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Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.

Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry

An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.

Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.

A shortlist of 15 finalists is...

Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.

Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry

An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.

Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.

A shortlist of 15 finalists is...

Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.

Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry

An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.

Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.

A shortlist of 15 finalists is...

Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.

Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry

An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.

Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.

A shortlist of 15 finalists is...

The Russian Pavilion and the virtual stand at Marché du Film are organized by Roskino with the support of the Russian Cinema Fund and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

Despite complications due to the coronavirus pandemic, Russia will take part in the world’s major film festival. The Russian Pavilion will open on July 6 at Village International in Cannes. The Pavilion traditionally represents Russia at the Festival and the Marché du Film market being the main information center for promoting Russian cinema on an international scale.

The Pavilion will become a place of offline discussions, presentations, and networking of Russian companies with their foreign partners. Online events will also be held at the Russian Pavilion for those who are not able to reach the festival because of the epidemiological situation. The Pavilion will serve as a meeting point for the Russian participants of the official program of the Festival with press representatives.

Russian Film Week USA, which runs Jan. 23-29, is expanding its reach as it pivots to an online format, allowing audiences across the U.S. to sample Russia’s latest cinematic output. The event opens with Alexey Uchitel’s surreal road trip movie “Tsoy,” which imagines the aftermath of the fateful 1990 car accident that killed Soviet rock idol Victor Tsoy.

The first batch of 10 titles to be announced by the event, formerly called Russian Film Week New York, are all international or North American premieres, with the rest of the program, including documentaries and children’s films, to be announced later this month.

“The Whaler Boy,” which won Venice Days’ award for best director, is the closing night film. It follows an indigenous teenager as he discovers a world far beyond his whaling community. Other films in the lineup include Ivan Tverdovskiy’s “The Conference,” which also played at Venice Days,...

Spain’s big shoot business is rocking, galvanized by more regional options and incentives that are highly competitive — at least in rates.

With a long tradition of hosting international productions, Spain earned larger global visibility after “Game of Thrones” filmed there from 2014 to 2018.

Production services has become one of the healthiest audiovisual sectors in Spain, driven by a golden age of local and international TV drama, as well as greater legal stability of its incentives. Spain’s mainland offers 20% tax rebates for international productions, capped at €3 million ($3.4 million); in the Canary Islands, the rate is 40%, with a €5.4 million ($6.1 million) ceiling.

“Tax advantages are attracting all kind of international productions,” says Nostromo’s Adrián Guerra, president of producers’ association Profilm.

“There are so many productions going on all over Spain that it’s becoming difficult to crew up on new productions,” he adds.

Challenges remain. The tax system is predominantly luring low-to-mid-range foreign projects.

Defenders of the world, unite! Brace yourselves for non-stop action and edge-of-your-seat thrills with a massive werebear, a man who can move mountains, a martial artist and a blademaster. Alone, they are freaks. Together, they’re the Guardians. An ultra-stylish, high-octane superhero actioner by Sarik Andreasyan (American Heist), Guardians makes its DVD debut as a Walmart exclusive on September 5, 2017 from Shout! Factory. The Blu-ray (with digital download) will be available everywhere December 5, 2017. Delivering a visceral thrill-ride that movie fans will highly enjoy, Guardians DVD and Blu-ray™ boast English and Russian audio tracks, insightful bonus content and more!

Movie synopsis

During the Cold War, the secret organization “Patriot” created an elite squad of superheroes to defend the Soviet republic from threats far beyond the capabilities of mortal men. For years, these heroes hid in the shadows… but now, four must emerge to defend their homeland from a menace unlike any other...

Arclight Films has announced a sci-fi action film, Robots, which has American Heist helmer Sarik Andreasyan attached to direct.

The movie is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where deadly creatures known as “Wretches” torment humans. Led by Cassius, a group of men sets out to save what is left of humanity from these Wretches.

Production will take place in both Russia and China.

