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KOKO DI KOKO DA: Review

KokoDiKokoDa US Poster
KokoDiKokoDa US Poster

Bottom line:  Work it out so it will not work you over
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Director: Johannes Nyholm (THE GIANT)
Starring: Peter Belli, Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jackobson, Brandy Litmanen
Language: Swedish and Danish with English subtitles
Rating: Not Rated 
Genre: Horror, Fantasy

Deal with the demons from within before you can take on the demons from without

Tobias (Leif Edlund), Elin (Ylva Gallon) and their daughter, Maja (Katarina Jacobson) travel to Demark to celebrate Maja’s 8th birthday. Wearing their finest rabbit painted faces, they enjoy the  day before her birthday with an enjoyable lunch. After lunch, Maja came upon a music box that played the Swedish nursey rhyme, Our Rooster Is Dead, that had her mesmerized. Her parents purchase the music box as a birthday present and have it gift wrapped. Things take a sudden horrific turn when Elin and Maja suffer from an allergic reaction to the shellfish they had for lunch in director Johannes Nyholm’s film KOKO DI KOKO DA.

Determined to celebrate their daughter and work on their crumbling marriage, Tobias and Elin set off on a  camping trip that is soon anything but celebratory when three characters , Mog, a man with a straw hat (Peter Belli), Sampo, a huge giant of a man (Morad Baloo Khatchadorian) who carries a dead dog, and Cherry, a young woman with long black hair (Brandy Litmanen) with a vicious dog on a leach that is pictured on the music box, comes to life and torments Tobias and Elin over and over and over again.

Leif Edlund in Johannes Nyholm’s KOKO-DI KOKO-DA (Credit: Dark Star Pictures)
Leif Edlund in Johannes Nyholm’s KOKO-DI KOKO-DA (Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

The bright, cheery atmosphere of Tobias, Elin, and Maja enjoying their lunch date, their laughter, their faces painted as rabbits shows the love, happy, and fun times the family shared. The changes in lighting as they arrived at their camping site in the forest.

Cinematographers Johan Lundborg and Tobias Holem-Flyckt keeps the  fear going strong with the  images depicted in the dark and creepy woods as three of Satan’s own torments them.
Olof Cornéer and Simon Ohlsson music scores provides suspense

After leaving the gas station, in route to the forest, Elin and Tobias are on the verge of a heated discussion because of  Tobias’ perceived in difference to Elin and his constant joking, when Elin  says to Tobias, “why don’t you say what you actually mean, for once?  Tobias then tells her  “I love you”. The line was a great neutralizer and diffuse the situation so they can at least start on the same page.

The two times the film transitioned into an old school curtain puppet show animation with three rabbits representing the family to tell the story of Maja death and the old rooster adds a surprising and unique element to the storytelling.

Considering how much Tobias liked to joke, it made for some funny moments in an otherwise deeply disturbing film, when Tobias, scarred to death, runs around frantically in his underwear.

Koko-Di Koko Da  conveys a powerful message of the importance of people confronting and learning to deal with issues of grief and pain that resides in oneself, because if not, life will become one big loop, with  the pain and sorrow endlessly replaying over and over and over again, making the life’s obstacles difficult to overcome.

Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Starring: Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jacobson, Peter Belli, Morad Baloo Khatchadorian, Brandy Litmanen
Production Company: Johannes Nyholm Production and Beofilm
Director/Scriptwriter/Producer: Johannes Nyholm
Director of Photography: Johan Lundborg, Tobias Höiem-Flyckt
Executive Producer: Peter Hyldahl
Co-Producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Produced by: Penelope JulieBruun Bjerregaard
Assistant producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Co-producer: Peter Hyldahl
Executive producer: Johannes Nyholm
Cinematographers: Tobias Höiem-Flyckt, Johan Lundborg
Editor: Johannes Nyholm
Music: Olof Cornéer, Simon Ohlsson

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY Trailer

On VOD and Digital November 10th
On Blu-ray November 17th

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY pic

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Director:  Pavel Khvaleeva
Starring: Polina Davydova

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY tells a twisted story about a young woman, Mila, who is kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as Recreation. Her unknown abductors talk to her through a loudspeaker and set strict rules: she cannot sleep and has to fulfill bizarre and violent tasks if she hopes to stay alive. At first, it looks like someone’s sick idea of entertainment but as the demands become more intense, Mila begins to realize that she is losing control of her own mind and instead, may be a pawn in a twisted and deadly psychological experiment.

