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As was reported last week, friend of the site Noah Lang launched a new distribution label called Ethos Releasing and they announced this year's lineup of releases. First on that list is Zeshaan Younus' drama horror, The Buildout.    We now have a release date for The Buildout, it will arrive on all VOD platforms on February 25th. You can watch the trailer below the official announcement. Our own Kyle caught The Buildout when it played at Panic Fest last year. Here is an excerpt from that review.    Like fellow Panic Fest film Worlds, The Buildout uses the trappings of genre films and the found footage medium to more abstractly consider how we live. Both films refuse to resolve any of the fantastical mysteries they...

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Rod Blackhurst directed many short films and some music videos before he made his feature directorial debut with the post-apocalyptic horror film Here Alone. Since then, he has worked on Amanda Knox and John Wayne Gacy documentaries, as well as the Will Smith series Welcome to Earth, and directed the crime thriller Blood for Dust. Now, Variety reports that he’s moving ahead with a dystopian creature feature called Die by Night, and he has gathered a cast for the film that includes Isabelle Fuhrman of the Orphan franchise, Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody), and Scoot McNairy (Nightbitch).

Blackhurst is set to direct Die by Night from a screenplay he wrote himself, with Variety noting that the script is based on a prequel screenplay he wrote with J. Hunter Richardson that’s called The Chosen Few. So if Die by Night is successful, maybe we’ll see Blackhurst make the prequel The Chosen Few as well.

A new distribution company, Ethos Releasing, are announcing their inaugural slate for 2025. The company was founded by producer Noah Lang, who is no stranger to the ScreenAnarchy family. We've been writing about their projects for a long time and are happy to support them in this next step in the evolution of their career.    The first release from Ethos Releasing is The Buildout, the feature film debut from writer/director Zeshaan Younus. The story centers around two women whose friendship is tested when they experience something strange in the desert. Jenna Kanell and Hannah Alline star.    A small selection of stills from this year's slate can be found below. They are in alphabetical order: Alone All Together, Ba, The Buildout, Dark My Light and Noclip.   ...

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Exclusive: Ahead of the September theatrical release of Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory, an award-winning feature doc from Daytime Emmy-winning director Justin Johnson (aka Justinsuperstar), Mayim Bialik has boarded the project as an executive producer.

Along with Hayley Lozitsky Weisser and Alyssa Wilden, she’s exec producing for her Sad Clown Productions, which has also acquired narrative rights to the project. Check out a trailer above.

Humorous and heartwarming, Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory shines a light on the story of Johnson’s conservative parents. When mother Randi is diagnosed with breast cancer, her introverted husband Brian, a traditional family man, transforms their Midwest modest home into a secret prosthetic nipple laboratory, an act of love that blossoms into a truly unexpected business, kept hidden from their church, small-town community and five unsuspecting children.

Opening the Milwaukee Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, the film being distributed by...

Writer-director Rod Blackhurst has wrapped production in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on horror film “Dolly.”

Blackhurst is the Emmy and Critics Choice nominated director and producer of Netflix original documentary “Amanda Knox” and the Tribeca Festival audience award-winning “Here Alone.” “Dolly” follows his acclaimed crime-thriller “Blood for Dust,” which premiered at Tribeca and won the narrative competition award at San Diego.

“Dolly,” described by the filmmakers as a blend of New French Extremity and 1970s American horror, follows Macy, a young woman abducted by a deranged, monster-like figure who wants to raise her as their child.

The cast includes Fabianne Therese (“John Dies at the End”), Seann William Scott (“American Pie”), Ethan Suplee (“Babylon”), Russ Tiller (“Blood for Dust”) and Michalina Scorzelli (“Shoplifters of the World”). The film also introduces current Nwa TV Champion Max the Impaler, aka The Non-Binary Nightmare, in the titular role of Dolly.

Blackhurst and Brandon Weavil (“Babygirl”) wrote the screenplay,...

Kit Harington and Scoot McNairy play old friends who reunite under dangerous circumstances in the first trailer for crime thriller Blood for Dust.

The Avenue is set to release director Rod Blackhurst’s feature in select theaters and on digital platforms April 19 following its premiere at last year’s Tribeca Festival. Josh Lucas and Stephen Dorff also star in Blood for Dust, which tells the story of Cliff (McNairy), a traveling salesman with financial issues who becomes enveloped in the world of drug trafficking after reuniting with Ricky (Harington).

“I don’t sell products that sell themselves,” Harington says in the trailer. This leads McNairy to respond, “You’re an arms dealer who sells drugs, Ricky.”

