Exclusive: Bankside Films has boarded international sales for Steve Buscemi-directed Venice Film Festival drama The Listener, starring Tessa Thompson (Creed).
Written by Alessandro Camon, the film follows a helpline volunteer who is part of a small army that gets on the phone every night, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken or hopeless. Above is a first clip for the movie, which will world premiere next week as the closing film in the Venice Days section before being screened in Toronto.
Creed and Passing star Thompson plays protagonist Beth and is the sole onscreen performer, supported by voice-only cast, comprising Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Blu Del Barrio, Ricky Velez, Alia Shawkat, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, Bobby Soto and Rebecca Hall.
Bankside Films will be introducing the feature to buyers at both the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival, and will be handling foreign sales,...
Written by Alessandro Camon, the film follows a helpline volunteer who is part of a small army that gets on the phone every night, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken or hopeless. Above is a first clip for the movie, which will world premiere next week as the closing film in the Venice Days section before being screened in Toronto.
Creed and Passing star Thompson plays protagonist Beth and is the sole onscreen performer, supported by voice-only cast, comprising Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Blu Del Barrio, Ricky Velez, Alia Shawkat, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, Bobby Soto and Rebecca Hall.
Bankside Films will be introducing the feature to buyers at both the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival, and will be handling foreign sales,...
- 9/1/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Well, this is a doozy of a take on “How I Met Your Father.”
SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner “I Love My Dad” stars Patton Oswalt as Chuck, a desperate father looking to reconnect with his estranged son Franklin, played by writer/director James Morosini. Chuck impersonates a waitress (Claudia Sulewski) online to strike up a relationship with a depressive Franklin, who has blocked Chuck on all forms of social media. The only issue? Well, Franklin metaphorically swiped right on Chuck’s alter ego.
Per an official synopsis, “Things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl and wants nothing more than to meet her in person, as Chuck has inadvertently catfished his own son.”
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “American Horror Story” alum Morosini wrote the screenplay based on his own real family experience.
Rachel Dratch, Lil Rel Howry, and Amy Landecker also star in the dramedy,...
SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner “I Love My Dad” stars Patton Oswalt as Chuck, a desperate father looking to reconnect with his estranged son Franklin, played by writer/director James Morosini. Chuck impersonates a waitress (Claudia Sulewski) online to strike up a relationship with a depressive Franklin, who has blocked Chuck on all forms of social media. The only issue? Well, Franklin metaphorically swiped right on Chuck’s alter ego.
Per an official synopsis, “Things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl and wants nothing more than to meet her in person, as Chuck has inadvertently catfished his own son.”
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “American Horror Story” alum Morosini wrote the screenplay based on his own real family experience.
Rachel Dratch, Lil Rel Howry, and Amy Landecker also star in the dramedy,...
- 7/13/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Magnolia previously acquired North American rights.
Magnolia Pictures has acquired international sales for Cannes on SXSW grand jury prize and audience award winner I Love My Dad starring Patton Oswalt.
Lorna Lee Torres, head of international sales, and Austin Kennedy, international sales manager, will launch sales at the market later this month.
Inspired by writer, director, and star James Morosini’s actual life experience, I Love My Dad follows Chuck (Oswalt), an estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini).
Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress...
Magnolia Pictures has acquired international sales for Cannes on SXSW grand jury prize and audience award winner I Love My Dad starring Patton Oswalt.
Lorna Lee Torres, head of international sales, and Austin Kennedy, international sales manager, will launch sales at the market later this month.
Inspired by writer, director, and star James Morosini’s actual life experience, I Love My Dad follows Chuck (Oswalt), an estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini).
Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress...
- 5/2/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to “I Love My Dad,” one of the biggest breakouts from this year’s SXSW.
Critics loved “I Love My Dad” reserving particular praise for the direction of James Morosini and for Patton Oswalt’s lead performance. The movie, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Feature as well as the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award at the festival, certainly gets points for originality. It follows a young man (Morosini) who is catfished by his hopelessly estranged father (Oswalt) in a desperate attempt to reconnect. Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Oswalt’s character impersonates a waitress online and starts checking in with his son. But things begin to spiral out of control when the son falls for this imaginary girl (Claudia Sulewski) and wants nothing more than to meet her in person.