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY pic 6

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY made its world premiere at the 2020 Imagine Film Festival and was an official selection for the 2020 Sitges Film Festival, 2020 Dead Of Night Film Festival, and 2020 Obscura Berlin Film Festival. SLEEPLESS BEAUTY will be available on VOD + Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, November 10, 2020 and will be available on Blu-ray beginning Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Epic Pictures

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicpicturesgroup 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/epic_pictures 

Dread

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreadpresents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dreadpresents

 

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY pic 2


SLEEPLESS BEAUTY available on VOD/Digital Tuesday, November 10, 2020:

Indemand | Comcast | Spectrum | Charter | Dish | Sling TV | Vubiquity iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube | Amazon | Fandango Now | DirecTV | Redbox TVOD

Blu-ray Preorder:
https://epicpictures.com/merchandise/sleepless-beauty-blu-ray

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Director:  Pavel Khvaleeva
Starring: Polina Davydova
Writer: Aleksandra Khvaleeva
Producers: Frank Ellrich, Georgiy Smirnov and Elena Talyanksaya
Cinematographer: Pavel Khvaleev
Editor: Pavel Khvaleev
Production Co.: A Monomania Films Production

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division.

In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

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THE ANTENNA on VOD in US and Canada October 20th

THE ANTENNA is currently in Virtual Theaters

 Will be out on VOD in the United States and Canada on October 20th

Including on  iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Dish Network and all major cable providers

Antenna_still2

Director and Writer: Orçun Behram
Starring: Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze.

In a dystopian Turkey, the Government installs new networks throughout the country to monitor information.

The installation goes wrong in a crumbling apartment complex and Mehmet (Ihsan Önal), the building intendant, will have to confront the evil entity behind the inexplicable transmissions that threaten the residents.

Born in 1987, filmmaker Orçun Behram graduated from Columbia College, Chicago majoring film in 2011. Establishing himself in Istanbul, he has worked on variety of projects from music videos and short films to documentaries. The Antenna (2019) is the director’s first feature.

Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Horror
Language: Turkish with English subtitles
North American Distributor: Dark Star Pictures

DARK STAR PICTURES

Dark Star Pictures is a new-age North American distribution company, focused on bringing unique and targeted content to audiences across the country. The company is committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Dark Star’s goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. The company also services distribution companies and producers in the theatrical, digital, and festival space.

Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival and many more.

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

59 Film Festivals in 2020

PAFF Logo
59 Film Festivals 2020Pan African Film and Arts Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 28 years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
February 11-23, 2020
www.paff.org

Heartland International Film Festival
Indianapolis, IN
Establishes 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 9, 2020
www.heartlandfilm.org
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hot Springs National Park, AR
Established 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.hsdfi.org
Portland Film Festival
Portland, OR
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.portlandfilmfestival.comBendFilm Festival
Bend, Oregon
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.bendfilm.org
October 8-11, 2020

Napa Valley Film Festival
Napa, CA
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 14, 2020
www.napavalleyfilmfest.org
Tacoma Film Festival
Tacoma, Washington
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.tacomafilmfestival.com
October 8-15, 2020Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.mammothlakesfilmfestival.com
May 20-24, 2020

Brooklyn Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 23 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 17, 2020
www.brooklynfilmfestival.org
June 2020 (10-days)
deadCenter Film Festival
Oklahoma City, OK
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
www.deadcenterfilm.org
June 2020 (3 days)
Crossroads Film Festival
Jackson, Mississippi
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
crossroadsfilmfestival.com
November 2020
Palm Springs International ShortFest
Palm Springs, CA
Established 26 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.psfilmfest.org
June 16-22, 2020
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.chagrinfilmfest.org
October 6-11, 2020
Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
New York, New York, United States
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 25, 2020
www.bigapplefilmfestival.com
May 19-21, 2020
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
Dubuque, IA,
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 26, 2020
www.julienfilmfest.com
April 22-26, 2020Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle, WA
Established 46 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.siff.net
May 14-June 7, 2020

Calgary International Film Festival
Calgary, AB, Canada
Established 21 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.calgaryfilm.com
September 23-October 4, 2020

DC Shorts International Film Festival
Washington, DC
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.dcshorts.com
September 2020San Jose International Short Film Festival
San Jose, CA
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sjsff.com
October 2020

