LeVar Burton celebrates his television series Reading Rainbow in the trailer for the forthcoming documentary feature Butterfly in the Sky.
Butterfly in the Sky tells the story of Reading Rainbow, the educational show promoting literacy that Burton hosted for 23 seasons. The program first aired on PBS and later on PBS Kids before signing off in November of 2006, collecting a Peabody Award and 26 Emmy Awards throughout the course of its run.
The movie from co-directors Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb is set for a limited theatrical release March 17 from AMC Theatres. A full run follows later in New York City and other destinations, overseen by Mia Bruno of Fourth Act Film. It will be available on digital platforms including iTunes and Amazon on April 30, with Roco Films making the film available that month for classrooms, educators and libraries.
Burton is among the insiders participating in exclusive interviews for the project. “I...
Butterfly in the Sky tells the story of Reading Rainbow, the educational show promoting literacy that Burton hosted for 23 seasons. The program first aired on PBS and later on PBS Kids before signing off in November of 2006, collecting a Peabody Award and 26 Emmy Awards throughout the course of its run.
The movie from co-directors Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb is set for a limited theatrical release March 17 from AMC Theatres. A full run follows later in New York City and other destinations, overseen by Mia Bruno of Fourth Act Film. It will be available on digital platforms including iTunes and Amazon on April 30, with Roco Films making the film available that month for classrooms, educators and libraries.
Burton is among the insiders participating in exclusive interviews for the project. “I...
- 3/7/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb’s feature documentary “Butterfly in the Sky,” about the beloved 1980’s PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow” will be released in select AMC theaters and digitally through Fifth Season.
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023, takes audiences behind the scenes of the children’s series and tells the story of the show’s creators, who believed the small screen could inspire a love of reading. The docu also spotlights the show’s host LeVar Burton and gives an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
The doc, produced by Xtr, will have a limited theatrical release beginning on March 17 in select AMC theaters followed by a full run in New York and additional cities. The film’s digital and international rights have been acquired by Fifth Season. The...
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023, takes audiences behind the scenes of the children’s series and tells the story of the show’s creators, who believed the small screen could inspire a love of reading. The docu also spotlights the show’s host LeVar Burton and gives an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
The doc, produced by Xtr, will have a limited theatrical release beginning on March 17 in select AMC theaters followed by a full run in New York and additional cities. The film’s digital and international rights have been acquired by Fifth Season. The...
- 2/28/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Bitconned Movie Review Rating:
Star Cast: Robert Farkas, Sohrab Sharma, Ray Trapani, Damian Williams
Director: Bryan Storkel
Review of Bitconned Is Out! (Picture Credit: IMDb)
What’s Good: The documentary skillfully navigates through Centra’s rise and fall, exploring the motivations behind the scam. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the fraudulent activities, showcasing the lavish lifestyles funded by deceived investors. The film’s adept chronological presentation ensures clarity, and the inclusion of interviews enhances authenticity.
What’s Bad: While “Bitconned” effectively portrays Centra’s deceitful practices, it also sheds light on the disheartening reality of inadequate legal repercussions, particularly regarding Ray Trapani. The documentary leaves viewers frustrated with the incongruity between Trapani’s significant role in the scam and his ability to walk away unscathed through cooperation with federal officials.
Loo Break: Given the documentary’s high energy and compelling narrative, avoiding taking a break during the runtime is...
Star Cast: Robert Farkas, Sohrab Sharma, Ray Trapani, Damian Williams
Director: Bryan Storkel
Review of Bitconned Is Out! (Picture Credit: IMDb)
What’s Good: The documentary skillfully navigates through Centra’s rise and fall, exploring the motivations behind the scam. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the fraudulent activities, showcasing the lavish lifestyles funded by deceived investors. The film’s adept chronological presentation ensures clarity, and the inclusion of interviews enhances authenticity.
What’s Bad: While “Bitconned” effectively portrays Centra’s deceitful practices, it also sheds light on the disheartening reality of inadequate legal repercussions, particularly regarding Ray Trapani. The documentary leaves viewers frustrated with the incongruity between Trapani’s significant role in the scam and his ability to walk away unscathed through cooperation with federal officials.
Loo Break: Given the documentary’s high energy and compelling narrative, avoiding taking a break during the runtime is...
- 1/13/2024
- by Hari P N
- KoiMoi
There are not many documentaries, shows, or films that explore the bubble created by Bitcoin or cryptocurrency. There is still a lot of ambiguity about how it works or how people work around it because of the nature of the product and there being zero regulations to control the movement of the said entity, which exists only in digital form. Bryan Storkel’s Bitconned is a wordplay on the name of the first big crypto and is a documentary film on the firm Centra Tech that had plans to diversify their product-based company surrounding the cryptocurrency and an ambitious plan to be a virtual banking system based only on the digital form of currency.
Bitconned documentary right from the beginning jumps into understanding who Ray (Raymond) Trapani is and his vast interest in committing crimes, or, as he stated, wanting to become a “criminal.” Ray Trapani comes from a family of criminals,...
Bitconned documentary right from the beginning jumps into understanding who Ray (Raymond) Trapani is and his vast interest in committing crimes, or, as he stated, wanting to become a “criminal.” Ray Trapani comes from a family of criminals,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Smriti Kannan
- Film Fugitives
Clockwise from top: Society Of The Snow (Netflix), Good Grief (Netflix), Sixty Minutes (Netflix)Image: The A.V. Club
Netflix kicks off 2024 with some high-profile originals, fan favorites, and cinema classics. J.A. Bayona’s Society Of The Snow is based on the true story of the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster and its 16 survivors.
Netflix kicks off 2024 with some high-profile originals, fan favorites, and cinema classics. J.A. Bayona’s Society Of The Snow is based on the true story of the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster and its 16 survivors.
- 12/30/2023
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
Sam Song Li as Bruce Sun and Justin Chien as Charles Sun in ‘The Brothers Sun’ episode 2 (Photo Cr. Michael Desmond/Netflix © 2023)
Netflix is welcoming in 2024 with a lineup of news series that includes The Brothers Sun starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and reality series The Trust: A Game of Greed, along with the return of Queer Eye. The streaming service’s roster of January 2024 films includes J.A. Bayona’s Society of the Snow, based on the true story of the 1972 plane crash involving a Uruguayan rugby team, and Daniel Levy’s feature film directorial debut, Good Grief.
Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara stars in and executive produces the mob drama Griselda, premiering on January 25. And comedian Jacqueline Novak brings her hit standup act Get On Your Knees to Netflix on January 23.
Series & Films Arriving On Netflix In January 2024
January 1, 2024
Bitconned – Netflix Documentary
Ray Trapani had always wanted to be a criminal,...
Netflix is welcoming in 2024 with a lineup of news series that includes The Brothers Sun starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and reality series The Trust: A Game of Greed, along with the return of Queer Eye. The streaming service’s roster of January 2024 films includes J.A. Bayona’s Society of the Snow, based on the true story of the 1972 plane crash involving a Uruguayan rugby team, and Daniel Levy’s feature film directorial debut, Good Grief.
Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara stars in and executive produces the mob drama Griselda, premiering on January 25. And comedian Jacqueline Novak brings her hit standup act Get On Your Knees to Netflix on January 23.
Series & Films Arriving On Netflix In January 2024
January 1, 2024
Bitconned – Netflix Documentary
Ray Trapani had always wanted to be a criminal,...
