Reviews and Events - Unspool Hollywood

2023 OSCAR Winners

A List of 2023 Oscar Winners

BEST PICTURE

All Quiet On The Western Front

Avatar: The Way Of Water

The Banshees Of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All At Once - Winner

The Fabelmans

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

Triangle Of Sadness

Women Talking

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Austin Butler, Elvis
Bill Nighy, Living
Brendan Fraser, The Whale: Winner
Colin Farrell, The Banshees Of Inisherin
Paul Mescal, Aftersun

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Ana de Armas, Blonde
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
Cate Blanchett, TÁR
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner

DIRECTING

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees Of Inisherin
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Todd Field, TÁR
Ruben Ostlund, Triangle Of Sadness

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees Of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees Of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau, The Whale
Kerry Condon, The Banshees Of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio: Winner

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

Puss In Boots

The Sea Beast

Turning Red

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

All That Breathes

All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

Fire Of Love

A House Made Of Splinters

Navalny: Winner

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

An Irish Goodbye: Winner
Ivalu

Le Pupille

Night Ride

The Red Suitcase

CINEMATOGRAPHY

All Quiet On The Western Front: Winner

Bardo

Elvis

Empire Of Light

Tár

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

All Quiet On The Western Front

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

The Whale: Winner

COSTUME DESIGN

Babylon

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Winner

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

All Quiet On The Western Front: Winner

Argentina, 1985

Close

The Quiet One

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

The Elephant Whisperers: Winner

Haulout

How Do You Measure A Year

Stranger At The Gate

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse: Winner

The Flying Sailor

Ice Merchants

My Year Of Dicks

An Ostrich Told Me The World Is Fake And I Think I Believe It

PRODUCTION DESIGN

All Quiet On The Western Front: Winner

Avatar: The Way Of Water

Babylon

Elvis

The Fabelmans

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

All Quiet On The Western Front: Winner

Babylon

The Banshees Of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All At Once

The Fabelmans

VISUAL EFFECTS

All Quiet On The Western Front

Avatar: The Way Of Water: Winner

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Top Gun: Maverick

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

The Banshees Of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner

The Fabelmans

Tár

Triangle Of Sadness

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

All Quiet On The Western Front

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Living

Top Gun: Maverick

Women Talking: Winner

SOUND

All Quiet On The Western Front

Avatar: The Way Of Water

The Batman

Elvis

Top Gun: Maverick: Winner

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

“Applause”

“Hold My Hand”

“Lift Me Up”

“Naatu Naatu”“This Is A Life”: Winner

FILM EDITING

The Banshees Of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All At Once: Winner

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

Cannes Award Winner ‘THE WORST ONES’ New Clip-Opens March 24th

KINO LORBER PRESENTS

OFFICIAL SELECTION: CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022 (WINNER! GRAND PRIX- UN CERTAIN REGARD), TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL 2022, RENDEZ-VOUS WITH FRENCH CINEMA 2023 AND MANY MORE.

OPENS FRIDAY, MARCH 24 IN NEW YORK (THE QUAD) AND ON FRIDAY, MARCH 31 IN LOS ANGELES (LAEMMLE SANTA MONICA) WITH A NATIONAL RELEASE TO FOLLOW

Set in the suburbs of Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France, THE WORST ONES captures a film within a film as it follows the production of a feature whose director turns to the local Cité Picasso housing project for casting. Eager to capture performances of gritty authenticity, the director selects four working class teenagers to act in the film to the surprise and consternation of the local community, who question the director’s choice of “the worst ones.” As the director and crew audition, rehearse, film, and interact with their hand-picked cast, jealousies are stoked, lines are crossed, and ethical questions arise, with thought-provoking and at times darkly funny results. Winner of the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, THE WORST ONES announces directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret as exciting new voices in French cinema.

ROMANE GUERET studied cinema at the Sorbonne and then took her first steps towards directing as an assistant director, casting assistant, and cameraman.

LISE AKOKA completed a university course in Psychology and professional training in acting (Les Ateliers du Sud and the Studio-théâtre d’Asnières). She then discovered, in casting and coaching children for film, a way of bringing her two interests together.

In 2014, Romane and Lise met during casting for a feature film, for which they auditioned more than 4000 young non-professional actors for several months.In 2015, they co-directed the short film Chasse Royale, which won awards at several festivals, most notably the Illy Prize at the 2016 Cannes Directors' Fortnight.In 2017, the film was nominated for a César Award for Best Short Film. In 2018, they co-directed the documentary Allez garçon! for the Hobbies collection, which was broadcast in 2019 on Canal+. In 2020, their web series Tu préfères was broadcast on Arte and then selected for the Sundance Film Festival. In summer of 2021, they made their first feature film, THE WORST ONES, which was shot in Boulogne-sur-Mer and won the Grand Prix at Un Certain Regard at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.

