“Spa Night” and “Fire Island” filmmaker Andrew Ahn is set to direct Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang in a new take on “The Wedding Banquet” that has been described as a “reimagination” of Ang Lee’s beloved 1993 film.
The new project, which was announced on Thursday by co-producers Bleecker Street and Shivhans Pictures and begins filming in May, is based on a new script by Ahn and frequent Lee collaborator James Schamus, who co-wrote the original film.
Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” won the Golden Bear at the 1993 Berlin International Film Festival and helped cement his status as a notable figure in the global film community. The film stars Winston Chao as a gay Taiwanese man living in America who agrees to a marriage of convenience with a female friend, only to find his life complicated when his overbearing parents travel to America to plan his wedding banquet. The film...
The new project, which was announced on Thursday by co-producers Bleecker Street and Shivhans Pictures and begins filming in May, is based on a new script by Ahn and frequent Lee collaborator James Schamus, who co-wrote the original film.
Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” won the Golden Bear at the 1993 Berlin International Film Festival and helped cement his status as a notable figure in the global film community. The film stars Winston Chao as a gay Taiwanese man living in America who agrees to a marriage of convenience with a female friend, only to find his life complicated when his overbearing parents travel to America to plan his wedding banquet. The film...
- 4/25/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Bowen Yang (SNL) have been tapped to star in a reimagining of Ang Lee’s classic romance The Wedding Banquet from filmmaker Andrew Ahn (Fire Island), Deadline can confirm.
The original film’s co-writer and producer James Schamus will join Joe Pirro in producing for Symbolic Exchange, alongside Anita Gou and Caroline Clark for Kindred Spirit. Jordan Hart will co-produce, with Andrew Karpen, Shivani Rawat, Kent Sanderson, Julie Goldstein, Sam Intili and Daniel Bekerman exec producing. Kelly Marie Tran, Yuh-jung Youn and Joan Chen will also star in the remake scripted by Ahn and Schamus.
Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures have co-acquired North American rights and have slated the film for release in theaters next year. Production kicks off in Vancouver next month.
Marking Lee’s sophomore feature, The Wedding Banquet follows Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese-American, who agrees to marry Wei-Wei, an...
The original film’s co-writer and producer James Schamus will join Joe Pirro in producing for Symbolic Exchange, alongside Anita Gou and Caroline Clark for Kindred Spirit. Jordan Hart will co-produce, with Andrew Karpen, Shivani Rawat, Kent Sanderson, Julie Goldstein, Sam Intili and Daniel Bekerman exec producing. Kelly Marie Tran, Yuh-jung Youn and Joan Chen will also star in the remake scripted by Ahn and Schamus.
Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures have co-acquired North American rights and have slated the film for release in theaters next year. Production kicks off in Vancouver next month.
Marking Lee’s sophomore feature, The Wedding Banquet follows Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese-American, who agrees to marry Wei-Wei, an...
- 4/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Film Independent has named Omer Ben Shachar, Mary Dauterman, Mg Evangelista, Naomi Iwamoto, Thomas Kivney, Juan Paulo Laserna and Jhanvi Motla as the screenwriters selected for the 26th edition of its Screenwriting Lab, an intensive program designed to provide individualized story and career development for screenwriters with fiction feature scripts.
Over the course of the program, Fellows will workshop their projects under the guidance of creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Jessica Sharzer, Jeff Stockwell and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Bridget Savage Cole, Lauren Craniotes, Ellie Foumbi, Priyanka Kapoor, Danielle Krudy, Amanda Marshall, Josh Peters, Jon Schumacher, Ellen Shanman, Lauren Shelton and Caddy Vanasirikul.
“We are honored to provide the tools and support necessary for these exceptional filmmakers to propel their projects and careers forward,” said Dea Vazquez, Associate Director of Fiction Programs for Film Independent.
Over the course of the program, Fellows will workshop their projects under the guidance of creative advisors Javier Fuentes-León, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Jessica Sharzer, Jeff Stockwell and Christopher Makoto Yogi. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Bridget Savage Cole, Lauren Craniotes, Ellie Foumbi, Priyanka Kapoor, Danielle Krudy, Amanda Marshall, Josh Peters, Jon Schumacher, Ellen Shanman, Lauren Shelton and Caddy Vanasirikul.
“We are honored to provide the tools and support necessary for these exceptional filmmakers to propel their projects and careers forward,” said Dea Vazquez, Associate Director of Fiction Programs for Film Independent.
- 4/16/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
For 2024, Queer East Festival launches its fifth year milestone with a remarkable line up of film screenings, arts and performance events across London from 17 to 28 April 2024 and then across the UK later in the year. The programme includes contemporary feature films, documentaries and shorts as well as special anniversary and retrospective screenings that showcase a wide range of LGBTQ+ stories from East Asia, Southeast Asia and their diaspora communities.
Queer East Festival's ground-breaking film programme challenges conventions and stereotypes giving audiences an opportunity to explore the contemporary queer landscape across East and Southeast Asia. Amplifying the voices of Asian communities are the UK Premieres of features, documentaries and shorts exploring young queer love, gender nonconformity and asexual identity, as well as thought-provoking classics with the 20th Anniversary screening of Chinese-American romantic comedy Saving Face and 50th Anniversary screening of the once-considered-lost Japanese title Bye Bye Love. Furthermore, the festival's ‘Expanded'...
Queer East Festival's ground-breaking film programme challenges conventions and stereotypes giving audiences an opportunity to explore the contemporary queer landscape across East and Southeast Asia. Amplifying the voices of Asian communities are the UK Premieres of features, documentaries and shorts exploring young queer love, gender nonconformity and asexual identity, as well as thought-provoking classics with the 20th Anniversary screening of Chinese-American romantic comedy Saving Face and 50th Anniversary screening of the once-considered-lost Japanese title Bye Bye Love. Furthermore, the festival's ‘Expanded'...
- 3/20/2024
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Updated from July 24 story with Audience Award winners: Outfest announced the winners of audience awards, as voted on by attendees of the Lgbtqia+ festival in Los Angeles. Big Boys, directed by Corey Sherman, won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture, directed by Sharon Marie Roggio, won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, and the Audience Award for Best Episodic Series went to Day Jobs, directed by Stevie Wain and Auri Jackson.
Earlier: Outfest announced its grand jury prize winners today, after the Lgbtqia+ film festival in Los Angeles wrapped its 41st edition.
Anhell69, directed by Theo Montoya, won the Paul D. Lerner and Stephen Reis Grand Jury Award for Documentary Feature, which comes with a $5,000 cash prize. The film set in Medellín, Colombia takes a hybrid doc-fictional approach to explore the country’s history of violence and the bleak prospects for many young people in Colombia.
Earlier: Outfest announced its grand jury prize winners today, after the Lgbtqia+ film festival in Los Angeles wrapped its 41st edition.
Anhell69, directed by Theo Montoya, won the Paul D. Lerner and Stephen Reis Grand Jury Award for Documentary Feature, which comes with a $5,000 cash prize. The film set in Medellín, Colombia takes a hybrid doc-fictional approach to explore the country’s history of violence and the bleak prospects for many young people in Colombia.