- 12/25/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
"We didn't know anything about this business, but it didn't matter at all. It was too easy." Oh yeah, that sounds sketchy. Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film called Bitconned, an inside look at the story of one of the first cryptocurrency fraud schemes. Once again it brings up the question: is it a cautionary tale about cryptocurrency, or is actually a cautionary tale about greed and capitalism and how crime actually pays in America? You'll have to watch to find out! Netflix's intro explains: "In this fast-paced, debaucherous documentary from doc director Bryan Storkel, Ray Trapani himself guides viewers through the ups and downs of his dramatic journey, alongside his family, former friends, and the journalist who exposed Centra Tech as the first high-profile fraud case of the crypto era." This has vibes of The Wolf of Wall Street, though about crypto and how easy...
- 12/5/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
More than 90 feature films showcasing the best in U.S. moviemaking will take center stage next month at Poland’s American Film Festival (Aff), whose 14th edition takes place Nov. 7 – 12 in Wrocław, Poland.
Founded in 2010 as the sister event of the long-running New Horizons Film Festival, the Aff bills itself as the first film event in Central Europe solely devoted to the works of contemporary and classic American cinema.
In putting together the program for the 14th edition, festival director Ula Śniegowska says she and the programming team spent the past year “scouting the festivals and trying to get our hands on the pulse of what’s happening in American auteur and independent film.” The festival, which includes titles that have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes and other leading fests, is similar in spirit to France’s long-running Deauville American Film Festival, which mounted its 49th edition this year.
Founded in 2010 as the sister event of the long-running New Horizons Film Festival, the Aff bills itself as the first film event in Central Europe solely devoted to the works of contemporary and classic American cinema.
In putting together the program for the 14th edition, festival director Ula Śniegowska says she and the programming team spent the past year “scouting the festivals and trying to get our hands on the pulse of what’s happening in American auteur and independent film.” The festival, which includes titles that have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes and other leading fests, is similar in spirit to France’s long-running Deauville American Film Festival, which mounted its 49th edition this year.
- 10/24/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Brothers Chapman and Maclain Way, the sons of screenwriter Rick Way, grandsons of actor Bing Russell, and nephews to Kurt Russell (that one you know), have some obvious Hollywood pedigree. They also have a Primetime Emmy for 2018’s “Wild Wild Country” and Sundance status for 2014’s “The Battered Bastards of Baseball,” both of which were distributed by Netflix.
With the Tuesday return of their best-in-genre sports-documentary series “Untold,” the guys also have a legitimate claim for Top Netflix brothers. Sorry, Duffers; and Joe and Anthony Russo, you had better make something really good out of that “Gray Man” universe.
“Untold: Volume 3” debuts with a doc about the rise of yet another pair of bothers, Jake Paul and Logan Paul. “The Problem Child,” directed by Andrew Renzi is Jake’s (pictured above) story. And though Chapman, 36, and Maclain, 32, didn’t direct any of this season’s four “Untold” installments, their style...
With the Tuesday return of their best-in-genre sports-documentary series “Untold,” the guys also have a legitimate claim for Top Netflix brothers. Sorry, Duffers; and Joe and Anthony Russo, you had better make something really good out of that “Gray Man” universe.
“Untold: Volume 3” debuts with a doc about the rise of yet another pair of bothers, Jake Paul and Logan Paul. “The Problem Child,” directed by Andrew Renzi is Jake’s (pictured above) story. And though Chapman, 36, and Maclain, 32, didn’t direct any of this season’s four “Untold” installments, their style...
- 8/1/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Untold Season 3 is all set to be released on Netflix in August 2023, and here are the details you need to know.
In the realm of sports and documentaries, few series have achieved the level of acclaim and reverence as “Untold.” With its masterful storytelling and behind-the-scenes glimpses into some of the most captivating events in sporting history, the series has left audiences spellbound and hungry for more.
Now, as the much-anticipated Season 3 approaches, fans and enthusiasts alike are gearing up to immerse themselves in another enthralling journey through untold stories.
Since its debut, “Untold” has set the standard for sports documentaries, uncovering remarkable narratives that have largely remained hidden from public view.
Each episode delves into the lives of legendary athletes, exploring the challenges they faced, the obstacles they overcame, and the moments that forever altered the course of their careers.
With unprecedented access to the athletes, coaches, and key...
In the realm of sports and documentaries, few series have achieved the level of acclaim and reverence as “Untold.” With its masterful storytelling and behind-the-scenes glimpses into some of the most captivating events in sporting history, the series has left audiences spellbound and hungry for more.
Now, as the much-anticipated Season 3 approaches, fans and enthusiasts alike are gearing up to immerse themselves in another enthralling journey through untold stories.
Since its debut, “Untold” has set the standard for sports documentaries, uncovering remarkable narratives that have largely remained hidden from public view.
Each episode delves into the lives of legendary athletes, exploring the challenges they faced, the obstacles they overcame, and the moments that forever altered the course of their careers.
With unprecedented access to the athletes, coaches, and key...
- 7/31/2023
- by Minosha Coutinho
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
The four-week Untold Vol 3 summer event kicks off on August 1. Vol 3 of the Untold docuseries features Jake Paul, Johnny Manziel, Victor Conte, Tim Tebow, and the Florida Gators. The four-week summertime event will begin on Netflix on August 1.
The first episode, “Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child,” takes viewers behind the scenes with the online celebrity turned pro boxer, who has been generating waves in “The Sweet Science” for quite some time.
The episode airs immediately before Jake Paul’s next battle against former UFC fighter Nate Diaz on Saturday, August 5, in Dallas, Texas.
Untold Vol. 3 Official Trailer by Netflix
Volume 3 of the renowned “Untold” documentary series from the streaming service will be available on Netflix soon. The same series last year also explored the rise & fall of AND1 as well as Manti Te’o’s catfishing at Notre Dame.
This time, the series will cover two subjects that SEC supporters hold essential.
The first episode, “Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child,” takes viewers behind the scenes with the online celebrity turned pro boxer, who has been generating waves in “The Sweet Science” for quite some time.
The episode airs immediately before Jake Paul’s next battle against former UFC fighter Nate Diaz on Saturday, August 5, in Dallas, Texas.
Untold Vol. 3 Official Trailer by Netflix
Volume 3 of the renowned “Untold” documentary series from the streaming service will be available on Netflix soon. The same series last year also explored the rise & fall of AND1 as well as Manti Te’o’s catfishing at Notre Dame.
This time, the series will cover two subjects that SEC supporters hold essential.
- 7/20/2023
- by Mantisha
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Jake Paul in Netflix’s ‘Untold volume 3’
Netflix’s four-part documentary series Untold Volume 3 delves into the short-lived career of Johnny Football and also explores the rise of the Florida Gators under Coach Urban Meyer. Controversial YouTuber Jake Paul opens up about his life in an episode of Volume 3, and the Balco Laboratories steroid scandal is examined in-depth.
The docuseries, which has already been renewed for Volume 4, drops a new episode weekly beginning on August 1, 2023.
Volume 3‘s directors include Andrew Renzi, Ryan Duffy, Bryan Storkel, and Katharine English. The documentary series was developed by executive producers Chapman Way and Maclain Way, with Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Isabel San Vargas, Ryan Duffy, Doug Banker, Mike Seander, Louise Norman, and Tom Sheahan also executive producing.