Blackhurst (Here Alone) helmed the film from a script by David Ebeltoft. Ryan Winterstern, Bernard Kira, Petr Jákl, Ari Novak, Arun Kumar, Bobby Campbell, Nathan Klingher, Mark Fasano and Noah Lang serve as producers.

Exclusive: Visit Films has sold doc Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory to Kino Lorber for the United States.

The film tells the story of the Johnson family and focuses on Randi, Justin’s mother, after she is diagnosed with breast cancer and her husband Brian, a conservative Midwest family man, who embarks on a journey to boost her morale, which blossoms into an unexpected homespun prosthetic nipple business, which is kept under the radar from their friends, church and five unsuspecting children.

The film is directed by Justin Johnson (aka Justinsuperstar), whose credits include Double Digits: The Story of a Neighborhood Movie Star and Behind The FX, which won a Daytime Emmy.

Kino Lorber is releasing on April 2, 2024. The sale was negotiated by Visit’s President Ryan Kampe with Kino Lorber’s Senior Vice President, Wendy Lidell.

The movie, which won the Best Feature Audience Award at Milwaukee Film Festival,...

Revolutionary director James Wan will support up-and-coming filmmakers by producing the horror short Night Swim for international audiences next year. The short film, directed by Bryce McGuire and Rob Blackhurst, gained significant traction before being adapted into a full-length feature. Night Swim centers around protagonist Eve, who finds herself stalked by a shadowy figure while swimming in her pool, leading to imminent danger.

Revolutionary horror director James Wan already outdid himself with Saw, The Conjuring, and Insidious, but after achieving fame, he's chosen to take a chance on up-and-coming filmmakers who – like himself – started with a single camera and a dream. The Australian will bring the horror short Night Swim to international audiences next year, acting as a producer, as he rolls the dice on the small-time independent production company Witchcraft Motion Picture, founded by Rod Blackhurst and Noah Lang.

Rod Blackhurst's short Night Swim – a passion project with co-director...

Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment announced today the acquisition of North American distribution rights to Katie Burrell’s feature debut Weak Layers.

The film is directed and co-written by Burrell (who also stars), and Andrew Ladd, also stars Chelsea Conwright and Jadyn Wong. Weak Layers will arrive in theaters in top 50 markets and in select mountain towns on January 5, and on VOD on February 6, 2024.

The three women star as evicted roommates who enter a ski-movie contest to resolve their living situation. Set in Lake Tahoe, these three passionate and lovably rowdy local women go on a quest to win a world-famous 72-hour short ski film competition. A progressive throwback to the cult classics, the film dissects modern, male-driven ski culture while championing the tight-knit local communities found in ski towns throughout the world.

“I love anything that upends a trope and this movie is full of the kind of teasing satire that satisfies the rebel in me.

Award-winning feature documentary “Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory” has inked a deal with Sonder Entertainment for a national theatrical tour beginning in October to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory,” a Jubilee Production, will screen in theaters nationwide and into next year ahead of its digital release in February.

Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Justin Johnson, the feature documentary tells the story of Johnson’s parents’ resilience in the face of a breast cancer diagnosis and unilateral mastectomy — which unexpectedly leads them to launch a novel homespun prosthetic nipple business. They hide this endeavor from their five children, church and small community.

“Mom and Dad’s journey, filled with love, humor, and ingenuity amidst adversity, has blossomed into a project that has already touched thousands of hearts in our festival run. I’m excited to partner with Sonder Entertainment to share this poignant yet humorous film with audiences nationwide,...

Exclusive: Vmi Worldwide has acquired world rights to the WWII title Liberation, formally known as Avenue of the Giants, starring Stephen Lang (Avatar), Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), Robin Weigert (Deadwood) and Luke Blumm (Where The Crawdads Sing).

Written and directed by filmmaker Finn Taylor, the film tells the true story of Herbert Heller (Blumm), who kept his experience as a teenage boy surviving for years in Auschwitz hidden from his family. That is until he meets Abbey (Fisher), a young teenager whose own brush with pain and death inspires him to open up as well, leading the two of them to exchange their stories as a meaningful and healing friendship is born.

The deal was negotiated by Jessica Bennett, COO of Productions and Acquisitions, Mickey Guerin, VP of Legal and Business Affairs for Vmi, and Mark Halloran and Executive Producer Noah Lang on behalf of the filmmakers.

The film was...

Rosario Dawson and Sam Adegoke have joined the cast of “Dark Days & the Dawn,” the latest film from “This Is Not a War Story” director Talia Lugacy.

“Dark Days & the Dawn” unfolds over the course of one night and into daybreak, as Maria Del Sol (Dawson) and Samuel (Adegoke), a couple who have been together for four hundred and sixty years, hit their breaking point. Lugacy and Kamau Ware collaborated on the genre bending script for “Dark Days & the Dawn,” penning characters written specifically for Dawson and Adegoke to portray.