- 7/24/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The Film Independent Screenwriting Lab is 25 years old. Can you believe it? It’s officially old enough to rent a car! And sure, hardshell clams and giant tortoises can live for centuries, but you don’t reach the quarter-century mark as a Hollywood talent incubator without substance, value and tangible success.
But more than that, this year’s cohort of freshly announced Screenwriting Lab Fellows are special. Why? Because! We’re in the midst of celebrating #AD30, aka the 30th anniversary of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs. And like its elder sibling Project Involve (which got the whole ball of wax rolling in ‘93), the Screenwriting Lab has been an essential industry resource, whether your looking to develop your own skills or tap new talent.
“We’re thrilled to support this exceptional group of filmmakers, who bring compassion, authenticity and curiosity to their work exploring unique communities and characters,” says Dea Vazquez,...
But more than that, this year’s cohort of freshly announced Screenwriting Lab Fellows are special. Why? Because! We’re in the midst of celebrating #AD30, aka the 30th anniversary of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs. And like its elder sibling Project Involve (which got the whole ball of wax rolling in ‘93), the Screenwriting Lab has been an essential industry resource, whether your looking to develop your own skills or tap new talent.
“We’re thrilled to support this exceptional group of filmmakers, who bring compassion, authenticity and curiosity to their work exploring unique communities and characters,” says Dea Vazquez,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Exclusive: Film Independent on Wednesday named the eight screenwriters set for the 25th edition of their Screenwriting Lab. The latest cohort of the intensive program, designed to provide individualized story and career development for screenwriters with fiction feature screenplays, includes Bri Brooks, Karina Dandashi, Thais Drassinower, Chloé Hung, Adam Meeks, Nat Moonhill, Veronica Moonhill and Richard Van.
Film Independent also today named Dandashi as the recipient of their latest Mpac Hollywood Bureau Writing Fellowship Grant, who will receive $10,000 in recognition of her script, Out of Water.
Over the course of the Lab, Fellows will workshop their projects under the guidance of creative advisors Andrew Ahn, Javier Fuentes-León, Jeff Stockwell and Robin Swicord. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Angela Cheng Caplan, Kd Dávila, Greta Fuentes, Jordan Hart, Eliza Hittman, Ana Leocha, Ilyse McKimmie, Lauren Mann, Kiva Reardon, Pamela Ribon and Ellen Shanman.
“In our 30th year of...
Film Independent also today named Dandashi as the recipient of their latest Mpac Hollywood Bureau Writing Fellowship Grant, who will receive $10,000 in recognition of her script, Out of Water.
Over the course of the Lab, Fellows will workshop their projects under the guidance of creative advisors Andrew Ahn, Javier Fuentes-León, Jeff Stockwell and Robin Swicord. Additional guest speakers and advisors will include Ruth Atkinson, Angela Cheng Caplan, Kd Dávila, Greta Fuentes, Jordan Hart, Eliza Hittman, Ana Leocha, Ilyse McKimmie, Lauren Mann, Kiva Reardon, Pamela Ribon and Ellen Shanman.
“In our 30th year of...
- 4/26/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Last year, four out of the five nominees for the Best TV Movie Emmy had their only nomination in that one category including the eventual winner, “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.” The only nominee to get recognized in another category was “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas,” which scored a bid for Best Choreography for a Scripted Series. Hulu’s raunchy gay rom-com “Fire Island” will be looking to see if it can get into more than one category this year and there’s a solid chance it will nab multiple Emmy nominations.
A promising sign the film could get into the Best TV Movie category was its recent nomination at the Producer’s Guild of America Awards for Best Streamed or Televised Movie. There is much overlap between the voting memberships of the PGA and the TV academy, with two of last year’s guild nominees — “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” and “Oslo...
A promising sign the film could get into the Best TV Movie category was its recent nomination at the Producer’s Guild of America Awards for Best Streamed or Televised Movie. There is much overlap between the voting memberships of the PGA and the TV academy, with two of last year’s guild nominees — “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” and “Oslo...
- 3/31/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
When you think about scrappy, micro-budget, guerrilla filmmaking of the ’90s, you think of Gregg Araki films. Shot on shoestring budgets with little more than his own two hands, Araki’s films were marked by a certain kind of radical punk rock aesthetic that mirrored the grunge era in music.
Described as a gay “Thelma and Louise,” he began the decade with “The Living End” (1992), a sexy road trip comedy about two young guys living with HIV. After making a splash at Sundance with that film, (and with the help of visionary longtime producer Marcus Hu), he churned out a trio of erotically charged teenage dirtbag films, dubbed his Teenage Apocalypse trilogy: “Totally Fucked Up” (1993), “The Doom Generation” (1995), and “Nowhere” (1997).
At the forefront of the New Queer Cinema, an enduring queerness ignites all of Araki’s films, though he certainly had fun toying with expectations. If every rebellious teenager wanted...
Described as a gay “Thelma and Louise,” he began the decade with “The Living End” (1992), a sexy road trip comedy about two young guys living with HIV. After making a splash at Sundance with that film, (and with the help of visionary longtime producer Marcus Hu), he churned out a trio of erotically charged teenage dirtbag films, dubbed his Teenage Apocalypse trilogy: “Totally Fucked Up” (1993), “The Doom Generation” (1995), and “Nowhere” (1997).
At the forefront of the New Queer Cinema, an enduring queerness ignites all of Araki’s films, though he certainly had fun toying with expectations. If every rebellious teenager wanted...
- 8/17/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
This review of “Fire Island” was first published on May 23, 2022.
Jane Austen is cited just seconds into “Fire Island” — and a character later quotes everyone’s favorite “Emma” adaptation, “Clueless” — and this sparkling tale of star-crossed love affairs on a beach vacation treats “romantic” and “comedy” with equal importance. The fact that its entanglements, misunderstandings, and reconciliations occur among an almost entirely all-male cast serves merely to put a new meaning to the “Pride” in “Pride and Prejudice.”
First-time screenwriter Joel Kim Booster establishes a world in which smartphones and written correspondence can co-exist and where two unlikely partners can find each other by virtue of being the only two people for miles around who want to talk about literature. For all the hook-up apps, Charli Xcx remixes, and six-pack abs on display, “Fire Island” is still the kind of movie where arguing about the short fiction of Alice Munro counts as foreplay.
Jane Austen is cited just seconds into “Fire Island” — and a character later quotes everyone’s favorite “Emma” adaptation, “Clueless” — and this sparkling tale of star-crossed love affairs on a beach vacation treats “romantic” and “comedy” with equal importance. The fact that its entanglements, misunderstandings, and reconciliations occur among an almost entirely all-male cast serves merely to put a new meaning to the “Pride” in “Pride and Prejudice.”
First-time screenwriter Joel Kim Booster establishes a world in which smartphones and written correspondence can co-exist and where two unlikely partners can find each other by virtue of being the only two people for miles around who want to talk about literature. For all the hook-up apps, Charli Xcx remixes, and six-pack abs on display, “Fire Island” is still the kind of movie where arguing about the short fiction of Alice Munro counts as foreplay.