ABOUT KINO LORBER

With a library of over 4,000 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for 35 years, releasing 30 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Repertory and Alive Mind Cinema banners, garnering seven Academy Award® nominations in nine years. In addition, the company brings over 350 titles yearly to the home entertainment and educational markets through physical and digital media releases. With an expanding family of distributed labels, Kino Lorber handles releases in ancillary media for Zeitgeist Films, Milestone Films, Cohen Media Group, Greenwich Entertainment, Artsploitation, Palisades Tartan, Menemsha Films, Raro Video, and others, placing physical titles through all wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels, as well as direct digital distribution through over 40 OTT services including all major TVOD and SVOD platforms. In 2019, the company launched its new art house digital channel Kino Now which features over 1300 titles from the acclaimed Kino Lorber library. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kino Marquee initiative was launched pioneering "virtual cinema" releases of art house films with revenue shares that allow audiences to support almost 500 local independent theaters. Kino Lorber was honored with a Special Award from the New York Film Critics Circle for this effort. In 2021, the company launched Kino Cult, an AVOD channel specializing in new and rare, acclaimed genre films. In 2022, Kino Lorber acquired streamer MHz Choice, the leading North American destination for acclaimed international TV.

PR CONTACT:
Emma Griffiths (EG PR)
E: emma@eg-pr.com

‘Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire’ Exclusive Trailer – Narrated by Acclaimed Actor David Oyelowo – Opens Theatrical April 7th

Director and Co-Writer: Trip Jennings
Genre: Documentary
Country: U.S.
Language: English

Directed by Portland filmmaker Trip Jennings (“Rewilding A Mountain,” “Postcards From Climate Change”) and produced by Ralph Bloemers (“Trout On the Wind”) the critically acclaimed documentary “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” will release in theaters nationwide beginning April 7, 2023.

Filmed in fire-impacted communities across the West and narrated by iconic, award-winning actor David Oyelowo (“Selma,” “Nightingale”), and featuring interviews with Dr. Beverly Law, Professor Emeritus, Global Change Biology, Oregon State University; Margo Robbins, Yurok, Cultural Advisor; and Dr. Jack Cohen, Research Physical Scientist, US Forest Service (Ret.), Scientific Advisor, among others, “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” takes viewers on a journey with the top experts from across the nation to better understand wildfire. The film starts with the harrowing escape from Paradise, California as the town ignited from wind-driven embers and burned within a few hours of the fire's start and then continues to recent record shattering fires. “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” includes the voices of the top forest and climate experts, Indigenous prescribed firelighters, and fire survivors, and helps reimagine our relationship with fire as we prepare for an increasingly hotter, drier future.

“California is severely affected by these fires. I did not realize how much can be done by hardening one’s home. I did not realize that embers are more dangerous than the fires,” said David Oyelowo. “It was a huge honor and a pleasure to do this documentary, it is not only informational, I think it is lifesaving. I hope it will inspire you to take some of the steps advised, and some of the steps that I am taking myself.”

In the wake of the slew of deadly fires in Oregon, California, Colorado, Washington, Montana, Arizona, and New Mexico, “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” is an important look at discovering how we can all reimagine our relationship with wildfire, and prepare to live with this powerful force. This insightful documentary is good medicine for everyone in the West and it has screened to numerous sold-out audiences at special events and been selected for over 30 film festivals and won numerous awards. The film poses the critical question of how can we coexist with extreme wildfires?

Former United States Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck says of the documentary, "Elemental is an outstanding film that deserves the widest possible viewing. In a visually stunning manner, it distills what we’ve learned about wildland fire over the decades and provides a roadmap for badly needed changes that will benefit thousands of people, particularly in fire prone communities.”

“Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” is for everyone living in the western United States who wants to better understand the challenges wildfire poses and the solutions to keep our homes and communities safe. The film challenges conventional wisdom and superficial talking points, while providing a revealing historical view of how we got to where we are today. The film takes viewers into the field with indigenous fire managers and top fire and climate scientists to explore how wildfire, healthy forests and communities can coexist.

Trip Jennings founded Balance Media and has worked with National Geographic for over a decade. His films have won dozens of awards around the world and have aired on major networks on every continent. He is the producer of the PBS Digital Series “Weathered.” For nearly two decades, Ralph Bloemers has worked on wildfire and community safety, protected and restored burned landscapes, and assisted the scientific community with bringing their knowledge and research to the public. “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” received support from National Geographic Society, Patagonia, Pacific Northwest Foundation, and the American Red Cross for the production and distribution of the film.

