Exclusive: Liam Neeson is set to star in thriller Thug, reuniting with his Cold Pursuit director Hans Petter Moland, who will direct the film for Sculptor Media and Electromagnetic Productions, with Mossbank and CAA handling sales at next week’s Cannes market.
Thug revolves around an ageing San Pedro gangster (Neeson) who attempts to reconnect with his children and rectify the mistakes in his past, but the criminal underworld won’t loosen their grip willingly. Tony Gayton wrote the screenplay.
Principal photography is slated for October, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Sculptor Media’s Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing the movie alongside Roger Birnbaum (Rush Hour franchise) and Michael Besman (About Schmidt) for Electromagnetic Productions, and James Masciello’s Force Majeure (Copshop).
Executive producers are James Masciello, Matt Sidari and Mitchell Zhang of Raven, which has a slate financing and production partnership with Sculptor Media and is financing Thug.
Mossbank,...
Thug revolves around an ageing San Pedro gangster (Neeson) who attempts to reconnect with his children and rectify the mistakes in his past, but the criminal underworld won’t loosen their grip willingly. Tony Gayton wrote the screenplay.
Principal photography is slated for October, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Sculptor Media’s Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing the movie alongside Roger Birnbaum (Rush Hour franchise) and Michael Besman (About Schmidt) for Electromagnetic Productions, and James Masciello’s Force Majeure (Copshop).
Executive producers are James Masciello, Matt Sidari and Mitchell Zhang of Raven, which has a slate financing and production partnership with Sculptor Media and is financing Thug.
Mossbank,...
- 5/10/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: In a competitive situation financier Sculptor Media has come on board to finance and produce spec feature The Delivered by in-demand screenwriter Harrison Query.
Sculptor’s frequent distribution partner Open Road has taken U.S. rights and plans to release the drama-thriller theatrically after fast-tracking production, which is earmarked for Q4, 2021.
In the vein of Hell or High Water and No Country for Old Men, The Delivered follows a U.S. Marshal who risks everything to save his convict brother from execution.
The partners have set rising indie film director Jamie M. Dagg (Sweet Virginia) to direct. Sculptor Media’s Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing alongside Scott Glassgold and his Ground Control Entertainment banner.
The Delivered follows a series of high-profile sales for Query and Glassgold as collaborators. In the last year the duo sold My Wife and I Bought a Ranch to Netflix in a seven-figure...
Sculptor’s frequent distribution partner Open Road has taken U.S. rights and plans to release the drama-thriller theatrically after fast-tracking production, which is earmarked for Q4, 2021.
In the vein of Hell or High Water and No Country for Old Men, The Delivered follows a U.S. Marshal who risks everything to save his convict brother from execution.
The partners have set rising indie film director Jamie M. Dagg (Sweet Virginia) to direct. Sculptor Media’s Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing alongside Scott Glassgold and his Ground Control Entertainment banner.
The Delivered follows a series of high-profile sales for Query and Glassgold as collaborators. In the last year the duo sold My Wife and I Bought a Ranch to Netflix in a seven-figure...
- 6/8/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Film library includes Spotlight, Nightcrawler, Chef, Dope.
Private equity firm Raven Capital Management has completed an $87.5m Usd purchase of select assets of Open Road Films including the rights to 45 film titles, among them best picture Oscar winner Spotlight.
The Open Road film library offers significant licensing opportunities and includes Nightcrawler, Chef, Dope, End Of Watch, The Grey, Killer Elite, and Snowden.
Prior to acquiring Open Road, private Raven teamed with Ambi Media Group to acquire the Exclusive Media Group library of more than 400 titles including Memento, Donnie Darko, Rush, and The Mexican.
Raven has also been active in financing...
Private equity firm Raven Capital Management has completed an $87.5m Usd purchase of select assets of Open Road Films including the rights to 45 film titles, among them best picture Oscar winner Spotlight.
The Open Road film library offers significant licensing opportunities and includes Nightcrawler, Chef, Dope, End Of Watch, The Grey, Killer Elite, and Snowden.
Prior to acquiring Open Road, private Raven teamed with Ambi Media Group to acquire the Exclusive Media Group library of more than 400 titles including Memento, Donnie Darko, Rush, and The Mexican.
Raven has also been active in financing...
- 2/7/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jamie M. Dagg is set to direct the dark thriller The Importance of Blood for financing and producing partners Sculptor Media and The Walking Dead executive producer Circle of Confusion.
Dagg followed up his debut feature River with Sweet Virginia, which premiered at Tribeca and will be released by IFC. There's no word on casting for Dagg's third feature, now underway.
The Importance of Blood, written by James Breen, portrays a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. By doing so, she threatens her relationship...
Dagg followed up his debut feature River with Sweet Virginia, which premiered at Tribeca and will be released by IFC. There's no word on casting for Dagg's third feature, now underway.
The Importance of Blood, written by James Breen, portrays a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. By doing so, she threatens her relationship...
- 4/17/2018
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sweet Virginia director Jamie M. Dagg has been set to helm The Importance of Blood, a dark thriller that will be financed and produced by Sculptor Media along with Circle of Confusion.