- 6/2/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Over the last few years Andrew Ahn has cemented himself as one of the most promising talents in American independent cinema. His first feature, the underrated Spa Night, was an incredibly moving and personal look into a closeted Korean-American man’s struggles with his sexuality and the duty he feels towards his family. Ahn’s empathetic sensibilities were further amplified by his follow-up Driveways, which offered a blend of personal and communal specificity. He’s proven his skills as a quiet dramatist, able to convey the burdens and tragedies of life without pivoting over into melodramatic flourishes—a naturalistic world-building reminiscent of Patrick Wang and Kelly Reichardt, though with a gentler, somewhat simpler touch.
This makes Fire Island, his third feature, a particularly interesting pivot. Instead of being another quietly emotional character piece he’s delivered a joyous romantic comedy, filled to the brim with bright colors, broad comedic beats,...
This makes Fire Island, his third feature, a particularly interesting pivot. Instead of being another quietly emotional character piece he’s delivered a joyous romantic comedy, filled to the brim with bright colors, broad comedic beats,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Logan Kenny
- The Film Stage
Though Jane Austen only wrote one of them, there are actually a few truths universally acknowledged: That a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, and girls just wanna have fun. To the elite group of authors of pithy maxims, Jane Austen and Cyndi Lauper, we may add a third ingenious scribe: Joel Kim Booster.
The stand-up comedian makes a splashy debut as both a formidable literary force and an appealing leading man in “Fire Island,” his first feature film as screenwriter, and hopefully the first of many. Though the vision was all Booster’s, the love that went into “Fire Island” emanates from every player.
A true ensemble piece, the movie is filled with the joy and camaraderie of that cheesiest of queer epithets — chosen family. But under the Day-Glo sheen of the carless beach town filled with glistening shirtless queers,...
The stand-up comedian makes a splashy debut as both a formidable literary force and an appealing leading man in “Fire Island,” his first feature film as screenwriter, and hopefully the first of many. Though the vision was all Booster’s, the love that went into “Fire Island” emanates from every player.
A true ensemble piece, the movie is filled with the joy and camaraderie of that cheesiest of queer epithets — chosen family. But under the Day-Glo sheen of the carless beach town filled with glistening shirtless queers,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
While queer comedians have been the hottest thing in stand-up for the last decade, it’s no secret that Hollywood is always the last one to get the joke.
As the likes of Kate McKinnon, Billy Eichner, and Bowen Yang ascended from New York’s musty improv theaters to the casts of “Saturday Night Live” and Disney remakes, the last decade has brought a remarkable shift in not only queer visibility but something far more substantial — queer influence. Queer TV shows like “The Other Two,” “Search Party,” and “Schitt’s Creek” reflect this sea change, but so far movies have been much slower on the uptake.
That all changes this year, with the release of two mainstream comedy movies from gay writers who also star in their projects. While Eichner’s major studio rom-com “Bros” is set to hit theaters in September, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island” opens Pride month...
As the likes of Kate McKinnon, Billy Eichner, and Bowen Yang ascended from New York’s musty improv theaters to the casts of “Saturday Night Live” and Disney remakes, the last decade has brought a remarkable shift in not only queer visibility but something far more substantial — queer influence. Queer TV shows like “The Other Two,” “Search Party,” and “Schitt’s Creek” reflect this sea change, but so far movies have been much slower on the uptake.
That all changes this year, with the release of two mainstream comedy movies from gay writers who also star in their projects. While Eichner’s major studio rom-com “Bros” is set to hit theaters in September, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island” opens Pride month...
- 6/1/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Mubi’s U.S. lineup for next month has been unveiled, including some essential recent releases, notably James Vaughan’s Friends and Strangers, Radu Muntean’s Întregalde, Alice Diop’s We (Nous), the Isabel Sandoval-led short The Actress, Ougie Pak’s Clytaemnestra, and the new restoration of Hong Sangsoo’s Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors.
As part of Pride month and fitting as his latest film arrives, Andrew Ahn’s Spa Night is among the selections, alongside And Then We Danced, Being 17, and Lilting. Lee Chang-dong’s Burning, a pair of films by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Kim Bora’s House of Hummingbird are also in the lineup.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
June 1 – Wet Sand, directed by Elene Naveriani | Viewfinder | Pride
June 2 – And Then We Danced, directed by Levan Akin | Pride Unprejudiced: LGBTQ+ Cinema
June 3 – Friends and Strangers, directed by James Vaughan | Mubi Spotlight
June 4 – Final Set,...
As part of Pride month and fitting as his latest film arrives, Andrew Ahn’s Spa Night is among the selections, alongside And Then We Danced, Being 17, and Lilting. Lee Chang-dong’s Burning, a pair of films by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Kim Bora’s House of Hummingbird are also in the lineup.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
June 1 – Wet Sand, directed by Elene Naveriani | Viewfinder | Pride
June 2 – And Then We Danced, directed by Levan Akin | Pride Unprejudiced: LGBTQ+ Cinema
June 3 – Friends and Strangers, directed by James Vaughan | Mubi Spotlight
June 4 – Final Set,...
- 5/24/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
It’s a gross oversimplification of Jane Austen’s gift to suggest that her novels reduce to heteronormative matchmaking exercises, though all six end with their heroines getting hitched. (Austen herself never wed. Make of that what you will.) Gay movies have their formulas, too, few of which end in marriage. Exasperatingly, the vast majority center on one of three plots: the coming-out story, the in-love-with-my-straight-buddy dead-end romance and the coping-with-aids downer. So right off the bat, there’s something fresh about “Fire Island,” a saucy queer ensemble comedy from comedian-cum-screenwriter Joel Kim Booster about looking for Mr. Right in the spot where gay men flee to find no-strings fun, sun and sex.
Taking a page from “Clueless,” Booster had the bright idea to update a key Austen classic, putting the gay Asian pride in “Pride and Prejudice” — where nothing of the sort ever existed before — with the help of “Spa Night” director Andrew Ahn.
Taking a page from “Clueless,” Booster had the bright idea to update a key Austen classic, putting the gay Asian pride in “Pride and Prejudice” — where nothing of the sort ever existed before — with the help of “Spa Night” director Andrew Ahn.
- 5/23/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
‘Fire Island’ First Look: Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang Star in a Jane Austen-Inspired Gay Rom-Com
New York’s Fire Island is about to get even steamier.
Hulu shared a first look at the upcoming Fox Searchlight film “Fire Island,” starring Bowen Yang, Zane Phillips, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, and Margaret Cho. The gay-centric rom-com centers on a group of friends who embark on a week-long vacation filled with hook-ups, debauchery, and friendship make-or-break moments; screenwriter Joel Kim Booster also stars, while Andrew Ahn (“Spa Night”) directs. “Fire Island” premieres on Hulu on June 3.
And, it turns out one streamer going down flames led “Fire Island” to get the greenlight from Hulu. Filmmaker Booster revealed that the film was originally supposed to premiere in 2020 on short-lived streaming platform Quibi, which specialized in episodic “quick bites” of entertainment.
“My Comedy Central pilot had been passed on — I was so depressed — and my agent was like, ‘You should write a show that’s based off this essay,...