The “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” filmmaking team is led by Director, Co-Writer & Editor Trip Jennings (“Rewilding A Mountain,” “Pebble Redux,” “Chuitna: More than Salmon on the Line”), Executive produced by Ralph Bloemers (“Trout On the Wind,” “Decades: Born in Fire”), co-produced & edited by Sara Quinn (“The Reluctant Radical”) with animations by Aaron Keuter and Ryan Walsh, and musical score composed by Nick Jaina (“Smartass,” “Shotgun Boogie”).

The film has been accepted into festivals in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and is being booked in theaters worldwide by Henry Lystad of Adventure Entertainment. Thus far the filmmakers have received over 400 unique inquiries for the film.

The release is being done in collaboration with firefighting organizations, community fire wise groups, non-profits, schools, universities, businesses, including California Fire Safe Council, Western Fire Chiefs Association, the American Red Cross, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, Underwriters Laboratory, Casualty Actuarial Society, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Boise State University, University of California at Davis, University of Idaho, University of Colorado at Boulder, and many more.

‘Who Are You People’ North American Theatrical release on TVOD and Digital today February 24th

Director and Writer: Ben Epstein
Starring: Ema Horvath, Devon Sawa, Yeardley Smith, Peter Parros, Siddharth Dhananjay, Reid Miller, John Ales, Alyssa Milano
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Year: 2023

Who Are You People

After a botched attempt to seduce her teacher, 16-year-old Alex (Horvath) runs away from boarding school to seek out the biological father (Sawa) that her mother (Milano) and presumed father (Ales) always kept hidden and learn the dark secret of her roots.

Alex on bus

About the Director:
Ben Epstein is the writer/director of the feature film WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE. He served as the Creator/Showrunner/Director for two seasons of the Complex series IN THE VAULT. He is also the creator and Co-Executive Producer of the MTV dramedy HAPPYLAND, and currently serves as a Co-Executive Producer on an upcoming series for Netflix.

Ben is currently developing a TV series with Lionsgate and Temple Hill and a feature with John Wells Productions. His screenplay THE PROSPECT, which chronicles Michael Jordan’s baseball career, was featured on the Black List. Ben realized a lifelong nerd dream by writing several issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book. His short fiction has appeared in the Rattling Wall Literary Journal.

Ben graduated from the NYU film program, where his thesis film THE REUNION won First Prize Wasserman/King Award at the NYU First Run Film Festival and numerous awards at other festivals. His feature script for WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE was also awarded the $75,000 NYU Columbus/Vague Alumni Production Grant by director Chris Columbus.

Ben is a member of the WGA and DGA. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and never tires of describing himself in the third person.

Writer & Director: Ben Epstein
Producers: Jordan Foley, Toby Louie, Ben Epstein, and Nick Smith
Executive producers: Alyssa Milano, Graham Moore, Yeardley Smith, Ben Cornwell Fred Chandler, Neely Eisenstein, AJ Gordon Irka Zazulak, Melissa Pianko, and Rod Cooper
Co-producers: Rob Nelson, Benjy Caplan
Cinematographer: Bobby Lam
Editor: Jeff Bernier
Original Music: Aaron Zigman

Zodiac Features’ Captivating Biographical True Crime Docu-Thriller “Lovely Jackson” Screening at Justice Film Festival

Director: Matt Waldeck
Writers: Rickey Jackson and Matt Waldeck
Starring: Rickey Jackson, Mario Beverly, Devito Parker Jr., Edward Vernon, PR. Anthony Singleton, Mark Godsey, Brian Howe, Mary McGrath, with Clarissa Jackson, and introducing Lovely Rose Jackson
Country: USA
Genre Docuthriller, True Crime, Biography
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Language: English
Year: 2022

Justice Film Festival's New York City Premiere of Zodiac Features’ bold biographical true crime Docu-Thriller, “Lovely Jackson,

LOVELY JACKSON is exonerated prisoner Rickey Jackson’s daring first-hand account of the psychology of survival and spiritual fortitude required to withstand 39 years of wrongful incarceration for a murder he didn’t commit. At the time of his release in 2014, Rickey was the longest wrongfully incarcerated person in U.S. history—spending 39 years on death row and in Ohio’s most dangerous prisons after being convicted solely on the coerced eye-witness testimony of a 12-year-old neighborhood paper boy.

Lovely Jackson sees Rickey return to the prison where he was sent in 1976 on his way to the electric chair where he narrates and stars in reenactments alongside professional actors (one playing his younger self), and the (then) 12-year-old paper boy, now in his late 50’s.