Arclight Films' Gary Hamilton will produce, along with Ying Ye, Mike Gabrawy and Andreasyan. Ruzanna Kegeyan will executive produce.

Arclight is handling worldwide rights on Robots. The international sales company is also handling the rights to...

Author: Steven Neish

In the years since the Cold War, during which the Soviet Union engineered a team of superheroes under the Patriot programme, the Iron Curtain has fallen and the subjects have gone into hiding outside of the new Russian border. When one of Patriot’s founding members resurfaces years later and uses his abilities to hijack a number of advanced paramilitary robots, Major Elena Larina (Valeriya Shkirando) is tasked with reuniting the estranged teammates. Comprising Ler Landman (Sebastien Sisak), a monk with the ability to control mountains; Ursus (Anton Pampushnyy), a were-bear who can transform at will; Khan Windman (Sanzhar Madiyev), a martial artist capable of teleportation; and Xenia Waterwoman (Alina Lanina), an invisible woman who can walk on water, Patriot aims to stop August Kuratov (Stanislav Shirin) from taking over the world.

In the over-saturated market of superhero movies it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out,...

One more trailer for this crazy awesome Russian superhero action movie titled Guardians, or Zashchitniki (Защитники) in Russian. We've previously featured two different trailers for this movie, but this final one might be the best yet. At the very least, it's packed with action - and this action is seriously impressive. I might go see this just for the action scenes alone, even if they're totally CGI, they still look cool. The plot is about a "Patriot" program that created a superhero squad, which included members of multiple soviet republics. There's a psychopath who wields sleek curved swords, a telekinetic, an invisible witch, and the most badass one of all, a massive "Werebear" wielding a minigun. Starring Valeriya Shkirando, Sanzhar Madiyev, Alina Lanina, Anton Pampushnyy, Sebastien Sisak & Vyacheslav Razbegaev. Fire it up. Here's the final official trailer for for Sarik Andreasyan's Guardians, or Zashchitniki, found on YouTube: You can...

The trailer for the incredible-looking Russian superhero movie Guardians is here, complete with jokes about Borsht and an armored bear who carries machine guns. The plot follows a team of superheroes who were assembled during the Cold War but had to go into hiding until they were called upon by the government to actually fight. The team is only now called upon to stop a supervillain from destroying Russia.

We tend to think of superheroes as American, but Russia’s cinematic take on it has a strong nationalistic message. The film directed by Sarik Andreasyan reflects some of the national pride felt during Soviet Russia and invokes the feeling that only these Ussr-strong superheroes can save their country. The assemblage of superheroes is even called “Patriot” to reflect more of their nationalism. Can this ragtag squad of superheroes Make Russia Great Again?

The movie is set to be released on...

"They must prepare for the final battle..." Ready for this badass movie already? If you want to see more footage from this movie while we wait for a Us release, there's another new trailer to watch. Hitting theaters next year is a Russian "superhero" movie called Guardians, also known as Zashchitniki (Защитники) in Russian. We featured an impressive full-length trailer for this last month, but this new trailer looks like it's just a teaser though still contains more footage we haven't seen yet. The plot is about a "Patriot" program that created a superhero squad, which included members of multiple soviet republics. There's a psychopath who wields sleek curved swords, a telekinetic, an invisible witch, and the most badass one of all, a massive "Werebear" wielding a minigun. There's also a new "trailer" below which is just a fight scene clip. Have fun. Here's the other new trailers for for Sarik Andreasyan's Guardians,...

Next year, we’ll see an original superhero pic titled Guardians (foreign title “Zaschitniki”) from Russia and director Sarik Andreasyan‘s (American Heist) about a team of Soviet superheroes. This group of heroes includes a man who can levitate rocks, a deadly teleporter who uses two scythes (pictured above), a woman who can become invisible and manipulate water, and […]

The post Full Length ‘Guardians’ Trailer: See More of Russia’s Mightiest Heroes appeared first on /Film.