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Premieres August 1, 2023
Directed by Andrew Renzi
At 26, is Jake Paul the boxing world’s new savior or a “delusional” promoter...
Netflix’s four-part documentary series Untold Volume 3 delves into the short-lived career of Johnny Football and also explores the rise of the Florida Gators under Coach Urban Meyer. Controversial YouTuber Jake Paul opens up about his life in an episode of Volume 3, and the Balco Laboratories steroid scandal is examined in-depth.
The docuseries, which has already been renewed for Volume 4, drops a new episode weekly beginning on August 1, 2023.
Volume 3‘s directors include Andrew Renzi, Ryan Duffy, Bryan Storkel, and Katharine English. The documentary series was developed by executive producers Chapman Way and Maclain Way, with Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Isabel San Vargas, Ryan Duffy, Doug Banker, Mike Seander, Louise Norman, and Tom Sheahan also executive producing.
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Premieres August 1, 2023
Directed by Andrew Renzi
At 26, is Jake Paul the boxing world’s new savior or a “delusional” promoter...
- 6/15/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Exclusive: AMC Networks is continuing its true-crime drive.
The company’s SundanceTV has renewed Hilarie Burton Morgan’s It Couldn’t Happen Here and has also ordered two new series as it ramps up its True Crime Story franchise.
It Couldn’t Happen Here returns for a second season, hosted by One Tree Hill and The Walking Dead star Burton Morgan.
Separately, it has ordered True Crime Story: Citizen Detective and Crimes of Entitlement (w/t). The three series will air on SundanceTV, AMC+ and SundanceNow.
Citizen Detective is a documentary series that examines true-crime stories through the eyes of the untrained amateur sleuths who solved them or are still trying to do so. Each episode spotlights one new crime and the crime-fighter determined to make sure the case he or she is obsessed with is ultimately classified as closed.
It comes from RuPaul’s Drag Race producer World of...
The company’s SundanceTV has renewed Hilarie Burton Morgan’s It Couldn’t Happen Here and has also ordered two new series as it ramps up its True Crime Story franchise.
It Couldn’t Happen Here returns for a second season, hosted by One Tree Hill and The Walking Dead star Burton Morgan.
Separately, it has ordered True Crime Story: Citizen Detective and Crimes of Entitlement (w/t). The three series will air on SundanceTV, AMC+ and SundanceNow.
Citizen Detective is a documentary series that examines true-crime stories through the eyes of the untrained amateur sleuths who solved them or are still trying to do so. Each episode spotlights one new crime and the crime-fighter determined to make sure the case he or she is obsessed with is ultimately classified as closed.
It comes from RuPaul’s Drag Race producer World of...
- 3/29/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most talked-about documentaries of the year, Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel’s The Pez Outlaw is a masterclass in making a big story out of a small subject. Like the candy it’s concerned with, it’s small, sweet and not exactly filling, but it will definitely leave you with a craving for more.
In these days when we’re all more conscious of the damage done to the environment by disposable plastic, the idea of marketing sweets through the use of cutesy plastic dispensers would be a difficult pitch if it were new. The Pez Company still produces around 70 million of them a year, so it’s good to know that at least some of those end up in the hands of collectors, carefully stored and treasured. Whilst the cost of a new pez dispenser (with a single set of sweets) remains around £3, however, rare specimens can sell for.
In these days when we’re all more conscious of the damage done to the environment by disposable plastic, the idea of marketing sweets through the use of cutesy plastic dispensers would be a difficult pitch if it were new. The Pez Company still produces around 70 million of them a year, so it’s good to know that at least some of those end up in the hands of collectors, carefully stored and treasured. Whilst the cost of a new pez dispenser (with a single set of sweets) remains around £3, however, rare specimens can sell for.
- 10/19/2022
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
"Wecome to the wonderful world of Pez collecting. You're hooked now..." or about to be, anyway, after you watch the trailer for "The Pez Outlaw."
Forget your new-fangled NFTs; rare and hard-to-find Pez candy dispensers are where it's at. They once prompted a man, machinist, and Michigander named Steve Glew to fly to Europe so he could stock up on factory prototypes from Pez International (a separate entity from Pez USA) and then smuggle them back through U.S. customs, taking advantage of their unregistered trademarks to sell them for top dollar. It was all well and good until Brew's exploits got him into trouble with the president — or "Pezident," as he was known, of the Pez Company — who started having this Pez pirate followed, as any reasonable Pezident would.
That's the story behind the "The Pez Outlaw," a new documentary from directors Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel that...
Forget your new-fangled NFTs; rare and hard-to-find Pez candy dispensers are where it's at. They once prompted a man, machinist, and Michigander named Steve Glew to fly to Europe so he could stock up on factory prototypes from Pez International (a separate entity from Pez USA) and then smuggle them back through U.S. customs, taking advantage of their unregistered trademarks to sell them for top dollar. It was all well and good until Brew's exploits got him into trouble with the president — or "Pezident," as he was known, of the Pez Company — who started having this Pez pirate followed, as any reasonable Pezident would.
That's the story behind the "The Pez Outlaw," a new documentary from directors Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel that...
- 9/23/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
The Pez Outlaw Trailer — Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel‘s The Pez Outlaw (2022) movie trailer has been released by Gravitas Ventures. The Pez Outlaw trailer stars Steven J. Glew, Eric Leukert, Jim Blaine, Katie Chrzanowski, and Jon Hicks. Crew The Pez Outlaw is “Co-Produced by Dawn Bender, Norbert Blecha, and Bo Butterworth.” Plot Synopsis The [...]
Continue reading: The Pez Outlaw (2022) Movie Trailer: A Pez Smuggling Documentary about Steve Glew vs. The Pezident...
Continue reading: The Pez Outlaw (2022) Movie Trailer: A Pez Smuggling Documentary about Steve Glew vs. The Pezident...
- 9/22/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Exclusive: WME has signed the Emmy-winning husband-and-wife filmmaking team of Bryan Storkel and Amy Bandlien Storkel, as well as their non-scripted production company, Sidestilt Films.
The Storkels most recently directed and produced the award-winning documentary The Pez Outlaw, which claimed a Special Jury Prize at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and was recently acquired for the U.S. by Gravitas Ventures, with plans for a day-and-date release on October 21. The fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man who boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His mission is to locate a secret factory that holds the key to the most desired and valuable Pez dispensers. If he succeeds, he will pull his family out of debt and finally be able to quit his job of 25 years. Steve becomes the hero of his own adventure, smuggling the rarest of goods into the U.
The Storkels most recently directed and produced the award-winning documentary The Pez Outlaw, which claimed a Special Jury Prize at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and was recently acquired for the U.S. by Gravitas Ventures, with plans for a day-and-date release on October 21. The fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man who boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His mission is to locate a secret factory that holds the key to the most desired and valuable Pez dispensers. If he succeeds, he will pull his family out of debt and finally be able to quit his job of 25 years. Steve becomes the hero of his own adventure, smuggling the rarest of goods into the U.
- 8/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The festival wrapped up its 26th edition on August 3.
Korean action film The Roundup and US sci-fi The Artifice Girl won the gold awards for best Asian feature and best international feature, respectively, at the audience awards for the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, which wrapped its 26th edition on August 3.
Starring Eternals and Train To Busan’s Done Lee as a ‘best of a cop’, The Roundup is directed by Lee Sang-yong and acts as a sequel to 2017’s The Outlaws. The gold winner was also a box office hit in South Korea, recording over 12.5 million admissions (as...