Lovely Jackson is a boldly cinematic, epic journey that begins in tragedy, hopelessness, injustice, and death, but ends in hope, beauty, and new life.

Rickey Jackson’s death sentence is sealed by the coerced eye-witness recounting of the crime by neighborhood paperboy, Edward Vernon.

WEBSITE: ZODIACFEATURES.COM IMDB: TINYURL.COM/YCXETWZ7FACEBOOK: @LOVLEYJACKSONMOVIEINSTAGRAM: @LOVELYJACKSONMOVIETIKTOK: @LOVELYJACKSONMOVIE

Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Distributor: H.E.L.P. in association with Zodiac Holdings
Director: Matt Waldeck
Writers: Rickey Jackson and Matt Waldeck
Production Co.: Zodiac Features
Producers: Rickey Jackson, Matt Waldeck, Ben Hecht, Travis Killian, and Jillian Wolstein
Music: Jacques Brautbar
Cinematography: John Turk
Editor: Mark Andrew Hamer and Lori Lovoy-Goran

View New Trailer -LIVING WITH CHUCKY- Cinedigm Release April 4^thon VOD in US and Canada

Director & Writer: Kyra Elise Gardner
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Adam Hurtig, Alex Vincent, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Christine Elise McCarthy, Dan Povenmire, David Kirschner, Don Mancini, Elle Lorraine, Fiona Dourif, James A. Janisse, Jennifer Tilly, John Waters, Kyra Gardner, Lin Shaye, Marlon Wayans, Tony Gardner, Tony Timpone and many more.
Genre: Horror
Rating
Country: U.S.
Language: English

Cinedigm and Bloody Disgusting will premiere the horror documentary Living With Chucky on its horror streaming service SCREAMBOX and on all major digital platforms on April 4 in the US and Canada.

Official Selection: Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2022, Fantastic Fest 2022, and Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2022.

Living with Chucky takes an in depth look at the groundbreaking Child’s Play franchise from the perspective of a filmmaker who grew up within it. Featuring interviews with cast and crew such as Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Alex Vincent, creator Don Mancini, and much more, this personal film recounts the dedication, creativity and sacrifice that went into making the franchise and its long-lasting impact on the horror community.

Storming into pop culture in the late 1980s, the three-foot menace known as Chucky, proved that Child’s Play was anything but. The horror film went on to spawn six sequels, a television series, a reboot, comic books, a video game and merchandise.

Written and directed by Kyra Elise Gardner, daughter of legendary special effects artist Tony Gardner, Living With Chucky looks back at the groundbreaking horror franchise by those there from the beginning. The documentary details the history of the Child’s Play films by the cast and crew, in addition to Gardner’s own relationship with the series and the impact it had on her family. Gardner, who grew up alongside Chucky the killer doll, seeks out other families involved with the Child's Play films as they recount their experiences working on the franchise and what it means to be a part of the "Chucky" family.

LIVING WITH CHUCKY Director Kyra Elise Gardner Headshot

FILMMAKER KYRA ELISE GARDNER

With a dad in special effects makeup, blood and guts became a normality for Kyra at a young age. Combat nursing was her first goal, but she soon discovered that real blood is way grosser than the fake stuff. She's been pursuing a career in directing since attending Florida State's film program and plans on creating quirky fantastical films from the lore of her unconventional childhood.

SCREAMBOX, which is powered by Bloody Disgusting, features a broad mix of content for casual and die-hard horror fans alike. The service is refreshed monthly with content from the Company’s extensive genre library with films and episodes delivering every type of terror imaginable -- Supernatural, Slashers, Zombies and more. SCREAMBOX currently features classic horror films like Slumber Party Massacre and the original House on Haunted Hill, the blockbuster indie horror films The Outwaters and Terrifier 2 as well as horror series such as “The Island” and “Master of Horror.” Documentaries Pennywise: The Story of It & Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary are also currently available. SCREAMBOX is available to stream on iOS, Android, Prime Video, YouTube TV, Comcast, Cox and screambox.com

ABOUT CINEDIGM

For more than 20 years, Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains consumers around the globe by providing premium feature film and television series, enthusiast streaming channels and technology services to the world’s largest media, retail and technology companies. As a leader in the rapidly evolving streaming ecosystem, Cinedigm continues its legacy as an innovator through its adoption of next-generation technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, through its proprietary, highly-scalable Matchpoint™ technology platform. For more information, visit cinedigm.com.