Independent production, financing and distribution company Covert Media has formed international sales label Lexica Films and plans to launch five to 10 films per year through it. Covert's President of International, Liz Kim Schwan, will lead the new division. The first title will be the Russian-language disaster film Earthquake, which stars Cannes Best Actor winner Konstantin Lavronenko (The Banishment, Name Me) and is directed by Sarik Andreasyan (American Heist). The…...

Exclusive: Paul Hanson’s production, financing and distribution outfit has launched an international sales label in the run-up to the Toronto International Film Festival.

Covert’s president of international Liz Kim Schwan will lead the division and kick off with sales on Earthquake, the drama about the 1988 Spitak natural disaster that is viewed as a potential candidate as Armenia’s Oscar foreign-language submission.

Sarik Andreasyan directed the film, which stars Konstantin Lavronenko, a Cannes best actor winner in 2007 for The Banishment.

Earthquake is a fictional account of the event that destroyed more than 300 towns across Armenia and displaced more than half a million people.

Set in Leninakan, Armenia, the story interweaves the stories of a 50-year-old Russian and a 28-year-old Armenian who work together to rescue survivors.

Covert will handle North America and all international sales excluding Russia, where Caro Premier Film Company has scheduled a December 1 release in 1,000 theatres under original title Zemletryasenie.

French and Chinese...

The Guardians (foreign title “Zaschitniki”) is Russia’s attempt at a Marvel Avengers-style superhero blockbuster. Directed by Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan and starring Sebastien Sisak, Anton Pampuchniy, Sanzhar Madiev, Alina Lanina, Valeria Shkirando and Stanislav Shirin, the story follows a secret group of Soviet superheroes named “Patriot” created during the Cold War to defend the homeland […]

The post ‘The Guardians’ Trailer: Russia’s Avengers-Style Superhero Movie Looks Crazy appeared first on /Film.

"These people are our only hope." This actually looks really cool, I have to say. A new full-length trailer has debuted for a big-budget Russian "superhero" movie called Guardians, also known as Zashchitniki (Защитники) in Russian. This isn't the first time we've written about this film - earlier this year we posted a teaser trailer. This new trailer has polished VFX, and lots of crazy footage of big fights in cities, and it looks quite fun. The plot is about a "Patriot" program that created a superhero squad, which included members of multiple soviet republics. There's a psychopath who wields sleek curved swords, a telekinetic, an invisible witch, and the most badass of all, a massive "Werebear" wielding a minigun, on the team. There's not much more I can say about this other than you just need to watch the trailer and see for yourself how cool this is. Here's...

Joseph Baxter Aug 25, 2016

The trailer for Guardians showcases Russia’s answer to Marvel movie epics with wanton destruction...

At first glance, the trailer for Guardians showcases elements seemingly lifted directly out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ensemble filmmaking playbook. Glaringly dubbed in English, the Guardians trailer does – for what it’s worth – manage to successfully replicate the Whedon-esque "amusement park attraction with a plot" paradigm with some exciting comic-book-y action.

The film centers on a secret Soviet-era super-team who are reactivated when a group of mysterious, heavily-armed militants with missile-firing spider-robots proves too much for the Russian army to handle. The heroic superhero ensemble appears to be a formidable collection of comic-style killers with characters (whose names I'm about to make up) The Winter Whiplash, Mask-less Bane Guy, Soviet Sue Storm, Beardy Giant Fist Man and, the most prominent of them all… Bear in Cargo Pants!

In the director’s...

Whoa! What the heck is this? Every once in a while, Russia produces a movie that actually makes the rest of the world take notice. I still can't forget that magical flying car movie a few years back (Black Lightning) known as Russia's Transformers. The next production we're curious about is a film called Zaschitniki, a Russian superhero feature about four different super-powered humans. This trailer came out in May of last year but we only just now came across it thanks to io9. It's only a teaser and they don't show too much, but it is an appealing first look, and with this early concept art for it I'm certainly intrigued. I want to see more. Here's the first teaser trailer for Sarik Andreasyan's Zaschitniki, found on YouTube via a tip from io9: Here's some of the concept art for Zaschitniki floating around online, showing the superhero...