Washington West International Film Festival
Reston, VA
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.wwfilmfest.com
October 22-26, 2020
San Diego Underground Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sdundergroundarts.org
August 20-23, 2020
34th Edmonton International Film Festival
EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada
Established 34 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.edmontonfilmfest.com
September 24-October 3, 2020
Woods Hole Film Festival
Woods Hole, MA
Established 29 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.woodsholefilmfestival.com
July 25-August 1, 2020
Shriekfest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival & Screenplay competition
Los Angeles, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.shriekfest.com
October 1-4, 2020
Twister Alley Film Festival
Woodward, OK,
Established 5 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.twisteralleyfilmfestival.com
April 30-May 2, 2020
Denver Film Festival
Denver, Colorado
Established 43 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.denverfilmfestival.org
October/November 2020
Fantasia Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established 24 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.fantasiafestival.com
July 16-August 5, 2020
FilmQuest
Provo, Utah
Established 7 years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.filmquestfest.com
September 4-12, 2020
Harlem International Film Festival
Harlem, NY
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: January 17, 2020
www.harlemfilmfestival.org
May 14-17, 2020
Austin Revolution Film Festival
Austin, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.austinrevolution.com
Septeber 9-12, 2020Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Candada
Established 44 Years ago
Next deadline: April 19, 2020
www.tiff.net
September 10-19, 2020

Oak Cliff Film Festival
Dallas, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.oakclifffilmfestival.com
June 2020
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Santa Fe, NM
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 4, 2020
Abuja International Film Festival
Lagos, Nigeria
Established 19 Years ago
Next dealine: February 29, 2020
www.abujafilmfestival.org
October 2020
Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 38 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.outfest.org
July 16-26, 2020
Hawaii International Film Festival
Honolulu, Hawaii
Established 40 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.hiff.org
April 17-23, 2020
Coney Island Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com
September 11-13, 2020
Nevada City Film Festival
Nevada City, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.nevadacitychamber.com
August 28-September 4, 2020
International Black Movie Festival
Nashville, TN
Established   Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.ibffevents.com
September 30-October 4, 2020
Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 8, 2020
www.evolutionfilmfestival.org
March 2020
Camden International Film Festival
Camden, ME
Established 16 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.pointsnorthinstitute.org
October 1-4, 2020
Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth, Texas
Established 14 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.lonestarfilmfestival.com
November 4-8, 2020
New Orleans Film Festival
New Orleans, LA
Established 31 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.neworleansfilmsociety.org
February 27-March 4, 2020
Golden Door International Film Festival
Jersey City, New Jersey-New York
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org
September 17-22, 2020
San Francisco Black Film Festival
San Francisco, CA
Established
www.sfbff.org
June 2020
Sidewalk Film Festival
Birmingham, Alabama
Established 22 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 16, 2020
www.sidewalkfest.com
February 7-13, 2020
HollyShorts Screenplay Contest
Sherman Oaks, CA
Established 7 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 20, 2020
www.hollyshorts.com
August 11-20, 2020
Nashville Film Festival
Nashville, Tennessee
Established 51 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
October 1-7, 2020
Austin Film Festival
Austin, Texax
Established 27 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.austinfilmfestival.com
October 22-29, 2020
Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival
CARDIFF, United Kingdom
Established 14 Years ago
BAFTA Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.irisprize.org
October 6-11, 2020
Filmfestival Kitzbuehel
Vienna, Austria
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.ffkb.at
August 24-30, 2020
SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Savannah, Georgia
Established 23 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.filmfest.scad.edu/festival
October-November, 2020
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France
Established 73 Years ago
Next Deadline: February  15, 2020
https://m.festival-cannes.com
May 12-23, 2020
American Black Film Festival
Miami Beach, FL
Established 24 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.abff.com
June 17-21, 2020
Stony Brook Film Festival
Stony Brook, New York
Established 25 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com
July 16-25, 2020
Oaxaca FilmFest
Oaxaca, Mexico
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31,
www.oaxacafilmfest.com
October 9-15, 2020
San Diego Black Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline:
www.sdbff.com
January 27-31, 2021

Award-winning documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO Opens October 9th

 In San Francisco (CinemaSF),  Philadelphia (Film Society), Minneapolis (Parkway Theater),  Buffalo (North Park), Baltimore (Senator, The Charles), Vancouver (Kiggins Theater), Tucson (Loft), Cleveland (Cleveland Cinemas), Phoenix (Film Bar), Bellingham (Pickford Center). Winston Salem (Aperture Cinema), Tampa (Tampa Theater) and more including Toronto (HotDocs on October 29).