Director and Writer: Kyra Gardner
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Adam Hurtig, Alex Vincent, Billy Boyd, Christine Elise McCarthy, Dan Povenmire, David Kirschner, Don Mancini, Elle Lorraine, Fiona Dourif, James A. Janisse, Jennifer Tilly, John Waters, Kyra Gardner, Lin Shaye, Marlon Wayans, Tony Gardner, Tony Timpone

PRESS CONTACT FOR CIDM:
Emma Griffiths
EMMA GRIFFITHS PR
E: emma@eg-pr.com

Cinematographer: Scott Marino
Additional Cinematography: Evan Butka, Bryan Davis, Tanner Bloom
Producer: Kyra Gardner
Executive Producer: Ash T
Associate Producer: Tony Gardner
Editor: Kyra Gardner
Additional Editor: Dave Terman
Sound Mixer: Jeff Hannan
Boom Operator: Andrew Walton, Tanner Bloom
Production Assistant: Holly Amato
Visual Effects Artists: Andrew Walton, Kyra Gardner
Chucky Doll Manufacturing: Josh Schneider, Day Blackmon, Frank Minaya, Anne Richardson Collection

THE FIRST STEP opening theatrically in Los Angeles February 24th

(Photo Credit:Meridian Hill Pictures and Magic Labs Media)Website:https://www.firststepfilm.com

In a divided America, Van Jones controversially works across party lines on landmark criminal justice reform and a more humane response to America's addiction crisis. Attempting to be a bridge builder in a time of extreme polarization takes him deep into the inner workings of a divisive administration, internal debates within both parties, and the lives of frontline activists fighting for their communities.

Facing fierce opposition from both political parties in a climate where bipartisanship has become a dirty word, Jones and his team enlist the support of justice-impacted individuals, faith leaders, grassroots activists and cultural figures — including Kim Kardashian — to pass legislation that would fix some broken aspects of the justice system and bring thousands of incarcerated people home early. The bill’s champions immediately find themselves navigating a high-stakes game of political chess in Washington, D.C. Their quest brings them face-to-face with progressive champions like Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Senators Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, as well as conservative figures like U.S. Senator Rand Paul, Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner — and ultimately, Donald Trump himself.

While trying to pass a bipartisan bill through a deeply polarized Congress, Jones is condemned by the right for his progressive beliefs — and by the left for working with conservatives. The film reveals an intimate portrait of an activist’s isolation and internal struggles, what it takes to make change in a divided nation, and everyday people in both political parties drawn into a historic fight for freedom and justice.

Van Jones and #cut50 national organizer Louis L. Reed walk through downtown Washington DC in a scene from THE FIRST STEP. Image courtesy of Meridian Hill Pictures and Magic Labs Media

THE FIRST STEP is an independent production of Meridian Hill Pictures (CITY OF TREES, PBS, Netflix) and Magic Labs Media
(THE MESSY TRUTH, Webby Award Winner), in association with Kartemquin Films (MINDING THE GAP, Hulu, Oscar Nomination)
and Big Mouth Productions (DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD, Netflix) and the editorial talent behind KING IN THE WILDERNESS (HBO,
Sundance) and BIRTH OF THE COOL (PBS, Sundance).

An 8 Above Theatrical Release: Opening theatrically in New York on February 17 (DCTV Firehouse), Washington, D.C. on February 19 (JxJ Theater), Los Angeles on February 24 (Laemmle Royal Theater) with additional screenings in key cities in February and March 2023.

VOD Release details to follow.

Theaters:

New York - February 17 - DCTV Firehouse (1 week run)
Washington, D.C. - February 19 - JxJ Theater (1 week run)
Los Angeles - February 24 - Laemmle Royal Theater (1 week run)

Van Jones, Sheriff Martin West, and Virgie Walker walk through downtown Welch, West Virginia in a scene from THE FIRST STEP. Image courtesy of Meridian Hill Pictures and Magic Labs Media

THE FIRST STEP-Social Media/ Website:

- Website: https://www.firststepfilm.com
- Instagram: @firststepmovie
- Twitter: @firststepmovie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firststepmovie

Van Jones, Kim Kardashian, Alice Johnson, Louis L. Reed and Alex Guditch of #cut50 huddle over acell phone to watch president Trump deliver a speech on the First Step Act in a scene from THE FIRST STEP. Image courtesy of Meridian