Lugacy produces under her Acoustic Pictures banner, alongside Noah Lang for Witchcraft Motion Picture Company, and Ware for Kamau Studios. Cassian Elwes and Tom Culliver executive produce for Elevated Films. The film will shoot in Savanah, Georgia later this year.

Dawson’s credits include “Death Proof,” “Top Five” and the upcoming Star Wars series, “Ahsoka,” for Disney+. Adegoke is best...

Drama stars Stephen Lang in the true story of Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller.

Avenue Of The Giants, a drama from writer-director Finn Taylor, has wrapped production in California and the Czech Republic.

The film stars Stephen Lang, Elsie Fisher, Robin Weigert and Luke Blumm in the true story of Herbert Heller, who keeps his experience as a teenage boy in Auschwitz hidden from his family until he meets a teenager whose own brush with death inspires him to open up.

Jeanine Thomas and George Rush are producing, with Debi Memmolo, Greg Taxin and Noah Lang serving as executive producers. David Minkowski...

Stephen Lang (Avatar), Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), Robin Weigert (Deadwood) and Luke Blumm (Where The Crawdads Sing) have teamed for writer/director Finn Taylor’s feature Avenue of the Giants, which recently wrapped filming. A first-look photo has also been unveiled.

Avenue of the Giants tells the true story of Herbert Heller (Blumm), who kept his experience as a teenage boy surviving for years in Auschwitz hidden from his family. That is until he meets Abbey (Fisher), a young teenager whose own brush with pain and death inspires him to open up as well, leading the two of them to exchange their stories as a meaningful and healing friendship is born.

The film was produced by Jeanine Thomas and George Rush. Debi Memmolo, Greg Taxin, and Noah Lang executive produced. David Minkowski and Matthew Stillman for Stillking Films (The Gray Man) co-produced alongside Jennifer Goshay, Michael Manasseri, Jeffrey Brown, and Mirka Taylor.

Scoot McNairy and Kit Harington discuss gun-running, drug-dealing and the last episode of Game of Thrones (Ok, maybe not that) in this first-look still from Blood for Dust, the action-thriller from Netflix’s Amanda Knox documentary director Rod Blackhurst.

Written by David Ebeltoft (Here Alone) from a story he co-wrote with Blackhurst, the feature is being sold at the European Film Market in Berlin by Highland Film Group.

Now in postproduction, Blood for Dust follows former friends Cliff (McNairy), a traveling salesman struggling to make a living, and Ricky (Harington), an illegal weapons dealer making serious money, who reconnect one fateful day. Hoping to make some quick cash, Cliff agrees to partner with the violent Ricky, who is expanding his business to include cross-state drug and gun deliveries for John, a mid-level American cartel boss (Josh Lucas). Reluctantly he agrees to retrofit his beat-up station wagon to carry dozens of kilos of drugs.

Momentum Pictures has landed the North American rights to queer horror movie Swallowed from writer-director Carter Smith.

Swallowed is set in a remote township on the border between Maine and Canada and, according to the project’s description, “is a story about friendship and the extremes we are willing to endure to protect the ones we love. Dripping with blood and pus, its queer body horror told in the grindhouse tradition – with all the naked flesh and shocking violations of a classic midnight movie.”

Momentum Pictures is targeting a Feb. 14, 2023 release.

Cooper Koch, Jena Malone, Mark Patton, and newcomer Jose Colon star in the movie that was produced by Smith, Noah Lang, Helio Campos and Ross O’Connor. Josh Senior and Evan Buxbaum executive produced.

Swallowed has made the rounds on the festival circuit, including horror fests Fantasia, Fantastic, and Screamfest. It won the Grand Jury prize for best feature at NewFest,...

Bloody Disgusting has the first word on Witchcraft Motion Picture Company and Good Wizard’s Creep Box, writer/director Patrick Biesemans’ cerebral sci-fi thriller that was recently shot on location in Manhattan.

The film follows a unique engineer at a technology firm specializing in communicating with “whispers” of the recently deceased. Through his exploration of this unsettling piece of newly-developed technology, his research deepens and he finds himself on a dark path as he becomes increasingly unglued from reality.

Bloody also has the above first still to share from the film starring Geoffrey Cantor (Netflix’s Daredevil), Sean Mahon (BBC’s EastEnders), Ian Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun), Katie Kuang (HBO’S Westworld), Annie Young (The Conjuring 2), and Annemarie Lawless (The Mountain).

An expansion of Biesemans’ short film of the same name that played North Bend Film Festival, FilmQuest, H.P Lovecraft Ff, Under Worlds, and San Francisco Short Film Festival.