From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of “Glee”), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage.

Recently, I sat down with stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), and Alison Pill (“The Newsroom”) to talk with them about gore, comedy, and chicken nugget processing. Check it out below!

Cooties stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson (“The Office”), and Alison Pill (“The Newsroom”) as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable love triangle on the worst Monday of their lives. Cooties will be one of the debut releases of the newly-launched Lionsgate Premiere label, which will release the film on...

A conversation occurs midway through Sarik Andreasyan’s “American Heist,” in which a thug quotes Thomas Jefferson, his favorite Us president; “The banking institutions are more dangerous than the army.” Our mind immediately calls back to Brad Pitt’s closing monologue in “Killing Them Softly,” where he singles out the very same Jefferson as a hypocrite, guilty for founding America as a business. Some films have a tendency to comment scathingly on an allegedly corrupt American financial system, dispelling the myth of the American dream with eager cynicism (most especially certain films that call attention to these critiques by including the word ‘American’ in their title. Some, like Andrew Dominik’s exceptionally colloquial piece, artfully unravel the fabric of this culture through intelligent and subtle cinematic means, while others tear into the very same fabric with a blunt instrument until the viewer is left exasperated. Andreasyan’s film doesn’t waste much time in firmly.

A film that wasn't at all on my radar, and I only just learned about, Lionsgate will release "American Heist" - an American-Russian co-produced independent action film directed by Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan, based on the 1959 film "The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery," which starred Steve McQueen and was directed by Charles Guggenheim and John Stix. The film stars Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, Tory Kittles, Akon and Jordana Brewster. The story: A New Orleans mechanic's struggle to turn his back on crime is compromised by the unexpected return of his ex-con brother, who quickly gets him involved in a dangerous heist. James and Frankie were just...

Heist thrillers are a dime a dozen, but American Heist sets itself apart with a pretty terrific cast. Golden Globe nominee Hayden Christensen (Star Wars), Oscar winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist) and Fast & Furious actress Jordana Brewster lead the pic, which also stars Akon, Tory Kittles and Rachel Bilson. Today, We Got This Covered is pleased to unveil an exclusive clip from the movie, which unfolds as the titular heist gets a little bit trickier due to an unexpected complication.

Though the plot of American Heist is nothing particularly revolutionary, the trailer suggests the potential for a fast-paced action-thriller that knows exactly what it’s setting out to achieve and does just that – which is frankly fine by me. Sarik Andreasyan directed the pic, which debuted during the Toronto International Film Festival last year.

Lionsgate will be bringing the flick to Ultra VOD platforms on June 19 before a theatrical bow...

Armenian filmmaker Sarik Andreasyan may not be well known to American audiences, but three films that he directed, wrote and produced — “The Pregnant," “Moms," and “That Was The Men’s World” — were certifiable hits in the Russian Box Office. Now, he’s making his U.S. feature film directorial debut with the crime thriller “American Heist," starring Adrien Brody, Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster, and Akon. The film is based on the black & white Steve McQueen vehicle “The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery" and updates the plot of the 1950s Missouri-set heist film to modern-day New Orleans. The story follows Frankie Caley (Brody), an ex-con who took the rap for a crime he committed with his younger brother, James (Christensen) - who works hard to start a new life with a new job and a girlfriend (Brewster) while Frankie is incarcerated, serving time. Upon his release, and because he is broke...

Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster, Adrien Brody and Akon headline the cast of Sarik Andreasyan's upcoming American Heist. And with the film hitting VOD (June 19) and theaters (July 24) from Lionsgate, we've got a fistful of exclusive stills to share.James (Hayden Christensen) owes his life to his older brother, Frankie (Adrien Brody) after taking the rap for a crime they committed together.  While Frankie served time, James worked to turn his life around, got a steady job and began courting his former girlfriend Emily (Jordana Brewster). Now, Frankie is released and back on the streets with no money and no place to go.  He turns to his underworld connections (Akon) and convinces James to join him in hopes that one last job will be the...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

We've seen students strive to survive their teachers' wrath in Robert Rodriguez's The Faculty, but in the zombie film Cooties, the teachers are the ones fending off an infected student body. A new poster teases the Elijah Wood-starring horror comedy.

A SpectreVision film, Cooties is scheduled to come out on VOD and in select theaters on September 18th from Lionsgate Premiere:

"From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of "Glee"), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson ("The Office"), and Alison Pill ("The Newsroom") as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an...

We're not really sure what Hayden Christensen and Jordana Brewster are talking about in this exclusive first look at their new movie, American Heist, but it really doesn't matter because the two look so darn hot taking a bath together. The former Star Wars star shows his bare chest (hello tattoo!) as Brewster leans against him as she seemingly lays between his legs in an old bathtub that looks like it's located in some sort of tranquil garden. Candles help set the mood, but there's also a bit of gritty edge as the two sip beer straight from the bottle. The Sarik Andreasyan-directed drama focuses on James (Christensen), a young man who is trying to get on with his life after his older brother...

See Full Gallery Here

ComingSoon has released a slew of new screenshots for Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen by the numbers crime drama, American Heist.

With Sarik Andreasyan behind the lens, the genre piece will tell the story of Brody and Christensen’s two brothers, who reluctantly agree to pull off that clichéd ‘one last job’ in an attempt to whip their lives back into order. That job just so happens to be a high-stakes robbery which Brody’s Frank spearheads, despite being recently released from a ten-year jail sentence. Nevertheless, Aliaune “Akon” Thiam and Fast and Furious stalwart Jordana Brewster are also on board for the heist drama.

You can check out the gallery of images for American Heist above, though if you’re looking for a shred of originality, you may find better luck elsewhere.

Hayden Christensen will follow in the footsteps of every reluctant hero the genre...

From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of Glee), Cooties is a horror comedy the promises unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. The film takes place in a small town where a mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the kids into a feral swarm of mass savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives. Cooties, which made its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to positive reviews, is set to open in theaters and on VOD on September 18. A new trailer has been released, which you can watch below. Enjoy!

Cooties, stars Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Ian Brennan and Jorgé Garcia. The film is directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and Ian Brennan.

Following its recent, well-received screening at the Stanley Film Festival, the zombie film, Cooties, is now teased in its first trailer, giving us a good look at the horror comedy that stars Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Leigh Whannell.

A SpectreVision film, Cooties is scheduled to come out on VOD and in select theaters on September 18th from Lionsgate Premiere:

"From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of "Glee"), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson ("The Office"), and Alison Pill ("The Newsroom") as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable...

Read More: Watch: Adrien Brody & Hayden Christensen Take On The World In Trailer For 'American Heist' Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan is tackling the world of underground crime in his latest thriller, "American Heist." Starring Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster, Akon and Academy Award winner Adrian Brody, the film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last September and will be released this summer.  Christensen and Brody star as James and Frankie, respectively, two brothers who turn to crime in order to change their lives for the better. While Frankie served jail time for a crime they both committed, James worked to turn his life around by getting a steady job and starting a relationship with his former girlfriend, Emily (Brewster). After Frankie is released and heads back to the streets with no money and no place to go, he turns to his underworld connections (Akon) and convinces James to join...