Director: Brandon Kramer
Producer: Lance Kramer
8 Above Presents A Meridian Hill Pictures and Magic Labs Media Production In association with Fork Films, Artemis Rising Foundation, Hidden Empire Film Group, Kartemquin Films and Big Mouth Productions
Director of photography: Emily Topper
Editors: Steven Golliday, Natasha Livia Mottola, Leslie Simmer
Composer: Joshua Abrams
Executive producer: Jana Carter
Executive producers: Abibail E. Disney, Regina K. Scully, Robert F. Smith, Deon & Roxanne Taylor, Brad Buhr and Bryanna Sapp, Christina & David Arquette, Daniel S. Loeb
Co-executive producers: Clara Wu Tsai, Felicia & Jules Horowitz
Director of photography: Emily Topper
Original music: Joshua Abrams
Original song: Aloe Blacc
a film by Meridian Hill Pictures, Magic Labs Media in association with Fork Films Artemis Rising Foundation, Hidden Empire Film Group, Kartemquin Films and Big Mouth Productions

Louis L. Reed is the Sr. Director of Membership and Partnerships for the REFORM Alliance. He brings to the REFORM Alliance years of experience in government, criminal justice expertise, policy advocacy, public health, and personal impact, serving nearly 14 years in federal prison and several years on supervision. Louis is a board-certified addictions counselor and licensed alcohol & addictions practitioner.

More information: https://www.louislreed.org

Van Jones is a media personality, an entrepreneur and change maker — who has dedicated his career to bringing people together in clean energy solutions, criminal justice reform and racial inclusion in the tech sector. In 2007, Van was the primary champion of the Green Jobs Act, signed into law by George W. Bush. In 2009, he worked in the Obama White House as the Special Advisor for Green Jobs. Over the past 25 years, Van has founded and led social enterprises including REFORM Alliance, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change, Green For All and the Dream Corps. He worked with Prince to launch #YesWeCode (now called Dream Corps TECH) to get jobs in the tech sector for low-opportunity young people. Van is also a CNN host, an Emmy Award-winning producer and a 3X New York Times best-selling author.

Brandon Kramer (Director)
Brandon is a Washington, DC-based filmmaker and co-founder of Meridian Hill Pictures. Brandon directed CITY OF TREES (Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, national broadcast on PBS' America Reframed, Netflix); and the Webby Award-winning documentary series THE MESSY TRUTH. Brandon won Best Director at the 2016 Chesapeake Film Festival and Indie Capital Awards, received the Audience Choice Award at the 2015 American Conservation Film Festival and was a 2022 and 2015 DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities Individual Arts Fellow. Brandon has directed over 30 short documentaries commissioned by public agencies and nonprofits including AARP and US Institute of Peace. Before starting MHP, Brandon served as a teaching artist for the John F. Kennedy Center’s national media education program. Brandon holds a bachelor’s degree in film and cultural anthropology from Boston University.

About 8 Above (Distributor)

8 ABOVE is a theatrical distributor and rights management partner dedicated to connecting award-winning independent films with audiences. Working in close partnership with filmmakers, 8 ABOVE develops strategies that build community and social impact around unique theatrical experiences. Founded by distribution pioneer Jon Reiss, 8 ABOVE has developed bespoke audience-building strategies and theatrical campaigns for independent films, specialty films, and documentaries, including Hooligan Sparrow, Two Gods, The Disrupted, Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, Sweetheart Dancers, Surviving Sex Trafficking, Nasrin, and No Small Matter.

Publicity/ For further information please contact: Emma Griffiths PR // emma@eg-pr.com

Liongate ‘SISU’ New Clip-Opens in Theatres Nationwide April 28th

Director and Writer: Jalmari Helander
Cast: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, and Onni Tommila
Genre: Action, War
Rating: Not yet rated
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes

During the last desperate days of WWII, a solitary prospector (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu”, this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means: a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. And no matter what the Nazis throw at him, the one-man death squad will go to outrageous lengths to get his gold back – even if it means killing every last Nazi in his path.

(Photo Credit: LIONSGATE) Aksel Hennie as Obersturmführer Bruno Helldorf and Jack Doolan as Wolf in SISU. ©Freezing Point Oy Photo Credit: Antti Rastivo

PR CONTACT INFORMATION:

- Lionsgate – Alex Klenert, Maria Donoso aklenert@lionsgate.com, mdonoso@lionsgate.com
- New York National press – Emma Griffiths emma@eg-pr.com
- Los Angeles National press – Annie Jeeves annie@cinematicredpr.com
- Latin press –Inma Carbajal, Chely Acosta inma@holaicpr.com, chely@holaicpr.com

Release Date: April 28, 2023 (only in theaters)
Distributor: Lionsgate
Producer: Petri Jokiranta
Executive Producers: Mike Goodridge, Gregory Ouanhon, Antonio Salas
Cast: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo and Onni Tommila
Director and Writer: Jalmari Helander
Cinematographer: Kjell Lagerroos
Editor: Juho Virolainen
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes

2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) Films to See: American Outlaws, Commitment To Life, Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection and Starring Jerry As Himself

