After distributing Rachel Sennot’s breakout movie Shiva Baby, Utopia has landed the U.S. rights to the SXSW feature I Used to Be Funny starring The Idol actress.
The comedy-drama follows Sam (Sennott), an aspiring stand-up comedian struggling with Ptsd, as she decides whether or not to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. Jason Jones, Sabrina Jalees, Caleb Hearon, Olga Petsa, and Ennis Esmer round out the cast
Ally Pankiw, whose credits include The Great and Black Mirror, made her feature directorial debut on the film, which was produced by James Weyman, Jason Aita and Breann Smordin of Barn 12. Li-Wei Chu of Partizan, Judy Holm of Markham Street Films and Alcina Pictures’ Paul Barkin executive produced, along with Pankiw.
“It was so fulfilling to see how I Used to Be Funny and its honest portrayal of recovery from trauma resonated with audiences at...
The comedy-drama follows Sam (Sennott), an aspiring stand-up comedian struggling with Ptsd, as she decides whether or not to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. Jason Jones, Sabrina Jalees, Caleb Hearon, Olga Petsa, and Ennis Esmer round out the cast
Ally Pankiw, whose credits include The Great and Black Mirror, made her feature directorial debut on the film, which was produced by James Weyman, Jason Aita and Breann Smordin of Barn 12. Li-Wei Chu of Partizan, Judy Holm of Markham Street Films and Alcina Pictures’ Paul Barkin executive produced, along with Pankiw.
“It was so fulfilling to see how I Used to Be Funny and its honest portrayal of recovery from trauma resonated with audiences at...
- 8/10/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
SXSW has announced the first wave of movie and television programming for its 2023 film festival, including its narrative, documentary, and television competition lineups.
While several sections of the complete film lineup, including this year’s Global and 24 Beats Per Minute programming, have yet to be announced, the lineup already features new work from many of the industry’s most exciting names. The festival will open with the world premiere of “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” John Francis Dailey and Jonathan Goldstein’s comedic adaptation of the beloved role-playing game. Other notable premieres include “Evil Dead Rise,” the latest entry in Sam Raimi’s camp horror franchise that hails from director Lee Cronin; Eva Longoria’s Frito-Lay origin story “Flamin’ Hot”; and the Season 2 premiere of “Blindspotting.”
“We are thrilled to announce the first wave of our incredible lineup for SXSW 2023,” SXSW VP of Film & TV Claudette Godfrey said in a statement.
While several sections of the complete film lineup, including this year’s Global and 24 Beats Per Minute programming, have yet to be announced, the lineup already features new work from many of the industry’s most exciting names. The festival will open with the world premiere of “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” John Francis Dailey and Jonathan Goldstein’s comedic adaptation of the beloved role-playing game. Other notable premieres include “Evil Dead Rise,” the latest entry in Sam Raimi’s camp horror franchise that hails from director Lee Cronin; Eva Longoria’s Frito-Lay origin story “Flamin’ Hot”; and the Season 2 premiere of “Blindspotting.”
“We are thrilled to announce the first wave of our incredible lineup for SXSW 2023,” SXSW VP of Film & TV Claudette Godfrey said in a statement.
- 1/11/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
SXSW has announced the first batch of titles in its 2023 film festival line-up, including opening night movie, Paramount’s big-budget adventure film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
“We are thrilled to announce the first wave of our incredible lineup for SXSW 2023,” said Claudette Godfrey, vp film & tv. “It’s an amazing collection of films, TV series and Xr experiences that promise to inspire, entertain and challenge our audiences. We’re also proud to open with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, a raucous and engaging fantasy adventure, and look forward to welcoming everyone to Austin in March for what promises to be an unforgettable event.”
The other 2023 headliners are the Julio Torres A24 movie Problemista, the latest film in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise, and Eva Longoria’s directorial debut Flamin’ Hot. Last year’s headliners included box office break out The Lost City and awards contender Everything Everywhere All At Once.
“We are thrilled to announce the first wave of our incredible lineup for SXSW 2023,” said Claudette Godfrey, vp film & tv. “It’s an amazing collection of films, TV series and Xr experiences that promise to inspire, entertain and challenge our audiences. We’re also proud to open with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, a raucous and engaging fantasy adventure, and look forward to welcoming everyone to Austin in March for what promises to be an unforgettable event.”
The other 2023 headliners are the Julio Torres A24 movie Problemista, the latest film in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise, and Eva Longoria’s directorial debut Flamin’ Hot. Last year’s headliners included box office break out The Lost City and awards contender Everything Everywhere All At Once.
- 1/11/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Canadian actor and filmmaker Aaron Poole shared the first details of his arthouse father-daughter road movie “Dada” with Variety this week, shortly after wrapping principal photography of the film on Manitoulin Island, located north of Toronto in Lake Huron.
Working steadily in North American TV (“Most Dangerous Game”) and film since the late 1990s, Poole, a classically trained actor, stepped behind the camera for his Toronto-premiering “Oracle” (2020), which was nominated for best narrative short at Slamdance and won the top prize at Montreal’s Festival Du Nouveau Cinéma.