The pic based on James Breen’s screenplay, which made the 2012 Blood List, centers on a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. In doing so, she threatens her relationship with Malcolm, a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets of his own. Casting is underway.
Sculptor founders Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing with Circle of Confusion’s Lawrence Mattis and Matt Smith, and Chris Armogida. James Masciello, principal of the private equity firm Raven Capital which provides financing to Sculptor, will executive produce.
Dagg’s first feature film River premiered at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival. His follow-up Sweet Virginia, a neo-Western starring Jon Bernthal,...
The pic based on James Breen’s screenplay, which made the 2012 Blood List, centers on a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. In doing so, she threatens her relationship with Malcolm, a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets of his own. Casting is underway.
Sculptor founders Warren Goz and Eric Gold are producing with Circle of Confusion’s Lawrence Mattis and Matt Smith, and Chris Armogida. James Masciello, principal of the private equity firm Raven Capital which provides financing to Sculptor, will executive produce.
Dagg’s first feature film River premiered at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival. His follow-up Sweet Virginia, a neo-Western starring Jon Bernthal,...
- 4/17/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Jamie M. Dagg is set to direct the dark thriller <em>The Importance of Blood </em>for financing and producing partners Sculptor Media and <em>The Walking Dead </em>executive producer Circle of Confusion.
Dagg followed up his 2015 debut feature <em>River</em> with <em><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sweet-virginia-1051898" target="_blank">Sweet Virginia</a>,</em> which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival and was released by IFC.
<em>The Importance of Blood</em>, written by James Breen, portrays a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. By doing so, she threatens her relationship with Malcolm, a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets ...
Dagg followed up his 2015 debut feature <em>River</em> with <em><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sweet-virginia-1051898" target="_blank">Sweet Virginia</a>,</em> which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival and was released by IFC.
<em>The Importance of Blood</em>, written by James Breen, portrays a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. By doing so, she threatens her relationship with Malcolm, a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets ...
- 4/17/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Sculptor Media is fully financing and producing, with Circle of Confusion, the dark thriller “The Importance of Blood” with “Sweet Virgina” helmer Jamie M. Dagg directing.
The original screenplay by James Breen was highlighted in the Blood List dark genre and horror annual listing. Sculptor founders Warren Goz and Eric Gold made the announcement Tuesday.
The film is about a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. In doing so, she threatens her relationship with a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets of his own.
Sculptor’s Goz and Gold are producing with Circle of Confusion’s Lawrence Mattis and Matt Smith. Chris Armogida will also produce. James Masciello, principal of the private equity firm Raven Capital which provides financing to Sculptor, will executive produce. Gerard Dinardi is the line producer.
Sculptor Media has financed “Imperium,...
The original screenplay by James Breen was highlighted in the Blood List dark genre and horror annual listing. Sculptor founders Warren Goz and Eric Gold made the announcement Tuesday.
The film is about a mysterious young woman named Rose who returns to her hometown years after disappearing to seek reconciliation with her estranged family. In doing so, she threatens her relationship with a caring but manipulative man who harbors dangerous secrets of his own.
Sculptor’s Goz and Gold are producing with Circle of Confusion’s Lawrence Mattis and Matt Smith. Chris Armogida will also produce. James Masciello, principal of the private equity firm Raven Capital which provides financing to Sculptor, will executive produce. Gerard Dinardi is the line producer.
Sculptor Media has financed “Imperium,...
- 4/17/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
James Hunt Jan 18, 2018
We chat to Jon Bernthal about new movie Sweet Virginia, out now on DVD, and why there's a little bit of The Punisher in all of us...
In the last few years, credits on the The Walking Dead, Daredevil, The Punisher and Baby Driver have made Jon Bernthal a regular and welcome fixture on the screens of virtually all Den of Geek readers.
See related Hard Sun episode 2 review Hard Sun episode 1 review 28 British TV dramas to watch in 2018
In Jamie M. Dagg's Sweet Virginia, Bernthal's latest role sees him playing a former rodeo champion who has decamped to Alaska, only to find a triple murder in the town awakening a darkness within him. We caught up to hear Bernthal's thoughts on making the movie and the roles that made him famous.
So, how did you get involved with Sweet Virginia?
It came to me through Xyz Films,...
We chat to Jon Bernthal about new movie Sweet Virginia, out now on DVD, and why there's a little bit of The Punisher in all of us...
In the last few years, credits on the The Walking Dead, Daredevil, The Punisher and Baby Driver have made Jon Bernthal a regular and welcome fixture on the screens of virtually all Den of Geek readers.
See related Hard Sun episode 2 review Hard Sun episode 1 review 28 British TV dramas to watch in 2018
In Jamie M. Dagg's Sweet Virginia, Bernthal's latest role sees him playing a former rodeo champion who has decamped to Alaska, only to find a triple murder in the town awakening a darkness within him. We caught up to hear Bernthal's thoughts on making the movie and the roles that made him famous.
So, how did you get involved with Sweet Virginia?
It came to me through Xyz Films,...
