins
While queer and trans subject-matter remains somewhat taboo in parts of Japan, Graham Kolbeins assembled an extraordinary group of artists, activists, and community-leaders who are fighting to shift societal and political perspectives on the Lgbtq+ community. Featuring the country’s first transgender elected-official Aya Kamikawa, erotic manga illustrator Gengoroh Tagame, lesbian bar-owner Chiga Ogawa, and many more, Kolbeins’ film demonstrates the wide range of experiences, identities, and obstacles among Japan’s queer and trans pioneers.
The Archivettes
New York Premiere
Dir. Megan Rossman, USA/Australia, 2019, 61 mins
Led by local heroes Deb Edel and Joan Nestle in the 1970s, a group of young lesbians frustrated by misogyny and homophobia within academia huddled together and built an accessible archive of lesbian documents and artifacts for those conducting research, both professional and personal. The location: a bedroom in a modest apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Unsettled: Seeking Refuge In America
New York Premiere
Dir. Tom Shepard, USA, 2019, 84 mins
Tom Shepard’s new documentary follows four asylum-seekers from Syria, Angola, and The Democratic Republic of Congo as they try to start fresh in the United States. Subhi, Junior, Mari, and Cheynne have come a long way from home, but their journies are just beginning. Even before Donald Trump’s election, the asylum process has been notoriously labyrinthine for many refugees. Nonetheless, these four extraordinary individuals have persisted tenaciously.
Your Turn
New York Premiere
Dir. Eliza Capai, Brazil, 2019, 93 mins
Lucas “Koka” Penteado, Marcela Jesus, and Nayara Souza were three ordinary high school students whose lives suddenly changed when the state of São Paulo announced plans to close ninety-four public schools. In response to corruption and inefficiency in their government, these teens started to organize. Beginning with protests in which local students occupied their schools for weeks on end, the student labor movement reached extraordinary heights in 2015 and 2016, bringing awareness to numerous injustices in Brazil and remedying widespread problems for the country’s poorest residents. That was until 2018, when Jair Bolsonaro was elected with 55% of the popular vote. As the tides shift against activists and social justice movements, Koka, Marcela, and Nayara are faced with a jarring reality.
Episodic
A Luv Tale: The Series
New York Premiere
Dir. Kay Oyegun, USA, 2019, 75 mins
Cast: Vanessa Williams, Leon, Rotim, Sheria Irving, Amber Whittington
Based on the 1999 award-winning film, writer and creator Sidra Smith brings us back to Harlem: a section of New York City vibrant with brilliant, Black artists in A Luv Tale: The Series. When we meet Taylor, she has a magical one stand with an older woman named Candice. The next night at Taylor’s gallery opening, she meets Candice again. Only this time, Candice is with her husband. (This is when things start to really get crazy.) Taylor then discovers that Candice is not only married to a man, but that she’s also Taylor’s best friend Jake’s Mother. At the same time, Taylor’s roommate Akila navigates her own love life, and her work as a musician, all while still having to defend herself and her sexuality against her Mother who is a famous singer.
These Thems: Season 1 (Episodes 1-7)
New York Premiere
Dir. Jett Garrison, USA, 2019, 82 mins
Cast: Gretchen Wylder, Victoria Ortiz, Shaan Dasani, Nick Park
After realizing she may be a lesbian, Gretchen (Gretchen Wylder) befriends non-binary dog-walker Vero (Victoria Ortiz), who decides to stop training dogs and start training cishets. Vero takes Gretchen under their wing and introduces her to the queer world of New York City as she navigates what it’s like to be newly out at the age of 30.
Work In Progress: Episode 101 & Season Sneak Preview
Dir. Tim Mason, USA, 2019
Cast: Abby McEnany, Karin Anglin, Celeste Pechous, Julia Sweeney
Work In Progress, a new half-hour comedy series created by Chicago improv mainstays Abby McEnany and Tim Mason, and co-written by Lilly Wachowski is a funny and uniquely human comedy, Work In Progress features McEnany as a 45-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke from Chicago whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. Chicago-based performer Karin Anglin co-stars alongside Celeste Pechous, with Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live) appearing in a crucial role as herself and serving as executive producer. Theo Germaine (The Politician) will also appear as a guest star.
Hallokween
HalloKween Centerpiece
Scream Queen: My Nightmare On Elm Street
New York Premiere
Dir. Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen, USA, 2019, 100 mins Cast: Mark Patton, Robert Englund, Kim Myers, Robert Rusler
Following a successful stint on Broadway alongside stars such as Cher, Karen Black, and Sandy Dennis, closeted actor Mark Patton launched his film career with a prominent role in A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’S Revenge in 1985. What initially seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime soon became a horror story worthy of its own midnight movie. Appreciated fondly by razor-gloved connoisseurs the world over, Freddy’S Revenge’s intricately crafted gay subtext decimated its lead’s job prospects in a single swipe. In Scream Queen! My Nightmare On Elm Street, Patton finally strikes back.
Bit
New York Premiere
Dir. Brad Michael Elmore, USA, 2019, 90 mins
Cast: Diana Hopper, Nicole Maines, James Paxton, Jimmy Jagger, Julia Voth, Mc Gainey
Think Los Angeles is soulless? Try surviving the city’s underground feminist vampire scene. In this comedic-horror flick with a flair for the postmodern, Laurel (Supergirl’s Nicole Maines) leaves the suburbs hoping to catch a breather and a couple of good rock shows while crashing with her with her brother Mark (James Paxton) in the City of Angels. Instead, she quickly finds herself swept up in a faction of vampires with hazy motives. Led by a centuries-old, discerning sanguine by the name of Duke (Diana Hopper), entry into this clique might be more than Laurel bargained for. As the age-old queer girl adage goes, she must find out whether they want to befriend her, date her, or turn her—before it’s too late.
Brief Story From The Green Planet
New York Premiere
Dir. SantIago Loza, Argentina/Germany/Brazil/Spain, 2019, 75 mins
Cast: Romina Escobar, Paula Grinszpan, Luis Soda, Elvira Onetto, Pablo Cura, Anabella Bacigalupo, Leo Kildare Louback
In the eerie early moments of this mesmerizing Teddy Award winner, Tania–a transgender club performer–finds out that her grandmother has died. When she brings her two friends (the depressed Daniela and the dancey Pedro) to visit her late relative’s home, they discover that Tania’s grandmother spent her last years with a very special pal of her own: a small blue alien. Now Tania, Daniela, and Pedro must journey through rural Argentina to bring the alien back home before time runs out for the creature.