Hulu shared a first look at the upcoming Fox Searchlight film “Fire Island,” starring Bowen Yang, Zane Phillips, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, and Margaret Cho. The gay-centric rom-com centers on a group of friends who embark on a week-long vacation filled with hook-ups, debauchery, and friendship make-or-break moments; screenwriter Joel Kim Booster also stars, while Andrew Ahn (“Spa Night”) directs. “Fire Island” premieres on Hulu on June 3.
And, it turns out one streamer going down flames led “Fire Island” to get the greenlight from Hulu. Filmmaker Booster revealed that the film was originally supposed to premiere in 2020 on short-lived streaming platform Quibi, which specialized in episodic “quick bites” of entertainment.
“My Comedy Central pilot had been passed on — I was so depressed — and my agent was like, ‘You should write a show that’s based off this essay,...
- 3/5/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Sundance Institute has announced the 13 writers selected for its 2022 Screenwriters Intensive.
Now in its 10th year, the Screenwriters Intensive is an annual two-day workshop that invites emerging creatives from historically marginalized backgrounds to develop their first full-length feature film scripts under the guidance of the Institute’s Feature Film Program. The workshop is led by Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, as well as Ilyse McKimmie, the deputy director of the Feature Film Program.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing together such a dynamic and memorable group of storytellers developing work with bold vision and unique, necessary perspectives,” McKimmie said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our creative and strategic support of them as they develop their debut features, and we’re excited to welcome them into the vibrant community of Sundance artists.”
The fellows selected for this year are:
Marissa Chibás,...
Now in its 10th year, the Screenwriters Intensive is an annual two-day workshop that invites emerging creatives from historically marginalized backgrounds to develop their first full-length feature film scripts under the guidance of the Institute’s Feature Film Program. The workshop is led by Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, as well as Ilyse McKimmie, the deputy director of the Feature Film Program.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing together such a dynamic and memorable group of storytellers developing work with bold vision and unique, necessary perspectives,” McKimmie said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our creative and strategic support of them as they develop their debut features, and we’re excited to welcome them into the vibrant community of Sundance artists.”
The fellows selected for this year are:
Marissa Chibás,...
- 3/2/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
The Sundance Institute on Friday announced this year’s Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellows, a group of 10 emerging artists chosen from a global pool of over 1,600 applicants. The fellows, who range in age from 18-25, will receive a year of mentorship and support from Sundance and Adobe.
Their year kicks off next week with the Sundance Ignite x Adobe Filmmakers Lab, which runs July 26-30 on the online Sundance Collab platform. There, they’ll focus on advancing their projects and deepening their character development skills.
“These artists are at the forefront of a rising generation of independent creatives, at a time when the world is reimagining ways to tell stories and reach audiences,” said Toby Brooks, senior manager of the program. “Such bold work is the foundation of very promising filmmakers, and I’m so excited to lift them up — and to see what comes next.”
Fellows will also receive...
Their year kicks off next week with the Sundance Ignite x Adobe Filmmakers Lab, which runs July 26-30 on the online Sundance Collab platform. There, they’ll focus on advancing their projects and deepening their character development skills.
“These artists are at the forefront of a rising generation of independent creatives, at a time when the world is reimagining ways to tell stories and reach audiences,” said Toby Brooks, senior manager of the program. “Such bold work is the foundation of very promising filmmakers, and I’m so excited to lift them up — and to see what comes next.”
Fellows will also receive...
- 7/23/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
“Saturday Night Live” actor Bowen Yang and stand-up comedian Joel Kim Booster will star in a modern romantic comedy called “Fire Island” set at Searchlight Pictures.
Andrew Ahn, the director behind the acclaimed indie “Driveways,” is directing the “unapologetic” feature that’s inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
“Fire Island” is set in the iconic Fire Island Pines and centers around two best friends who set out to have a legendary week-long summer vacation at the gay mecca with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
Booster also wrote the original screenplay. Filming will begin this summer in both New York City and Fire Island. Searchlight will release the film as a Hulu Original in the U.S. and on Star through Disney+ internationally.
Jax Media, the team behind “Russian Doll” and “Search Party,” is producing the film, with John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez serving as producers.
Andrew Ahn, the director behind the acclaimed indie “Driveways,” is directing the “unapologetic” feature that’s inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
“Fire Island” is set in the iconic Fire Island Pines and centers around two best friends who set out to have a legendary week-long summer vacation at the gay mecca with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
Booster also wrote the original screenplay. Filming will begin this summer in both New York City and Fire Island. Searchlight will release the film as a Hulu Original in the U.S. and on Star through Disney+ internationally.
Jax Media, the team behind “Russian Doll” and “Search Party,” is producing the film, with John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez serving as producers.
- 6/30/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Bowen Yang and Joel Kim Booster are set to star in “Fire Island,” a romantic comedy from “Spa Night” director Andrew Ahn.
Described as a modern day take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film will center on two best friends embarking on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island — the historic gay escape off the southern shore of Long Island — with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
The project is set up at Searchlight, and will release exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. Globally, the film will stream on Disney Plus under the Star brand.
Jax Media (“Russian Doll”) is producing the project. Ahn will direct from an original feature script by Booster. Shooting will commence this August on Fire Island and in New York City. John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez will serve as producers for Jax, with Chan Phung...
Described as a modern day take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film will center on two best friends embarking on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island — the historic gay escape off the southern shore of Long Island — with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
The project is set up at Searchlight, and will release exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. Globally, the film will stream on Disney Plus under the Star brand.
Jax Media (“Russian Doll”) is producing the project. Ahn will direct from an original feature script by Booster. Shooting will commence this August on Fire Island and in New York City. John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez will serve as producers for Jax, with Chan Phung...
- 6/30/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
FX’s upcoming docuseries about the fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America, “Pride,” has set its full director slate and lined up a May premiere date at the cable network.
The six-part series, which will begin with the 1950s and work forward through the decades, will see six LGBTQ+ directors explore stories ranging from the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond. Civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, writer Audre Lord and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lester Hunt are among those interviewed for the series.
Directors include Tom Kalin (“Swoon”), Andrew Ahn (“Driveways”), Cheryl Dunye (“The Watermelon Woman”), Anthony Caronna and Alex Smith (“Susanne Bartsch: On Top”), Yance Ford (“Strong Island”) and Ro Haber (“Pose”).
The series will premiere with its first three episodes airing back-to-back on May 14. The second half of the series will air the following week...
The six-part series, which will begin with the 1950s and work forward through the decades, will see six LGBTQ+ directors explore stories ranging from the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond. Civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, writer Audre Lord and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lester Hunt are among those interviewed for the series.
Directors include Tom Kalin (“Swoon”), Andrew Ahn (“Driveways”), Cheryl Dunye (“The Watermelon Woman”), Anthony Caronna and Alex Smith (“Susanne Bartsch: On Top”), Yance Ford (“Strong Island”) and Ro Haber (“Pose”).
The series will premiere with its first three episodes airing back-to-back on May 14. The second half of the series will air the following week...