- 1/17/2018
- Den of Geek
Columbia Pictures awards hopeful Roman J. Israel, Esq. leads a slate of limited release newcomers more crowded than last weekend’s. Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo star in the film, which the filmmakers shot in Los Angeles. The title will bow in New York and L.A. before going wide November 22 in time for Thanksgiving. Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots and Rosemarie DeWitt star in Sweet Virginia from IFC Films, with filmmaker Jamie M. Dagg…...
- 11/16/2017
- Deadline
Plot: A small-town motel owner (Jon Bernthal) crosses paths with a crazed hitman (Christopher Abbott) hooked up in a scheme with a local girl (Imogen Poots). Review: Sweet Virginia is Canadian director Jamie M. Dagg’s second neo-noir, a follow-up to the acclaimed River, which transposed the classic “wrong man” scenario to an exotic locale, Vietnam. Sweet Virginia likewise opts... Read More...
- 11/13/2017
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
In the tense opening moments of Sweet Virginia, before all hell breaks loose in a backroom fusillade, somebody mentions a highway closure and an encroaching fire. That detail might at first suggest a nod to topical matters, but it soon becomes clear that this taut drama exists in a timeless noir territory, a world of free-floating dread and dashed hopes where mood supersedes specifics of time and place.
Even the movie's switch of setting to Alaska, from the Appalachia of Benjamin and Paul China's Black List screenplay, is immaterial. What director Jamie M. Dagg achieves with his slow burn of...
Even the movie's switch of setting to Alaska, from the Appalachia of Benjamin and Paul China's Black List screenplay, is immaterial. What director Jamie M. Dagg achieves with his slow burn of...
- 10/25/2017
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IFC Films has released the trailer for “Sweet Virginia,” Jamie M. Dagg’s thriller starring Jon Bernthal and Christopher Abbott. Taking its name from a Rolling Stones song, the film was written by Benjamin and Paul China. Avail yourself of the trailer below.
Read More:‘Sweet Virginia’ Review: Christopher Abbott Is a Millennial Anton Chigurh in Nerve-Shredding Neo-Noir — Tribeca 2017
Here’s the synopsis: “A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter Elwood (Abbott) checks into a motel run by Sam (Bernthal), a former rodeo champion whose imposing physical presence conceals a troubled soul. Bound together by their outsider status, the two men strike up an uneasy friendship — a dangerous association that will set off a new wave of violence and unleash Sam’s darkest demons.
Read More:‘Sweet Virginia’ Review: Christopher Abbott Is a Millennial Anton Chigurh in Nerve-Shredding Neo-Noir — Tribeca 2017
Here’s the synopsis: “A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter Elwood (Abbott) checks into a motel run by Sam (Bernthal), a former rodeo champion whose imposing physical presence conceals a troubled soul. Bound together by their outsider status, the two men strike up an uneasy friendship — a dangerous association that will set off a new wave of violence and unleash Sam’s darkest demons.
- 10/14/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Tony Sokol Oct 16, 2017
The first trailer for Sweet Virginia takes hostages to a dark place.
You just gotta let it pass through and wait it out, Jon Bernthal advises in the first trailer for the upcoming hostage thriller Sweet Virginia. Director Jamie M. Dagg’s film premiered at the 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival and is already being compared with the early works of the Coen brothers. The screenplay is written by Paul China and Benjamin China.
Bernthal plays Sam, a former rodeo star who runs a motel on the edge of the wilds of Alaska. He gets friendly with a violent stranger who drifts by named Elwood (Christopher Abbott).
The synopsis reads...
A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter...
The first trailer for Sweet Virginia takes hostages to a dark place.
You just gotta let it pass through and wait it out, Jon Bernthal advises in the first trailer for the upcoming hostage thriller Sweet Virginia. Director Jamie M. Dagg’s film premiered at the 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival and is already being compared with the early works of the Coen brothers. The screenplay is written by Paul China and Benjamin China.
Bernthal plays Sam, a former rodeo star who runs a motel on the edge of the wilds of Alaska. He gets friendly with a violent stranger who drifts by named Elwood (Christopher Abbott).
The synopsis reads...
A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter...
- 10/13/2017
- Den of Geek
If you're a fan of Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Punisher) I've got a trailer for a new film of his that you've gotta check out. It's called Sweet Virginia and it looks like a wickedly intense and brutal thriller. The movie also stars Christopher Abbott (Girls), Imogen Poots (Green Room), and Rosemarie Dewitt (Poltergeist).
The movie follows two outsider-type strangers that start up a friendship that seems to go very bad as a wave of violence in the community in which they reside begins. It looks like Bernthal gives an incredible performance and I'll definitely be checking the movie out!
A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter Elwood (Christopher Abbott) checks into a motel run by Sam (Jon Bernthal...
The movie follows two outsider-type strangers that start up a friendship that seems to go very bad as a wave of violence in the community in which they reside begins. It looks like Bernthal gives an incredible performance and I'll definitely be checking the movie out!
A mysterious stranger sends shockwaves through a close-knit community in this nerve-jangling slice of raw suspense. In the wake of a triple murder that leaves the residents of a remote Alaskan outpost on edge, tightly wound drifter Elwood (Christopher Abbott) checks into a motel run by Sam (Jon Bernthal...