Special Events
Crystal City
New York Premiere
Dir. Terrence Crawford, USA, 2019, 89 mins Cast: David Fawcett, PhD
Filmmaker Terrence Crawford delivers a respectful and intimate look into the lives of gay men dealing with the re-emerging crisis of crystal meth addiction in New York City. Crawford expertly traces the history of the drug while making connections to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and mental health in the Lgbtq community. Through first hand experiences we learn about how these men became addicts and about their road to recovery via essential and life changing queer support groups. Simultaneously revealing, compassionate, and deeply informative, this essential documentary humanizes a stigmatized subject matter, ensuring awareness across our community rather than shame and isolation.
Queer Genius
New York Premiere
Dir. Chet Catherine Pancake, USA, 2019, 114 mins
Cast: Barbara Hammer, Eileen Myles, Black Quantum Futurism, Moor Mother, Jibz Cameron Aka Dynasty Handbag
Effortlessly multigenerational, interdisciplinary, and diverse in scope, Queer Genius peers into the lives of five virtuosos who have challenged artistic formalism, gender roles, and heterosexism without apology in both their private lives and creative practices. Composed of rare and in-depth portraits of late experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer, the art collective Black Quantum Futurism, East Village poet Eileen Myles, and performance artist Jibz Cameron, this documentary charts the robust family tree of the lesbian and queer avant-garde across six decades. It’s a lineage that shows no sign of growing dormant.
Queering The Script
New York Premiere
Dir. Gabrielle Zilkha, USA/Canada, 2019, 93 mins
Cast: Angelica Ross, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Gloria Calderon Kellett & Mike Royce, Ilene Chaiken, Lucy Lawless, Tanya Saracho
Fangirls have long been overlooked and disregarded, but Gabrielle Zilkha’s documentary beautifully honors the queer women who have consistently supported some of television’s most popularly coded shows, such as Xena: The Warrior Princess and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Queering The Script looks at queer representation over past decades—charting its course from mild subtext to fully realized queer characters—and its impact on the women who were watching.
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
New York Premiere
Dir. Vishnu Dass, USA, 2019, 81 mins
Academy Award-winner Anjelica Huston narrates this exploration of the spectacularly dreamlike world of Salvador Dalí protégé Steven Arnold and his strikingly creative body of work. Arnold’s photography, filmography, paintings, and illustrations are filled with occult rituals, Hollywood camp, and surrealist whimsy. Taken from more than 70 hours of original and archival footage,
director Vishnu Dass digs deeply into the inspiring life of this unheralded multimedia artist and countercultural icon.
As Deadline revealed exclusively last week, the festival will feature Mike Doyle’s Manhattan-set ensemble rom-com Sell By as their opening night film. The film stars Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie), Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy), Academy Award-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Buteau (Tales of the City) and Augustus Prew (High-Rise). The fest will feature Martha Stephen’s To The Stars as the U.S. Centerpiece Gala and close with Rodrigo Bellott’s award-winning Tu Me Manques.
NewFest will also feature the world premiere of Alexis Clements’ documentary All We’ve Got which looks into what it takes in America for queer, spaces for women to survive and why/how they are disappearing. In addition, Megan Wennberg’s Drag Kids, which follows the lives of four young drag performers from around North America, will make its U.S. premiere and the fest will have a spotlight screening of Martin Krejcí’sThe True Adventures of Wolfboy, a modern-day fairytale starring Jaeden Martell, John Turturro. and Chloë Sevigny.
NewFest will also serve up some scares with thier queer-centric “HalloKween” program with the transgender vampire film Bit with Nicole Maines, the documentary Scream Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street about the controversial sequel of the Wes Craven classic that ended Mark Patton’s acting career, and the Spanish alien rescue mission film Brief Story From the Green Planet which won the coveted Teddy Award at this year’s Berlinale Film Festival.
The full program of 27 narrative features, 14 documentary features, 15 episodic series, 8 centerpiece and spotlight screenings, and 100 shorts from all over the world. 71% of content is by and about underrepresented voices.
The complete lineup of full-length features can be read below. Read the lineup of shorts here.
Opening Night Gala
Sell By
New York Premiere
Dir. Mike Doyle, USA, 2019, 94 mins
Cast: Scott Evans, Augustus Prew, Kate Walsh, Michelle Buteau, Zoe Chao, Patricia Clarkson, Christopher Gray, Colin Donnell, John Doman
Having been together for five years, Adam and rising social media celeb Marklin are faced with confronting their commitment to each other, while both Cammy and Haley (Zoe Chao) face their own challenges with companionship. Rounding out the lively and talented cast under Doyle’s assured direction is Kate Walsh (Grey’S Anatomy) and Academy Award-nominee Patricia Clarkson (High Art). Imbued with a can-do charm so becoming of our great metropolis, Sell By captures both how we let ourselves go, as well as how we grow closer to those we love.
Closing Night Gala
Tu Me Manques
New York Premiere
Dir. Rodrigo Bellott, USA/Bolivia, 2019, 110 mins
Cast: Oscar Martinez, Rossy de Palma, Fernando Barbosa
After his son Gabriel passes away, conservative Bolivian patriarch Jorge (Oscar Martínez) accidentally Skypes Gabriel’s ex-boyfriend Sebastian (Fernando Barbosa), leading him on a journey from Bolivia to New York City in search for the truth about his child. Based on writer/director Rodrigo Bellott’s own electrifying and influential play, Tu Me Manques is an inspiring story that celebrates community, love, and storytelling, and excavates both familial and international homophobia with tremendous tact and care.
International Centerpiece
And Then We Danced
New York Premiere
Dir. Levan Akin, Sweden/France, 2019, 113 mins
Cast: Levan Gelbakhiani, Bachi Valishvili, Ana Javakishvili
Sweden’s official selection for Best International Feature Film at the 2019 Academy Awards, And Then We Danced offers a riveting and visceral lead performance from newcomer Gelbakhiani, while featuring dynamic cinematography and a cathartic dance sequence that will leave you breathless.