Jennifer Carpenter stars, produces story of scientist who replicates dead wife.

Double Dutch International (Ddi) has come on board to launch worldwide sales at AFM on sci-fi thriller Control Group starring Jennifer Carpenter.

Liz Manashil directs from a screenplay by Amy Starbin and Michael Nathanson about a scientist who, after losing his wife, replicates her in the hope of continuing the perfect life they started together. Complications soon arise when the derivative wife develops desires of her own.

Carpenter (Dexter) is producing alongside Noah Lang for Witchcraft Motion Picture Company, Nathanson for Magic Scope, and Ross Meyerson. Executive producers are...

Highland Film Group has locked distribution deals in key international territories in all media for “Blood for Dust,” a new action-thriller starring Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas. The film is directed by Rod Blackhurst, best known for Netflix’s “Amanda Knox” and Peacock’s “John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise,” and written by David Ebeltoft.

Highland Film Group has sold the rights to “Blood for Dust” to 101 Films Distribution for the U.K., Originals Factory for France, California Filmes for Latin America, Splendid Film GmbH for Germany, Daro Film Distribution for Eastern Europe, Filmfinity for South Africa, Spentzos Film for Greece, Blue Swan Entertainment for Italy and Eagle Films for the Middle East.

“Blood for Dust” will begin filming in mid-November on location in Montana. Highland Film Group is representing international rights and UTA is co-representing domestic sales.

The film is produced by Noah Lang, Mark Fasano and Bernard Kira.

Blue Finch Films has boarded international sales, excluding North America, on LGBTQ+ body horror “Swallowed.”

The film is directed by Carter Smith, known for cult horror film “The Ruins.” It follows two childhood friends, Benjamin and Dom, who are on the verge of being separated as the former is leaving rural Maine for Los Angeles. Dom has a plan to send Benjamin off with a pocketful of cash — all they have to do is deliver a package across the border. But things spiral wildly out of control when the package turns out to be something far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.

“Swallowed” has played at the Overlook Film Festival and Fantasia, and is due to play at Arrow Video FrightFest and Fantastic Fest. The film stars Jena Malone (“The Neon Demon”), Cooper Koch (“They/Them”), Mark Patton (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2) and debutant Jose Colon.

Written, directed and produced by Smith,...

Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas are set to star in “Blood for Dust,” an upcoming action thriller that will be directed by Rod Blackhurst.

Former friends Cliff (McNairy), a traveling salesman struggling to make a living, and Ricky (Harington), an illegal-weapons dealer making serious money, reconnect one fateful day. Hoping to make some quick cash, Cliff agrees to partner with the violent Ricky, who is expanding his business to include cross-state drug and gun deliveries for John, a mid-level American cartel boss (Lucas). Reluctantly he agrees to retrofit his beat-up station wagon to carry dozens of kilos of drugs. When Ricky turns a simple exchange into a bloodbath to eliminate the competition, Cliff is forced to grapple with a harsh new reality.

McNairy has appeared in “Argo” and “Gone Girl” and in the streaming miniseries “Godless,” as well as “Narcos: Mexico.” Harington starred in “Game of Thrones,” earning an Emmy nomination,...

The 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out Sunday at the Santa Monica Pier, with comedy power couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally serving as hosts.

There weren’t too many surprises throughout the night. Troy Kotsur won the first award of the evening, Best Supporting Male Actor for “Coda,” very much as predicted. Taylour Paige took home Best Female Lead Actor, for “Zola,” while Simon Rex, of “Red Rocket,” walked away with Best Male Lead. Ruth Negga won Best Supporting Female Actor for “Passing,” beating out Jessie Buckley from “The Lost Daughter.”

But Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of the Elena Ferrante book won the three other categories in which it was nominated — Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Feature — and was the night’s biggest victor. Gyllenhaal gave three effusive thank you speeches, spreading her appreciation around to her cast, crew, financiers, publicist, husband and mother. “Women in film!

After about a half dozen portraits in the short form, docu-helmer Ryan Maxey makes the move into feature length terrain with One Road to Quartzsite. Tucked away in the West part of Arizona – a former waterhole of the the late 1880’s now serves as a temporary home for campers — and doubles (as the clip demonstrates) has a place to evade the isolation. A docu-film that perhaps serves as a companion piece to Nomadland, this was produced by Maxey and Josh Polon and executive produced by Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Noah Lang and Emily Korteweg. One Road to Quartzsite will have its world premiere at the 2022 edition of Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.…...

Distributor A24 and Zola led nominations as the Film Independent Spirit Awards revealed their 37th annual nods in a pre-taped presentation hosted by Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall and Naomi Watts. The Spirit Awards are skedded for Sunday, March 6, 2022 — live and in-person this year back on the beach in Santa Monica, and broadcast on IFC.