- 10/13/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"A dark and densely packed chunk of pulp fiction." IFC Films has debuted an official trailer for an indie drama titled Sweet Virginia, starring very talented actors Jon Bernthal & Christopher Abbott. The story follows a former rodeo star (Bernthal), with a small time life, who unknowingly starts a rapport with a young man (Abbott) who is responsible for the violence that has suddenly gripped his small town. Every character from his loved ones to his business patrons, plays a part in the unraveling of this community. He must face his relationships of past and present to come up against this unpredictable predator. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and played at a few other fests this year. The cast includes Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Abrahamson, and Odessa Young. Give it a look below if you want. Here's the first official trailer for Jamie M. Dagg's Sweet Virginia,...
- 10/12/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Chicago! Cure your post-Halloween hangover with a healthy dose of fantastic cinema at Cinepocalypse at the Music Box Theatre during the first week of November. Jamie M. Dagg's Sweet Virgina, starring Jon Bernthal will the open the festival. Closing the fest is the bonkers action sci-fi flick Skyline Beyond, starring Frank Grillo and Iko Uwais, guaranteeing to fry any remaining brain cells left over from the week long event. The tremendous selection of films from around the world includes a few circuit faves including Lowlife, Tragedy Girls, and Jailbreak. There are some really awesome retro screenings as well: Near Dark, Foxy Brown, Bullet in the Head and Maximum Overdrive. There are other standouts from the circuit so far this year. If you liked...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/6/2017
- Screen Anarchy
For his feature film debut, writer/director Jamie M. Dagg made an impression with the Laos based thriller River (trailer) which won him a number of awards including the coveted Borsos Award for best Canadian Film at the Whistler Film Festival. For his follow up, Dagg has elevated his game with the simmering thriller Sweet Virginia.
Jon Bernthal ("The Walking Dead" and Netflix's upcoming "The Punisher") stars as Sam, a former rodeo champion who runs a motel called Sweet Virginia in small town Alaska. His and the town's quiet existence is shattered when three men are murdered at the town pub and while the investigation suggest the murders were a robbery gone [Continued ...]...
Jon Bernthal ("The Walking Dead" and Netflix's upcoming "The Punisher") stars as Sam, a former rodeo champion who runs a motel called Sweet Virginia in small town Alaska. His and the town's quiet existence is shattered when three men are murdered at the town pub and while the investigation suggest the murders were a robbery gone [Continued ...]...
- 10/2/2017
- QuietEarth.us
The sprawling Festival do Rio runs from October 5th to 15th this year and - as per usual - there is a generous assortment of genre titles both in the dedicated idnight lineups and spread throughout the program. Whether you're looking for Asian action or high energy music docs, Rio has your fix. Here's the lineup! Midnight Movies Brawl in Cell Block 99 (dir. S. Craig Zahler, USA) Let the Corpses Tan (dir. Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, France/Belgium) The Villainess (dir. Jung Byoung-Gil, Sputh Korea) Jailbreak (dir. Jimmy Henderson, Cambodia) Sweet Virginia (dir. Jamie M. Dagg, USA) Lake Bodom (dir. Taneli Mustonen, Finland/Estonia) Prevenge (dir. Alice Lowe, United Kingdom) The Misandrists (dir. Bruce Labruce, Germany) My Entire High School Is Sinking Into the Sea (dir. Dash Shaw, USA) Salt (dir. Diego Freitas, Brazil) Midnight Music Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (dir. Sophie Fiennes, Ireland/United...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/27/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Zombies, serial killers, and all manner of creepy creatures will descend upon the inaugural Cinepocalypse film festival in November 2nd–9th at Chicago's Music Box Theatre, and the first wave of programming has officially been announced, including Tyler MacIntyre's Tragedy Girls, Ted Geoghegan's Mohawk, and the 35mm uncut version of Suspiria.
Press Release: August 31, 2017 - The Music Box Theatre is proud to announce their first wave of programming and guests for the debut year of Cinepocalypse (an evolution to the program design of Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival), which will take place November 2 - 9 at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. The Midwest’s largest gathering of genre films and fans, the festival’s organizers are proud to have acclaimed screenwriter Simon Barrett (You’re Next, The Guest) guest host the entirety of the festival.
Writer/director Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team) will guest curate “Blood,...
Press Release: August 31, 2017 - The Music Box Theatre is proud to announce their first wave of programming and guests for the debut year of Cinepocalypse (an evolution to the program design of Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival), which will take place November 2 - 9 at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. The Midwest’s largest gathering of genre films and fans, the festival’s organizers are proud to have acclaimed screenwriter Simon Barrett (You’re Next, The Guest) guest host the entirety of the festival.
Writer/director Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team) will guest curate “Blood,...
- 8/31/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– IFC Films has acquired the U.S rights to director Jamie M. Dagg’s thriller “Sweet Virginia,” starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young. The film, which premiered at the recent Tribeca Film Festival, was written by Ben and Paul China from their Black List script, and was produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones for Automatik, Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows and Fernando Loureiro and Roberto Vasconcellos for Exhibit, who also financed.