U.S. Centerpiece
To The Stars
New York Premiere
Dir. Martha Stephens, USA, 2019, 111 mins
Cast: Kara Hayward, Liana Liberato, Jordana Spiro, Malin Akerman, Shea Whigham, Tony Hale, Lucas Zumann, Adelaide Clemens
Set in the conservative, bobby-socked setting of a 1960s Oklahoma high school, mysterious cosmopolitan new girl Maggie (Liana Liberato)—a coveted recruit among the popular girls—takes an unexpected shining to Iris, a withdrawn pariah. As the two teens grow closer, we learn the curious circumstances behind Maggie’s sudden arrival in the small Dust Bowl town.
New York Centerpiece
Cubby
New York Premiere
Dir. Mark Blane, USA, 2019, 83 mins
Cast: Mark Blane, Joseph Seuffert, Patricia Richardson, Zachary Booth, Christian Patrick
Written and co-directed by breakout star Mark Blane and shot in crisp 16mm, this quirky dark comedy tells the semi-autobiographical story of an anxious midwestern twenty-something who moves to New York City in hopes of becoming an artist. We follow Mark as he navigates his new life in this overwhelming city and chemically imbalanced flights of fancy, all while fostering a friendship with Milo, a precocious 6-year-old he begins to babysit in brownstone-filled Brooklyn.
Documentary Centerpiece
Drag Kids
Us Premiere
Dir. Megan Wennberg, Canada, 2019, 78 mins
This documentary follows the four young stars as they prepare for the biggest performance of their lives at Montreal Pride, demonstrating the importance of artistic expression, community-building, and non-judgmental support for people of all ages. A surprisingly moving film about gender, art, and affirming parenting, Drag Kids will have you cheering through tears by its end. This oft misunderstood segment of the drag community deserves more accurate representation in media, and Megan Wennberg’s film is only the beginning.
Narrative Features
15 Years
New York Premiere
Dir. Yuval Hadadi, Israel, 2019, 89 mins Cast: Oded Leopold, Udi Persi, Ruth Asarsai
When his best friend becomes pregnant and his longtime boyfriend starts talking about adopting, the often-unfazed Yoav begins to unravel. Small arguments fester to extreme degrees in Yuval Hadadi’s stunning portrait of a relationship in crisis. Shot against the backdrop of contemporary Tel Aviv, Hadadi explores ingrained pressures on the Israeli Lgbt community in his confident feature directorial debut.
A Dog Barking At The Moon
New York Premiere
Dir. Lisa Zi Xiang, China/Spain, 2019, 107 mins
Cast: Naren Hua, Nan Ji, Wu Reyuan, Thomas Fiquet
While visiting her broken family with her American husband, pregnant writer Huang Xiaoyu finds herself trapped between her cult-brainwashed mother and her secretly homosexual father. An epic Chinese family saga that unfolds over–and weaves together–multiple periods of time, Lisa Zi Xiang’s directorial debut is a masterful tale of secrets, infidelity, and the enormous weight of societal norms.
Benjamin
New York Premiere
Dir. Simon Amstell, UK, 2019, 85 mins
Cast: Gabe Gilmour, Jack Rowan, Colin Morgan, Anna Chancellor, Robin Peters, Arnab Chanda, Jessica Raine, James Bloor, Joel Fry, PhéniYES Brossard, Jessie Cave
Benjamin is an anxious, awkward filmmaker who feels stuck ahead of the premiere of his second feature. His lack of confidence in the film is eating him away, and, though love fuels his writing material, he’s overwhelmed by his self-proclaimed inability to love. When a beautiful young French musician named Noah comes into Benjamin’s life, he begins to let go of his past love traumas and see the light. It’s not long, however, before Benjamin’s insecurities come knocking and threaten to throw his life and relationship into disarray.
Billie & Emma
New York Premiere
Dir. Samantha Lee, Philippines, 2019,107 mins
Cast: Gabby Padilla, Zar Donato, Beauty Gonzales, Chelo Aquino
In the Philippines during the 1990s, out teenager and rock music-lover Billie is sent from Manilla to live with her aunt in a rural village. Sticking out like a sore thumb in her strict Catholic high school, Billie develops an intimate bond with Emma, an ambitious classmate who is hiding the fact that she’s pregnant from their peers. Together, Billie and Emma stand up against oppressive school officials and gossipy classmates, and discover there is so much more to live for aside from religious doctrine.
Holy Trinity
New York Premiere
Dir. Molly Hewitt, USA, 2019, 97 mins
Cast: Molly Hewitt, Theo Germain, Heather Lynn, Imp Queen
Holy Trinity is an absolute acid trip of kinky, drug-induced, gender-fluid adventures through an alternative universe’s Chicago. We follow Trinity, a queer dominatrix, who, after huffing a new brand of magic aerosol, can see dead people.
Last Ferry
New York Premiere
Dir. Jaki Bradley, USA, 2019, 86 mins
Cast: Ramon O. Torres, Myles Clohessy, Sheldon Best
When lonely lawyer Joseph ventures out to The Pines for the first time, he is drugged and mugged, and witnesses a murder on the beach. After he is found and taken in by a group of friends he quickly acclimates, but then begins to wonder, who can he trust? This taut thriller offers a delightfully gay spin on the classic thriller formula and features excellent cinematography from Alexa Wolf, who manages to capture the beauty and brightness of beaches and mimosa-drenched brunches, as well as the darkness that always seems to be lurking underneath this story’s surface.
Monsters
East Coast Premiere
Dir. Marius Olteanu, Romania, 2019, 116 mins Cast: Judith State, Cristian Popa
Presenting a clear snapshot of a contemporary Romanian couple through three distinct chapters, Marius Olteanu’s formal portrait of a marriage in quiet disarray is immersive in its naturalism and sneaky in its sense of humor. Subtly exploring the varied routes through which humans seek connection, whether through an extended all-night conversation with a cab driver or a secretive Grindr hookup, Monsters. is an observational film that refuses to judge its characters no matter how desperate they appear to be at times.
Music For Bleeding Hearts
World Premiere
Dir. Rafael Gomes, Brazil, 2019, 102 mins
Cast: Victor Mendes, Mayara Constantino, Caio Horowicz, Icaro Silva, Denise Fraga
In present day São Paulo, a trio of young hearts are about to break. Ricardo has both a steady boyfriend and a wandering eye for a new coworker. Isabella is taking a break from both her boyfriend and best friend Ricardo. And hopeless romantic Felipe has suddenly found himself caught between the two of them. These three have big dreams, yearning passion, and opinionated acquaintances, but they’re all unprepared for what’s to come from Cupid’s arrows.