Variety’s Peter Debruge praised the film as “funny,...
Critics loved “I Love My Dad” reserving particular praise for the direction of James Morosini and for Patton Oswalt’s lead performance. The movie, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Feature as well as the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award at the festival, certainly gets points for originality. It follows a young man (Morosini) who is catfished by his hopelessly estranged father (Oswalt) in a desperate attempt to reconnect. Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Oswalt’s character impersonates a waitress online and starts checking in with his son. But things begin to spiral out of control when the son falls for this imaginary girl (Claudia Sulewski) and wants nothing more than to meet her in person.
Variety’s Peter Debruge praised the film as “funny,...
- 4/19/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: On the heels of its Grand Jury and Audience Award wins at SXSW for its Patton Oswalt pic I Love My Dad, Hantz Motion Pictures is expanding its company portfolio into distribution, with the launch of Best & Final Releasing. This new arm of the company will allow it to to create a full, end-to-end model for films, from financing and production through marketing and distribution.
Best & Final Releasing will serve as a home for underdog features that are increasingly being underserved in the current distribution landscape, with Adam Carter Rehmeier’s critically acclaimed Sundance 2020 pic Dinner in America being first on the docket for release. Hantz Motion Pictures has brought in Lindsay Hurd, who was previously managing brands for the marketing firm Carat USA, to run point for Best & Final.
“Starting Best & Final Releasing will allow Hantz Motion Pictures to offer a fully collaborative model for filmmakers from start to finish,...
Best & Final Releasing will serve as a home for underdog features that are increasingly being underserved in the current distribution landscape, with Adam Carter Rehmeier’s critically acclaimed Sundance 2020 pic Dinner in America being first on the docket for release. Hantz Motion Pictures has brought in Lindsay Hurd, who was previously managing brands for the marketing firm Carat USA, to run point for Best & Final.
“Starting Best & Final Releasing will allow Hantz Motion Pictures to offer a fully collaborative model for filmmakers from start to finish,...
- 4/6/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated, 12:23 Pm: South by Southwest Conference and Festivals today announced the Audience Award winners for the 29th SXSW Film Festival, with the Patton Oswalt comedy I Love My Dad, FX’s comedy series Atlanta, Sony Pictures Classics’ music doc The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile and AMC’s drama series 61st Street coming in as notable recipients.
I Love My Dad was previously awarded the Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award, and today took home the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award. Atlanta won out in the Headliners section, with The Return of Tanya Tucker prevailing in 24 Beats Per Second, and 61st Street taking the Audience Award for Episodic Premieres.
The SXSW Audience Awards follow the previously-announced 2022 Jury Awards, as well as the 40 Years of Massive Talent Award, which was presented to Nicolas Cage at the festival screening of his Lionsgate pic The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent on Saturday night.
I Love My Dad was previously awarded the Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award, and today took home the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award. Atlanta won out in the Headliners section, with The Return of Tanya Tucker prevailing in 24 Beats Per Second, and 61st Street taking the Audience Award for Episodic Premieres.
The SXSW Audience Awards follow the previously-announced 2022 Jury Awards, as well as the 40 Years of Massive Talent Award, which was presented to Nicolas Cage at the festival screening of his Lionsgate pic The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent on Saturday night.
- 3/23/2022
- by Valerie Complex and Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The South by Southwest 2022 Film Festival grand jury awarded James Morosini’s “I Love My Dad,” a comedy starring Patton Oswalt, its top jury prize in the festival’s Narrative Feature Competition.
Among some of the other top film prizes, “Master of Light” about painter George Anthony Morton and directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten won the Documentary Feature Competition jury prize, Tang Yi’s “All the Crows in the World” won the Narrative Short Competition, and “Long Line of Ladies” from directors Rayka Zehtabchi and Shaandiin Tome won the Documentary Short Competition.
“I Love My Dad” is the feature debut by writer, director and star Morosini (also an actor known for “The Sex Lives of College Girls”), and the film stars Oswalt as an estranged father who, desperate to reconnect with his depressive son, inadvertently catfishes him online, pretending to be a waitress that his son inevitably falls for. The...