A24’s Zola, by Janicza Bravo and based on a Twitter chain from a riotous road trip, was recognized for Best Feature Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Female Lead and Supporting Male. Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon with Joaquin Phoenix took four nods including feature, director and screenplay. Accolades were rounded out by two nominations for Sean Baker’s Red Rocket, for Best Male Lead, Simon Rex ,and Best Supporting Female, Suzanna Son. The Humans, directed by Stephen Karam based on his one-act play, was nominated in cinematography.

Netflix and Neon took nine nods each, with...

WarnerMedia OneFifty and HBO Max have partnered to acquire the independent feature “This Is Not a War Story” from director Talia Lugacy and executive producer Rosario Dawson.

Lugacy wrote, directed, edited, produced and starred in the film, which also features Sam Adegoke, Danny Ramirez, Brian Delate and Frances Fisher. According to a description for the project, “This Is Not a War Story” tracks a ragtag group of combat veterans in New York whose anti-war art, poetry and paper-making keep them together, despite the specter of their friend’s suicide and the ever-crystalizing fact that healing from war is sometimes an impossible mission.

The movie will debut in November, released both in theaters and streaming on HBO Max, with special events in the works organized in partnership with OneFifty collaborators and veterans’ organizations.

“This film is not only the product of years of research and the painstaking effort of our team,...

Originally planned to shoot in early 2020, before Covid-19 lockdowns made that an impossibility, director Thomas Torrey’s “All the Names We Buried” is pitching in the Proof of Concept section of the Frontieres Platform at the Cannes Marché du Film, looking to reignite the project’s pre-covid buzz and recuperate lost financing. In a move likely to aid those goals, Torrey has shared with Variety that “First Cow” lead John Magaro, one of indie cinema’s hottest actors going today, will star in the film.

Set to join Marago in the film’s other lead roles are “Winter’s Bone” standout Dale Dickey and Caity Brewer, who most recently impressed with her work in Amazon’s “Uncle Frank.” Promising young “Promising Young Woman” actor Ray Nicholson (Prime Video’s “Panic”) is in talks to fill out the film’s other key role.

Like so many filmmakers raring to go last spring,...

Exclusive: Frontières Platform, the genre-focused event run by Fantasia and Cannes’ Marche du Film, returns to the French fest for another edition this year, with 13 projects selected to take part in the showcase, running July 10-11. Scroll down for the full list.

The event is technically taking place physically, as per Cannes’ commitment to staging an in-person industry event in July, but Frontières has informed participants that it does not encourage them to travel during a pandemic and that all pitches will be screened online. If participants do wish to travel to Cannes, however, the event will allow them to do so, and a representative of Frontières will be in attendance, restrictions allowing.

Activities will include the Proof of Concept presentations for projects in the advanced stages of financing, and the Buyers Showcase for films that are in post-production or have recently been completed. Footage will be screened from seven projects,...

We're a few long weeks away from the lucky 13th edition of the Frontières co-production market. Taking place at the end of July twenty groups from all over the globe will present their projects virtually this year.    The first ten titles were announced back at the end of May. The balance of titles are being announced today.    Looks like Sequence Break's Graham Skipper is pitching a new project called Cirkus.    Producer Noah Lang has popped up on our pages over the years. He is looking to produce a Canadian title called...

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Exclusive: Witchcraft Motion Picture Company is adding to its growing slate of films since launching last year. Rod Blackhurst (director of Netflix’s Amanda Knox)and Noah Lang of Witchcraft have acquired the rights to the thriller Empire of Dirt written by Noah Harald.

Blackhurst is attached to direct Harald’s script which follows “a female ex-soldier turned Emt who, certain of her son’s innocence in the wake of his overdose death, ventures deep into the underbelly of opioid country in relentless pursuit of truth and vengeance.”

“This is a film about motherhood, pain and strength set against the backdrop of a city ravaged by a drug epidemic where justice seemingly only comes at a premium,’’ said Blackhurst and Lang in a statement. “Noah Harald’s script about a middle aged woman of...

The 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out Saturday in recognition of the best in indie films from 2019.

Willem Dafoe won the first award, Best Supporting Male, for his role in “The Lighthouse.” “Uncut Gems” won Best Editing, while the Best Documentary award went to “American Factory.” Best Cinematography went to Jarin Blaschke for “The Lighthouse.”

Kelly Reichardt was awarded The Bonnie Award, which recognizes a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant. The John Cassavetes Award, given to the best feature made for under $500,000, was given to “Give Me Liberty.”