Korean action film The Roundup and US sci-fi The Artifice Girl won the gold awards for best Asian feature and best international feature, respectively, at the audience awards for the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, which wrapped its 26th edition on August 3.
Starring Eternals and Train To Busan’s Done Lee as a ‘best of a cop’, The Roundup is directed by Lee Sang-yong and acts as a sequel to 2017’s The Outlaws. The gold winner was also a box office hit in South Korea, recording over 12.5 million admissions (as...
- 8/5/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. rights to the 2022 SXSW award winner The Pez Outlaw, from directors Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, with plans for a day-and-date release on October 21.
The fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man, who boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His mission is to locate a secret factory that holds the key to the most desired and valuable Pez dispensers. If he succeeds, he will pull his family out of debt and finally be able to quit his job of 25 years. Steve becomes the hero of his own adventure, smuggling the rarest of goods into the U.S. and making millions in the process. It was all magical, until his arch-nemesis, The Pezident, decided to destroy him.
The Pez Outlaw made its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival,...
The fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man, who boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His mission is to locate a secret factory that holds the key to the most desired and valuable Pez dispensers. If he succeeds, he will pull his family out of debt and finally be able to quit his job of 25 years. Steve becomes the hero of his own adventure, smuggling the rarest of goods into the U.S. and making millions in the process. It was all magical, until his arch-nemesis, The Pezident, decided to destroy him.
The Pez Outlaw made its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival,...
- 8/3/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
NewportFILM Outdoors has unveiled its upcoming season of award-winning documentaries. The organization showcases non-fiction features and screens them in dramatic, often opulent settings around Newport, Rhode Island, a legendary summer getaway. This year is no exception, with some of the screenings taking place at such storied venues as Rough Point, a Gilded Age mansion that was the home of Doris Duke, and Marble House, the “summer cottage” of William K. Vanderbilt.
The season kicks off on Thursday, June 23rd with a Sundance favorite, Jono McLeod’s “My Old School” from Magnolia Pictures, which will open the series. Showtime’s upcoming documentary “McEnroe,” a look at tennis great John McEnroe, has the closing night slot and will screen, quite fittingly, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The series runs weekly through Sept. 1.
Highlights include HBO Documentary Films’ “The Princess,” a deep dive into the life of Princess Diana; “Master of Light,...
The season kicks off on Thursday, June 23rd with a Sundance favorite, Jono McLeod’s “My Old School” from Magnolia Pictures, which will open the series. Showtime’s upcoming documentary “McEnroe,” a look at tennis great John McEnroe, has the closing night slot and will screen, quite fittingly, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The series runs weekly through Sept. 1.
Highlights include HBO Documentary Films’ “The Princess,” a deep dive into the life of Princess Diana; “Master of Light,...
- 6/16/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Genre festival to run in Montreal from July 14-August 3.
Fantasia International Film Festival will host first wave world premieres for the likes of Rebekah McKendry’s Glorious and Satoshi Miki’s Convenience Story and a career achievement award for John Woo at the upcoming in-person summer edition.
Set to run in Montreal from July 14-August 3, the event will include workshops, and launch events. Screenings and select events will take place in Concordia Hall Cinema, with additional screens at Cinémathèque Québécoise, Cinéma du Musée and McCord Museum. The full line-up will be unveiled in June.
Woo, whose credits include Hard Boiled,...
Fantasia International Film Festival will host first wave world premieres for the likes of Rebekah McKendry’s Glorious and Satoshi Miki’s Convenience Story and a career achievement award for John Woo at the upcoming in-person summer edition.
Set to run in Montreal from July 14-August 3, the event will include workshops, and launch events. Screenings and select events will take place in Concordia Hall Cinema, with additional screens at Cinémathèque Québécoise, Cinéma du Musée and McCord Museum. The full line-up will be unveiled in June.
Woo, whose credits include Hard Boiled,...
- 5/6/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
This story is part of our Collector’s Digest editorial series powered by:
To paraphrase Huey Lewis and the News, the power of Pez is a curious thing. Invented in Vienna, Austria in 1927 by Eduard Haas III as “an alternative to smoking,” the ubiquitous candy’s name was derived from the German word for peppermint – its original flavor. The various iconic dispensers not only helped make snacking on sweets more portable but also fueled a collector’s frenzy around the globe that continues undeterred to this day.
Legend has it tech entrepreneur Pierre M. Omidyar founded eBay in 1995 to provide a way for his fiancée to trade Pez candy dispensers. While this was later found to be a fabricated story, it’s still a sweet one that illustrates the possibility of what can happen when necessity turns into a hobby. Omidyar achieved his goal of bringing together buyers and sellers...
To paraphrase Huey Lewis and the News, the power of Pez is a curious thing. Invented in Vienna, Austria in 1927 by Eduard Haas III as “an alternative to smoking,” the ubiquitous candy’s name was derived from the German word for peppermint – its original flavor. The various iconic dispensers not only helped make snacking on sweets more portable but also fueled a collector’s frenzy around the globe that continues undeterred to this day.
Legend has it tech entrepreneur Pierre M. Omidyar founded eBay in 1995 to provide a way for his fiancée to trade Pez candy dispensers. While this was later found to be a fabricated story, it’s still a sweet one that illustrates the possibility of what can happen when necessity turns into a hobby. Omidyar achieved his goal of bringing together buyers and sellers...
- 3/31/2022
- by Chris Cummins
- Den of Geek
In-person festival to run in Austin, Texas, from March 11-20.
A starry SXSW 2022 film line-up announced on Wednesday (2) includes world premieres of new work from Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Richard Linklater and Nicolas Cage, among many others.
The Austin, Texas, festival ran online editions over the past two years and is planned to take place from March 11-20 as an in-person event against a backdrop of declining Omicron infection levels across the United States.
The roster includes Irish filmmaker and actor Campbell-Hughes’s It Is In Us All (pictured) in Narrative Feature Competition starring Cosmo Jarvis, Claes Bang and Campbell-Hughes about a...
A starry SXSW 2022 film line-up announced on Wednesday (2) includes world premieres of new work from Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Richard Linklater and Nicolas Cage, among many others.
The Austin, Texas, festival ran online editions over the past two years and is planned to take place from March 11-20 as an in-person event against a backdrop of declining Omicron infection levels across the United States.
The roster includes Irish filmmaker and actor Campbell-Hughes’s It Is In Us All (pictured) in Narrative Feature Competition starring Cosmo Jarvis, Claes Bang and Campbell-Hughes about a...
- 2/2/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Filmmaker Theo Love is directing “Treasure Hunters,” a documentary feature based on the New York Magazine article “The Great 21st-Century Treasure Hunt.”
Netflix will distribute the documentary, with Vox Media Studios and Nomadica Films set to produce.
Benjamin Wallace wrote the article that inspired the non-fiction film, which was published in November of 2020. The lengthy read captures an epic 10-year “sometimes maddening, occasionally deadly, brainscrambling” search for gold in the Rockies.
The documentary’s official logline reads: “‘Treasure Hunters’ follows the true story of Forrest Fenn, an art collector, who buried a $2 million treasure in 2010 filled with rare gold coins in an unknown location with 24 cryptic verses offering the only hint to its whereabouts. More than 400,000 searched for it, including five people who died. Finally, this past June, a former journalist named Jack Stuef came forward claiming to have found it. So why does no one believe him? Is the treasure still out there somewhere?...