- 3/30/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Asian-American cinematic milestones tend to challenge the model-minority myth. The over-achievers in Better Luck Tomorrow turn to crime, Harold and Kumar seek stoner munchies and the gay young protagonist at the center of Spa Night finds both academic accomplishment and the American Dream hopelessly out of reach. There’s a defensiveness inherent to those films, which seem to assert, “We’re not all dutiful, high-achieving rule-followers.” And to be fair, doing hours of math problems or complying with parental whims isn’t exactly movie material.
Or maybe we’re wrong. As director Debbie Lum (Seeking Asian Female) illustrates with her new film Try Harder!, which competes in ...
Or maybe we’re wrong. As director Debbie Lum (Seeking Asian Female) illustrates with her new film Try Harder!, which competes in ...
- 1/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Asian-American cinematic milestones tend to challenge the model-minority myth. The over-achievers in Better Luck Tomorrow turn to crime, Harold and Kumar seek stoner munchies and the gay young protagonist at the center of Spa Night finds both academic accomplishment and the American Dream hopelessly out of reach. There’s a defensiveness inherent to those films, which seem to assert, “We’re not all dutiful, high-achieving rule-followers.” And to be fair, doing hours of math problems or complying with parental whims isn’t exactly movie material.
Or maybe we’re wrong. As director Debbie Lum (Seeking Asian Female) illustrates with her new film Try Harder!, which competes in ...
Or maybe we’re wrong. As director Debbie Lum (Seeking Asian Female) illustrates with her new film Try Harder!, which competes in ...
- 1/30/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Some people may think that Joe Seo is a newcomer to the entertainment world, but that isn’t the case at all. He has actually been acting on screen since 2006 and he has been working his way up ever since. After a variety of small roles he got his first major opportunity when he was cast as David Cho in the 2016 film Spa Night. Most viewers will recognize him best, however, from his role as Kyler in the popular series Cobra Kai. Being a part of the series has helped introduce his talent to a wider audience and his
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Joe Seo...
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Joe Seo...
- 1/15/2021
- by Camille Moore
- TVovermind.com
Sundance Institute has announced its latest class of fellows, a group of 10 young filmmakers selected for the yearlong Sundance Ignite x Adobe fellowship. They’ll participate in a year of mentorship, workshops, and receive other support and will have their films screened at Sundance Film Festival: London in August.
The fellows, who hail from around the world and are between the ages of 18-25, submitted 1- to 15-minute short films as part of their applications, which totaled a record high of 1,600. The fellows kicked off their fellowship year on Monday with the Sundance Ignite Digital Filmmakers Lab on Sundance Co//ab. The week-long lab prepares the fellows for the year ahead, with focuses on presenting one’s artistic self, pitching projects, case studies, and goal-setting.
Earlier this month, Sundance announced a series of layoffs and consolidations in reaction to the financial hits endured during the pandemic. While the organization announce...
The fellows, who hail from around the world and are between the ages of 18-25, submitted 1- to 15-minute short films as part of their applications, which totaled a record high of 1,600. The fellows kicked off their fellowship year on Monday with the Sundance Ignite Digital Filmmakers Lab on Sundance Co//ab. The week-long lab prepares the fellows for the year ahead, with focuses on presenting one’s artistic self, pitching projects, case studies, and goal-setting.
Earlier this month, Sundance announced a series of layoffs and consolidations in reaction to the financial hits endured during the pandemic. While the organization announce...
- 7/15/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Sometimes, a film manages to be big by actually being small and quiet. Concentrated in a small circle of family and neighbors, and centered around the mundane task of cleaning a dead relative’s home and refurbishing it for sale, Andrew Ahn’s sophomore feature “Driveways” speaks volumes about life, death, growing up and the contemporary America. The film premiered at last year’s edition of Berlinale before going on a predominantly American festival tour. Since last month, it is available on VOD.
Kathy is the single mother of Cody (Lucas Jaye in a breakthrough role) and the two of them arrive to an unnamed upstate New York town to clear out the house of her late sister Kelly. The sisters were estranged for a great part of their lives, Kelly is a decade or so older, and Kathy is simply the only living relative who can inherit the house.
Kathy is the single mother of Cody (Lucas Jaye in a breakthrough role) and the two of them arrive to an unnamed upstate New York town to clear out the house of her late sister Kelly. The sisters were estranged for a great part of their lives, Kelly is a decade or so older, and Kathy is simply the only living relative who can inherit the house.
- 6/7/2020
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
You might be craving those loud, brash, blowed-up-real-good blockbusters that’d normally lay claim to half the screens of multiplexes this month. It’s almost the beginning of summer, and who has the willpower to fight that seasonal Pavlovian urge? (Just watch out for any action movie in which A-list stars are in a race against time with a killer virus. Still too soon.) Or maybe, during this particularly dark timeline we’re stuck in, you’re in need of something more intimate, intricate and attuned to human interactions — “smaller...
- 5/14/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
There are a number of films about an inquisitive child who discovers a solemn, older neighbor next door, but it’s rare for one to provide equal weight to both the child and adult characters. Driveways, a modest but heartfelt second feature from Spa Night’s Andrew Ahn, succeeds at striking the balance. Kathy (Hong Chau) and Cody (Lucas Jaye), a mother and son from Michigan, arrive in upstate New York to clear out the home of a deceased family member and prepare it for sale. Del (Brian Dennehy), a Korean War veteran and lonely widower, spends his days sitting on the porch next […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Erik Luers
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
There are a number of films about an inquisitive child who discovers a solemn, older neighbor next door, but it’s rare for one to provide equal weight to both the child and adult characters. Driveways, a modest but heartfelt second feature from Spa Night’s Andrew Ahn, succeeds at striking the balance. Kathy (Hong Chau) and Cody (Lucas Jaye), a mother and son from Michigan, arrive in upstate New York to clear out the home of a deceased family member and prepare it for sale. Del (Brian Dennehy), a Korean War veteran and lonely widower, spends his days sitting on the porch next […]...
- 5/14/2020
- by Erik Luers
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
In case it’s not glaringly obvious at this point, representation matters. In front of the camera, but behind it as well — perhaps even more so. Take, for instance, Andrew Ahn’s latest film, “Driveways.” The film stars Hong Chau as a single mother tasked with packing up her hoarder sister’s house after her death. Meanwhile, her shy son Cody (Lucas Jaye) comes out of his shell through a friendship with an older neighbor, played by the late, great Brian Dennehy in one of his final film roles.
The film is not explicitly about Asian American identity, at least not in the way Ahn’s career-launching debut film, “Spa Night,” was — deliberately and devastatingly. But the story, of two outsiders thrust into a community by circumstances outside of their control and the various characters who either welcome or discomfort them, is subtly deepened and enriched by the fact that they are Asian American.
The film is not explicitly about Asian American identity, at least not in the way Ahn’s career-launching debut film, “Spa Night,” was — deliberately and devastatingly. But the story, of two outsiders thrust into a community by circumstances outside of their control and the various characters who either welcome or discomfort them, is subtly deepened and enriched by the fact that they are Asian American.