“American Outlaws” (Feature Film True Crime Drama)North American Independent Cinema Sponsored By Panavision Selection (SBIFF)

Director & Writer: Sean McEwen
Starring: Emory Cohen, India Eisley, Sam Strike, Tess Harper, Cory Hardrict, and Treat Williams, joined by Mackenzie Graham, Vanessa Giselle, Lance E. Nichols, Johnny Ray Gibbs, and Troy Metcalf
Running Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

West Coast Premiere:
Friday, February 17th at 8:40pm. Followed by Q&A
Location: Metro 4, Screen 3
618 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

2nd Screening:
Saturday, February 18th at 2:40pm. Followed by Q&A
Location: Metro 4, Screen 3
618 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

“American Outlaws” is based on a true story and the GQ article "The Whole True Story of the Dougherty Gang" by Kathy Dobie. Written & directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sean McEwen (“Braking For Whales,” “Sick Girl”).

While the true story of “American Outlaws” encompasses the proverbial bells and whistles of compelling storytelling -- sex, drugs and rock & roll (the sister, a former stripper now toting an AK47, two brothers with a wild streak and the propensity to live life on the razor’s edge with gunplay, police chases and bank robberies galore) -- at its heart, it’s a story about family. Three siblings, on a cross-country journey, with the strongest desire to find the simplest element… Home. A place to be together. Safe. Happy. Free.

Production Co: Narrator Entertainment, Big Cat Productions and Charlie Baby Productions
Producers: McEwen, Cassidy Lunnen , Alexandre Dauman, John Papsidera
Executive Producer: Takashi Cheng
Co-producers: Danyelle Foord and Jessica Wilde
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes

“COMMITMENT TO LIFE” (Feature Film Documentary)

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION Selection (SBIFF)

Director:
Writer:
Interviewees: Jewel Thais-Williams Co-founder, Minority AIDS Project; Phill Wilson HIV/AIDS Activist; Karamo Brown “Queer Eye” Cast Member & HIV/AIDS Educator; Dr. Michael Gottlieb Physician and Former APLA Board Member; Bruce Vilanch Writer and Comedian; Jeffrey Katzenberg Former Chairman, Walt Disney Studios and APLA Board Member; Bill Misenhimer Former APLA Executive Director; Robert Contreras Co-Founder, Bienestar; Torie Osborn Former Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Rev. Steve Pieters Former Field Director of AIDS Ministry, Metropolitan Community Churches; and Bamby Salcedo President, TransLatin Coalitio.

West Coast Premiere:
Saturday, February 11th at 7:40pm followed by Q&A
Location: Fiesta 5 Multiplex, Screen 4
916 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

2^nd Screening: Sunday, February 12^th at 10:20am. Followed by Q&A
Location: Fiesta 5 Multiplex, Screen 4
916 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

Against a rich Hollywood backdrop, “Commitment to Life” documents the true story of the fight against HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles — and how an intrepid group of people living with HIV/AIDS, doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists changed the course of the epidemic.

Director & Editor: Jeffrey Schwarz
Producers: Aimée Flaherty, p.g.a. and Jeffrey Schwarz, p.g.a.
Executive Producer: Ron Sylvester,
Co-Executive Producer: Robert James Wood II
Co-Producer: Taki Oldham
Associate Producer: Michael Stabile
Executive Producer: Craig Thompson
Supervising Producer: Craig Bowers
Composer: Allyson Newman
Cinematographer: Adam Jason Finmann
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

“Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection” (Feature Documentary Film)

CINEMATIC OVERTURES/PERFORMING ARTS Selection (SBIFF)

Director Randy Martin
Producer & Writer: Randy Schmidt
Interviewee: Olivia Newton-John, Cynthia Gibb, Suzanne Somers, Kristin Chenoweth, Carnie Wilson, Bob James, Carol Burnett, Belinda Carlisle, Cubby O’Brien, Tom Nolan, Karen Tongson, Cherry Boone O’Neill, Louis Virtel, Randy Schmidt, Barry Morrow, Frankie Chavez, Doug Haverty, Maria Galeazzi, and Mike Curb.