Nevrland
New York Premiere
Dir. Gregor Schmidinger, Austria, 2019, Tbc mins Cast: Simon Frühwirth, Paul Forman, Josef Hader
Seeking escape from his drab life at home and at work in a slaughterhouse, Jakob retreats into online worlds in search of excitement. After making a connection with tight-torsoed Kristjan in a cam chatroom, Jakob ventures out to meet up in person, leading to a mind-bending journey to the center of the self that will irreparably alter both of their lives.
Second Star On The Right
New York Premiere
Dir. Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2019, 82 mins
Cast: Silvia Varón, Ximena Rodríguez, Alejandra Lara, Tatiana Rentería, Diana Wiswell, Andrés Jiménez, Lorena Castellanos, Justin Vahala, Gina Medina
In the blink of an eye, gregarious bisexual Emilia (Silvia Varón) has gone from being a core member of a tight-knit group of women to its biggest burden. As her thirties close in on her, Emilia flits from day job to passion project to romantic interest without wholly committing to any. As the group’s focus shifts from friendship to careers, partners, and kids, Emilia becomes yet another load its members must shoulder.
Seventeen
New York Premiere
Dir. Monja Art, Austria, 2019, 104 mins
Cast: Elisabeth Wabitsch, Magdalena Wabitsch
As summer looms in bucolic Austria, seventeen year-old Paula studies and silently pines for her boarding school classmate and close friend, Charlotte, who is biding time with an unremarkable boyfriend and exercising restraint in her shared feelings for Paula. Rather than dwelling, Paula attempts to date Tim, an eccentric but earnest classmate, in turn striking an imperfect balance between erotic connection and attraction that ultimately proves satisfying.
Siberia & Him
World Premiere
Dir. Viatcheslav Kopturevskiy, USA/Russia, 2019, 72 mins
Cast: Ilya Shubochkin, Anastasiya Voskresenskaya, Irina Novokreshennyh, Aleksandr Savin, Viatcheslav Kopturevskiy
Meek farmhand Sasha and policeman Dima have a fraught relationship. They’re brothers-in-law, travel companions, and—secretly—lovers. Over the course of their journey to visit Sasha’s grandmother, unspoken truths are uttered, intimacy is built, and authenticity is challenged. Although they may be far from the peering eyes of their oppressive society, their relationship teeters on a dangerous precipice.
Straight Up
New York Premiere
Dir. James Sweeney, USA, 2019, 95 mins
Cast: Katie Findlay, James Sweeney, Randall Park
Writer/director/producer James Sweeney stars in this witty comedy as Todd, an obsessive-compulsive and Gilmore Girls-loving twentysomething plagued by intense anxieties. Todd has never been comfortable with his queerness, or with most aspects of his life, and consistently struggles with insecurity. That is until he thinks he’s met his soulmate. The only problem? She’s a woman.
Tremblores (Tremors)
New York Premiere
Dir. Jayro Bustamante, Guatemala/France/Luxembourg, 2019, 107 mins Cast: Juan Pablo Olyslager, Mauricio Armas, Diane Bathen
In Guatemala, earthquakes (or tremors) can be a very common occurrence. Temblores explores what happens to an affluent religious family as a rumbling rift symbolically tears them apart after patriarch Pablo (a revelatory Juan Pablo Olyslager) reveals that he’s been sustaining a loving relationship with another man. What follows is a tale of passionate romance, immense inner conflict and devastating tragedy. Separated from his wife, his children and his life of Evangelical tradition, Pablo initially finds a sense of freedom. But how long can he sustain this new and exciting life when he’s fired from his job and his religious creed begins to take over again?
The Shiny Shrimps
New York Premiere
Dir. MaYESime Govare and Cédric Le Gallo, France, 2019, 103 mins Cast: Nicolas Gob, Alban Lenoir, Michaël Abiteboul, Geoffrey Couët
After an Olympic swimmer near the end of his career makes a homophobic comment on TV, he’s barred from any further events unless he agrees to coach the Shiny Shrimps, a flambouyant gay water-polo team. They might have the worst record in the amateur league, but they’re dead-set on qualifying for the most prestigious and challenging Lgbtq sporting event in Europe, the Gay Games.
Top 3 (And Other Animated Tales)
New York Premiere
Dir. Sofie Edvardsson, Sweden, 2019, 44 mins
Cast: Eric Ernerstedt, Jonas Jonsson, Caroline Johansson Kuhmunen
In this inventive and bittersweet animated rom-com, perpetual list-maker Anton falls in love with David and the two share a globetrotting young romance. But things start to go awry when Anton realizes that his dreams could be in direct opposition to his crush’s. Sofie Edvardsson’s charming and moving tale of miscommunication, idealization, and star-crossed love premiered at Frameline and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Outfest.
Zen In The Ice Rift
New York Premiere
Dir. Margherita Ferri, Italy, 2019, 90 mins
Cast: Eric Ernerstedt, Jonas Jonsson, Caroline Johansson Kuhmunen
Maia “Zen” Zenassi is a quick-tempered, nonconforming sixteen year-old living in a provincial Italian mountain village. A standout on the local boys hockey team, Zen uses the sport as a vital outlet for rage, an escape from emotional vulnerability, and a stage for gender performance. While being scouted for the national women’s team, Zen develops an improbable friendship with a male teammate’s reluctant girlfriend, causing an icy demeanor to melt away as Zen finally shares a closely-guarded desire to be a boy. Here, an open heart comes with mixed results.
Documentary Features
A Night At Switch ‘N’ Play
New York Premiere
Dir. Cody Stickels, USA, 2019, 72 mins
You are cordially invited to a night at Switch n’ Play! Meet the daring and dazzling Queer artists behind one of Brooklyn’s most popular and groundbreaking performance groups. Come along for the ride as they display their own unique blend Burlesque and drag, and navigate how gender identity, body image, and familial issues affect their performance personas and personal lives.
All We’Ve Got
World Premiere
Dir. Alexis Clements, USA, 2019, 67 mins
Since 2010, over 100 queer women’s spaces—from dive bars to bookstores and dance halls to health centers—have shuttered across the United States. As concern grows over this death and dearth of these essential social hubs, this documentary takes inventory of those that continue to thrive across the country, inciting a powerful conversation about the importance of community. Whether at Alibi’s Club in Oklahoma City or Wow Café Theatre in our own New York City, queer women are tirelessly making room for one another on barstools, stages, and activism’s front lines.