Among some of the other top film prizes, “Master of Light” about painter George Anthony Morton and directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten won the Documentary Feature Competition jury prize, Tang Yi’s “All the Crows in the World” won the Narrative Short Competition, and “Long Line of Ladies” from directors Rayka Zehtabchi and Shaandiin Tome won the Documentary Short Competition.
“I Love My Dad” is the feature debut by writer, director and star Morosini (also an actor known for “The Sex Lives of College Girls”), and the film stars Oswalt as an estranged father who, desperate to reconnect with his depressive son, inadvertently catfishes him online, pretending to be a waitress that his son inevitably falls for. The...
- 3/16/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The 2022 jury and special award winners of the 29th SXSW Film Festival were unveiled on Tuesday night out of Austin, Texas. Feature films receiving jury awards were selected from the narrative and documentary competitions. Juried awards for shorts, design, and Xr experience were also announced.
Special awards announced included: Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, Adobe Editing Award, Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award, Zeiss Cinematography Award, the Mailchimp Support the Shorts Award, and the Fandor New Voices Award.
All 2022 film categories will be eligible for category-specific audience awards, which will be certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter. Online screenings and audience award voting will conclude 9 a.m. Ct on Monday, March 21. Winners will be announced via sxsw.com that week.
“It was extraordinary to gather together in person again after so long and we are so grateful to the filmmakers and audience who joined us at SXSW 2022 in...
Special awards announced included: Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, Adobe Editing Award, Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award, Zeiss Cinematography Award, the Mailchimp Support the Shorts Award, and the Fandor New Voices Award.
All 2022 film categories will be eligible for category-specific audience awards, which will be certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter. Online screenings and audience award voting will conclude 9 a.m. Ct on Monday, March 21. Winners will be announced via sxsw.com that week.
“It was extraordinary to gather together in person again after so long and we are so grateful to the filmmakers and audience who joined us at SXSW 2022 in...
- 3/16/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Emmy winner Steve Buscemi has wrapped production on his newest feature The Listener, starring Emmy nominee Tessa Thompson, Deadline has learned.
The contained film written by Oscar nominee Alessandro Camon (The Messenger) features only one on-screen role. It tells the story of Beth (Thompson), a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless, worried.
Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami, and as Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Put a mind at ease? Make someone smile?
Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time…...
The contained film written by Oscar nominee Alessandro Camon (The Messenger) features only one on-screen role. It tells the story of Beth (Thompson), a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless, worried.
Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami, and as Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Put a mind at ease? Make someone smile?
Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time…...
- 10/12/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Patton Oswalt is toplining and starring alongside writer-director James Morosini in I Love My Dad, a dramatic comedy that just wrapped principal photography in Syracuse, NY. Claudia Sulewski, Rachel Dratch, Ricky Velez also star along with Lil Rel Howery and Amy Landecker.
Inspired by Morosini’s real-life experiences, the pic follows Chuck (Oswalt), an estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his depressive son, Franklin (Morosini). Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress (Sulewski) online and starts checking in with Franklin. But things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl and wants nothing more than to meet her in person.
Bill Stertz and Sean King O’Grady produce for Atlas Industries alongside Dane Eckerle, Daniel Brandt and Burn Later Productions’ Phil Keefe and Sam Slater. Lauren Hantz and John Hantz are executive producers via their Hantz Motion Pictures, which fully financed.
Inspired by Morosini’s real-life experiences, the pic follows Chuck (Oswalt), an estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his depressive son, Franklin (Morosini). Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress (Sulewski) online and starts checking in with Franklin. But things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl and wants nothing more than to meet her in person.
Bill Stertz and Sean King O’Grady produce for Atlas Industries alongside Dane Eckerle, Daniel Brandt and Burn Later Productions’ Phil Keefe and Sam Slater. Lauren Hantz and John Hantz are executive producers via their Hantz Motion Pictures, which fully financed.
- 6/18/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Coven handles all international sales.
IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to Sean King O’Grady’s upcoming Tribeca premiere We Need To Do Something.
O’Grady’s feature directorial debut is written by Max Booth III based on his novella of the same name about Melissa and her family as they seek shelter from a storm and become trapped.
With no sign of rescue, hours turn to days and Melissa comes to realise that she and her girlfriend Amy might have something to do with the horrors that threaten to tear her family – and the entire world – apart.
IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to Sean King O’Grady’s upcoming Tribeca premiere We Need To Do Something.
O’Grady’s feature directorial debut is written by Max Booth III based on his novella of the same name about Melissa and her family as they seek shelter from a storm and become trapped.
With no sign of rescue, hours turn to days and Melissa comes to realise that she and her girlfriend Amy might have something to do with the horrors that threaten to tear her family – and the entire world – apart.
- 5/11/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Ahead of its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, Sean King O’Grady's We Need to Do Something (written by Max Booth III and adapted from his novella of the same name) has been acquired for North American distribution by IFC Midnight, with plans to release the film in theaters and on VOD later this year:
Press Release: New York, New York – IFC Midnight announced today that it is acquiring North American rights to We Need To Do Something in a competitive situation. The film is directed by Sean King O’Grady in his debut narrative feature and written by Max Booth III, based on his novella of the same name, and stars Sierra McCormick (The Vast Of Night), Vinessa Shaw, Pat Healy, John James Cronin (NOS4A2), and newcomer Lisette Alexis. We Need To Do Something is produced by Bill Stertz, John Malerman (Bird Box), Ryan Lewis (Bird...
Press Release: New York, New York – IFC Midnight announced today that it is acquiring North American rights to We Need To Do Something in a competitive situation. The film is directed by Sean King O’Grady in his debut narrative feature and written by Max Booth III, based on his novella of the same name, and stars Sierra McCormick (The Vast Of Night), Vinessa Shaw, Pat Healy, John James Cronin (NOS4A2), and newcomer Lisette Alexis. We Need To Do Something is produced by Bill Stertz, John Malerman (Bird Box), Ryan Lewis (Bird...
- 5/11/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: IFC Midnight has taken North American rights to Sean King O’Grady’s debut genre feature We Need to Do Something ahead of the pic’s Tribeca Film Festival world premiere in the Midnight Section.
A theatrical and PVOD release on Sept. 3 is currently scheduled.
The movie, adapted by Max Booth III off the novella of the same name, follows Melissa and her family as they seek shelter from a storm and become trapped. With no sign of rescue, hours turn to days and Melissa comes to realize that she and her girlfriend Amy might have something to do with the horrors that threaten to tear her family – and the entire world – apart.
We Need to Do Something stars Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night), Vinessa Shaw, Pat Healy, John James Cronin (NOS4A2), and newcomer Lisette Alexis. Pic is produced by Bill Stertz,...
A theatrical and PVOD release on Sept. 3 is currently scheduled.
The movie, adapted by Max Booth III off the novella of the same name, follows Melissa and her family as they seek shelter from a storm and become trapped. With no sign of rescue, hours turn to days and Melissa comes to realize that she and her girlfriend Amy might have something to do with the horrors that threaten to tear her family – and the entire world – apart.
We Need to Do Something stars Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night), Vinessa Shaw, Pat Healy, John James Cronin (NOS4A2), and newcomer Lisette Alexis. Pic is produced by Bill Stertz,...
- 5/11/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Production, Atlas Industries, and Spin a Black Yarn are teaming on a film adaptation of Bird Box author Josh Malerman’s novel Black Mad Wheel with Barnett Brettler on board to write the screenplay. Sean O’Grady and Bill Stertz are producing the project for Atlas along with Ryan Lewis and Malerman for their newly formed production Spin a Black Yarn shingle.
The psychological horror follows The Danes, the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”, who are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is until an agent from the Us Army approaches them. Under the guidance of their frontman, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert – a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.
Atlas and Spin are also producing a...
The psychological horror follows The Danes, the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”, who are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is until an agent from the Us Army approaches them. Under the guidance of their frontman, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert – a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.
Atlas and Spin are also producing a...
- 3/18/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
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