Netflix will distribute the documentary, with Vox Media Studios and Nomadica Films set to produce.
Benjamin Wallace wrote the article that inspired the non-fiction film, which was published in November of 2020. The lengthy read captures an epic 10-year “sometimes maddening, occasionally deadly, brainscrambling” search for gold in the Rockies.
The documentary’s official logline reads: “‘Treasure Hunters’ follows the true story of Forrest Fenn, an art collector, who buried a $2 million treasure in 2010 filled with rare gold coins in an unknown location with 24 cryptic verses offering the only hint to its whereabouts. More than 400,000 searched for it, including five people who died. Finally, this past June, a former journalist named Jack Stuef came forward claiming to have found it. So why does no one believe him? Is the treasure still out there somewhere?...
- 10/28/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Reading Rainbow, the 1980s kids television series that was hosted by LeVar Burton for 23 years, is set to be the subject of a new feature documentary.
Xtr is behind Butterfly in the Sky, a film that chronicles the journeys of a handful of broadcasters, educators, filmmakers, and host who believed television could inspire a lifelong love of reading.
The project comes on the back of and was inspired by films such as Won’t You Be My Neighbor and I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story.
It will explore the show’s long-run and will feature archival footage and interviews with Burton as well as many others.
Butterfly in the Sky is directed by Jasper Mall duo Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb and is produced by Sidestilt Films. Bryan Storkel (Alabama Snake) produces with Xtr’s Bryn Mooser, Justin Lacob and Kathryn Everett exec producing.
“Reading Rainbow was my...
Xtr is behind Butterfly in the Sky, a film that chronicles the journeys of a handful of broadcasters, educators, filmmakers, and host who believed television could inspire a lifelong love of reading.
The project comes on the back of and was inspired by films such as Won’t You Be My Neighbor and I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story.
It will explore the show’s long-run and will feature archival footage and interviews with Burton as well as many others.
Butterfly in the Sky is directed by Jasper Mall duo Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb and is produced by Sidestilt Films. Bryan Storkel (Alabama Snake) produces with Xtr’s Bryn Mooser, Justin Lacob and Kathryn Everett exec producing.
“Reading Rainbow was my...
- 9/2/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A feature-length documentary about the legacy of “Reading Rainbow,” the beloved children’s show featuring LeVar Burton, is in production now from non-fiction studio Xtr called “Butterfly in the Sky.”
The “Reading Rainbow” film is named for the iconic theme song for the series, which ran for 26 years beginning in 1983 and picked up 26 Emmys and a Peabody Award throughout its run.
LeVar Burton himself, who hosted the program during its run and helped make it a classroom staple, sat down for new interviews with the filmmakers to discuss the show’s legacy. And in the vein of recent nostalgia-driven documentaries such as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,” “Butterfly in the Sky” will also cobble together archival footage and new interviews with broadcasters, educators and filmmakers who have all been involved with “Reading Rainbow” over the past 30 years.
“Reading Rainbow” has...
The “Reading Rainbow” film is named for the iconic theme song for the series, which ran for 26 years beginning in 1983 and picked up 26 Emmys and a Peabody Award throughout its run.
LeVar Burton himself, who hosted the program during its run and helped make it a classroom staple, sat down for new interviews with the filmmakers to discuss the show’s legacy. And in the vein of recent nostalgia-driven documentaries such as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,” “Butterfly in the Sky” will also cobble together archival footage and new interviews with broadcasters, educators and filmmakers who have all been involved with “Reading Rainbow” over the past 30 years.
“Reading Rainbow” has...
- 9/2/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Room 104 and Togetherness creators Mark and Jay Duplass have set their latest HBO project – a documentary series about a 1970s auto scam centered around a mysterious entrepreneur.
The Lady and the Dale is one of a number of new documentaries unveiled by WarnerMedia’s premium cable network.
The film, which is directed by Nick Cammilleri (Slide) and Zackary Drucker (Transparent), tells the story of Elizabeth Carmichael, who rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicle during the 1970s gas crisis.
However, the problem was that there were questions marks whether Carmichael and the car were real. Liz Carmichael was born Jerry Dean Michael, a criminal wanted for grand theft, fraud and involvement in the Colombian drug ring. The story involves investigative journalists and hit men with employees insisting that Carmichael, one of the first public figures to be outed as transgender, worked non-stop on the revolutionary car,...
The Lady and the Dale is one of a number of new documentaries unveiled by WarnerMedia’s premium cable network.
The film, which is directed by Nick Cammilleri (Slide) and Zackary Drucker (Transparent), tells the story of Elizabeth Carmichael, who rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicle during the 1970s gas crisis.
However, the problem was that there were questions marks whether Carmichael and the car were real. Liz Carmichael was born Jerry Dean Michael, a criminal wanted for grand theft, fraud and involvement in the Colombian drug ring. The story involves investigative journalists and hit men with employees insisting that Carmichael, one of the first public figures to be outed as transgender, worked non-stop on the revolutionary car,...
- 8/5/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Issa Rae has found her latest project at HBO.
The “Insecure” creator and star is set to executive produce a two-part documentary called “Seen & Heard” on the history of Black television from the perspective of those who wrote, produced, created and starred in series of the past and present.
“Who Killed Malcolm X?’ helmer Phil Bertelsen is on board to direct the doc which will feature interviews with actors, showrunners, writers, and celebrities sharing their experiences of watching African Americans represented on TV and succeeding in their own creative endeavors. The doc will also incorporate archival material and verité-driven segments.
“Black people have such a rich, but often unacknowledged history in Hollywood,” said Rae. “We have defined American culture and influenced generations time and time again across the globe. I’m honored to pair with Ark Media to center and celebrate the achievements of those who paved a way for...
The “Insecure” creator and star is set to executive produce a two-part documentary called “Seen & Heard” on the history of Black television from the perspective of those who wrote, produced, created and starred in series of the past and present.
“Who Killed Malcolm X?’ helmer Phil Bertelsen is on board to direct the doc which will feature interviews with actors, showrunners, writers, and celebrities sharing their experiences of watching African Americans represented on TV and succeeding in their own creative endeavors. The doc will also incorporate archival material and verité-driven segments.
“Black people have such a rich, but often unacknowledged history in Hollywood,” said Rae. “We have defined American culture and influenced generations time and time again across the globe. I’m honored to pair with Ark Media to center and celebrate the achievements of those who paved a way for...
- 8/5/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Will Ferrell is all set to feature in Netflix's 'The Legend of Cocaine Island', a remake of the streaming service's popular documentary of the same name.
Theo Love, who directed the documentary, will executive produce with Bryan Storkel. Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?Demi Lovato flaunts her new neck tattoo
The documentary revolves around a small-business owner and family man who comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. He soon hatches a plan to retrieve the money, using the talents of a band of colourful misfits with trouble not far behind.
This is the third time Ferrell and Netflix have joined hands, having just completed "Eurovision", the David Dobkin-directed comedy based on the global musical contest. That film reteams Ferrell, Dobkin and Rachel McAdams,...
Theo Love, who directed the documentary, will executive produce with Bryan Storkel. Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?Demi Lovato flaunts her new neck tattoo
The documentary revolves around a small-business owner and family man who comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. He soon hatches a plan to retrieve the money, using the talents of a band of colourful misfits with trouble not far behind.
This is the third time Ferrell and Netflix have joined hands, having just completed "Eurovision", the David Dobkin-directed comedy based on the global musical contest. That film reteams Ferrell, Dobkin and Rachel McAdams,...
