Best debut director

EXCLUSIVE : Over the last year, director and VFX artist Kane Parsons has shot his YouTube following into the stratosphere with the viral success of his mysterious short, “ The Backrooms (Found Footage).” It’s the first in a series of found-footage horror videos which have thus far garnered nearly 100 million views and will now be adapted for the big screen by A24 , Atomic Monster , Chernin Entertainment and 21 Laps. Parsons — who’s just 17 years old — will direct from a script by Roberto Patino ( DMZ ). He’ll just have to wait till his summer vacation. Details as to the plot of the sci-fi horror feature are under wraps. But in the ’90s-set original short (which you can view below), a young filmmaker’s fall into another dimension leaves him wandering through an unsettlingly yellow, empty and labyrinthine office space, which may or may not be home to otherworldly beings. The film’s title and setting draw inspiration from the imagery of a creepypasta (or internet urban … [Read more...] about ‘The Backrooms’ Horror Film Based On Viral Shorts By 17-Year-Old Kane Parsons In Works At A24, Atomic Monster, Chernin & 21 Laps

EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based genre specialist has boarded sales on Belgian black comedy Krump about a down-on-his-luck ex-porn actor who embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission to raise 50,000 euros when his daughter is kidnapped. The film is the debut feature of French-born, long-time Brussels resident director Cédric Bourgeois after a raft of half a dozen shorts including Laura and Dreamcatchers . Veteran Belgian actor Jean-Benoit Ugeux stars as the titular Krump who turns to his former acquaintances in the porn world to raise the ransom money in a race against time in the underbelly of Brussels nightlife. Other cast members include Jean-Jacques Rausin ( Death By Death ), Babetida Sadjo ( Ritueel, Attraction ), stunt woman and actress Barbara Hellemans  ( Corsage, Dumbo ) and Ingrid Heiderscheidt ( Employee Of The Month ). Bourgeois and Ugeux, and director Xavier Seron co-wrote the screenplay taking inspiration from the figure of President Donald Trump … [Read more...] about Reel Suspects Boards Belgian Donald Trump-Inspired Dark Comedy ‘Krump’ – EFM

Amidst continuing controversy over alleged sexual misconduct, it turns out Woody Allen isn’t turning the other cheek to the end of his multimillion-dollar and multi-picture deal with Amazon. The Oscar winner on Thursday hit the studio division of the Jeff Bezos -founded company with a $68 million lawsuit over the cancellation of a four-film agreement and Amazon Studios killing distribution of Allen’s long-completed and shelved movie A Rainy Day in New York . “In June 2018, however, Amazon backed out of the deals, purporting to terminate them without any legal basis for doing so, while knowing that its actions would cause substantial damage to Mr. Allen, Gravier, investors and the artists and crew involved in making the films,” reads the complaint, citing breach of contract, filed by lawyers for Allen and his Gravier Productions in federal court ( read it here ). “Amazon has tried to excuse its action by referencing a 25-year-old baseless allegation against Mr. … [Read more...] about Woody Allen Hits Amazon With $68M Suit Over Killed Film Deal & “Baseless Allegations”

EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Content has closed a first-look deal with Theresa Park ’s film and TV banner Per Capita Productions . Park’s Per Capita Productions is focused an auteur-driven, independent films, primarily based on literary material. Most recently, Park produced Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All starring Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance. The movie has been nominated for 2023 Independent Spirit Awards for Best Feature Film, Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance; received two acting nominations from the Gotham Awards; and won the Silver Lion at Venice for Best Director; and Best New Talent for Russell. Bones and All was financed by The Apartment Pictures and produced by that studio’s Lorenzo Mieli as well. Park also produced the film After Yang with Cinereach for A24, starring Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith and Justin Min, adapted by writer-director Kogonada from Alexander Weinstein’s short story Saying Goodbye to Yang … [Read more...] about Anonymous Content Inks First Look With ‘Bones And All’ Producer Theresa Park’s Per Capita Productions

Great Expectations , Steven Knight ’s anticipated return to the world of Charles Dickens, has debuted its first teaser trailer (check it out above). The FX / BBC adaptation stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham and Fionn Whitehead as Pip along with Tom Sweet as the young Pip. In the brief look at the upcoming limited series, Miss Havisham meets young Pip when he arrives at Satis House for the first time, as she ominously grins, “What a prized creature we have fished from the river.” The limited series is due to air in the spring on BBC One and iPlayer and will stream on Hulu in the U.S. Internationally, it will be available to stream on Star+ in Latin America and on Disney+ under the Star banner at a later date. Great Expectations is the coming-of-age story of Pip, an orphan who yearns for a greater lot in life until a twist of fate introduces him to the mysterious and eccentric Miss Havisham and Estella (Shalom Brune-Franklin), showing him a dark world of … [Read more...] about ‘Great Expectations’ Teaser: Olivia Colman’s Miss Havisham Meets Young Pip In Steven Knight’s Dickens Adaptation