West Coast Premiere:
Friday, February 10^th at 8:20pm. Followed by Q&A
Location: Metro 4, Screen 2
618 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

2^nd Screening: Sunday, February 12^th at 11:20am. Followed by Q&A
Metro 4, Screen 2
618 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

About the Film: Karen Carpenter was the first in a long line of celebrities to suffer from an eating disorder during an era when the vastly misunderstood disease brought shame and public humiliation. For the first time, we hear Karen Carpenter's personal struggle in her own voice through never-before released recordings and through the legendary voices of those who knew her and were inspired by her music. As the #1 American musical act of the 1970s, the Carpenters were on “top of the world," producing a string of pop masterpieces, including "Close to You," "We've Only Just Begun," and "Rainy Days and Mondays." But behind closed doors, Karen's quest for perfection resulted in low self-esteem, a disheartening love life, and a public battle with anorexia nervosa, which ended with her untimely death at the age of only 32. Forty years after her death comes “Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection,” a captivating, revealing, and unvarnished documentary providing astounding new insight into the singer's tragically short life and enduring musical legacy.

Production Co.: AMS Pictures
Director Randy Martin
Producer & Writer: Randy Schmidt
Producer & Editor Brad Osborne
Executive Producers Carnie Wilson & Andy Streitfeld
Director of Photography: Osman Tello
Editors Chuck Brown & Paul Ellison
Running Time: 1hour 40 minutes

“Starring Jerry As Himself” (Feature Film Docu-Fiction Hybrid)
REEL LIVES Selection (SBIFF)

Recently having won the Slamdance Film Festival Grand Jury Documentary Feature, Audience Award Documentary & Acting Award for Jerry Hsu with sold out screenings and standing ovations, “Starring Jerry As Himself” is a docu-fiction hybrid that blurs the lines of reality while staying true to Jerry Hsu, the title subject and his unique story. Jerry is the father everyone wants to have as their own, and his journey is one that rivals that of Alice following the white rabbit into another world. Employing a variety of creative filmmaking techniques to capture the world from Jerry’s perspective, the film is a genre bending meta experience as Jerry deals with a wild tale of international intrigue in which he inexplicably finds himself a lynchpin with his family none the wiser...or has he?

West Coast Premiere:
Wednesday, February 15^th at 4:20pm. Followed by Q&A
Location: Fiesta 4 Multiplex, Screen 4
916 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

2^nd Screening:
Friday, February 17^th at 8;30am. Followed by Q&A
Location: Fiesta 4 Multiplex, Screen 4
916 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

Director & Editor Lawrence Chen
Co-Writers Jerry C. Hsu & Lawrence Chen
Producers: Jonathan Hsu & Lawrence Chen
Composer Eric Hölljes
Cinematography by Tinx Chen and Lawrence Chen

Freestyle Media to Distribute Psychological Action Fantasy Thriller “Exceptional Beings” Across North American TVOD & Digital Platform & DVD

Co-Directors: Njedeh Anthony and Christian Kazadi
Writer: Njedeh Anthony
Starring: Ciarra Carter, Dane Oliver, Rachel Thundat, Bunmi Famuyiwa, Clark Moore, Chad Sano, introducing Jean Charles, Sarah Bonrepaux, Victoria Antonelli, and Eric Roberts
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Thriller

“Exceptional Beings” tracks the existential crisis of two supernatural beings, as they begin to question their Godhood, when they encounter a woman with an uncanny essence that doesn’t conform with their 4,000 years of knowledge. They journey through her existence, as it relates to their desperate need to understand answers to question, they never believed existed. The movie is a prequel to the book Godhood.

Freestyle Media will distribute the psychological action fantasy thriller “Exceptional Beings” across North American on TVOD, Digital Platform and DVD.

You can find the DVDs at Amazon.com, Bestbuy.com, Walmart.com, and Barnesandnoble.com.

Find the film on AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV, Dish Network, Sling TV, iN DEMAND, Vubiquity, Hoopla and directly at the links below:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Exceptional-Beings-Ciarra-Carter/dp/B0B65CCQ8Z

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/exceptional-beings/id1665272579

AppleTV https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/exceptional-beings/umc.cmc.fe4tfbhefhrdz01e1x2rg5rw

Vudu
https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Exceptional-Beings/2247159

Xbox
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/exceptional-beings/8d6kgwz05wbg?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Exceptional_Beings?id=uSln0B7ieYw.P&hl=en_US&gl=US

YouTube Movies

The Gestalt Effect

The Gestalt Effect production company was founded 10 years ago to dive into all aspects of film production. “Creatures of Necessity” was their first North American release, which released in November of 2022. We greatly appreciate your review, interview, and what to watch coverage consideration for this incredibly talented team of black filmmakers and their diverse cast.

Distributor: Freestyle Media
Co-Directors: Njedeh Anthony and Christian Kazadi
Writer: Njedeh Anthony
Producers: Njedeh Anthony and Justin Morgan
Executive Producers: Njedeh Anthony, Justin Morgan, Christian Kazadi and Kurtis Anton
Director of Cinematography: Christian Kazadi
Editor: Christian Kazadi
Production Designer: Justin Morgan