In “Dada,” Poole’s feature directorial debut, James Gilbert and newcomer Ciara Alexys play a divorced father and teenage daughter who drive around the perimeter of a nuclear facility on the eve of the girl’s 16th birthday, playing nonsense games and reading things.
“The story is a love letter and a suicide note,” Poole told Variety. “It was written in response...
Working steadily in North American TV (“Most Dangerous Game”) and film since the late 1990s, Poole, a classically trained actor, stepped behind the camera for his Toronto-premiering “Oracle” (2020), which was nominated for best narrative short at Slamdance and won the top prize at Montreal’s Festival Du Nouveau Cinéma.
In “Dada,” Poole’s feature directorial debut, James Gilbert and newcomer Ciara Alexys play a divorced father and teenage daughter who drive around the perimeter of a nuclear facility on the eve of the girl’s 16th birthday, playing nonsense games and reading things.
“The story is a love letter and a suicide note,” Poole told Variety. “It was written in response...
- 11/5/2022
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
Ally Pankiw will make her feature directing debut with “Brooke & Sam,” an upcoming comedic drama featuring “Shiva Baby” breakout Rachel Sennott.
The film, which quietly wrapped production, follows Sam, a young stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with Ptsd, who is weighing whether or not to join the search for Brooke, a missing girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma with the help of her friends in the comedy community, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it harder and harder to ignore the teen’s disappearance; and harder and harder to get back on stage.
Pankiw, who wrote the script along with directing the film, has established herself in the television and streaming world. Her directing and executive producing credits include the entire first season of Netflix’s series, “Feel Good,” which was created by and stars comedian Mae Martin.
The film, which quietly wrapped production, follows Sam, a young stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with Ptsd, who is weighing whether or not to join the search for Brooke, a missing girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma with the help of her friends in the comedy community, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it harder and harder to ignore the teen’s disappearance; and harder and harder to get back on stage.
Pankiw, who wrote the script along with directing the film, has established herself in the television and streaming world. Her directing and executive producing credits include the entire first season of Netflix’s series, “Feel Good,” which was created by and stars comedian Mae Martin.
- 12/2/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Deadline has your first look at Six Days to Die, the second film in a sci-fi western trilogy series by Matt Campagna, which he wrote, directed, shot and edited.
The film brought to life through virtual environments, comprised of elaborate 360-degree digital matte paintings, centers on a desperate gambler wrongfully accused of murder who flees through a post-apocalyptic frontier, with a vengeful Marshal doggedly hunting him down, on a bloody quest to bring order to the chaos.
The Umbrella Academy’s Colm Feore stars alongside Darryl Hinds, Melissa D’Agostino, Ari Millen and Kyra Harper. Breann Smordin and Elizabeth Frase produced the pic, which is eyeing a festival premiere next year, and is being sold worldwide by Forward Motion Entertainment. The third film in the trilogy series, Six Guns For Hire, is currently in post-production.
Check out the first still from Campagna’s latest, along with several character portraits, below.
The film brought to life through virtual environments, comprised of elaborate 360-degree digital matte paintings, centers on a desperate gambler wrongfully accused of murder who flees through a post-apocalyptic frontier, with a vengeful Marshal doggedly hunting him down, on a bloody quest to bring order to the chaos.
The Umbrella Academy’s Colm Feore stars alongside Darryl Hinds, Melissa D’Agostino, Ari Millen and Kyra Harper. Breann Smordin and Elizabeth Frase produced the pic, which is eyeing a festival premiere next year, and is being sold worldwide by Forward Motion Entertainment. The third film in the trilogy series, Six Guns For Hire, is currently in post-production.
Check out the first still from Campagna’s latest, along with several character portraits, below.
- 11/19/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Canada-based actor Colm Feore, whose credits include Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy,” “My Salinger Year,” “The Amazing Spiderman 2” and multiple Oscar winner “Chicago,” is to star in post-apocalyptic Western “Six Guns for Hire,” which has just started principal photography in Toronto, Canada. The film also stars Maurice Dean Wint, Oyin Oladejo, and Patrick Kwok-Choon.
“Six Guns for Hire,” the third in a trilogy, is written and directed by Matt Campagna. It follows a vicious group of strangers who gather to divvy up the spoils of a train robbery, while an ace detective pursues hot on their trail. As the bandits realize they may not be strangers after all, the detective unearths a deadly conspiracy at the heart of their crime.
The three stories in the trilogy series, all developed and directed by Campagna, exist within the same post-apocalyptic world, without being traditional sequels or prequels to each other.
Melissa D’Agostino...
“Six Guns for Hire,” the third in a trilogy, is written and directed by Matt Campagna. It follows a vicious group of strangers who gather to divvy up the spoils of a train robbery, while an ace detective pursues hot on their trail. As the bandits realize they may not be strangers after all, the detective unearths a deadly conspiracy at the heart of their crime.
The three stories in the trilogy series, all developed and directed by Campagna, exist within the same post-apocalyptic world, without being traditional sequels or prequels to each other.
Melissa D’Agostino...
- 3/12/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
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