Burn Down The House (Screening with Fabulous)
Dir. Giselle Bailey and Nneka Onuorah, France, 2019, 44 mins
Giselle Bailey & Nneka Onuorah’s immersive documentary follows Kiddy Smile and several Parisian dancers as they prepare to perform in his next concert (and also features Fabulous’ Lasseindra Ninja). After DJing for Emmanuel Macron in a T-shirt that read “Fils d’immigrés, noir et pédé”, Smile was the subject of extraordinary praise and backlash. But he and his friends won’t let that faze them. As they discuss contemporary racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and the art that binds them, these rising stars make it clear that they won’t stop until everyone knows Paris is still burning.
Fabulous (Screening with Burn Down The House)
Dir. Audrey Jean-Baptiste, France, 2019, 46 mins
Audrey Jean-Baptiste’s triumphant Fabulous follows Lasseindra Ninja, a notable fixture of the ballroom scene in Paris, who travels from France to French Guiana in order to teach the art of voguing to Lgbtq young adults in her home country. A powerful and personal look at one woman’s return home, Fabulous gives the gift of empowerment and community to the next generation of queer dancers.
Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life
Dir. Tomer Heymann, Israel/Germany, 2019, 106 mins
Jonathan Agassi, one of the world’s most successful gay porn stars, splits his time between Israel, where both his parents live, and Berlin. The recipient of multiple international porn awards, Agassi built his fame on something considered taboo but enjoyed by millions worldwide. But as Agassi’s success starts to wane, he responds in increasingly self-destructive ways.
Leonard Soloway’S Broadway
New York Premiere
Dir. Jeff Wolk, USA, 2019, 84 mins
Leonard Soloway is a Broadway legend, and he’s got the Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and unforgettable stories to prove it. Narrated by Campbell Scott, this documentary follows the octogenarian producer as he works tirelessly to bring Maurice Hines’ musical memoir Tappin Thru Life to New York City. Interwoven with footage from Soloway’s more than 70 years in show business, the film features hilarious anecdotes about Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich, and Elaine Stritch, alongside candid interviews with friends and colleagues including John Slattery, Olympia Dukakis, Elizabeth Ashley, and Tovah Feldshuh. Leonard Soloway’S Broadway vividly paints the portrait of a great man of the theater, and pulls back the curtain on what it takes to get a show to the Great White Way.
Markie In Milwaukee
New York Premiere
Dir. Matt Kliegman, USA, 2019, 88 mins
Markie Wenzel, a transgender Tsa agent and former minister, struggles with being ostracized within her conservative community as she debates whether to de-transition. On the eve of her confirmation surgery, Markie professes that she heard the voice of God who convinced her not to go forward with it. In the aftermath of this decision, Markie reintegrates into her family and fundamentalist church, while reconciling the mutability of gender and the explicit and implicit transphobia of those she loves. Shot over ten years, director Matt Kliegman provides space for Markie to tell her own story while beautifully stitching together an endearing and often challenging portrait of gender fluidity, transphobia, and self-acceptance in the American Midwest.
Mr. Leather
New York Premiere
Dir. Daniel Nolasco, USA, 2019, 85 mins
Brazil’s leather community gets up close and personal in Daniel Nolasco’s playful documentary about the titular competition. Nolasco follows judges, past winners, and current contenders for the title of Mr. Leather Brazil, as they prepare for the annual contest, where one participant will win the honor of representing their country at Chicago’s annual International Mr. Leather contest. Combining vérité footage with stylized sequences, Mr. Leather keeps its audience on their toes through its illuminating, playful, and uncompromising depiction of this kinky subculture. Sex, activism, and community-building collide to make Mr. Leather a one-of-a-kind glimpse into São Paulo’s fetish scene.
One Taxi Ride
New York Premiere
Dir. Mak Ck, Mexico/Sinagpore, 2019, 84 mins
When Erick was seventeen-years-old, his life changed forever. Ten years after a traumatic taxi ride, he’s ready to reclaim his future and set out on a journey that will not only shift his path, but that of those closest to him. One Taxi Ride is a thoughtful and delicate look at how sexual violence impacts survivors, their relationships, and their futures. C.K. Mak’s documentary doesn’t turn Erick’s trauma into a source of spectacle, but, rather, a means of healing and honest introspection.
Our Dance Of Revolution
New York Premiere
Dir. Phillip Pike, Canada, 2019, 102 mins
Our Dance Of Revolution is an enriching documentary that celebrates the unsung heroes of Toronto’s black Lgbtq community. Tracing four decades of necessary rebellion while highlighting the crucial role of black women and black queer spaces, director Phillip Pike gives voice to the trailblazers who fought on the frontlines against violence and police brutality via fascinating archival footage and first person interviews.
Queen Of Lapa
New York Premiere
Dir. Theodore Collatos and Carolina Monnerat, Brazil, 2019, 73 mins
Against the backdrop of political corruption and flagrant transphobia in Brazil, the late, great Luana Muniz—cabaret performer, activist, and sex worker since age eleven—minced no words about the challenges in calling Lapa, Rio de Janeiro home. In her hostel, she provided a rare safe haven and a heavy dose of tough love for the next generation of trans sex workers.
Queer Japan
New York Premiere
Dir. Graham Kolbeins, USA/Japan, 2019, 100 mins
While queer and trans subject-matter remains somewhat taboo in parts of Japan, Graham Kolbeins assembled an extraordinary group of artists, activists, and community-leaders who are fighting to shift societal and political perspectives on the Lgbtq+ community. Featuring the country’s first transgender elected-official Aya Kamikawa, erotic manga illustrator Gengoroh Tagame, lesbian bar-owner Chiga Ogawa, and many more, Kolbeins’ film demonstrates the wide range of experiences, identities, and obstacles among Japan’s queer and trans pioneers.