"We're here to rob the bank... Don't be a hero!" Lionsgate has debuted an official Us trailer for American Heist, an action-thriller-drama from Armenian filmmaker Sarik Andreasyan starring Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen as brothers with troubled pasts who get dragged into another bank robbery. It's yet another bank robbers need to leave their past but get caught up in one more job kind of movie, complete with the face mask heist and everything. Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Akon also star in the film. It honestly doesn't look that great, yet another bland version of this same old story, but you never know. Here's the new Us trailer for Sarik Andreasyan's American Heist, in high def originally from Apple: If you're feeling like you've seen some of this before, we also ran an international trailer late last year. American Heist is directed by Armenian filmmaker Sarik Andreasyan (Pregnant...

Breakout with Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson & Alison Pill with the hilarious new teaser poster from Lionsgate Premiere’s Cooties. The movie is the opening night film at the Stanley Film Festival.

From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of “Glee”), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage.

The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson (“The Office”), and Alison Pill (“The Newsroom”) as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable love triangle on the worst Monday of their lives.

SpectreVision and Glacier Films present Cooties, starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Ian Brennan and Jorgé Garcia.

Elementary school teachers deal with the occasional little monster, but in the horror film Cooties, an entire faculty faces an army of disobedient, hungry zombie children that are wilder and far more dangerous than any human troublemakers. Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Leigh Whannell, Lionsgate Premiere's Cooties kicks off the Stanley Film Festival tonight and to mark the occasion, a new poster for the living dead film has been released.

Cooties will be released in select theaters and on VOD beginning September 18th. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for our coverage of Cooties and other films at the Stanley Film Festival.

Press Release -- "From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of "Glee"), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group...

Elementary school teachers deal with the occasional little monster, but in the horror film Cooties, an entire faculty faces an army of disobedient, hungry zombie children that are wilder and far more dangerous than any human troublemakers. Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, and Leigh Whannell, Lionsgate Premiere's Cooties will kick off the 2015 Stanley Film Festival:

Press Release - "April 6, 2015 (Denver, Co) - The Stanley Film Festival, (Sff) produced by the Denver Film Society and presented by NBC Universal's Chiller, announced today that Lionsgate Premiere's Cooties will open the festival on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

From the minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of Glee), Cooties is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into little killer savages, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit,...

"Banks are an essential threat to our democracy, so consider this justice."

I don’t know what happened with Adrien Brody, but after he won that Best Actor Oscar for The Pianist his career took a nose dive, and he started making bad movies. The most recent thing that I saw him in was History Channel’s Houdini, and I liked him in it. But other than that he hasn’t done anything decent in years. Now he’s got a new movie coming out called American Heist, which doesn’t look very promising.

The movie also stars Hayden Christensen, who is best known for his role of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, and Jordana Brewster from the Fast and Furious franchise. So this movie is packed full of great talent! Here’s the synopsis:

Frankie (Christensen) and James (Brody) are two brothers with checkered pasts; one struggling on the road to normalcy,...

American Heist International Trailer. Sarik Andreasyan‘s American Heist (2014) international movie trailer stars Hayden Christensen, Jordana Brewster, Adrien Brody, Aaron V. Williamson, and Laura Cayouette. American Heist‘s plot synopsis: “Frankie (Hayden Christensen) and James (Adrien Brody) are two brothers with checkered pasts; one struggling on the road to normalcy, the [...]

Continue reading: American Heist (2014) International Movie Trailer: Adrien Brody Robs a Bank...

Today we have an international trailer for the upcoming "American Heist" crime thriller, starring Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster and Akon. Check it out below. Plot: James (Christensen) has a checkered past, but he's trying to put his life on the straight and narrow. He has a decent job in an auto shop, plans to start his own business, and there's even the promise of love on the horizon. But one day, before his dream can become a reality, he opens his front door to find his older brother Frankie (Brody), recently released from a ten-year stretch in prison. Frankie has some money-making strategies of his own, and he needs James to help him one last time . in a spectacularly elaborate bank heist. Even though it's Frankie's influence that James is trying to escape, he finds himself drawn into the unsavory plan due to a combination of guilt, greed,...

Voltage Pictures has released the international trailer for American Heist, which is a cliché wrapped in a stereotype inside a generic slice of convention.

