Reviews and Events

Gravitas Ventures Acquires Powerful First Responder PTSD Documentary “Florian’s Knights” For Audiences Everywhere

“Florian’s Knights”  Will Open Theatrically on September 10th Timed to the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 in Theaters Across North America
Before a TVOD/Digital & Blu-Ray/DVD on November 23rd

Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, has acquired North America digital rights to filmmaker Panayioti Yannitsos (“Freedom Besieged”) powerful feature documentary “Florian’s Knights.” Crowbar Pictures, Inc will first release the film in theaters across North America on September 10th, 2021 timed to the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Markets to be included in the theatrical rollout – New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, and Saskatoon. Gravitas Ventures will release across all TVOD/Digital platforms & Blu-Ray/DVD throughout the North American continent beginning on November 23rd, 2021. A Canadian production, Yannitsos’ new documentary chronicles firefighters in both the US and Canada who form a controversial motorcycle club to cope with the crippling effects of PTSD. As the Florian’s Knights full patch motorcycle club, the freedom felt on two wheels inspires North American firefighters to speak truth against the stigma of first responder mental health and outlaw biker culture. From the impact of 9/11, to the front lines of the opioid crisis in Vancouver and Toronto, and across the bridge to the arson epidemic in Detroit, Florian’s Knights travel to the darkest pits of the human experience. The real traumas of firefighting are exposed in ways never-before-seen.

“With his unprecedented access, filmmaker Panayioti Yannitsos has crafted a timely, visceral and moving doc that candidly explores the repeated trauma that fire fighters experience, the fallout and what they have ultimately found will help them heal; two wheels and an open road. The unexpected and devastating twist to this story further exposes the difficulties these first responders face in finding support for the sacrifices they make for society making this is a much watch film for all.” – Megan Huggins, Acquisitions Coordinator at Gravitas Ventures.

In April of 2018, director Panayioti Yannitsos met with Crowbar Pictures founder Shawn Galvao to discuss the Florian’s Knights; a new firefighter motorcycle club making waves across North America. Driving home from that meeting, Pan found himself bumper-to-bumper with retired Vancouver Battalion Chief Rod MacDonald, who was riding his motorcycle, a Florian’s Knights patch on his back. Staring at the patch for several minutes in traffic, the serendipitous event convinced Yannitsos to sign on to direct the film. Over the course of three years, Yannitsos and a core team of only four fellow filmmakers slept in fire halls across North America, often in 24-hour shifts, responding to emergencies in real time.

“For over a century, firefighters in North America have grappled with the harsh reality of post-traumatic stress. In pursuit of making this movie, we were faced with a code of silence engrained in fire departments for generations. I knew that this moratorium on mental health was costing men and women their lives, whether through substance abuse, depression, or suicide and I felt a responsibility to shine a light on this very human struggle and bring it to audiences.” – filmmaker Panayioti Yannitsos.

“Florian’s Knights” follows the lives of a number of first responders and experts. All of the following documentary subjects will be available for press interviews – Firefighter Matthew Sabini (New York Fire Department / Florian’s Knights MC), Retired Captain Erik Bjarnason (North Vancouver Fire Dept / Florian's Knights MC), Retired Battalion Chief Rod MacDonald (Vancouver Fire Dept / Florian’s Knights MC), Acting Captain Bill Shokar (New Westminster Fire Department / Florian’s Knights MC), Captain Jack Cooper (Toronto Fire Service / Florian’s Knights MC), Battalion Chief Michael V. Nevin (Detroit Fire Department), Senior Lieutenant Darnell McLaurin (Detroit Fire Department / Axemen MC), and Dr. Don Vaughn, PHD (Neuroscientist, UCLA).

Dr. Don Vaughn, Michael Maggiora, and their team measured the brain activity, heart rate, and hormone levels of over 50 experienced motorcycle riders in “Project Free.” The study was peer reviewed and accepted by Brain Research. The study concluded that riding a motorcycle can decrease hormonal biomarkers of stress. The work was funded by a grant from Harley-Davidson.

“Florian’s Knights” is directed, edited & produced by Panayioti Yannitsos, executive produced by Shawn Galvao, with cinematography by Jon Thomas (“The Angel Tree”) & Blake Davey (“Someone Like Me,” “Rupture”), and sound design by Jamie Spittal (“Freedom Besieged”).

Additional markets interested in theatrical bookings should contact Henry Lystad at Adventure Entertainment

Panayioti Yannitsos negotiated on behalf of the filmmaking team directly with Megan Huggins, Acquisitions Coordinator at Gravitas Ventures.