The Archivettes
New York Premiere
Dir. Megan Rossman, USA/Australia, 2019, 61 mins
Led by local heroes Deb Edel and Joan Nestle in the 1970s, a group of young lesbians frustrated by misogyny and homophobia within academia huddled together and built an accessible archive of lesbian documents and artifacts for those conducting research, both professional and personal. The location: a bedroom in a modest apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Unsettled: Seeking Refuge In America
New York Premiere
Dir. Tom Shepard, USA, 2019, 84 mins
Tom Shepard’s new documentary follows four asylum-seekers from Syria, Angola, and The Democratic Republic of Congo as they try to start fresh in the United States. Subhi, Junior, Mari, and Cheynne have come a long way from home, but their journies are just beginning. Even before Donald Trump’s election, the asylum process has been notoriously labyrinthine for many refugees. Nonetheless, these four extraordinary individuals have persisted tenaciously.
Your Turn
New York Premiere
Dir. Eliza Capai, Brazil, 2019, 93 mins
Lucas “Koka” Penteado, Marcela Jesus, and Nayara Souza were three ordinary high school students whose lives suddenly changed when the state of São Paulo announced plans to close ninety-four public schools. In response to corruption and inefficiency in their government, these teens started to organize. Beginning with protests in which local students occupied their schools for weeks on end, the student labor movement reached extraordinary heights in 2015 and 2016, bringing awareness to numerous injustices in Brazil and remedying widespread problems for the country’s poorest residents. That was until 2018, when Jair Bolsonaro was elected with 55% of the popular vote. As the tides shift against activists and social justice movements, Koka, Marcela, and Nayara are faced with a jarring reality.
Episodic
A Luv Tale: The Series
New York Premiere
Dir. Kay Oyegun, USA, 2019, 75 mins
Cast: Vanessa Williams, Leon, Rotim, Sheria Irving, Amber Whittington
Based on the 1999 award-winning film, writer and creator Sidra Smith brings us back to Harlem: a section of New York City vibrant with brilliant, Black artists in A Luv Tale: The Series. When we meet Taylor, she has a magical one stand with an older woman named Candice. The next night at Taylor’s gallery opening, she meets Candice again. Only this time, Candice is with her husband. (This is when things start to really get crazy.) Taylor then discovers that Candice is not only married to a man, but that she’s also Taylor’s best friend Jake’s Mother. At the same time, Taylor’s roommate Akila navigates her own love life, and her work as a musician, all while still having to defend herself and her sexuality against her Mother who is a famous singer.
These Thems: Season 1 (Episodes 1-7)
New York Premiere
Dir. Jett Garrison, USA, 2019, 82 mins
Cast: Gretchen Wylder, Victoria Ortiz, Shaan Dasani, Nick Park
After realizing she may be a lesbian, Gretchen (Gretchen Wylder) befriends non-binary dog-walker Vero (Victoria Ortiz), who decides to stop training dogs and start training cishets. Vero takes Gretchen under their wing and introduces her to the queer world of New York City as she navigates what it’s like to be newly out at the age of 30.
Work In Progress: Episode 101 & Season Sneak Preview
Dir. Tim Mason, USA, 2019
Cast: Abby McEnany, Karin Anglin, Celeste Pechous, Julia Sweeney
Work In Progress, a new half-hour comedy series created by Chicago improv mainstays Abby McEnany and Tim Mason, and co-written by Lilly Wachowski is a funny and uniquely human comedy, Work In Progress features McEnany as a 45-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke from Chicago whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. Chicago-based performer Karin Anglin co-stars alongside Celeste Pechous, with Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live) appearing in a crucial role as herself and serving as executive producer. Theo Germaine (The Politician) will also appear as a guest star.
Hallokween
HalloKween Centerpiece
Scream Queen: My Nightmare On Elm Street
New York Premiere
Dir. Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen, USA, 2019, 100 mins Cast: Mark Patton, Robert Englund, Kim Myers, Robert Rusler
Following a successful stint on Broadway alongside stars such as Cher, Karen Black, and Sandy Dennis, closeted actor Mark Patton launched his film career with a prominent role in A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’S Revenge in 1985. What initially seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime soon became a horror story worthy of its own midnight movie. Appreciated fondly by razor-gloved connoisseurs the world over, Freddy’S Revenge’s intricately crafted gay subtext decimated its lead’s job prospects in a single swipe. In Scream Queen! My Nightmare On Elm Street, Patton finally strikes back.
Bit
New York Premiere
Dir. Brad Michael Elmore, USA, 2019, 90 mins
Cast: Diana Hopper, Nicole Maines, James Paxton, Jimmy Jagger, Julia Voth, Mc Gainey
Think Los Angeles is soulless? Try surviving the city’s underground feminist vampire scene. In this comedic-horror flick with a flair for the postmodern, Laurel (Supergirl’s Nicole Maines) leaves the suburbs hoping to catch a breather and a couple of good rock shows while crashing with her with her brother Mark (James Paxton) in the City of Angels. Instead, she quickly finds herself swept up in a faction of vampires with hazy motives. Led by a centuries-old, discerning sanguine by the name of Duke (Diana Hopper), entry into this clique might be more than Laurel bargained for. As the age-old queer girl adage goes, she must find out whether they want to befriend her, date her, or turn her—before it’s too late.
Brief Story From The Green Planet
New York Premiere
Dir. SantIago Loza, Argentina/Germany/Brazil/Spain, 2019, 75 mins
Cast: Romina Escobar, Paula Grinszpan, Luis Soda, Elvira Onetto, Pablo Cura, Anabella Bacigalupo, Leo Kildare Louback
In the eerie early moments of this mesmerizing Teddy Award winner, Tania–a transgender club performer–finds out that her grandmother has died. When she brings her two friends (the depressed Daniela and the dancey Pedro) to visit her late relative’s home, they discover that Tania’s grandmother spent her last years with a very special pal of her own: a small blue alien. Now Tania, Daniela, and Pedro must journey through rural Argentina to bring the alien back home before time runs out for the creature.
Special Events
Crystal City
New York Premiere
Dir. Terrence Crawford, USA, 2019, 89 mins Cast: David Fawcett, PhD
Filmmaker Terrence Crawford delivers a respectful and intimate look into the lives of gay men dealing with the re-emerging crisis of crystal meth addiction in New York City. Crawford expertly traces the history of the drug while making connections to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and mental health in the Lgbtq community. Through first hand experiences we learn about how these men became addicts and about their road to recovery via essential and life changing queer support groups. Simultaneously revealing, compassionate, and deeply informative, this essential documentary humanizes a stigmatized subject matter, ensuring awareness across our community rather than shame and isolation.