Bundling together every known trope of the action thriller genre, the footage follows Hayden Christensen and Adrien Brody, two bickering brothers who find themselves united by a common goal: that one last job. With Brody’s Frankie fresh out of prison after serving a ten-year sentence, the only person he can truly depend on is James (Christensen), who is struggling to get his life together with his girlfriend, played here by Fast Five‘s Jordana Brewster.

American Heist initially debuted during the Toronto Film Festival and is directed by Sarik Andreasyan. From the trailer, we’ve tapered our own expectations for the crime drama, but hey, we’ll leave the ultimate verdict to you.

American Heist doesn’t have a release date at this time, but...

"Banks are an essential threat to our democracy, so consider this justice." After winning an Academy Award for The Pianist, it's unfortunate that the career of Adrien Brody has mostly derailed. I couldn't even tell you the last time I saw a great movie with Brody in it, and that doesn't look to change with this international trailer for the Tiff selected American Heist. All the cliches of a crime thriller are on display, and while Hayden Christensen doesn't seem all that bad for once, this just looks like it's trying to be Heat meets Fast Five (they even got Jordana Brewster on board), but not nearly as good as either. Here's the international trailer for Sarik Andreasyan's American Heist from Voltage Pictures: American Heist is directed by Armenian filmmaker Sarik Andreasyan and written by Raul Inglis (Transparency, Suddenly). Frankie (Hayden Christensen) and James (Adrien Brody) are two...

It's possible to put a new spin on an old story, and that's just what filmmaker Sarik Andreasyan tries to do with "American Heist." All the familiar ingredients are here for this crime thriller, along with an Oscar winning actor (Adrien Brody), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), someone from the "Fast And Furious" franchise (Jordana Brewster) and an R&B singer (Akon). The result? Watch below. Tell me if you've heard this before: someone trying to put his past behind him is lured into "one last job" by his troubled brother, who has just been released from a ten year stint in prison. And cue the standard batch of conflicted emotions, explosions, and hey, a helicopter slamming into a building. But this genre flick never quite comes together with our review out of Tiff calling it " a complete mess, with one-note characters, an idiotically planned out bank job, and the climactic...

Saban Films is nearing a deal for the U.S. distribution rights to Sarik Andreasyan's action thriller “American Heist” starring Hayden Christensen and Adrien Brody, the studio announced Friday. Written by Raul Inglis, the film follows two brothers with troubled pasts who become embroiled in a high-stakes bank robbery. Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune “Akon” Thiam co-star, and the film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Also read: John Travolta's ‘The Forger’ Acquired by Saban Films for $2.5 Million “We were eager to see ‘American Heist’ coming into Toronto and the film lived up to our expectations.

Haim Saban, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saban Capital Group, Inc., announced today that Saban Films is closing in on a deal to acquire the U.S. distribution rights to Sarik Andreasyan action-thriller American Heist, starring Hayden Christensen, Academy Award Winner Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune "Akon" Thiam. The film had its world premiere last night at the Toronto International Film Festival.

At Toronto, Saban Films has also acquired John Travolta's The Forger and the action-thriller Tracers, starring Taylor Lautner and Marie Avgeropoulos from Temple Hill Entertainment.

Continuing its buying streak at the Toronto Film Festival, Haim Saban's Saban Films is closing in on a $2 million deal for U.S. rights to Sarik Andreasyan's action thriller American Heist, starring Hayden Christensen and Adrien Brody. The movie — also starring Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune "Akon" Thiam — made its world premiere in Toronto on Thursday. American Heist stars Christensen and Brody as two brothers caught up in a high-stakes bank robbery. Earlier this week, Saban Films scooped up rights to another multi-generational heist movie, The Forger, starring John Travolta, Christopher Plummer and Tye

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As we reported back in January, Lionsgate contracted horror-comedy Cooties after its premiere at Sundance, taking control of North American distribution for the film. But the version that sees release from the label won't quite be the same as the one screened at Sundance. Read on!