- 5/7/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“Driveways” is film therapy—a restorative dose of the pace and patience small-town America can brew in us. It’s also the sophomore film of writer-director Andrew Ahn, whose first film, “Spa Night,” received ample praise at Sundance in 2016. After a lauded premiere at the Berlinale in 2019, “Driveways” debuted to American audiences two months later at Tribeca with a special slot in the revered Critics’ Week section.
Continue reading ‘Driveways’: Hong Chau Discusses Andrew Ahn’s New Film, Working With Brian Dennehy & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Driveways’: Hong Chau Discusses Andrew Ahn’s New Film, Working With Brian Dennehy & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 5/6/2020
- by Luke Hicks
- The Playlist
This Small Town: Ahn Aims for the Heart in Soulful Suburban Drama
Death acts as impetus in cinema, and in some cases characters must deal with what the dearly departed has left behind. Driveways is one of these stories, and finds its melancholic rhythms in the everyday humdrum of the Hudson Valley’s neighborhood streets. Along the lines of Kogonada’s Columbus and Ira Sach’s Little Men, as a quiet meditation on death, and from it, the blossoming of new friendship, Andrew Ahn’s follow up to Spa Night is in fact written by the team of Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, and the triumvirate of voices is beautifully expressed on screen through a diverse and talented cast.…...
Death acts as impetus in cinema, and in some cases characters must deal with what the dearly departed has left behind. Driveways is one of these stories, and finds its melancholic rhythms in the everyday humdrum of the Hudson Valley’s neighborhood streets. Along the lines of Kogonada’s Columbus and Ira Sach’s Little Men, as a quiet meditation on death, and from it, the blossoming of new friendship, Andrew Ahn’s follow up to Spa Night is in fact written by the team of Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, and the triumvirate of voices is beautifully expressed on screen through a diverse and talented cast.…...
- 5/4/2020
- by Matt Delman
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: FilmRise has picked up North American rights to Independent Spirit nominee Driveways, starring Hong Chau (Downsizing), Lucas Jaye (Fuller House), Brian Dennehy (Cocoon) and Christine Ebersole (The Wolf Of Wall Street).
The film follows the friendship struck between a young boy in a new neighborhood and a reclusive 83-year-old neighbor. Directed by Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), the film garnered Indie Spirit noms for actress Hong Chau, and Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen for best first screenplay.
Pic is produced by Joe Pirro, James Schamus, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler. FilmRise has slated the film for release in spring 2020. We revealed first footage of the film earlier this year.
Bob Jason, Vice-President, FilmRise and Rachel Swearingen, Manager of Acquisitions, FilmRise, negotiated the deal with Peter Trinh of ICM.
Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, stated, “Andrew Ahn’s second feature film is a wonderful follow up to his John Cassavetes award-winning debut,...
The film follows the friendship struck between a young boy in a new neighborhood and a reclusive 83-year-old neighbor. Directed by Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), the film garnered Indie Spirit noms for actress Hong Chau, and Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen for best first screenplay.
Pic is produced by Joe Pirro, James Schamus, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler. FilmRise has slated the film for release in spring 2020. We revealed first footage of the film earlier this year.
Bob Jason, Vice-President, FilmRise and Rachel Swearingen, Manager of Acquisitions, FilmRise, negotiated the deal with Peter Trinh of ICM.
Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, stated, “Andrew Ahn’s second feature film is a wonderful follow up to his John Cassavetes award-winning debut,...
- 12/2/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
At Saturday’s star-studded gala awards ceremony, San Diego Asian Film Festival (Sdaff) announced the winning filmmakers and celebrities from this year’s festival. Hosted by actors Leonardo Nam and Tamilyn Tomita, the awards celebrated the best in Asian and Asian American cinema from the past year. Winner of Best Feature Narrative Andrew Ahn received his 3rd Sdaff award in the last decade. More than 500 people attended and raised money towards Pacific Arts Movement’s youth filmmaking program, Reel Voices.
Sdaff has served as a space not only for watching movies, but as a way to connect and nurture communities through storytelling. Many filmmakers who have received awards in the past launched their careers at Sdaff. These often underrepresented voices are paving the way for the next generation of filmmakers.
Andrew Ahn’s Driveways was the winner of the best feature narrative. His short Andy won best narrative short in...
Sdaff has served as a space not only for watching movies, but as a way to connect and nurture communities through storytelling. Many filmmakers who have received awards in the past launched their careers at Sdaff. These often underrepresented voices are paving the way for the next generation of filmmakers.
Andrew Ahn’s Driveways was the winner of the best feature narrative. His short Andy won best narrative short in...
- 11/16/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
The Sundance Institute the finalists for the second edition of its Momentum Fellowship, a full-year program of customized creative and professional support for writers, directors, and producers from underrepresented communities who work in the fields of documentary, narrative features, and episodic content. The Institute also announced the recipients of its Launch Grant Fund, a new opportunity for emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities launching their first feature film.
The 2020 Momentum Fellows are Andrew Ahn, Linda Yvette Chávez, Christina Choe, Deborah Esquenazi, Rodney Evans, Penny Lane, Avril Z. Speaks, and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. The 2020 Launch Grant Fund Recipients are Marion Hill, Meryam Joobeur, Anais Blondet Medina and Kase Peña.
The program evolved from the Women at Sundance Fellowship, and takes a more intersectional approach, applying to artists identifying as women, non-binary and/or transgender, artists of color, and artists with disabilities.
As part of the Momentum Fellowship, Sundance Institute has once again partnered...
The 2020 Momentum Fellows are Andrew Ahn, Linda Yvette Chávez, Christina Choe, Deborah Esquenazi, Rodney Evans, Penny Lane, Avril Z. Speaks, and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. The 2020 Launch Grant Fund Recipients are Marion Hill, Meryam Joobeur, Anais Blondet Medina and Kase Peña.
The program evolved from the Women at Sundance Fellowship, and takes a more intersectional approach, applying to artists identifying as women, non-binary and/or transgender, artists of color, and artists with disabilities.
As part of the Momentum Fellowship, Sundance Institute has once again partnered...
- 10/28/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Following his acclaimed debut drama Spa Night, director Andrew Ahn has expanded his circle of collaboration on his newest film Driveways, including: James Schamus, Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, Avy Kaufman, Ki Jin Kim, Hong Chau, Brian Dennehy, and Christine Ebersole. With Driveways, Ahn is poised to grow his audience beyond industry admirers to include audiences who long for soulful filmmaking.
Driveways debuted in February at the Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Feature Film Teddy Award. Written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, Ahn directs Hong Chau as Kathy, a woman who learns her late sister was a pack rat when cleaning out her home. While Kathy cleans and works remotely as a medical transcriptionist, her eight-year-old son Cody (Lucas Jaye) befriends Del (Brian Dennehy), a retired man who lives next door and watches each day pass from the loneliness of his empty home.
Ahn’s...
Driveways debuted in February at the Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Feature Film Teddy Award. Written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, Ahn directs Hong Chau as Kathy, a woman who learns her late sister was a pack rat when cleaning out her home. While Kathy cleans and works remotely as a medical transcriptionist, her eight-year-old son Cody (Lucas Jaye) befriends Del (Brian Dennehy), a retired man who lives next door and watches each day pass from the loneliness of his empty home.