- 12/18/2019
- GlamSham
Will Ferrell is attached to star in Netflix’s “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” a scripted remake of the streaming service’s popular documentary of the same name, sources tell Variety.
Peter Steinfeld will write the script, and Ferrell will produce with Gloria Sanchez Productions’ Jessica Elbaum and David Permut through his Permut Presentations. Theo Love, who directed the doc, will exec produce with Bryan Storkel.
Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
The doc follows a small-business owner and family man who comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. He soon hatches a plan to retrieve the money, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits with trouble not far behind.
This marks the third time Ferrell and Netflix have teamed up, having just completed “Eurovision,” the David Dobkin-directed comedy based on the global musical contest.
Peter Steinfeld will write the script, and Ferrell will produce with Gloria Sanchez Productions’ Jessica Elbaum and David Permut through his Permut Presentations. Theo Love, who directed the doc, will exec produce with Bryan Storkel.
Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
The doc follows a small-business owner and family man who comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. He soon hatches a plan to retrieve the money, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits with trouble not far behind.
This marks the third time Ferrell and Netflix have teamed up, having just completed “Eurovision,” the David Dobkin-directed comedy based on the global musical contest.
- 12/17/2019
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
Will Ferrell is set to star in and produce a feature film at Netflix based on the streamer’s own documentary, “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The documentary, which is directed by Theo Love, made its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 under the title “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra” and aired on Netflix in March.
The documentary is pegged as a Southern fairy tale about the life of Rodney Hyden, a small business owner who assembled a group of misfits to try and locate a possibly mythical stash of $2 million worth of cocaine on an island in the Caribbean.
Also Read: Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds' Musical Take on 'A Christmas Carol' Heads to Apple
Peter Steinfeld is writing the script, and Ferrell will produce alongside Jessica Elbaum for Gloria Sanchez Productions and David Permut for Permut Presentations.
The documentary, which is directed by Theo Love, made its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 under the title “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra” and aired on Netflix in March.
The documentary is pegged as a Southern fairy tale about the life of Rodney Hyden, a small business owner who assembled a group of misfits to try and locate a possibly mythical stash of $2 million worth of cocaine on an island in the Caribbean.
Also Read: Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds' Musical Take on 'A Christmas Carol' Heads to Apple
Peter Steinfeld is writing the script, and Ferrell will produce alongside Jessica Elbaum for Gloria Sanchez Productions and David Permut for Permut Presentations.
- 12/17/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Will Ferrell has attached to star in and produce a feature film which Netflix will make based on its documentary The Legend of Cocaine Island. Peter Steinfeld will write the script, and Ferrell will produce with Gloria Sanchez Production’ Jessica Elbaum, and David Permut (Hacksaw Ridge) through his Permut Presentations. Theo Love, who helmed the docu will exec produce with Bryan Storkel.
In the documentary, a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble ensues.
Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. The documentary premiered on Netflix March 29, 2019.
Ferrell, who parted company with longtime Gary Sanchez partner Adam McKay,...
In the documentary, a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble ensues.
Netflix acquired the documentary after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. The documentary premiered on Netflix March 29, 2019.
Ferrell, who parted company with longtime Gary Sanchez partner Adam McKay,...
- 12/17/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has acquired the global rights to director Theo Love’s documentary feature “The Legend of Cocaine Island.”
The film, previously titled “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra,” earned high praise after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
In “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
“We didn’t set out to make a documentary in the traditional sense. We wanted to make a movie. A big fat, entertaining movie.” said Love. “I grew up thinking documentaries had to be boring, stuffy, educational films, but then I got my Netflix subscription. Netflix changed the...
The film, previously titled “White Tide: The Legend of Culebra,” earned high praise after it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.
In “The Legend of Cocaine Island,” a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, he hatches a plan to retrieve the buried loot, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
“We didn’t set out to make a documentary in the traditional sense. We wanted to make a movie. A big fat, entertaining movie.” said Love. “I grew up thinking documentaries had to be boring, stuffy, educational films, but then I got my Netflix subscription. Netflix changed the...
- 9/5/2018
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The first-look clip of a cocaine documentary that will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 20 is out.
In White Tide: The Legend of Culebra, a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million and hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, Rodney Hyden hatches a plan to retrieve it, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
Directed by Theo Love (Little Hope Was Arson), this latest film uses re-enactments with the actual caper participants. The film was made because “I was broke, depressed, and desperate,” Love says. “I had been grinding it out in L.A. for a decade, taking myself very, very seriously, and my dreams felt further away than ever.”
That’s when it hit him: “I just wanted to...
In White Tide: The Legend of Culebra, a small-business owner and family man comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million and hidden in the Caribbean. Having been wiped out during the Great Recession, Rodney Hyden hatches a plan to retrieve it, using the talents of a band of colorful misfits. But without prior drug-running experience, trouble (and laughter) ensues.
Directed by Theo Love (Little Hope Was Arson), this latest film uses re-enactments with the actual caper participants. The film was made because “I was broke, depressed, and desperate,” Love says. “I had been grinding it out in L.A. for a decade, taking myself very, very seriously, and my dreams felt further away than ever.”
That’s when it hit him: “I just wanted to...
- 4/13/2018
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Festival also unveils finalists for brand new micro-shorts competition
Slamdance Film Festival has selected the documentary, narrative and shorts competition jury members for its upcoming 21st anniversary festival, running in Park City, Utah, from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29.
Narrative feature jury members including filmmaker Todd Looby, trinidad+tobago film festival Creative Director Emilie Upczak, and Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber. Documentary jury members are producer-director Josh Leake and filmmakers Paige Williams and Bryan Storkel.
See Photos: TheWrap’s 2014 ShortList Film Fest Rocks YouTube Space La
The jury members for the narrative and animation shorts include actor-filmmaker Sarah Cornell, Blacklist screenwriter Rory Haines and Elle Schneider,...
Slamdance Film Festival has selected the documentary, narrative and shorts competition jury members for its upcoming 21st anniversary festival, running in Park City, Utah, from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29.
Narrative feature jury members including filmmaker Todd Looby, trinidad+tobago film festival Creative Director Emilie Upczak, and Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber. Documentary jury members are producer-director Josh Leake and filmmakers Paige Williams and Bryan Storkel.
See Photos: TheWrap’s 2014 ShortList Film Fest Rocks YouTube Space La
The jury members for the narrative and animation shorts include actor-filmmaker Sarah Cornell, Blacklist screenwriter Rory Haines and Elle Schneider,...
- 1/19/2015
- by Travis Reilly
- The Wrap
"Jesus never tapped out" is a phrase you'll hear a few times in the documentary "Fight Church," and it's confirmation that Christianity has seeped into the mainstream—and vice versa. From arena-sized places of worship to faith-based box office hits to even modest churches boasting sound and light shows, being a Christian is practically cool, and with the addition of mixed martial arts, enticingly dangerous. Director Bryan Storkel has made the intersection of Christianity and offbeat niches something of a specialty, helming "Holy Rollers: The True Story Of Card Counting Christians" (review here) and producing the Bible Belt true crime tale "Little Hope Was Arson" (review here). While the films may walk in the realm of religion, they don't push an agenda, with the filmmaker seemingly genuinely fascinated by the contradictions of contemporary Christian life. That's true too of "Fight Church," co-directed by Oscar winner Daniel Junge,...