(L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

Directed by: Lillian LaSalle
Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
Documentary (USA)
In English.

Lillian LaSalle's upcoming award-winning and timely documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO explores what public education meant to South Bronx Latino maverick educator, Pedro Santana, and what he, in turn, meant to public education. 

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected.

The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

LaSalle is best known for her work as a talent manager representing actors, writers and directors as President of Sweet 180. https://www.mynameispedro.com .

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book by Veera Hiranandani alongside Aasif Mandvi’s Fat Mama Productions, animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow, from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) alongside Luca Borghese and Ben Howe’s (Diane) Ag-X Films.

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival
Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award, St. Louis International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival
Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs
Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival
Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival


MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

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THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW On VOD & Digital

Available October 6, 2020 

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW Key Art

on:

Indemand | Comcast | Spectrum | Charter | Dish | Sling TV | Vubiquity | iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube | Amazon Fandango Now | DirecTV | Breaker | Alamo On Demand

iTunes Pre-order: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-curse-of-audrey-earnshaw/id1531056261

Director and Writer: Thomas Robert Lee
Starring: Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley, and introducing Jessica Reynolds as Audrey Earnshaw

Set against the autumnal palette of harvest season in 1973, THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW explores the disturbed bond between Audrey, an enigmatic young woman, and Agatha, her domineering ‘mother’, who live secretly as occultists on the outskirts of a remote Protestant village. As the community is besieged by a pestilence of unknown origin: children, fields, and livestock begin to die — yet the Earnshaw farm remains strangely unaffected. As mass hysteria sets in the village, the townsfolk commence accusations against Audrey and Agatha of witchcraft.

Capturing a perfect mixture of religious paranoia and folklore horror, Thomas Robert Lee’s THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is a haunting and unflinching tale of vengeance.

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW celebrated its world premiere at Fantasia Fest 2020, coming out with raving reviews. The film will be releasing in limited theaters on Friday, October 2, 2020 and will be available on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

"I wanted to tell a story about legacy, and to specifically explore it within the context of a folk horror narrative,” says writer/director Thomas Robert Lee. “The community grows increasingly desperate as their given circumstances grow dire. In reality, the pandemic appears to have amplified hatred and xenophobia, or at least the voices of those spewing hate speech. Obviously there is a world of difference between my screenplay and the very real ramifications of the pandemic, but the similarities, however surface-level they may be, have certainly been on my mind these past months.”

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Rating:  Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Country: Canada

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Facebook: facebook.com/TheCurseOfAudreyEarnshaw
Twitter: twitter.com/Audrey_Earnshaw
Instagram: instagram.com/TheCurseOfAudreyEarnshaw

THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is written and directed by Thomas Robert Lee. Produced by Gianna Isabella and executive produced by Lee, Marie-Claude Poulin, James Mahoney, Bill Marks, Divya Shahani, George Mihalka, Susan Curran, Patrick Ewald, and Shaked Berenson. Cinematography by Nick Thomas. Edited by Ben Lee Allen. Music by Thilo Schaller and Bryan Buss. A Gate 67 Films Production.

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

FOX HUNT DRIVE Screening October 1 – 14th

At 2020 Virtual Cinequest Film Festival

Fox Hunt Drive Film Poster

Director: Drew Walkup
Starring: Lizzie Zerebko and Michael Olavson

Alison, a down-on-her-luck young professional, spends her evenings trying to make ends meet as a ride-share driver. While wrapping up her shift, she decides to take on one last passenger - only to find herself in unexpected danger when she discovers the mysterious stranger is not who he appears to be.

Alison is cajoled into taking the fare against her better judgement, and when she discovers blood-stained jewelry and a gun in her passenger’s bag, she begins to fear that she may not make it out of this trip alive. Through a twisted and unsettling turn of events, Alison appeals to her enigmatic passenger for help. In over her head, she fights to get through the night by covering her tracks, avoiding the police, and ultimately discovering who her inscrutable passenger truly is.

In this villainous thriller, director Drew Walkup perfectly captures the eerie and chilling risks one takes when getting in a car with a stranger. Compounded with brilliant performances from Lizzie Zerebko and Michael Olavson, FOX HUNT DRIVE will keep you on the edge of your seat until the heart stopping end.

Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Thriller
Country: US
Director: Drew Walkup
Writer: Adam Armstrong
Producer:  Alejandro Treviño
Editor: Drew Walkup
Cinematographer: Anthony C. Kuhnz
Music: Patrick Logothetti
Production Co.: A REBL HQ Production!