Queer Genius
New York Premiere
Dir. Chet Catherine Pancake, USA, 2019, 114 mins
Cast: Barbara Hammer, Eileen Myles, Black Quantum Futurism, Moor Mother, Jibz Cameron Aka Dynasty Handbag
Effortlessly multigenerational, interdisciplinary, and diverse in scope, Queer Genius peers into the lives of five virtuosos who have challenged artistic formalism, gender roles, and heterosexism without apology in both their private lives and creative practices. Composed of rare and in-depth portraits of late experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer, the art collective Black Quantum Futurism, East Village poet Eileen Myles, and performance artist Jibz Cameron, this documentary charts the robust family tree of the lesbian and queer avant-garde across six decades. It’s a lineage that shows no sign of growing dormant.
Queering The Script
New York Premiere
Dir. Gabrielle Zilkha, USA/Canada, 2019, 93 mins
Cast: Angelica Ross, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Gloria Calderon Kellett & Mike Royce, Ilene Chaiken, Lucy Lawless, Tanya Saracho
Fangirls have long been overlooked and disregarded, but Gabrielle Zilkha’s documentary beautifully honors the queer women who have consistently supported some of television’s most popularly coded shows, such as Xena: The Warrior Princess and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Queering The Script looks at queer representation over past decades—charting its course from mild subtext to fully realized queer characters—and its impact on the women who were watching.
Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies
New York Premiere
Dir. Vishnu Dass, USA, 2019, 81 mins
Academy Award-winner Anjelica Huston narrates this exploration of the spectacularly dreamlike world of Salvador Dalí protégé Steven Arnold and his strikingly creative body of work. Arnold’s photography, filmography, paintings, and illustrations are filled with occult rituals, Hollywood camp, and surrealist whimsy. Taken from more than 70 hours of original and archival footage,
director Vishnu Dass digs deeply into the inspiring life of this unheralded multimedia artist and countercultural icon.
- 9/19/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
"You know, someone once told me - the sea finds out everything you've done wrong." Epic Pics has debuted a full-length official trailer for Harpoon, an indie dark comedy horror thriller set (mostly) on a stranded yacht. From Canadian filmmaker Rob Grant the film played at the Rotterdam and FrightFest Film Festivals earlier this year, and is opening in a few Us theaters next month just in time for Halloween. Rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension emerge when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean due to suspicious circumstances. Starring Christopher Gray, Munro Chambers, and Emily Tyra. The film has already picked up lots of positive reviews, calling it "a fun-loving but mean-spirited ride on the open water that delivers fast, satisfying thrills." Jump right in. Here's the full-length official trailer for Rob Grant's Harpoon, direct from YouTube (found via EW):...
- 9/12/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
As our Fantasia Fest coverage winds down, here’s a double-bill of two new films from actor Munro Chambers, who came to prominence back in 2015 with a little film called Turbo Kid. His latest films see the actor embrace both ends of the character spectrum: hero and villain. Or do they?
Harpoon
Stars: Munro Chambers, Christopher Gray, Emily Tyra | Written and Directed by Rob Grant
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends. What starts out as a pleasure cruise becomes a fateful trip when festering suspicions and resentments bubble to the surface,...
Harpoon
Stars: Munro Chambers, Christopher Gray, Emily Tyra | Written and Directed by Rob Grant
Wealthy Richard (Christopher Gray) is prone to fits of violent anger, particularly when he believes his girlfriend Sasha (Emily Tyra) is cheating on him with his best friend Jonah (Munro Chambers) — who’s been having worse luck than even his Biblical namesake. Once they reassure him that his fears are unfounded, Richard invites Sasha and Jonah on an excursion aboard his yacht The Naughty Buoy to make amends. What starts out as a pleasure cruise becomes a fateful trip when festering suspicions and resentments bubble to the surface,...
- 8/2/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Rob Grant's latest thriller Harpoon is the latest entry into the fine collection of movies which take place in one location. In this case, we have a trio of friends on a yacht in the middle of the open ocean.
Richard (Christopher Gray), Jonah (Munro Chambers) and Sasha (Emily Tyra) are long-time friends with a ton of baggage. Richard is loaded and kind of a dick who is also generous to his friends. Sasha is a nurse and also Richard's long-time girlfriend while Jonah is a struggling with the fact that his parents were disappointed in him and because they died during a trip he bought for them; he also feels a little guilty.
Harpoon opens with an ugly fight that then turns into a day trip on Richard's yachts as a feeble attempt to make amends. The trio's day trip turn...
Richard (Christopher Gray), Jonah (Munro Chambers) and Sasha (Emily Tyra) are long-time friends with a ton of baggage. Richard is loaded and kind of a dick who is also generous to his friends. Sasha is a nurse and also Richard's long-time girlfriend while Jonah is a struggling with the fact that his parents were disappointed in him and because they died during a trip he bought for them; he also feels a little guilty.
Harpoon opens with an ugly fight that then turns into a day trip on Richard's yachts as a feeble attempt to make amends. The trio's day trip turn...
- 7/29/2019
- QuietEarth.us
A lean, mean thriller with pitch-black humor pumping through its veins, Harpoon has friendship on its mind. Throughout life, friendships are forged on various foundations of need and utility, but sometimes it’s simply a matter of having grown up together. As you get older and drift apart, that foundation can become weak and precarious. That’s the type of friendship in focus here, where three friends are bound by their lengthy history, but perhaps shouldn’t be. When the trio are left stranded in the middle of the ocean after their yacht breaks down, both their friendships and their lives are tested in harrowing ways.
Thanks to snappy narration via the Narrator (Stranger Thing’s Brett Gelman), no time is wasted cutting straight to the chase. Richard (Christopher Gray) is the rich son of a mob boss and has a serious anger management problem. The Narrator barely has enough...
Thanks to snappy narration via the Narrator (Stranger Thing’s Brett Gelman), no time is wasted cutting straight to the chase. Richard (Christopher Gray) is the rich son of a mob boss and has a serious anger management problem. The Narrator barely has enough...
- 7/28/2019
- by Meagan Navarro
- DailyDead
Horror Highlights returns with details for three very different horror-related films. Acquired after premiering at Cannes is the horror comedy Harpoon. Continue reading for release details. Also in today's Horror Highlights: news that Caroline Williams will star in Ten Minutes to Midnight and release details for Shed of the Dead, co-starring Kane Hodder.