- 9/16/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The distributor has taken world rights to Electric City Entertainment’s drama starring Chris Messina, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Derek Luke and Katie Nehra.
Messina makes his feature directorial debut on the drama, which premiered earlier this year at Tribeca and will makes several more stops on the festival circuit prior to a day-and-date theatrical and VOD launch in the first half of 2015.
Wanstead plays a workaholic environmental attorney who must reinvent herself after her husband leaves.
Screen Media negotiated the deal with Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content.
Directors Daniel Junge and Bryan Storkel will partner with Lionsgate and Netflix to distribute their pastor cage fighting documentary Fight Church. The filmmakers have also launched a partnership with Morgan Spurlock’s company Warrior Poets to develop a reality series based on the film. Lionsgate acquired VOD rights for North America and will premiere the film on September 16 on iTunes and other digital platforms. Netflix acquired...
Messina makes his feature directorial debut on the drama, which premiered earlier this year at Tribeca and will makes several more stops on the festival circuit prior to a day-and-date theatrical and VOD launch in the first half of 2015.
Wanstead plays a workaholic environmental attorney who must reinvent herself after her husband leaves.
Screen Media negotiated the deal with Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content.
Directors Daniel Junge and Bryan Storkel will partner with Lionsgate and Netflix to distribute their pastor cage fighting documentary Fight Church. The filmmakers have also launched a partnership with Morgan Spurlock’s company Warrior Poets to develop a reality series based on the film. Lionsgate acquired VOD rights for North America and will premiere the film on September 16 on iTunes and other digital platforms. Netflix acquired...
- 9/3/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Lionsgate and Morgan Spurlock’s Warrior Poets banner have sealed separate deals for Fight Church, the feature documentary tracking a group of Mixed Martial Arts-fighting pastors whose violent practices have sparked controversy within the Christian community.
Co-directed by Oscar-winner Daniel Junge (Saving Face, Beyond The Brick: A Lego Brickumentary) and Bryan Storkel (Holy Rollers: The True Story Of Card Counting Christians), Fight Church follows several Mma-battling ministers who preach from the pulpit and the octagon and even train fighters using the teachings of the Bible. Lionsgate sprang for North American VOD rights and will debut the film on iTunes and additional digital platforms on September 16, while Netflix will premiere it in multiple territories this Fall.
Given the success of faith-themed content and the controversial subject matter the topic is ripe for exploration; after Deadline premiered the trailer this spring, the film made headlines and drew heated debate online. Oscar-nominated...
Co-directed by Oscar-winner Daniel Junge (Saving Face, Beyond The Brick: A Lego Brickumentary) and Bryan Storkel (Holy Rollers: The True Story Of Card Counting Christians), Fight Church follows several Mma-battling ministers who preach from the pulpit and the octagon and even train fighters using the teachings of the Bible. Lionsgate sprang for North American VOD rights and will debut the film on iTunes and additional digital platforms on September 16, while Netflix will premiere it in multiple territories this Fall.
Given the success of faith-themed content and the controversial subject matter the topic is ripe for exploration; after Deadline premiered the trailer this spring, the film made headlines and drew heated debate online. Oscar-nominated...
- 9/2/2014
- by Jen Yamato
- Deadline
Following previous announcements of their film lineup, the Fantasia International Film Festival has released their full lineup of movies to be shown at the 18th Annual festival, starting July 17.
New additions to the lineup include 2014 Cannes Selection When Animals Dream, directed by Jonas Alexander Amby and the return of Fantasia’s showcase of animated films, Axis.
Tickets for the festival go on sale starting July 16, and the festival runs through August 5.
View the whole press release of additional announcements below:
Fantasia Celebrates Its 18th Birthday
With Over 160 Feature Films Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 – 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can’t believe it either. Fantasia’s 18th birthday means over 160 features and something in the neighborhood of 300 shorts, many being shown for the first time on this continent, a good number screening here for the first time anywhere in the world.In addition to being stacked with a multitude of breathtaking debut filmmaker discoveries,...
New additions to the lineup include 2014 Cannes Selection When Animals Dream, directed by Jonas Alexander Amby and the return of Fantasia’s showcase of animated films, Axis.
Tickets for the festival go on sale starting July 16, and the festival runs through August 5.
View the whole press release of additional announcements below:
Fantasia Celebrates Its 18th Birthday
With Over 160 Feature Films Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 – 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can’t believe it either. Fantasia’s 18th birthday means over 160 features and something in the neighborhood of 300 shorts, many being shown for the first time on this continent, a good number screening here for the first time anywhere in the world.In addition to being stacked with a multitude of breathtaking debut filmmaker discoveries,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Acclaimed at the 2014 Slamdance Festival, documentary "Little Hope was Arson" will air on PBS's weekly series Independent Lens and receive a theatrical treatment from film and music distributor The Orchard in the U.S. and Canada. This makes "Little Hope was Arson" the only Slamdance film to get picked up (at least so far). From first-time director Theo Love, producer Trenton Waterson and executive producer Bryan Storkel, who made waves with his film "Holy Rollers" in 2010, "Little Hope was Arson" documents the aftermath of the burning of ten churches in East Texas. The ensuing investigation is one of the most thorough and unorthodox the region has ever seen. The Orchard director of acquisitions Danielle Digiamoco said the film "transcends the boundaries of 'true crime documentary' to tell a layered story of faith, family, and forgiveness against the backdrop of the Bible Belt." Independent Lens will air the documentary during its 2014-2015 season.
- 5/15/2014
- by Brandon Latham
- Indiewire
Slamdance documentary Little Hope Was Arson will be distributed by PBS series Independent Lens in conjunction with film and music distributor The Orchard, the film’s producers announced (13).
Independent Lens acquired Us linear broadcast rights and will distribute the film on PBS during the 2014-2015 season. The Orchard holds all Us and Canadian rights outside of linear broadcast.
The documentary, directed by Theo Love, will be theatrically released in New York and Los Angeles and across all major digital outlets as part of The Orchard’s new festival documentary imprint Opus Docs.
“The Orchard is proud to add Little Hope Was Arson to our imprint of carefully curated, acclaimed festival documentaries, Opus Docs,” said Danielle Digiacomo, The Orchard’s head of documentary acquisitions, who negotiated the deal with Zac Bright and Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content and Josh Braun and Ben Braun of Submarine for the filmmakers.
“It is a gripping, skilfully made film...
Independent Lens acquired Us linear broadcast rights and will distribute the film on PBS during the 2014-2015 season. The Orchard holds all Us and Canadian rights outside of linear broadcast.
The documentary, directed by Theo Love, will be theatrically released in New York and Los Angeles and across all major digital outlets as part of The Orchard’s new festival documentary imprint Opus Docs.
“The Orchard is proud to add Little Hope Was Arson to our imprint of carefully curated, acclaimed festival documentaries, Opus Docs,” said Danielle Digiacomo, The Orchard’s head of documentary acquisitions, who negotiated the deal with Zac Bright and Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content and Josh Braun and Ben Braun of Submarine for the filmmakers.
“It is a gripping, skilfully made film...
- 5/14/2014
- ScreenDaily
At this year’s Independent Film Festival Boston, the panel “The Art of Documentary Film Editing: Case Studies” featured moderator Jim Hession, editor of Rich Hill, Lucia Small, director and editor of One Cut, One Life and Bryan Storkel, editor of Fight Church. An audience member asked the panel how they interviewed people and whether they prepped them beforehand, adding “Whenever I interview people, they’re always really bad talking to the camera.” Storkel: I try and do as little prep as possible. I try to show up and just start talking and get to know them on camera. I’ll have my questions […]...