Lionsgate said Monday that its upcoming comedy marking the feature directorial debut of Crazy Rich Asians scribe Adele Lim will be called Joy Ride . The studio also unveiled the first still from the film, which you can view below. The film due for release June 23 stars Ashley Park ( Emily in Paris ), Sherry Cola ( Good Trouble ), Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu ( Everything Everywhere All at Once ) and Sabrina Wu as unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey’s (Park) business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Cola), her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat (Hsu), her college friend-turned-Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are. The film from Point … [Read more...] about Lionsgate’s Adele Lim Comedy Gets Title, First-Look Photo

EXCLUSIVE : Hannah John-Kamen ( Ant-Man And The Wasp ) and Theo Rossi ( Sons of Anarchy ) are set to star in the sci-fi thriller Rachel , which Highland Film Group is launching for next week’s EFM . The film will follow new mother Rachel (John-Kamen) who seemingly has the perfect life except she doesn’t recall the recent birth of her baby boy or even being pregnant. Her cookie-cutter husband Stephen (Rossi) deflects her probing questions as strange neighbors begin stalking her. Flooded with memories of an 11-year-old girl who seemed to be her daughter, the film will chart how Rachel’s perfectly constructed world begins to tear apart. Pic is being directed by Jenn Wexler, who made her directorial debut with the SXSW horror film The Ranger and is completing post production on The Sacrifice Game starring Mena Massoud and Olivia Scott Welch, and is written by playwright Vincent Delaney. Producers are Jib Polhemus ( The Last Son , The Expendables 2 ) and … [Read more...] about ‘Ant-Man’ Star Hannah John-Kamen & ‘Son’s Of Anarchy’ Star Theo Rossi To Lead Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Rachel’ — EFM

The Only Way is Essex indie Lime Pictures has unveiled UK entertainment vet Mirella Breda as its Chief Creative Officer, Unscripted. Breda, Escape to the Chateau indie Two Rivers Media’s Head of Entertainment, joins in the newly-created role, which was revealed last month following the departure of Lime’s Sarah Tyekiff and decision by the All3Media -backed indie to forge popular factual division with All3Media stablemates Lion Television and Wise Owl Films. Lime produces reality hits such as The Only Way is Essex and Geordie Shore and scripted shows including Hollyoaks and Free Rein. Breda, whose past credits include Big Brother , Stars in Their Eyes and Tenable and is a former MD of Big Brother producer Initial, will oversee the division that will forge popular factual shows for the domestic and global market. Tyekiff is departing soon to launch her own production company while Rebecca Kenny-Smith was recently promoted to Director of … [Read more...] about ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ Indie Lime Pictures Unveils Chief Creative Officer For Unscripted

Actor-turned-filmmaker Alex Winter ( Showbiz Kids ) has set the murder mystery The Adults , starring Evan Rachel Wood ( Westworld ), Josh Gad ( Avenue 5 ) and Anthony Carrigan ( Barry ), as his next project behind the camera, with plans to also act in the pic. The film penned by novelist Michael M.B. Galvin — who has previously adapted his own works Fat Kid Rules the World and Freak Talks About Sex for the big screen — follows siblings Megan (Wood) and Nathan (Gad), who are barely hanging on in present-day America, like all of us. Their lives are completely upended when they discover a dead body, long buried in their parent’s basement, sending them down a rabbit hole of crime and murder. Winter will produce alongside Scott Kroopf of Many Rivers Productions ( Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure , Limitless ) and Russell Hollander ( Intrusion , Valentine’s Day ), with Connie Tavel ( Confess, Fletch , Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey ) serving … [Read more...] about Evan Rachel Wood, Josh Gad & Anthony Carrigan Set For Murder Mystery ‘The Adults’ From Filmmaker Alex Winter – EFM

Chlöe Bailey, Tosin Cole , Olivia Colman and Woody Harrelson are set to star in Girl From the North Country , adapted from the Tony Award-winning Broadway show of the same name inspired by the songs of Bob Dylan. The movie adaptation is written and directed by Conor McPherson, the playwright behind the original Broadway musical. Graham Broadbent and Pete Czerninare produce under the banner of their award-winning Blueprint Pictures ( The Banshees of Inisherin , Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri). CAA Media Finance will represent the film’s domestic sales with Rocket Science launching international sales at the upcoming European Film Market during the Berlin Film Festival. The original Broadway show reimagines 20 legendary Bob Dylan songs including “Forever Young,” “All Along the Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming,” “Make You Feel My Love” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” Set in 1934 against the backdrop of … [Read more...] about Chlöe Bailey, Tosin Cole, Olivia Colman & Woody Harrelson To Star In Bob Dylan-Inspired ‘Girl From The North Country’