Also Read: Independent Spirit Awards 2020: Aubrey Plaza's Best Jokes (So Far)

“Parasite” won Best International Film. Zhao Shuzhen won Best Supporting Female for her role in “The Farewell.” “Marriage Story” won Best Screenplay. Adam Sandler won Best Male Lead for his performance in “Uncut Gems” and Renée Zellweger received the Best Female Lead for her role in “Judy.

Moments ago, the Film Independent Spirit Award nominations for 2019 were announced. Though pulling from a very different crop than the Academy Awards do, the Spirit Awards do have some cross over each year. While success here assures a title of little, making moves with this group never hurts while wooing the Academy. Today, we saw several Oscar hopefuls try and score some love, while a few received damaging snubs. Mostly, though, the status quo remains, as movies jockey for position heading into the holiday season. Go figure, this isn’t going to be an easy year to predict. Leading the way were The Lighthouse and Uncut Gems, each with five nominations apiece. The former from Robert Eggers definitely over performed, relative to expectations here, while the latter from the Safdie Brothers solidified its status as a player on the indie precursor stage. More likely Oscar fare such as Clemency, The Farewell,...

Two dark and unruly films released by A24, Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse” and the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems,” led all films in nominations for the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Film Independent announced on Thursday.

In the Best Feature category, “Uncut Gems” was joined by Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell,” Terrence Malick’s “A Hidden Life,” Chinonye Chukwu’s “Clemency” and Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story.”

“Uncut Gems” was the only film nominated in both the Best Feature and Best Director categories, though “Marriage Story” was nominated in the former category and was also voted the special John Cassavetes Award, which goes to a film’s director, cast and casting director.

Also Read: 'Marriage Story,' 'The Farewell,' 'Uncut Gems' Top Gotham Award Nominations

“Honey Boy” and “Give Me Liberty” received four nominations each, while “Hustlers,” “Clemency” and “Luce” received three.

As usual, the Spirit Awards’ system of...

Before Vfw makes its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, Rlje Films has grabbed up North American rights to release the movie in theaters and VOD in early 2020. Here's the official press release:

Los Angeles, Sept. 17, 2019 – Rlje Films has acquired North American rights to the action-horror feature Vfw ahead of its world premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin. The movie is scheduled to be released in theaters and on VOD and Digital HD first quarter 2020.

Written by Max Brallier (“The Last Kids on Earth”) & Matthew McArdle and directed by

Joe Begos, the film stars Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson, Martin Kove, George Wendt (“Cheers”), David Patrick Kelly (“Twin Peaks”), Tom Williamson (“The Fosters”), Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night), Travis Hammer (“Godless”), and Dora Madison (“Friday Night Lights”).

“We are so excited to work with the legendary Stephen Lang,” said Mark Ward, Chief Acquisitions Officer for Rlje Films.

Exclusive: Rlje Films has acquired North American rights to Vfw, an action horror move with a tough-guy cast that includes Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson and Martin Kove. The deal comes as the pic, directed by Joe Begos, is prepping for its world premiere Saturday at Austin’s Fantastic Fest.

Rlje, which is coming off acquiring Richard Stanley’s Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness wo rld premiere Color Out of Space a couple weeks ago, will release Vfw in theaters on on-demand in first-quarter 2020.

Penned by Max Brallier & Matthew McArdle, Vfw revolves around a group of war veterans who must defend their local Vfw post and an innocent teen against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. George Wendt, David Patrick Kelly, Tom Williamson, Sierra McCormick, Travis Hammer and Dora Madison also star.

Dallas Sonnier (Bone Tomahawk), Amanda Presmyk...

Exclusive: Witchcraft Motion Picture Company announced today that they have acquired the rights to the psychological horror She Came Back from screenwriter Emily Renee Bennett. Witchcraft’s Rod Blackhurst (Director of Netflix’s Amanda Knox) and Noah Lang will fast-track the feature as the first project optioned under the company’s new underrepresented writer mandate. Blackhurst is set to direct.

Described as if The Haunting Of Hill House took place at The Overlook Hotel, She Came Back is a film about a young woman haunted by the childhood murder of her young sister, and who, upon returning to her hometown, discovers that her sister might not be dead after all.

“She Came Back is a film about mental illness, addiction, guilt, and a strong and vulnerable woman’s struggle for identity,” said Blackhurst and Lang in a joint statement.

Two-part programme will nurture film and TV projects from leading international producers.

The Climb producer Noah Lang, Finnish Making Movies Oy chief Kaarle Aho and Canadian actress and producer Rebecca Gibson are among the 26 producers who will participate in the 11th edition of Trans-Atlantic Partners (Tap).