Where to follow the film and its journey:
Website: www.floriansknightsmovie.com
Facebook: @FloriansKnightsMovie
Instagram: @FloriansKnightsMovi
Twitter: @FloriansKnights

About Gravitas Ventures
Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, is a leading all rights distributor of independent feature films and documentaries. Founded in 2006, Gravitas connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe. Working with talented directors and producers, Gravitas Ventures has distributed thousands of films into over a hundred million homes in North America - over one billion homes worldwide. Recent releases include Our Friend directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, and Jason Segel,Vanguard, directed by Stanley Tong and starring Jackie Chan, The Secret: Dare to Dream, directed by Andy Tennant and starring Katie Holmes; End of Sentence starring Logan Lerman and John Hawkes; Looks that Kill; Tread; Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk, narrated by Bill Murray; and Colin Hanks’ All Things Must Pass. For more information, please visit gravitasventures.com, and follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.

About Red Arrow Studios
Red Arrow Studios is one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of entertainment content, comprised of an acclaimed network of international production companies and labels in seven territories; world-leading digital studio, Studio71, based in six countries; and global film and TV distributors Red Arrow Studios International and Gravitas Ventures. The group’s significant output includes scripted, non-scripted and formatted content and IP, from TV and film to short-form and branded content, made for an array of global networks and platforms. Red Arrow Studios is part of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, one of Europe's leading media groups. redarrowstudios.com

 

High Octane Pictures Dark Comedy “Stealing Chaplin” on Prime Video

Stealing Chaplin Poster 2

A stylistic half-sibling to the works of The Coen Brothers, Guy Ritchie, Elmore Leonard, and Martin McDonagh, this film appeals to much of the same vast audiences who turned “Fargo,” “In Burges,” "Snatch," "Raising Arizona," “The Big Lebowski,” and “Mindhunter” into massively successful cult classics with a dark comedy inspired by a true story about two brothers who dig up and steal the corpse of Charlie Chaplin. Filmed on the legendary strip, Freemont Street and the 27 acre ranch of Mr. Las Vegas Himself Wayne Newton, the film honors the spirit of Las Vegas in true cinematic fashion.

“Stealing Chaplin” became the first comedy feature film to auction collectible NFT’s earlier this summer. Embracing the NFT world with not one but fifteen unique collectible NFT’s for auction providing comedic content crafted directly from the acclaimed diabolical dark comedy “Stealing Chaplin.” We also greatly appreciate your what's streaming, review and interview consideration for this comedic caper -- a slapstick a homage to Chaplin himself.

Stealing Chaplin Pic
Stealing Chaplin Pic 1
Stealing Chaplin Pic 2
Stealing Chaplin 3

he film stars Simon Phillips (“Age of the Living Dead, “ No Easy Days”), Doug Phillips (“Not All Who Wander,” “Butchers”), Al Sapienza (“The Sopranos,” “House of Cards,” “Suits”), Peter Woodward (“The Patriot,” “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” “Babylon“), Ken Bressers (“The Nights Before Christmas,” “The United Nations of Horror”), Anne-Carolyn Binette (“Age of The Living Dead,” “The Scarlet Vultures,” “Butchers”), Liliana Vargas (“Make Mo Money,” “Sara Did It”), the cinematic debut of Bianca Katz, and Mr. Las Vegas Himself Wayne Newton. Inspired by real events, two Las Vegas based con men dig up and steal the corpse of comedian Charlie Chaplin in order to ransom it. With the theft gaining the world’s attention and the reward rising daily, soon every local lowlife, criminal and dirty cop wants a piece of the action.

Film Synopsis: Inspired by real events, two Las Vegas based con men dig up and steal the corpse of comedian Charlie Chaplin in order to ransom it. With the theft gaining the world’s attention and the reward rising daily, soon every local lowlife, criminal and dirty cop wants a piece of the action.

Where to follow the film and its journey:
Facebook:
Instagram: @StealingChaplin
Twitter: @StealingChaplin

View Trailer Below!

Tom Surgal’s ‘FIRE MUSIC’ Opens Friday, September 10th

Submaribe Deluxe logo

Submarine Deluxe Presents in Association with Joseph Wemple, Films We Like, and Mexican Summer 'FIRE MUSIC'

Sigma 7 Ornette Coleman
Sigma 7 Ornette Coleman

Director and Writer: Tom TurgalL
Featuring: Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Eric Dolphy and many more.
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Country: USA

FIRE MUSIC opens theatrically in New York at the Film Forum on Friday, September 10th and Los Angeles at the Laemmle Glendale on September 17th with a national
release to follow.