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: Focus Features Picks Up ‘Tully,’ Electric Entertainment Buys ‘Lbj’ and More
Xyz Films is currently handling international sales and will screen the film at the upcoming Marché du Film at Cannes. “Sweet Virginia” is a riveting thriller that...
– IFC Films has acquired the U.S rights to director Jamie M. Dagg’s thriller “Sweet Virginia,” starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young. The film, which premiered at the recent Tribeca Film Festival, was written by Ben and Paul China from their Black List script, and was produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones for Automatik, Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows and Fernando Loureiro and Roberto Vasconcellos for Exhibit, who also financed.
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: Focus Features Picks Up ‘Tully,’ Electric Entertainment Buys ‘Lbj’ and More
Xyz Films is currently handling international sales and will screen the film at the upcoming Marché du Film at Cannes. “Sweet Virginia” is a riveting thriller that...
- 5/12/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Sweet Virginia Review Sweet Virginia (2017) Film Review from the 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie directed by Jamie M. Dagg and starring Jon Bernthal, Imogen Poots, Christopher Abbott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Abrahamson, Odessa Young, Joseph Lyle Taylor, Darcy Laurie, and Scott A. McGillivray. Sweet Virginia was good for [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Sweet Virginia (2017): No Set-Up, Some Delivery [Tribeca 2017]...
Continue reading: Film Review: Sweet Virginia (2017): No Set-Up, Some Delivery [Tribeca 2017]...
- 5/10/2017
- by Sam Joseph
- Film-Book
Xyz to screen Tribeca thriller for international buyers in Cannes.
IFC Films has acquired all Us rights to Sweet Virginia starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young.
Jamie M. Dagg’s thriller premiered in Tribeca and is based on the Black List screenplay by Ben and Paul China.
Sweet Virginia follows a motel owner with a dark past who unwittingly befriends a young hitman who is wreaking havoc in s small town.
Xyz handles international sales and will screen the film for buyers in Cannes.
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones produced for Automatik along with Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows, and Fernando Loureiro and Roberto Vasconcellos for Exhibit, who also financed.
Rian Cahill and Jesse Savath served as executive producers with Nate Bolotin and Aram Tertzakian of Xyz Films.
IFC Films brokered the deal with Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
IFC Films has acquired all Us rights to Sweet Virginia starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young.
Jamie M. Dagg’s thriller premiered in Tribeca and is based on the Black List screenplay by Ben and Paul China.
Sweet Virginia follows a motel owner with a dark past who unwittingly befriends a young hitman who is wreaking havoc in s small town.
Xyz handles international sales and will screen the film for buyers in Cannes.
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones produced for Automatik along with Chris Ferguson for Oddfellows, and Fernando Loureiro and Roberto Vasconcellos for Exhibit, who also financed.
Rian Cahill and Jesse Savath served as executive producers with Nate Bolotin and Aram Tertzakian of Xyz Films.
IFC Films brokered the deal with Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
- 5/9/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
IFC Films has nabbed the domestic rights to thriller Sweet Virginia.
Jon Bernthal and Christopher Abbott lead a cast that includes Imogen Poots, Odessa Young and Rosemarie DeWitt. Jamie M. Dagg directed the pic from a Black List script by Ben and Paul China.
The feature, which made its world premiere last month at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows a motel owner with a dark past (Bernthal) who unknowingly establishes a rapport with a young hitman (Abbott) responsible for a spate of violence that has suddenly gripped a small town.
Automatik's Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Oddfellows' Chris Ferguson produced Sweet Virginia with Fernando Loureiro and...
Jon Bernthal and Christopher Abbott lead a cast that includes Imogen Poots, Odessa Young and Rosemarie DeWitt. Jamie M. Dagg directed the pic from a Black List script by Ben and Paul China.
The feature, which made its world premiere last month at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows a motel owner with a dark past (Bernthal) who unknowingly establishes a rapport with a young hitman (Abbott) responsible for a spate of violence that has suddenly gripped a small town.
Automatik's Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Oddfellows' Chris Ferguson produced Sweet Virginia with Fernando Loureiro and...
- 5/9/2017
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IFC Films has acquired domestic rights to Sweet Virginia, the Jamie M. Dagg thriller that bowed at the Tribeca Film Festival and stars Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young. Xyz Films is handling international sales and will screen the film at the upcoming Cannes market. Ben and Paul China’s 2012 Black List script centers on a motel owner (Bernthal) with a dark past who unknowingly starts a rapport with a young hitman (Abbott)…...
- 5/9/2017
- Deadline
The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival has come and gone, but several of its highlights face an uncertain future. While the festival opened with an iTunes-ready documentary about Clive Davis and closed with back-to-back screenings of the first two “Godfather” films, many of the films in its competition sections arrived at the festival without distribution deals and ended it in the same state. Here’s at a few significant titles from this year’s edition that deserve to get picked up.