A joint initiative between Germany’s Erich Pommer Institute (Epi) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (Cmpa), with the support of Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund, the two-part Tap programme is the only one of its kind devoted to supporting transatlantic film and high-end TV productions.

The first module runs in Berlin...

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all worldwide rights, excluding France and German-speaking Europe, to Michael Angelo Covino’s buddy comedy “The Climb.”

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Un Certain Regard Heart Prize alongside “A Brother’s Love” on Friday.

Covino directed, co-wrote (with Kyle Marvin) and stars in the film with Marvin, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt and Judith Godrèche.

The story centers on two best friends who share a close bond — until one sleeps with the other’s fiancée. The movie follows the tumultuous, but enduring relationship between the men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage.

Topic Studios produced and financed the movie. The producers are Noah Lang, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin. The executive producers are Michael Bloom, Ryan Heller Adam Pincus and Gilda Moratti.

“To know my first movie will open...

The Match Factory announces territory sales on The Traitor.

Sony Pictures Classics has picked up worldwide rights excluding France and German-speaking Europe to Michael Angelo Covino’s comedy and Un Certain Regard selection The Climb.

The distributor additionally confirmed on Friday (24) that it had acquired Marco Bellocchio’s Competition entry The Traitor from Match Factory, which announced a string of territory sales.

Covino and Kyle Marvin wrote The Climb based on their own experiences. The story tells of best friends and cycling enthusiasts whose close bond is strained when one sleeps with the other’s girlfriend. Covino and Marvin star alongside Gayle Rankin,...

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights excluding France and German-speaking Europe to The Climb, the Michael Angelo Covino-directed buddy comedy that premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival.

The deal comes after Spc acquired Marco Bellocchio’s The Traitor, another Cannes pic, after its premiere Thursday.

Covino wrote the screenplay for The Climb with Kyle Marvin, and the two star along with Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt and Judith Godrèche. They play best friends who share a close bond — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. The pic about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It is also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.

Topic Studios produced and financed the film.

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all worldwide rights to Michael Angelo Covino’s “The Climb” (excluding France and German-speaking Europe), the distributor announced Friday.

The film premiered at this month’s Cannes Film Festival and stars Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt and Judith Godrèche. Covino and Marvin wrote the screenplay.

The film follows Kyle and Mike, who are best friends — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. Topic Studios produced and financed the film. Covino, Marvin and Noah Lang produced, while Michael Bloom, Ryan Heller Adam Pincus and Gilda Moratti executive produced.

Also Read: Cannes Report, Day 10: 'Mektoub, My Love' Trolls, 'The Traitor' Sells Out

“To know my first movie will open with the same logo as so many of my favorites is hard to fathom,” Covino said, offering praise for Sony Classics co-presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker. “I can’t wait to work with Tom,...

Exclusive: Here’s a fun first clip for Cannes buddy comedy The Climb, which has been among the best-reviewed movies in the Un Certain Regard strand so far.

U.S. writer-director Michael Angelo Covino’s feature debut, sold by Memento and Endeavor Content on the Croisette, takes a look at the turbulent friendship between two guys over many years. The film’s debut here was greeted with sustained applause and interest is understood to be strong from U.S. and international suitors.

Covino stars alongside his co-writer and co-producer Kyle Marvin. It’s adapted from their Sundance short inspired by their real-life friendship. Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt and Judith Godréche also star. The Topic Studios production is also produced by Noah Lang.

Covino previously produced Hunter Gather, which won a Special Jury Prize at SXSW and was nominated for the Cassavetes Award in 2017. He also produced Kicks, which...

Production underway in Dallas, Texas.

Voltage Pictures, riding high on the international box office success of Ya adaption After, has boarded international sales rights on Fangoria’s upcoming action-horror film V.F.W. in time for Cannes and will commence talks on the Croisette next week.

Genre specialist Joe Begos, who latest film Bliss premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last weekend, is directing from a screenplay by Max Brallier and Matthew McArdle about Vietnam War veterans who take a stand against a deranged drug dealer and his army of punk mutants to defend their local V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post and an innocent teen.

The title is born out of Covino’s short film of the same name which screened in Sundance in 2018.

Memento Films International (Mfi) has acquired international sales rights to Us filmmaker Michael Covino’s comedy-drama The Climb ahead of its premiere in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25).

Born out of Covino’s short film of the same name, which screened in Sundance in 2018, the feature revolves around the enduring but tumultuous relationship between best friends Kyle and Mike.

The pair share a life-long close bond but this is shaken to the core when Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée.