Harpoon Trailer and Release Details: "Recently acquired out of the Cannes market for Us rights by Epic Pictures, Rob Grant’s horror comedy Harpoon is thrilled to release a new hysterically deranged sales trailer.
Repped by genre sales company Yellow Veil Pictures and coming to Dread, Epic’s celebrated genre label, the film features Munro Chambers (star of Epic Pictures’ cult hit Turbo Kid), Emily Tyra (Code Black), and Christopher Gray (The Mist), Harpoon is a black comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a...
Harpoon Trailer and Release Details: "Recently acquired out of the Cannes market for Us rights by Epic Pictures, Rob Grant’s horror comedy Harpoon is thrilled to release a new hysterically deranged sales trailer.
Repped by genre sales company Yellow Veil Pictures and coming to Dread, Epic’s celebrated genre label, the film features Munro Chambers (star of Epic Pictures’ cult hit Turbo Kid), Emily Tyra (Code Black), and Christopher Gray (The Mist), Harpoon is a black comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a...
- 5/22/2019
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
"Better than Titanic!" Yellow Veil Pictures has debuted an official promo trailer for an indie dark comedy horror thriller titled Harpoon, the latest feature from Canadian filmmaker Rob Grant. This just premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival this year and is on the hunt for distributors at the Cannes Market, which is where this trailer comes from. Rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension emerge when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean due to suspicious circumstances. Sounds a bit like Holiday or The Boat, but maybe not entirely. Starring Christopher Gray, Munro Chambers, and Emily Tyra. The best part about this trailer is the ridiculous fake quotes they use throughout, mocking all the ridiculous quotes that usually appear in most trailers anyway. Ha. Good stuff. Here's the first promo trailer (+ festival poster) for Rob Grant's Harpoon, direct from YouTube: Harpoon is...
- 5/20/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Epic Pictures has acquiring U.S. rights to Rob Grant’s horror comedy “Harpoon” for its distribution genre label Dread. The deal was announced at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The movie stars Munro Chambers, who also appeared in Epic Pictures’ “Turbo Kid” in 2015, along with Emily Tyra (“Code Black”), and Christopher Gray (“The Mist”). “Harpoon” is a black comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that arise when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean.
The film was also written by Grant and produced by Michael Peterson (“Knuckleball”), Kurtis David Harder (“What Keeps You Alive”), and Julian Black Antelope (“True Fiction”) for 775 Media Corp. It was executive produced by Laurie Venning for Venntertainment.
The deal for the film was negotiated by Patrick Ewald, CEO of Epic Pictures/Dread along with Walter Boholst, business affairs consultant on behalf of Epic and Hugues Barbier,...
The movie stars Munro Chambers, who also appeared in Epic Pictures’ “Turbo Kid” in 2015, along with Emily Tyra (“Code Black”), and Christopher Gray (“The Mist”). “Harpoon” is a black comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that arise when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean.
The film was also written by Grant and produced by Michael Peterson (“Knuckleball”), Kurtis David Harder (“What Keeps You Alive”), and Julian Black Antelope (“True Fiction”) for 775 Media Corp. It was executive produced by Laurie Venning for Venntertainment.
The deal for the film was negotiated by Patrick Ewald, CEO of Epic Pictures/Dread along with Walter Boholst, business affairs consultant on behalf of Epic and Hugues Barbier,...
- 5/15/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
The lost-at-sea trope usually plays out as a horror, thriller, drama or a combination of the three but comedy isn't, generally speaking, thrown into the mix.
Enter writer/director Rob Grant with his new feature Harpoon.
Starring Munro Chambers (Turbo Kid), Emily Tyra (Code Black), and Christopher Gray ("The Mist"), the movie is described as a "dark comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean under suspicious circumstances."
Though the first teaser trailer doesn't really provide much in the way of anything story-wise, I do love that it plays nothing like a comedy and therefore, I'm intrigued.
Harpoon will be making...
Enter writer/director Rob Grant with his new feature Harpoon.
Starring Munro Chambers (Turbo Kid), Emily Tyra (Code Black), and Christopher Gray ("The Mist"), the movie is described as a "dark comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean under suspicious circumstances."
Though the first teaser trailer doesn't really provide much in the way of anything story-wise, I do love that it plays nothing like a comedy and therefore, I'm intrigued.
Harpoon will be making...
- 1/16/2019
- QuietEarth.us
Arthouse sales firm Yellow Veil Pictures has picked up the international rights to dark comedy Harpoon, starring Code Black’s Emily Tyra and The Mist’s Christopher Gray, ahead of its premiere in Rotterdam.
It is the latest genre project for the company, which handles worldwide sales for films including Tillman Singer’s Luz , A.T. White’s Starfish, and Josh Lobo’s forthcoming upcoming debut A Man in the Dark.
Harpoon, which is directed by Rob Grant (Mon Ami) and produced by 775 Media Corp, is a dark comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean under suspicious circumstances. Munro Chambers, who starred in Degrassi: The Next Generation, also stars in the film, which was shot in Calgary, Alberta and San Pedro, Belize.
The lost-at-sea film will premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam,...
It is the latest genre project for the company, which handles worldwide sales for films including Tillman Singer’s Luz , A.T. White’s Starfish, and Josh Lobo’s forthcoming upcoming debut A Man in the Dark.
Harpoon, which is directed by Rob Grant (Mon Ami) and produced by 775 Media Corp, is a dark comedy about the rivalries, dark secrets, and sexual tension that amount when three best friends find themselves stranded on a yacht in the middle of the ocean under suspicious circumstances. Munro Chambers, who starred in Degrassi: The Next Generation, also stars in the film, which was shot in Calgary, Alberta and San Pedro, Belize.
The lost-at-sea film will premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam,...
- 1/14/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Many businesses have received a boost by appearing on ‘Shark Tank’, not only in terms of receiving investment but also from raising their profile. The businesses that have appeared on this television series are wide-ranging and while some of the businesses have been turned down by the Sharks, there are others that have impressed them and led to the Sharks making huge investments. One such business that Sharks were impressed with enough to invest was Scholly. Christopher Gray needed money to attend college and he found the process of applying for sponsorship money tortuous, so he created an app that
How is Scholly Doing After Appearing on Shark Tank?...
How is Scholly Doing After Appearing on Shark Tank?...
- 8/2/2018
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.