“Blame”
Overachieving multi-hyphenate Quinn Shephard was just 20 when she wrote, directed, produced, edited and starred in her feature directorial debut, a modern spin on Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” set in the witch hunt capital of contemporary America: the suburban high school. While Shephard cast herself as the film’s Abigail Williams — an outcast with secrets to spare who gets entangled with a smoldering substitute teacher, played by Chris Messina — the...
“Blame”
Overachieving multi-hyphenate Quinn Shephard was just 20 when she wrote, directed, produced, edited and starred in her feature directorial debut, a modern spin on Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” set in the witch hunt capital of contemporary America: the suburban high school. While Shephard cast herself as the film’s Abigail Williams — an outcast with secrets to spare who gets entangled with a smoldering substitute teacher, played by Chris Messina — the...
- 5/1/2017
- by David Ehrlich, Eric Kohn, Jude Dry and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Christopher Abbott continues to glower his way through roles, all furrowed brow and electric intensity, but there are no complaints here. It’s his onscreen magnetism that makes much of “Sweet Virginia” work, a simmering body of violence that lashes out in unexpected moments. A movie that forgoes solid storytelling for an atmosphere that keeps you captivated, director Jamie M. Dagg has made a film that plays with genres from neo-noir to thriller to even horror.
Continue reading Christopher Abbott Steals The Show In The Intense Thriller ‘Sweet Virginia’ [Tribeca Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Christopher Abbott Steals The Show In The Intense Thriller ‘Sweet Virginia’ [Tribeca Review] at The Playlist.
- 4/27/2017
- by Ally Johnson
- The Playlist
We chat with Sarah Adina Smith, writer and director, about the magic available to us today and “fortune cookie” wisdom.The Sword of Damocles is an apology for those who rule us in the systems of control. Time is a butcher’s chop and existence is its block. What are we doing?!
The Shallow Pocket Project is going to Tribeca (in spirit)! We’ll be chatting with several independent filmmakers making the trek to New York for this year’s film festival. Stay tuned! Check out our last Tribeca chat with Jamie M. Dagg (Director of ‘Sweet Virginia’). Special thanks, as always, to In The Mouth of Dorkness, Brad Gullickson, and Darren Smith.
Sarah Adina Smith is a fucking brilliant madwoman. It hurt my brain talking with her. Honest to goodness, I am not being hyperbolic. She is so effortlessly purposeful and creative in her casual discussion of philosophy that it made me wish I was smarter...
The Shallow Pocket Project is going to Tribeca (in spirit)! We’ll be chatting with several independent filmmakers making the trek to New York for this year’s film festival. Stay tuned! Check out our last Tribeca chat with Jamie M. Dagg (Director of ‘Sweet Virginia’). Special thanks, as always, to In The Mouth of Dorkness, Brad Gullickson, and Darren Smith.
Sarah Adina Smith is a fucking brilliant madwoman. It hurt my brain talking with her. Honest to goodness, I am not being hyperbolic. She is so effortlessly purposeful and creative in her casual discussion of philosophy that it made me wish I was smarter...
- 4/26/2017
- by William Dass
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
‘Sweet Virginia’ and the Effect of Violence and Moral Ambiguity in Rural TownsWe chat with Jamie M. Dagg about his latest film ‘Sweet Virginia’…and Ewoks? It gets awesomely weird!Christopher Abbott and Jon Bernthal, the spider and the fly.
The Shallow Pocket Project is going to Tribeca (in spirit)! We’ll be chatting with several independent filmmakers making the trek to New York for this year’s film festival. Stay tuned! Check out our last Tribeca chat with Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson (‘The Endless’). Special thanks, as always, to In The Mouth of Dorkness, Brad Gullickson, and Darren Smith.
You never really know what’s going on in small town life. There’s a general perception that these sparsely populated towns are quiet places filled with people who know each other as well as I know my own family. We suppose that feuds can last generations, but we allow that it happens in the open...
The Shallow Pocket Project is going to Tribeca (in spirit)! We’ll be chatting with several independent filmmakers making the trek to New York for this year’s film festival. Stay tuned! Check out our last Tribeca chat with Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson (‘The Endless’). Special thanks, as always, to In The Mouth of Dorkness, Brad Gullickson, and Darren Smith.
You never really know what’s going on in small town life. There’s a general perception that these sparsely populated towns are quiet places filled with people who know each other as well as I know my own family. We suppose that feuds can last generations, but we allow that it happens in the open...
- 4/25/2017
- by William Dass
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Christopher Abbott essentially has two modes: Intense, and way more intense. The former “Girls” star, whose blooming career is still often seen as a response to his brief time on (and tumultuous exit from) that epochal HBO show, has spent the last few years playing one brooding knuckle-dragger after another, like he’s trying to rid himself of whatever cooties Lena Dunham may have left behind.
From “James White” to “Katie Says Goodbye,” the Greenwich, Ct native seems exclusively drawn to characters who could punch a wall at any moment — you can’t take your eyes off the guy, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that he picks his roles by imagining what might happen if Marlon Brando’s Stanley Kowalski walked off the screen and started wandering through the modern indie landscape.
But that’s all about to change, as Jamie M. Dagg’s “Sweet Virginia” brings...