Robert Klein (The Backup Plan), Andrea Navedo (Jane the Virgin), Willie Garson (Sex and the City), Craig Bierko (Unreal), Chris Perfetti (The Night Of), and Shaed lead singer Chelsea Lee have joined previously announced Annabella Sciorra in God The Worm from Mainstay Entertainment. Written and directed by Eric Schaeffer, the project began filming this week in New York City. The story centers on Samantha Miller (Sciorra), a talented singer-songwriter who, questioning life’s meaning, journeys through New York City’s colorful neighborhoods where chance encounters with a roster of eccentric and unforgettable characters who help illuminate her future path and restore her zeal for life and music. Klein plays Samantha’s hopeful and loving father, Jasper. Bierko (Walt), Garson (Francis), Navedo (Chloe) and Perfetti (Johnson) are among the dynamic New York City characters she meets along the way. Lee makes her acting debut here as a street artist. Mainstay’s...

With production underway on Chelsea Stardust's Satanic Panic and a movie adaptation of Preston Fassel’s Our Lady of the Inferno in development, Fangoria has exciting film projects on their upcoming slate, and they've now added another one to the macabre mix: the acton horror movie V.F.W., starring Stephen Lang and directed by Joe Begos.

Deadline reports that Begos will direct V.F.W. from a screenplay by Max Brallier and Matthew McArdle, with Lang in the starring role.

Described as "The Wild Bunch meets Night of the Living Dead," according to Deadline, V.F.W. "follows Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local Vfw post – and an innocent teen – against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. These Vietnam vets have been to hell and back, but this will be the longest night of their lives."

V.F.W.

Joe Begos is one of the top up-and-coming horror directors I keep an eye on. From his debut film Almost Human to his telekinetic follow-up The Mind's Eye it's just a matter of time before Begos hits the mainstream in a big, bad way. And today we have word on his next film which just might be the project that pushes him into a theater near you. This new project comes to us from the twisted minds over at the newly rebooted Fangoria and is called V.F.W.

And, get this, the movie just snagged Avatar and Don't Breathe baddie Stephen Lang as the star. Described as The Wild Bunch meets Night of the Living Dead, it follows, "Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local Vfw post - and an innocent teen - against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants.

Exclusive: Stephen Lang, who played Colonel Miles Quaritch in James Cameron’s epic sci-fi Avatar, is set to star in V.F.W., an action-horror film with Brawl in Cell Block 99 producer Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk producing for Fangoria. Joe Begos is at the helm, directing from a screenplay by Max Brallier and Matthew McArdle. Begos’ Channel 83 Films partner Josh Ethier is also producing.

Slated to go before cameras this month in Dallas, the film is described as The Wild Bunch meets Night of the Living Dead. It follows Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local Vfw post – and an innocent teen – against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. These Vietnam vets have been to hell and back, but this will be the longest night of their lives.

Executive producers are David Gilbery and Charles Dorfman of Media Finance Capital,...

Exclusive: Amblin Partners has preemptively acquired and put on a fast track The White Room. The pic has a script by hot genre scribe Bryce McGuire, and Rod Blackhurst will direct it. It was developed by The Picture Company and Ace Content and will be a co-production between those companies.

Evan Hayes will produce the film along with The Picture Co. partners Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona. Noah Lang will also serve as a producer. Ace’s founding partner Justin Barocas will also be executive producer.

The White Room is a female-driven thriller that takes place over the course of one night in the offseason of the remote Adirondack Mountains. The story unfolds when a mysterious young woman goes missing and it is up to a hardened local widow to find out the truth behind the disappearance, which may have been caused by something inhuman. The aspiration is Don’t Breathe meets Hereditary,...

Sam Adegoke, who currently stars in CW’s Dynasty reboot, and Frances Fisher are set for 8000 Shots, an indie film which Talia Lugacy wrote and is directing. Rosario Dawson is producing the film with Lugacy, who previously directed Dawson in the 2007 drama, Descent, along with Adegoke, Noah Lang, and Cheyenne Drinkwater.

Adegoke stars as Will Larue, a combat veteran who served in the Iraq war, who loses his friend and fellow vet to suicide, which resurrects his past and forces him to confront the fact that healing from war is not possible.

The pic set in NYC and is currently in production on location.

Previously, Adegoke has appeared Lifetime’s Searching for Neverland and had recurring stints on Freeform’s Switched at Birth and Murder in the First on TNT. He’ll reprise his role as Jeff Colby when Dynasty returns in the fall.

Fisher has appeared in numerous film...

Exclusive: Rod Blackhurst, whose debut feature Here Alone won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca in April, has signed with ICM Partners. Blackhurst also produced the postapocalyptic thriller with writer David Ebeltoft and Noah Lang. Here Alone is set after a virus has destroyed civilization, leaving humanity divided into two groups: the uninfected and those whom the virus has turned into insatiably violent savages. Three survivors living deep in the…...