- 5/2/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
At this year’s Independent Film Festival Boston, the panel “The Art of Documentary Film Editing: Case Studies” featured moderator Jim Hession, editor of Rich Hill, Lucia Small, director and editor of One Cut, One Life and Bryan Storkel, editor of Fight Church. An audience member asked the panel how they interviewed people and whether they prepped them beforehand, adding “Whenever I interview people, they’re always really bad talking to the camera.” Storkel: I try and do as little prep as possible. I try to show up and just start talking and get to know them on camera. I’ll have my questions […]...
- 5/2/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The documentary Fight Church looks at the intersection of Christianity and mixed martial arts, and how pastors training fighters can reconcile their faith with a violent sport. The film premiered at IFFBoston. Co-director and editor Bryan Storkel previously directed and edited Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians, which examined a devout blackjack team. Filmmaker: How did you get into filmmaking? Storkel: I went to school for media, but I never made my own stuff until after I really became a fan of documentaries. I started watching documentaries and going to film festivals. I think I went to […]...
- 4/30/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The documentary Fight Church looks at the intersection of Christianity and mixed martial arts, and how pastors training fighters can reconcile their faith with a violent sport. The film premiered at IFFBoston. Co-director and editor Bryan Storkel previously directed and edited Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians, which examined a devout blackjack team. Filmmaker: How did you get into filmmaking? Storkel: I went to school for media, but I never made my own stuff until after I really became a fan of documentaries. I started watching documentaries and going to film festivals. I think I went to […]...
- 4/30/2014
- by Michael Murie
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
"Jesus never tapped out" is a phrase you'll hear a few times in the documentary "Fight Church," and it's confirmation that Christianity has seeped into the mainstream—and vice versa. From arena-sized places of worship to faith-based box office hits to even modest churches boasting sound and light shows, being a Christian is practically cool, and with the addition of mixed martial arts, enticingly dangerous. And director Bryan Storkel has made the intersection of Christianity and offbeat niches something of a specialty, helming "Holy Rollers: The True Story Of Card Counting Christians" (review here) and producing the Bible Belt true crime account, "Little Hope Was Arson" (review here). And while the films may walk in the realm of religion, they don't push an agenda, with the filmmaker seemingly genuinely fascinated by the contradictions of contemporary Christian life. And that's true too of "Fight Church," co-directed by Oscar winner Daniel Junge,...
- 4/25/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
It’s that time again. The biggest American film festival is upon us, and this year the Ioncinema crew will be descending on Park City with eight feet on the ground and eight eyes on Park City’s various and plentiful screens. Eric Lavallee, Nicholas Bell, Caitlin Coder and I will be covering just about every inch of this year’s festival here at Ioncinema.com, as well as on that ever increasingly vibrant instanews network – Twitter. Be sure to follow @ioncinema and, as stated above, my personal handle @Rectangular_Eye, as we’ll be tweeting throughout the festival with breaking news, reviews, and sightings, all the while trying to keep up with the massive amount of content sure to be coming from this year’s Sundance filmmakers themselves, most of which have their own Twitter accounts and are listed at length below (minus the world & short programs). Whether you...
- 1/16/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Part two in this year’s Sundance Twitterverse series, we are bringing you direct contact with most of next year’s Oscar short list. No one on this list is repped more than the No No: A Dockumentary (@dockumentary) crew, who are all sporting profile pics from the film on their feeds.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory – @AliveInsideFilm
Editor Manuel Tsingaris – @MTsingaris
Composer Itall Shur – @ItaalShur
All the Beautiful Things – @ATBThingsMovie
Director John Harkrider – @pathetic100
Captivated The Trials of Pamela Smart
Cinematographer Naiti Gámez – @naitigamez
The Case Against 8 – @TheCaseAgainst8
Co-Director Ben Cotner – @bcotner
Producer Rebekah Fergusson – @R_Films
Composer Blake Neely – @cowonthewall
Cesar’s Last Fast – @CesarsLastFast
Co-Director Richard Ray Perez – @BraveNewRick
Producer Molly O’Brien – @mobworks
Editor Lewis Erskine – @EditorSavant
Editor Carla Gutierrez – @CarlitaGu
Cinematographer James Chressanthis – @NoSubtitles
E-team - @ETeamFilm
Subject: Human Rights Watch – @hrw
Co-Director Katy Chevigny – @mightychevs
Co-Director...
U.S. Documentary Competition
Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory – @AliveInsideFilm
Editor Manuel Tsingaris – @MTsingaris
Composer Itall Shur – @ItaalShur
All the Beautiful Things – @ATBThingsMovie
Director John Harkrider – @pathetic100
Captivated The Trials of Pamela Smart
Cinematographer Naiti Gámez – @naitigamez
The Case Against 8 – @TheCaseAgainst8
Co-Director Ben Cotner – @bcotner
Producer Rebekah Fergusson – @R_Films
Composer Blake Neely – @cowonthewall
Cesar’s Last Fast – @CesarsLastFast
Co-Director Richard Ray Perez – @BraveNewRick
Producer Molly O’Brien – @mobworks
Editor Lewis Erskine – @EditorSavant
Editor Carla Gutierrez – @CarlitaGu
Cinematographer James Chressanthis – @NoSubtitles
E-team - @ETeamFilm
Subject: Human Rights Watch – @hrw
Co-Director Katy Chevigny – @mightychevs
Co-Director...
- 1/16/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Welcome to Attack The Doc! A JoBlo.com feature that explores the world of documentaries and picks out the best among the best, among the best. We'll cover everything from subcultures around the world, to economic collapse, to music and trashy hillbillies from every walk of life. So pop a squat, turn off reality and sit back and enjoy a little slice of someone else's. Holy Rollers Holy Rollers is a 2011 documentary directed by Bryan Storkel. A card...
- 7/26/2012
- by Johnny Moreno
- JoBlo.com
A new documentary called 'Fight Church' showcases Christians who, according to Gawker, like to "pummel each other in the name of Jesus."
The documentary, which is still in production, focuses on the unusual presence of Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) within Evangelical Christianity and explores the inherent tension of such a violent practice inside the church.
The Fight Church trailer above offers up some choice quotes such as: "The greatest examples in scripture of Jesus is as a fighter, that is the kind of Jesus that I would want to serve."; "My hope is that through the fight I can create a relationship with the person I am fighting and extend Christ to him."; "I'm gonna go in there and rip this kid's head off."; and the ultimate question: "Can you love your neighbor as yourself and at the same time knee him in the face as hard as you can?...
The documentary, which is still in production, focuses on the unusual presence of Mixed Martial Arts (Mma) within Evangelical Christianity and explores the inherent tension of such a violent practice inside the church.
The Fight Church trailer above offers up some choice quotes such as: "The greatest examples in scripture of Jesus is as a fighter, that is the kind of Jesus that I would want to serve."; "My hope is that through the fight I can create a relationship with the person I am fighting and extend Christ to him."; "I'm gonna go in there and rip this kid's head off."; and the ultimate question: "Can you love your neighbor as yourself and at the same time knee him in the face as hard as you can?...
- 6/18/2012
- by Paul Brandeis Raushenbush
- Huffington Post
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