FIRE MUSIC is an official selection of the New York Film Festival

John Tchicai Münster
John Tchicai Münster

Although the free jazz movement of the 1960s and ‘70s was much maligned in some jazz circles, its pioneers – brilliant talents like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, and John Coltrane – are today acknowledged as central to the evolution of jazz as America’s most innovative art form. FIRE MUSIC showcases the architects of a movement whose radical brand of improvisation pushed harmonic and rhythmic boundaries and produced landmark albums like Coleman’s Free Jazz: A Collective Inspiration and Coltrane’s Ascension. A rich trove of archival footage conjures the 1960s jazz scene along with incisive reflections by critic Gary Giddins and a number of the movement’s key players.

Writer / Director Tom Surgal is known for directing a series of groundbreaking music videos for leading alternative bands like Sonic Youth, Pavement and The Blues Explosion. Tom was initially mentored in filmmaking by Brian De Palma and would go on to work in a wide range of film production jobs, including production design and casting. Tom is also a musician who has performed regularly with Nels Cline (Wilco), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Jim O'Rourke and Mike Watt (Minutemen, The Stooges) and is co-leader of the improvisational ensemble White Out. He is also a curator who has programmed celebrated music series at various downtown New York venues, including an entire month of shows at John Zorn's hallowed performance space The Stone.

Tom is recognized as a leading authority on Avant-Garde Jazz and boasts one of the world's largest collections of Free Jazz recordings.

Chad Michael Murray in Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman Out August 16th

Filmmaker Daniel Farrands ED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN
PHOTO CREDIT:
Dark Star Pictures/Voltage Pictures
Filmmaker Daniel Farrands ED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN PHOTO CREDIT: Dark Star Pictures/Voltage Pictures

ED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN will have its Fathom Release (Nationwide on over 750 screens) on August 16 with a US VOD and DVD release to follow on September 3, 2021.

A specter roams the highways of a gritty and decadent 1970s America, hunting for his next prey—his name is Ted Bundy (Chad Michael Murray). Tracking him down are the intrepid female detective Kathleen McChesney (Holland Roden), working out of the Seattle Police bureau, and rookie FBI profiler Robert Ressler (Jake Hays), the government agent who coined the term “serial killer.” This is the true story behind the manhunt that brought America’s most fearsome boogeyman to justice.

Chad Michael Murray
in Daniel Farrands'
TED BUNDY: AMERICAN
BOOGEYMAN
PHOTO CREDIT:
Dark Star Pictures/Voltage
Pictures
Chad Michael Murray in Daniel Farrands' TED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN PHOTO CREDIT: Dark Star Pictures/Voltage Pictures

Daniel Farrands wrote and directed the project, which stars Chad Michael Murray (House Of Wax, The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia, and Riverdale) as Bundy. Rounding out the key cast are Genre actress Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise, The Grudge, Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels) and Holland Roden (Escape Room 2, Teen Wolf).

ABOUT 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. We are committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Our goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. Recent releases include Tribeca Midnight Selection Honeydew, Sundance favorite Koko-di Koko-Da, Cannes Official Selection Enfant Terrible and the newly announced SXSW psychological drama Freeland.

Website: https://darkstarpics.com

#TedBundy #AmericanBoogeyman #TrueCrime

View trailer below!

Terry Crews Receives 2,699th Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Terry Crews Walk of Fame. Photo: Yevette Renee

Terry Crews recived the 2,699th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, July 30th, which happens to be his 53rd birthday.

The emcee for the event was Nicole Mihalka, Chairperson of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. On hand to celebrate Crews' big day was Howie Mandel and Tichina Arnold.

Crews began his career with an art to the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and later received an Art Excellence and full-ride athletic football scholarship to . He stars in the NBC series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine, hosts another NBC series favorite "America's Got Talent. He has appeared on three hit TV series that aired for over
100-episodes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, "Are We There Yet? and "Everybody Hates Chris".

His new star is located in front of Eastown at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.

Finding Kendrick Johnson in Theaters Friday, July 30th

FindingKendrickJohnsonHiRezPoster1

Screening Nationwide in Theaters and available on Video On Demand July 30th

On January 11th, 2013, Kendrick Johnson was found dead in his high school gymnasium rolled up in a gym mat. The state of Georgia ruled his death as an accident, having died from positional asphyxia. When the family hired their own Forensic Pathologist, not only did he find KJ’s organs missing from his body during the autopsy, he determined the cause of death to be from non-accidental blunt force trauma. To this day, no one knows where KJ’s organs have gone.. So what really happened to KJ?

FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON is the feature documentary product of a 4-year undercover investigation into the facts of this case. From the creator of 'Stranger Fruit', this new documentary hopes to shed light on one of the most important American stories of our time.

KJ 1
KJ 2

Told through the eyes of KJ's family and close friends, Narrated by Hollywood legend, Jenifer Lewis, Directed by 'Stranger Fruit' creator, Jason Pollock, with an amazing team of Producers including Actor Hill Harper, and Space Jam 2 Director Malcolm D. Lee, FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON shares this truly historic, heartbreaking, and unbelievable story with the world for the first time.

“The case of Kendrick Johnson is one the most important cases in U.S. history,” says writer/director Jason Pollock. “KJ deserves justice, and hopefully our film will help his family get one step closer to that outcome.”

KJ 5
KJ6

Told through the eyes of KJ's family and close friends, Narrated by Hollywood legend, Jenifer Lewis, Directed by 'Stranger Fruit' creator, Jason Pollock, with an amazing team of Producers including Actor Hill Harper, and Space Jam 2 Director Malcolm D. Lee, FINDING KENDRICK JOHNSON shares this truly historic, heartbreaking, and unbelievable story with the world for the first time.

“The case of Kendrick Johnson is one the most important cases in U.S. history,” says writer/director Jason Pollock. “KJ deserves justice, and hopefully our film will help his family get one step closer to that outcome.”

View trailer below!

Dark Star Pictures New Films ‘Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman and Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman’

Ted Bundy American Boogeyman 1

Los Angeles-based Dark Star Pictures have announced upcoming US Release dates today for TED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN and AILEEN WUORNOS: AMERICAN BOOGEYWOMAN.

The releases include a nationwide one- night Fathom release (In over 750 cinemas) for both titles, with VOD and DVD release to follow in September and October respectively.

Ted Bundy American Boogeyman 2

TED BUNDY: AMERICAN BOOGEYMAN will have its Fathom Release on August 16 with a US VOD and DVD release to follow on September 3, 2021.

Aileen Wuornos American Boogeywoman 2

AILEEN WUORNOS: AMERICAN BOOGEYWOMAN will have its Fathom Release on September 20 with a US VOD/DVD Release on October 8, 2021.

Companion piece and ‘Monster' Prequel, AILEEN WUORNOS: AMERICAN BOOGEYWOMAN focuses on serial killer Aileen Wuornos, which is also directed by Farrands and stars Peyton List in the title role (Cobra Kai, Tobin Bell ("Jigsaw" from the Saw Franchise), Lydia Hearst (The Haunting Of Sharon Tate), Nick Vallelonga (Green Book), Swen Temmel (In Time, Backtrace), Meadow Williams (Boss Level. Den Of Thieves), and Andrew Biernat (Shadow's Edge).

"We are thrilled to be bringing these films to audiences across the country, director Daniel Farrands has taken two of America's most heinous serial killers and managed to spin their stories in a fresh way - introducing a genre film style to these familiar true crime stories. People will be able to experience these chapters of American history in a new way," commented Michael Repsch, President Dark Star Pictures

ABOUT 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. We are committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Our goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. Recent releases include Tribeca Midnight Selection Honeydew, Sundance favorite Koko-di Koko-Da, Cannes Official Selection Enfant Terrible and the newly announced SXSW psychological drama Freeland.

Website: https://darkstarpics.com

Submarine Deluxe Presents in Association with Joseph Wemple, Films We Like and Mexican Summer ‘FIRE MUSIC’

Submaribe Deluxe logo

Director and Writer:  Tom Surgal
Featuring: Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Albert Ayer, Cecil Taylor, Eric Dolphy and many more
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Genre: Documentary

 

John Coltrane ©Lee Tanner-The-Jazz
John Coltrane ©Lee Tanner-The-Jazz

Opens theatrically in New York at Film forum on Friday, September 10 and Los Angeles at Laemmle Glendale on September 17 with a national release to follow.

'FIREMUSIC' is an Official Selection  at the New York Film Festival.