Website: http://foxhuntdrive.com/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8295468
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @FoxHuntDrive

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THE ANTENNA: Review

The Antenna Key Art

Director and Writer: Orçun Behram
Stars:   Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze
Genre:  Horror, Thriller
Language: Turkish with English subtitles

When a Government’s Line of Communications Becomes Deadly

Turkish writer and director Orcun Behram’s debut feature film “The Antenna”  tells the horrors of the slow but steady overreach of the government  in an unnamed Turkish city, where Mehmet (Ihsan Önal) is a building superintendent, overseeing the government’s installation of its new mandated communication system at his building.

Gloomy and bleak, the lives of the building’s residents are a stark reminder of what happens when a country’s government  goes in the wrong direction, similarly to what’s happening in Behram’s native Turkey under its current president, Tayyip Erdogan, who is jailing journalists and constantly eroding the freedom of the press and speech, only to replace them with authoritarian practices that puts him at odds with his other NATO members.

Antenna_still2

Cihan (Levent  Ünsal),Mehmet’s overbearing boss,  who is supportive of the government and obsessed with having a flawless antenna installation, is met with anything but  perfection when the first of many, tragedies occurs and the government’s installer falls from the roof, to his death. Most shocking was the total lack of interest and concern from the people who witnessed the installer's fatal accident.

The only person that possesses even a glimmer for something better is Yasemin (Gül Arici), who lives at home with her parents. Her hopes and ambitions are smothered by her controlling father, Firat (Enis Yildiz).

Lifeless and without joy, you realize there are not many children in the building. You do not hear their laughter or the sounds of them playing in or around the building. The families that did have children, showed just one child. It reminded me of China’s one child rule. When the government determines the number of children each family can have, this is a powerful way to control the citizens and the nation’s future population. They will not have to worry about an uncontrollable number of citizens who may one-day, rise -up against their government.

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The score by Can Demirci adds the musical intensity needed in a horror film. Ismail Hakki Hafiz provides a good connection between the unnerving sounds one hears and the horrific occurrences inside the building. The editing by Burc Alatas could have been just a bit more, reducing the film’s runtime down from the 1 hour 55 minutes. Cinematographer Engin Özkaya brings the horrors to life in Mehmet’s building  and keeps the film’s grim scenes and mood going strong.

Orçun Behram does a good job of weaving strands of current repressive conditions that are steadily taking place in Turkey, into his debut film, The Antenna.  When you give serious consideration to a government overreach and abuse of power, in this day and time, it makes for a true horror film.

Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Distributor in North America: Dark Star Pictures
Stars: Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze
Director and Writer: Orçun Behram
Production Co: A Lucidlab Films, Solis Film Production,
Producer: Orcun Behram
Co-Producer: Mṻge Özen
Editor:  Burc Alatas
Camera (color): Engin Özkaya
Music Composer: Can Demirci
Sound:  Ismail Hakki Hafiz

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THE SWERVE Available NOW on VOD/Digital

THE SWERVE key art

Written and directed by: Dean Kapsalis
Starring: Azura Skye, Bryce Pinkham, Ashley Bell, and Zach Rand
Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rating:  Not Yet Rated
Genre: Thriller

Holly seems to have it all: two kids, a nice house, a good job as a teacher, and a husband with his career on the way up. But there are troubling signs that all is not right in her world. The insomnia. The medication for the insomnia. The dreams from the medication for the insomnia. The arrival of her estranged sister and a mouse invading her home don’t help either. Add the weight of a dark secret, and her already delicate balance collapses, sending her spiraling out of control.

With her riveting and acclaimed performance as Holly, Azura Skye effortlessly crafts a portrait of a struggling mother on the edge. Writer/director Dean Kapsalis’s powerfully heart-wrenching feature debut explores a week in the life of a woman on the verge in this haunting meditation on mental illness.

THE SWERVE celebrated its world premiere at the 2019 Cinepocalypse Film Festival, and screened at the 2019 Panic Film Festival; winning both awards for Best Actress for Azura Skye. The film will be releasing on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

“The Swerve is such a mesmerizing film from the perspective of someone we should call more often, Mom. A woman’s happiness is often an afterthought and it’s something so beautifully captured in this film.” - Yulissa Morales, Epic Pictures and Dread’s Director of Distribution

Facebook: facebook.com/TheSwerveMovie
Twitter: twitter.com/TheSwerveMovie
Instagram: instagram.com/TheSwerveMovie

THE SWERVE is written and directed by Dean Kapsalis. Produced by Tommy Minix, p.g.a. Cinematography by Daryl Pittman, and edited by Kapsalis and Alec Styborski. Casting by Adrienne Stern and music by Mark Korven. A Spark Chamber production.