Ahn’s...
- 5/8/2019
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
In the sensitive, suburbia-set indie “Driveways,” a single mother drags her 8-year-old son cross-country to empty out the house of her packrat older sister, newly deceased. It’s a chore for her, but an opportunity for the kid to do a bit of growing up, courtesy of the Korean War veteran living next door. At first, the old fella watches the newcomers with suspicion, deciding whether to help, or to go all Clint-Eastwood-in-“Gran Torino” on them and growl, “Get off my lawn!” But in time, the initially standoffish man reaches out in a gesture of neighborly goodwill, revealing “Driveways” to be that uncommon and all-too-welcome gift — like some kind of fragile wildflower, emerging tentatively through cracks in the concrete: a film about kindness.
Of course, there are other themes at play, including small but affecting insights into the immigrant experience and single motherhood, but it’s the bond connecting...
Of course, there are other themes at play, including small but affecting insights into the immigrant experience and single motherhood, but it’s the bond connecting...
- 3/7/2019
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
It isn’t easy making a film like Driveways stand out. We have walked these streets so often before. We know the twists and turns. We expect the darker corners. Yet stand out is exactly what Driveways does. The movie is a bittersweet coming-of-age story about the intergenerational, interracial friendship of an 83-year-old veteran of the Korean war and an Asian-American boy just about to turn 9, who arrives into town with his single mother and considerable emotional baggage.
Driveways is directed by Andrew Ahn, an Angeleno producer-turned-filmmaker whose previous film Spa Night earned an acting award for Joe Seo at Sundance 2016. If that was a hint that Ahn was a fine director of actors then Driveways is a confirmation. The film stars Downsizing breakout Hong Chau–who bristles here with the same blend of warmth and caustic humor that made her the gem of that much-maligned Alexander Payne film. Chau plays Kathy,...
Driveways is directed by Andrew Ahn, an Angeleno producer-turned-filmmaker whose previous film Spa Night earned an acting award for Joe Seo at Sundance 2016. If that was a hint that Ahn was a fine director of actors then Driveways is a confirmation. The film stars Downsizing breakout Hong Chau–who bristles here with the same blend of warmth and caustic humor that made her the gem of that much-maligned Alexander Payne film. Chau plays Kathy,...
- 3/2/2019
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
They say less is always more, but in the case of movies, there is always the danger of leaving so much unsaid that you’re left with nothing much at all. While restraint is generally a wise approach to storytelling, it runs the risk of leaving a narrative so spare the audience cannot connect. In “Driveways,” director Andrew Ahn trusts his actors to fill in the considerable gaps in Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen’s minimalist script. But actors, even ones as brilliant as these, are not magicians; they cannot create meaning from nowhere. Ahn guides his gentle second feature with a measured hand, but he and his adorable kid protagonist can’t jolt the sleepy narrative out of its familiar comfort zone.
After her sister’s death, Kathy (Hong Chau) and her 8-year-old son Cody (Lucas Jaye) sojourn to a small town to begin the arduous task of packing up and selling the house.
After her sister’s death, Kathy (Hong Chau) and her 8-year-old son Cody (Lucas Jaye) sojourn to a small town to begin the arduous task of packing up and selling the house.
- 2/10/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Here’s first footage of feature drama Driveways, starring Hong Chau (Downsizing), Lucas Jaye (Fuller House), Brian Dennehy (Cocoon) and Christine Ebersole (The Wolf Of Wall Street).
Andrew Ahn’s (Spa Night) sophomore film got its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival today. Writers are Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. Producers are Joe Pirro, James Schamus, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler. ICM reps sales.
The film follows the friendship struck between a young boy in a new neighbourhood and a loveable but grouchy 83-year-old neighbour.
Andrew Ahn’s (Spa Night) sophomore film got its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival today. Writers are Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. Producers are Joe Pirro, James Schamus, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler. ICM reps sales.
The film follows the friendship struck between a young boy in a new neighbourhood and a loveable but grouchy 83-year-old neighbour.
- 2/10/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
You couldn’t ask for finer performances than you’ll find in “Driveways,” the latest slice-of-life drama from director Andrew Ahn (“Spa Night”). The film is a warm, charming look at a young boy befriending his elderly neighbor; there’s not an insincere moment in sight, as we get impeccable work from cast members Hong Chau, Lucas Jaye and Brian Dennehy.
Hong Chau (“Downsizing”) stars as Kathy, a single mother who travels with her young son, Cody, to the home of her recently deceased sister. What should have been a short trip to put her affairs in order and clean out her home, gets complicated when Kathy learns — too late, and after years of estrangement — that her sister was a reclusive hoarder, and that the house is so full of accumulated bric-a-brac (and a dead cat) that they’re going to be stuck there for quite a while.
In fact,...
Hong Chau (“Downsizing”) stars as Kathy, a single mother who travels with her young son, Cody, to the home of her recently deceased sister. What should have been a short trip to put her affairs in order and clean out her home, gets complicated when Kathy learns — too late, and after years of estrangement — that her sister was a reclusive hoarder, and that the house is so full of accumulated bric-a-brac (and a dead cat) that they’re going to be stuck there for quite a while.
In fact,...
- 2/10/2019
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Former Focus Features CEO resists urge to jump on board Netflix train.
James Schamus, in Berlin wearing his producer’s hat for tonight’s (10) Generation Plus world premiere of Driveways, is enjoying a new lease of life nurturing the careers of young content creators.
Schamus’ Symbolic Exchange partnered with Maven, run by Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler, on Andrew Ahn’s drama starring Brian Dennehy as a grouchy octogenarian who bonds with a nine-year-old boy played by Lucas Jaye. Maven arranged financing and ICM Partners represents worldwide rights.
“He’s very patient and observant and thoughtful,” said Schamus of Ahn,...
James Schamus, in Berlin wearing his producer’s hat for tonight’s (10) Generation Plus world premiere of Driveways, is enjoying a new lease of life nurturing the careers of young content creators.
Schamus’ Symbolic Exchange partnered with Maven, run by Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler, on Andrew Ahn’s drama starring Brian Dennehy as a grouchy octogenarian who bonds with a nine-year-old boy played by Lucas Jaye. Maven arranged financing and ICM Partners represents worldwide rights.
“He’s very patient and observant and thoughtful,” said Schamus of Ahn,...
- 2/9/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Former Focus Features CEO resists urge to jump on board Netflix train.
James Schamus, in Berlin wearing his producer’s hat for tonight’s (10) Generation Plus world premiere of Driveways, is enjoying a new lease of life nurturing the careers of young content creators.
Schamus’ Symbolic Exchange partnered with Maven, run by Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler, on Andrew Ahn’s drama starring Brian Dennehy as a grouchy octogenarian who bonds with a nine-year-old boy played by Lucas Jaye. Maven arranged financing and ICM Partners represents worldwide rights.
“He’s very patient and observant and thoughtful,” said Schamus of Ahn,...
James Schamus, in Berlin wearing his producer’s hat for tonight’s (10) Generation Plus world premiere of Driveways, is enjoying a new lease of life nurturing the careers of young content creators.