From “James White” to “Katie Says Goodbye,” the Greenwich, Ct native seems exclusively drawn to characters who could punch a wall at any moment — you can’t take your eyes off the guy, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that he picks his roles by imagining what might happen if Marlon Brando’s Stanley Kowalski walked off the screen and started wandering through the modern indie landscape.
But that’s all about to change, as Jamie M. Dagg’s “Sweet Virginia” brings...
- 4/23/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
★★☆☆☆ First-time filmmaker Jamie M. Dagg directs Rossif Sutherland in this Canadian crime-thriller as American volunteer and doctor John Lake, whose residency at a Laos hospital is cut short after disobeying his superior. He later encounters a sexual assault on a local beach and intervenes, which leads to staggering and life-altering consequences as he attempts to reach the Thai border. River begins with Lake constructing a patient leg amputation, confirming from the get-go that this is a rebellious, no-holds-barred American that we are dealing with here. Its lead actor derives from a long line of acting royalty most notably brother Kiefer and father Donald, who remains one of cinema's most commendable and cult veteran actors.
- 7/18/2016
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
As children, we are often taught that, when someone is in trouble, we should try to help, or if someone is being bullied, we should intervene. But sometimes, there can be unforeseen consequences that would endanger ourselves. Jamie M. Dagg's first feature film, River, takes this endangerment to the extreme in a taut and exciting, if somewhat narratively sparse thriller. The first North American film to be shot in Laos, it uses its location to great advantage as it follows one man's desperate run from the authorities. John Lake (Rossif Sutherland) is an American doctor working at an Ngo clinic in Vientiane. With stress taking its toll, he goes on holiday to the south, where he can sit in the sun and drink to his...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/23/2016
- Screen Anarchy
It's a prickly feeling at the bottom of your stomach. While volunteering as a doctor In Laos, John (Rossif Sutherland) has witnessed something terrible. As soon as he can, he comes to the U.S. Embassy for help. But, as our exclusive clip from River suggests, help is not forthcoming and the tension will only thicken. The official synopsis gets right to the point: In the south of Laos, an American volunteer doctor becomes a fugitive after he intervenes in the sexual assault of a young woman. When the assailant's body is pulled from the Mekong River, things quickly spiral out of control. Jamie M. Dagg wrote and directed. You can watch our exclusive clip below, and below that the offical trailer. River will open in...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 6/23/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Jamie M. Dagg's debut feature film, River, is an intense, thought-provoking, moral fable about an American doctor working in Laos, who after a night of drinking, intervenes in the sexual assault of a young woman. In an act of impulse, anger, and violence, John Lake (Rossif Sutherland) has his life turned upside down and is now on the run from the authorities within a country that holds no mercy.
Sometimes even our best intentions can lead us down the wrong path. River is a thrilling film about a man on the run, but it grapples with very deep issues, and definitely challenges the binaries of right and wrong. It's a stunning debut feature with a powerhouse performance from Sutherland, who last starred in Paul Gross' Hyena Road.
We had the opportunity to talk to director Jamie M. Dagg and star Rossif Sutherland about River, which has just won...
Sometimes even our best intentions can lead us down the wrong path. River is a thrilling film about a man on the run, but it grapples with very deep issues, and definitely challenges the binaries of right and wrong. It's a stunning debut feature with a powerhouse performance from Sutherland, who last starred in Paul Gross' Hyena Road.
We had the opportunity to talk to director Jamie M. Dagg and star Rossif Sutherland about River, which has just won...
- 3/10/2016
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
Canadian writer/director Jamie M. Dagg is no stranger to the Toronto International Film Festival. Both of his short films played the fest in previous years which was a great sign that the up-and-coming director was one to watch but one can never really tell if good shorts will equal good features. In the case of Dagg, that certainly seems to be the case.
I missed River when it played the Whister late last year and judging from the buzz around the movie, I'm disappointed that I didn't have a chance to see it.
River stars Rossif Sutherland (yup, of that Sutherland clan) as John Lake, a volunteer doctor working in Laos who intervenes in the sexual assault of a young woman. When the body of the perpetrator is pulled from the Mekong River, John's life quickly spirals out [Continued ...]...
I missed River when it played the Whister late last year and judging from the buzz around the movie, I'm disappointed that I didn't have a chance to see it.
River stars Rossif Sutherland (yup, of that Sutherland clan) as John Lake, a volunteer doctor working in Laos who intervenes in the sexual assault of a young woman. When the body of the perpetrator is pulled from the Mekong River, John's life quickly spirals out [Continued ...]...