In an interview with Twitch Film at the Toronto Fan Expo, producer/star Elijah Wood spilled the beans about the last-minute change, which he says makes the film better than it previously was.

"Off of the pickup from Lionsgate, which was always the home we had hoped for, we ended up getting some more money to make a new ending, which we're really excited about," said Wood. "We only had so much money, and the ending we made we weren't always that happy with so we got to make a new ending, and we're psyched. I'm excited for people to see it; it's really funny.

Elementary school teachers deal with the occasional little monster, but in Cooties, a faculty faces an army of disobedient, hungry zombie children that are wilder than any human troublemaker. Lionsgate acquired Cooties after it premiered at Sundance early this year and in a recent interview, the film’s star and producer Elijah Wood revealed when we can expect to see the movie released.

At Toronto’s Fan Expo 2014, Twitch’s Jason Gorber got a chance to chat with Elijah Wood, who gave the following status update on the release of Cooties:

“The status is hopefully January of next year. It definitely won’t be this year, it’ll be after the first of the year, and we’re looking at January, but we’re still waiting to see from Lion’s Gate where they feel like it’s going to sit.”

Wood also mentioned that after being picked up by Lionsgate,...

A conversation occurs midway through Sarik Andreasyan’s “American Heist,” in which a thug quotes Thomas Jefferson, his favorite Us president; “The banking institutions are more dangerous than the army.” Our mind immediately calls back to Brad Pitt’s closing monologue in “Killing Them Softly” where he singles out the very same Jefferson as a hypocrite, guilty for founding America as a business. Some films have a tendency to comment scathingly on an allegedly corrupt American financial system, dispelling the myth of the American dream with eager cynicism (most especially certain films that call attention to these critiques by including the word ‘American’ in their title. Some, like Andrew Dominik’s exceptionally colloquial piece, artfully unravel the fabric of this culture through intelligent and subtle cinematic means, while others tear into the very same fabric with a blunt instrument, until the viewer is left exasperated. Andreasyan’s film doesn’t waste much time in firmly.

As we look in the rearview mirror of the summer blockbusters, September heralds the start of the fall movie season. Filled with Hollywood heavyweights and A-listers, here’s our Big list of the most anticipated movies coming to cinemas this autumn and during the holidays.

Our exhaustive list includes films that are playing at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival as well the ones that already have a theatrical release date. With the awards season on the horizon, we also added a few bonus films at the end to keep your eye out for in the months ahead.

Pull up a chair, grab a pen and paper and get ready for Wamg’s Guide to the 100+ Films This Fall And Holiday Season.

We kick it off with what’s showing in Toronto at the film festival that runs September 4 – 14.

Maps To The Stars – September 2014 – Toronto International Film Festival; UK & Ireland September...

The announcements have begun rolling in for this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Watch this page for updates.

Galas

Black and White (Mike Binder, USA)

The Equalizer (Antoine Fuqua, USA)

Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, USA)

Haemoo (Shim Sung-bo, South Korea)

The Judge (David Dobkin, USA)

Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg, Canada/Germany)

The New Girlfriend (François Ozon, France)

Pawn Sacrifice (Ed Zwick, USA)

The Riot Club (Lone Sherfig, UK)

Samba (Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano, France)

This is Where I Leave You (Shawn Levy, USA)

Wild (Jean-Marc Vallée, USA)

Closing Night Film

A Little Chaos (Alan Rickman, UK)

Masters

1001 Grams (Bent Hamer, Norway/Germany/France)

A Pigeon Sat on a Bench Reflecting on Existence (Roy Andersson, Sweden/Norway/France/Germany)

The Face of an Angel (Michael Winterbottom, UK)

The Golden Era (Ann Hui, China/Hong Kong)

Goodbye to Language 3D (Jean-Luc Godard, France)

Hill of Freedom (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea)

Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev,...