Schamus’ Symbolic Exchange partnered with Maven, run by Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler, on Andrew Ahn’s drama starring Brian Dennehy as a grouchy octogenarian who bonds with a nine-year-old boy played by Lucas Jaye. Maven arranged financing and ICM Partners represents worldwide rights.
“He’s very patient and observant and thoughtful,” said Schamus of Ahn,...
- 2/9/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
With more than 300 films in its program and 500,000 attendees coming to watch them, the Berlinale is the world’s largest film festival. The 69th edition — the last under the guidance of festival director Dieter Kosslick, who’s overseen the launch of major recent movies like Mia Hansen-Løve’s “Things to Come,” Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs,” and Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation” — is set to kick off this Thursday with the world premiere of Lone Scherfig’s star-studded “The Kindness of Strangers,” and will continue until the following weekend, when Juliette Binoche’s jury awards the prestigious Golden Bear to the film that emerges victorious from the festival’s Competition section.
While the Berlinale has become one of the most eclectic events of its kind, and an unparalleled opportunity to discover fresh and exciting work from all corners of the globe, this year’s program also includes new work...
While the Berlinale has become one of the most eclectic events of its kind, and an unparalleled opportunity to discover fresh and exciting work from all corners of the globe, this year’s program also includes new work...
- 2/6/2019
- by David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Exclusive: As an Asian American filmmaker, Justin Chon has made his own lane when it comes to telling Asian American narratives. His film Gook premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and put him on Hollywood’s radar as an up and coming filmmaker. The black and white film about two Korean brothers during the L.A. riots won the Best of Next award at the fest and then went on to win the “Someone To Watch” Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. His follow-up, Ms. Purple, premiered Friday in Park City and it’s becoming a buzzworthy title among audiences. It’s safe to say that Chon is officially a Sundance darling.
“If it was about the money or the fame or any of that bullshit I wouldn’t be making these stories,” Chon tells Deadline. “It’s too hard to!”
When the actor-turned-director talked to us, he...
“If it was about the money or the fame or any of that bullshit I wouldn’t be making these stories,” Chon tells Deadline. “It’s too hard to!”
When the actor-turned-director talked to us, he...
- 1/28/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
After the critically acclaimed Spa Night, (2016 Sundance Film Fest selection) Andrew Ahn moved into the television sphere with a half dozen episodes of This Close, but without fanfare, he switched coasts, teamed with producer heavyweight James Schamus, shot in NYC this past July for his sophomore film Driveways. The filmmaker’s rapport with the fest is great — Spa Night participated in the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab, and the Film Independent Directing Lab and he received a Sundance Institute Cinereach Feature Film Fellow grant. His short Dol (First Birthday) was a 2012 selection.
Gist: Tbd.…...
Gist: Tbd.…...
- 11/20/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Burning, director Lee Chang-dong’s long-awaited return to the cinema, is brimming with the Rashomon effect. The film will have you questioning what you see, and what you think you know. Many facts appear as objective in the film to justify a personal reading of the narrative. But to reduce Burning to its connective tissue is a disservice to the experience of shutting up, letting go, and enjoying the new work from the master filmmaker and his newest collaborator, Steven Yeun.
Yeun’s imprint is expanding beyond The Walking Dead into films like Okja, Sorry to Bother You, and now Burning. Through one lens, Yeun plays Ben, the cosmopolitan who burns down greenhouses for the thrill of it. Another take on Ben could be the sex-trafficking globalist. There’s more than a binary choice to understand Ben, like all people and all characters. However you interpret him, Ben is a nihilist with fuzzy motives.
Yeun’s imprint is expanding beyond The Walking Dead into films like Okja, Sorry to Bother You, and now Burning. Through one lens, Yeun plays Ben, the cosmopolitan who burns down greenhouses for the thrill of it. Another take on Ben could be the sex-trafficking globalist. There’s more than a binary choice to understand Ben, like all people and all characters. However you interpret him, Ben is a nihilist with fuzzy motives.
- 10/29/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Well, we did it. One month down, 11 more to go. It’s 2018 and even if you wiped the DVR clean as the calendar switched over, odds are good that you’re already drowning under the weight of new TV. As much as we’d like to tell you to have no fear, let us instead help you embrace the countless hours’ worth of new programming heading your way.
Read More:18 HBO Original Programs To Be Excited About in 2018 — ‘Sharp Objects,’ ‘Paterno,’ and More
If the Winter Olympics aren’t your thing (aside from curling, of course, because everyone loves curling), here are some upcoming brand new series that might just make up a big chunk of the February TV conversation.
“AP Bio” (February 1, NBC)
Glenn Howerton stars as an unrepentant asshole instructor in this new series from “SNL” alum Mike O’Brien. Patton Oswalt co-stars, along with Lyric Lewis and an army of confused teenagers.
Read More:18 HBO Original Programs To Be Excited About in 2018 — ‘Sharp Objects,’ ‘Paterno,’ and More
If the Winter Olympics aren’t your thing (aside from curling, of course, because everyone loves curling), here are some upcoming brand new series that might just make up a big chunk of the February TV conversation.
“AP Bio” (February 1, NBC)
Glenn Howerton stars as an unrepentant asshole instructor in this new series from “SNL” alum Mike O’Brien. Patton Oswalt co-stars, along with Lyric Lewis and an army of confused teenagers.
- 1/31/2018
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Mariah Carey is one of music’s most extravagant stars, bringing her signature glitz and glamour to red carpets, magazine covers, and concert stages everywhere. But behind all the glitter is a woman who still struggles with her confidence.
During a candid interview with the New York Post‘s Page Six backstage at Carey’s concert at Madison Square Garden, the “Heartbreaker” songstress revealed that she doesn’t see herself as the self-assured diva her fans think she is.
“I just feel like I am a regular human being and I deserve the same respect as anybody else,” Carey told the publication,...
During a candid interview with the New York Post‘s Page Six backstage at Carey’s concert at Madison Square Garden, the “Heartbreaker” songstress revealed that she doesn’t see herself as the self-assured diva her fans think she is.
“I just feel like I am a regular human being and I deserve the same respect as anybody else,” Carey told the publication,...
- 8/22/2017
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
Mariah Carey and her 6-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe had one sweet day on Thursday.
The trio stepped out for a candy-themed party at the Sugar Factory American Brasserie on Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida.
Thursday’s event, which came after Carey’s concert at the Bb&T Center in Fort Lauderdale, brought out the silly side of Carey and her kids.
Posing for photos in front of a candy button backdrop, the family was all smiles. Carey wore a low-cut, long-sleeve green sequence mini dress with matching heels. The 47-year-old singer accessorized the look with mirrored sunglasses and hoop earrings.
The trio stepped out for a candy-themed party at the Sugar Factory American Brasserie on Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida.
Thursday’s event, which came after Carey’s concert at the Bb&T Center in Fort Lauderdale, brought out the silly side of Carey and her kids.
Posing for photos in front of a candy button backdrop, the family was all smiles. Carey wore a low-cut, long-sleeve green sequence mini dress with matching heels. The 47-year-old singer accessorized the look with mirrored sunglasses and hoop earrings.
- 8/11/2017
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
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