- 2/9/2016
- QuietEarth.us
Elevation Pictures will be releasing Jamie M. Dagg's Laos set thriller River on March 4th. They have just released the full trailer for the flick and it gives just a taste of the intensity this film has.In the south of Laos, an American volunteer doctor becomes a fugitive after he intervenes in the sexual assault of a young woman. When the assailant's body is pulled from the Mekong River, things quickly spiral out of control. River stars Rossif Sutherland of the Clan Sutherland, Vithaya Pansringarm (Only God Forgives) and Douangmany Soliphanh (Mattie Do's Chantalay and upcoming Dear Sister). Mattie was also the Laos producer and our own Todd Brown is an executive producer. ...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 2/9/2016
- Screen Anarchy
The 15th anniversary celebration of the Whistler Film Festival wrapped Sunday night, living up to its title as ‘Canada’s coolest film fest’ by hosting more premieres, filmmakers, industry executives, and celebrities than ever before, including unique experiences from films, music and parties to high adrenaline races.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
- 12/9/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Those good folks over at Well Go USA Entertainment have announced their acquisition of Jamie M. Dagg's River, the Canadian thriller set and shot in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.River stars Rossif Sutherland (half-brother of Kiefer) as an American doctor volunteering in the North of Laos, who becomes a fugitive after attempting to break up the sexual assault of a young woman. Also starring Ted Atherton (Max Payne), Sara Botsford (The Fog), and Vitaya Pansringarm (Only God Forgives), River was produced by Nick Sorbara, whose previous credits include Bruce McDonald's excellent Pontypool, and Mattie Do, director of the recently wrapped Beloved Sister and Chanthaly, Laos' first ever horror film. Our own Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg wrote of...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 12/1/2015
- Screen Anarchy
As children, we are often taught that, when someone is in trouble, we should try to help, or if someone is being bullied, we should intervene. But sometimes, there can be unforeseen consequences that would endanger ourselves. Jamie M. Dagg's first feature film, River, takes this endangerment to the extreme in a taut and exciting, if somewhat narratively sparse thriller. The first North American film to be shot in Laos, it uses its location to great advantage as it follows one man's desperate run from the authorities.John Lake (Rossif Sutherland) is an American doctor working at an Ngo clinic in Vientiane. With stress taking its toll, he goes on holiday to the south, where he can sit in the sun and drink to his heart's content. At...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/16/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Bad times for a do-gooder abound in River, a new thriller from first time feature director Jamie M. Dagg. The film follows an American volunteer doctor in Laos who, after refusing the orders of a senior surgeon is forced to take a leave of absence. Heading to a remote island in the south of Laos, his solace is shattered after he intervenes in the sexual assault of a young Laotian woman, accidentally killing her assailant. Horrified and panicked, he flees, soon finding…...
- 9/1/2015
- Deadline
A selection of films from the 2015 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival have been unveiled, with films by Terrence Davies, Pablo Larraín, Deepa Mehta, Charlie Kaufman, and many more!GalasBeeba Boys (Deepa Mehta, Canada)Demolition (Jean-Marc Vallée, USA)The Dressmaker (Jocelyn Moorhouse, Australia)Eye in the Sky (Gavin Hood, United Kingdom)Forsaken (Jon Cassar, Canada)Freeheld (Peter Sollett, USA)Hyena Road (Paul Gross, Canada)Legend (Brian Helgeland, United Kingdom)Lolo (Julie Delpy, France)The Man Who Knew Infinity (Matthew Brown, United Kingdom)The Martian (Ridley Scott, USA)The Program (Stephen Frears, United Kingdom)Remember (Atom Egoyan, Canada)Septembers of Shiraz (Wayne Blair, USA)Stonewall (Roland Emmerich, USA)Special PresentationsAnomalisa (Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, USA)Beasts of No Nation (Cary Fukunaga, USA/Ghana)Black Mass (Scott Cooper, USA)Born to be Blue (Robert Budreau, USA)Brooklyn (John Crowley, United Kingdom/Ireland/Canada)The Club (Pablo Larraín,...
- 8/6/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
One of the more notable aspects of the Toronto International Film Festival, due to its location, has been its emphasis on Canadian cinema. The festival’s popularity and prominence among film fans around the world has led to Tiff becoming a key platform for Canadian films and Canadian filmmakers to showcase their talents, with the festival’s opening film often coming from a Canadian. The 2015 incarnation is no different in this regard, with Jean-Marc Vallée’s newest feature Demolition set to open the event, and filmmakers like Deepa Mehta, Atom Egoyan, Jon Cassar, and Paul Gross showcasing their newest films at the festival. The Festival organisers, however, have now revealed the other Canadian features that will be playing at the event, across a variety of programs. The list can be seen below.
Special Presentations
Born to be Blue, directed by Robert Budreau, making its World Premiere Into the Forest, directed by Patricia Rozema,...
Special Presentations
Born to be Blue, directed by Robert Budreau, making its World Premiere Into the Forest, directed by Patricia Rozema,...
- 8/5/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
See that happy man on the boat? That is Jamie M. Dagg and currently he is location scouting for his debut film River in Laos. His debut film is being produced by Pontypool producer Nick Sorbara. Burning Daylight producer Sanzhar Sultanov is co-producing and Jai Khanna (Something Wicked) will exec-produce. The story centres on a traumatized American volunteer doctor on leave in Laos who flees into the interior after he intervenes to help the victim of a sexual assault and kills the assailant.Not to take away from these gentlemen and all that they will accomplish, but, our friend Mattie Do, Laos' only female director and director of Chantalay and the upcoming Dear Sister. Mattie is one super cool chick and if you have had to chance to...
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- 12/3/2014
- Screen Anarchy
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