THE SWERVE will be available on VOD/Digital Tuesday, September 22, 2020:
Indemand | Comcast | Spectrum | Charter | Dish | Sling TV | Vubiquity
iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube | Amazon
Fandango Now | DirecTV | Breaker | Playstation | Redbox TVOD
iTunes Pre-order: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-swerve/id1528844280

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

MY NAME IS PEDRO Opens in Los Angeles October 2 and Other Major Cities to Follow

(L-R) Student and Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)
SWeet 180 Logo

Director: Lillian La Salle
Genre:  Documentary
Stars 4.5 of 5
Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Language: English

Award-winning documentary MY NAME IS PEDRO will open in virtual theaters in the following cities soon: LOS ANGELES on October 2 at Laemmle  with major cities to follow on October 9th in  San Francisco CinemaSF, Philadelphia Film Society, Minneapolis Parkway Theater,  Buffalo North Park, Baltimore Senator, The Charles, Vancouver Kiggins Theater,  Tucson Loft, Cleveland Cinemas, Phoenix Film Bar, Bellingham Pickford Center. Winston Salem Aperture Cinema, Tampa Theater and following open at the Toronto HotDocs on October 29th.

4) (L-R) Pedro Santana in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: Sweet 180)

MY NAME IS PEDRO is a profound story of how one person actualizes learning and positive change in children, adults, environments and communities through an 'impact' ripple effect strategy that he has effortlessly perfected. The film is also an essential and timely reminder of the importance of great educators that exist within the infrastructure of our country's public education system.

Director Lillian LaSalle

LaSalle is the recipient of the 2016 Peabody "Futures of Media” Award for Producing the web-series, Halal In The Family, starring Aasif Mandvi, which garnered wide-spread media attention for taking on Islamophobia through the use of comedy and parody.

LaSalle is best known for her work as a talent manager representing actors, writers and directors as President of Sweet 180. https://www.mynameispedro.com .

LaSalle is the Producer of several feature films including, Loggerheads, which premiered in competition at The Sundance Film Festival and Sweet Land, which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for writer/director, Ali Selim. LaSalle’s other notable feature Producing credits include: Today's Special, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and won the audience award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, Just Like the Son from director Morgan Freeman, Find Love, Heavy Petting, and Mentor, as well as Southern Belles and American Cannibal: The Road to Reality. 

LaSalle is currently Executive Producing the feature length animated feature, The Night Diary, based on the award-winning book by Veera Hiranandani alongside Aasif Mandvi’s Fat Mama Productions, animator/writer Gitanjali Rao (Bombay Rose, Tribeca Film Festival) and writer/director, Sabrina Dahwan, (Monsoon Wedding) with Hyde Park Entertainment. LaSalle will also produce the feature film, Our Lady Of The Snow, from award winning writer/director, Tom Gilroy (Spring Forward, The Cold Lands) alongside Luca Borghese and Ben Howe’s (Diane) Ag-X Films.

(L-R) Pedro Santana and students in Lillian LaSalle's MY NAME IS PEDRO (Photo Credit: New York Times/ Sweet 180)

OFFICIAL SELECTION AND AWARDS:

Winner: Best Documentary, Golden Door International Film Festival Winner: Spotlight on Documentary Award,St. Louis International Film Festival Winner: Audience Award, Chicago Latino International Film Festival Winner: Audience Award, Brooklyn Film Festival Winner: Award of Merit, Impact Docs Winner: Honorable Mention, Woodstock Film Festival Official Selection: Women’s Filmmaker Showcase, BAFF
Official Selection: San Diego Latino International Film Festival

MY NAME IS PEDRO- Connect on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameispedrodoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNameisPedrodoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PedroSantanaDoc

Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes
Distributor: Sweet 180
Initial release: 2017
Executive Producer: Mike Fowler
Producers: Lillian LaSalle, Jonathan Clasberry
Co-producer: Monica Cohen
Production Co: Sweet 180
Cast: Pedro Santana
Director: Lillian LaSalle
Editor: Mary Manhardt, Mark Demol
Composer: Nix Nought Nothing
Camera: Christian Campbell

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