 

Sun Ra 1968
Sun Ra 1968

Although the free jazz movement of the 1960s and ‘70s was much maligned in some jazz circles, its pioneers – brilliant talents like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, and John Coltrane – are today acknowledged as central to the evolution of jazz as America’s most innovative art form. FIRE MUSIC showcases the architects of a movement whose radical brand of improvisation pushed harmonic and rhythmic boundaries and produced landmark albums like Coleman’s Free Jazz: A Collective Inspiration and Coltrane’s Ascension. A rich trove of archival footage conjures the 1960s jazz scene along with incisive reflections by critic Gary Giddins and a number of the movement’s key players.

Carla Bley with the Carla Bley Band, Keystone Korner, San Francisco CA  2/10/79
Carla Bley with the Carla Bley Band, Keystone Korner, San Francisco CA 2/10/79

Writer / Director Tom Surgal is known for directing a series of groundbreaking music videos for leading alternative bands like Sonic Youth, Pavement and The Blues Explosion. Tom was initially mentored in filmmaking by Brian De Palma and would go on to work in a wide range of film production jobs, including production design and casting. Tom is also a musician who has performed regularly with Nels Cline (Wilco), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Jim O'Rourke and Mike Watt

Tom Surga ©Lin Culbertson
Tom Surga ©Lin Culbertson

(Minutemen, The Stooges) and is co-leader of the improvisational ensemble White Out. He is also a curator who has programmed celebrated music series at various downtown New York venues, including an entire month of shows at John Zorn's hallowed performance space The Stone.

Tom is recognized as a leading authority on Avant-Garde Jazz and boasts one of the world's largest collections of Free Jazz recordings.

Gravitas Ventures Feature Documentary “Stronger For Life” On All VOD/Digital Platforms; Blu-Ray and DVD Today, July 20

What does an internationally renowned fitness expert and entrepreneur do when faced with a diagnosis of breast cancer?

When internationally acclaimed fitness expert Ilaria Montagnani received her initial diagnosis of breast cancer in the summer of 2016, she decided to film footage documenting this emotionally and physically challenging journey. Her whole life, she has been driven to acquire strength and knowledge to help herself and others –and this terrifying cancer diagnosis was no exception to her life’s mission.

Ilaria’s main belief that hard work teaches you to never give up - was truly put to the test and she wanted to honestly show how this disease would affect her physically and emotionally.

For anyone, a diagnosis of cancer is a frightening and life-changing experience but for a professional athlete and international fitness instructor, it is a challenge of unprecedented impact. Ilaria sought out a woman who took her workouts, Noriko Sugiura, a Japanese filmmaker friend to help guide her in the process.

More than a 100-hours of footage in on a hand-held camera, Ilaria next sought out a team of editors and cinematographers – Corey Florin (“Dream Factories,” “High Expectations”), Stephanie Gaweda (“Summer Moon,” “Mates”), and Federico Rosenzvit (“Years of Living Dangerously,” “Laredo, Texas,” and “City of Joel”), to guide and shape the documentary chronicling her journey. This is the filmmaking team that eventually shot and edited the movie that became “Stronger For Life.” “Stronger For Life,” is a cinematic sibling to inspirating and relatable documentaries “Dancer,” and “Any One Of Us,” which have chronicled the physical and mental struggles of athletes where life has thrown them unseen medical curveballs and a chance to make it through to the other side of illness.

Multiple media outlets from around the world have covered Ilaria fitness journey in her more than 20 years in the fitness world, including: The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart Show, The Dr. Oz Show, The Tyra Show, and CBS and ABC Evening News, among many others. The Wall Street Journal called her a “leading force” in the fitness world and New York magazine labeled her one of the city’s top fitness gurus. In 2017, Ilaria received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Equinox Fitness for top group fitness instructor in the country.

Where to follow the film and its journey:
Website:  www.strongerforlife.film
Instagram: @strongerforlife.film

“Stronger For Life”
Ilaria Montagnani arrived in the United States from Florence, Italy at nineteen. She loves New York City and its potential to be anything you want to be if you work hard and have vision. During the next 20 years, Ilaria overcomes many obstacles as a pioneering woman entrepreneur developing weight-training and fitness workouts based on martial arts.

She is one of the first women to bring strength training and martial arts to gyms in the U.S.In 2016, Ilaria, then an internationally recognized fitness expert at the peak of her career, was diagnosed with breast cancer. For an athlete of her magnitude, it was devastating.

Shortly after her struggle, Ilaria learns of her father’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. Stronger for Life documents Ilaria’s fight against cancer and how she embodied her own philosophy: Exercise makes you stronger for life, to overcome the heartache and challenges she encounters.