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"Maybe it's the universe telling us we're selling out..." Mama Bear Studios has released the official trailer for an indie comedy film titled Rollers, from filmmaker Isaiah Smallman making his first feature after a number of shorts. Rollers is "about a group of friends learning how to say goodbye to a historical musical venue that for years has served as a pillar of their community." Rufus is a closet alcoholic and everything he loves is smashed together into one place: Rollers. He gave up a promising career as a musician in order to keep it alive, but the historic venue, once owned by his parents, is in trouble and he's running out of ways to save it, and himself. His friends urge him to move on, but can he? Tough question to confront. The film stars Johnny Ray Gill as Rufus, along with Kevin Bigley, Vicky Jeudy, Kate Cobb, Joel Allen,...

Vision Film has acquired rights to I Love Us, a romantic drama from Danny A. Abeckaser’s 2B Films. Abeckaser stars with Jackie Cruz, Katie Cassidy, Harlow Jane, David James Elliott, Robert Davi, Jasper Polish, Greg Finley, James Madio, David James Elliott, Elya Baskin and Courtney Lopez in the ensemble, which wrapped production at the end of March after a shoot in Los Angeles. It will get a 10-city theatrical run along with VOD in September.

In the script by Kosta Kondilopoulos, a seasoned thief (Abeckaser) trades in his criminal ways for a “normal” married life after falling in love with a single mother (Cassidy) that catches him off guard. But when tragedy strikes, he’s forced to take one last job to pay off old debts and keep his new family together, creating conflict all around him.

Abeckaser also produced with Wild7Films’ Kyle Stefanski and Mike Hermosa, and Above the Clouds’ Jeff Hoffman. Executive producers are Katie Cassidy, Ron Rofe, Isaac Gindi, Eddie Gindi and Gustavo Nascimento.

“I Love Us was such a passion project and a labor of love. I felt the movie deserved to be with a company that really believes and loves the movie like I do. Lisa Romanoff at Vision was the right person for this journey for myself as director along with producers Kyle Stefanski, Mike Hermosa and Jeff Hoffman. We are excited for people to see it.”

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Level 33 Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Rollers, written and directed by Isaiah Smallman. The film will be available in theaters and on VOD on June 25.

The plot centers on Rufus Paisley (Johnny Ray Gill), a closet alcoholic and whose everything he loves is smashed together into one place: Rollers. He gave up a promising career as a musician in order to keep it alive, but the historic venue, once owned by his parents, is in trouble and he’s running out of ways to save it, and himself. His friends urge him to move on, but can he?

Kevin Bigley, Vicky Jeudy, Kate Cobb, Joel Allen and Spencer Rayshon Stevenson also star. Smallman and Tara Ansley produced the pic, which was executive produced by Tiffany Boyle, Bryce McGuire, Elsa Ramo and Eric Costello.

The deal was negotiated by Boyle and Erika Canchola on behalf of the filmmakers and by Andreas Olavarria and Kate Sheffield on behalf of Level 33.

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Gravitas Ventures has acquired rights to the sports documentary Resurgence, directed by social media fitness stars Heber Cannon and Marston Sawyers (aka the Buttery Bros). The pic, which follows the shakeup of the worldwide annual fitness competition The CrossFit Games in the midst of the pandemic, will debut on iTunes and Apple TV on July 20, followed by digital platforms and VOD on August 3.

“With Covid-19 restrictions allowing for only 10 athletes versus the usual 80-100+, it’s the first and possibly last year we will be able to tell interesting angles from every athlete competing,” the directors said. “We are honored to have been there for this intimate event, and excited for the world to see the behind the scenes of what went on at the 2020 CrossFit Games.”

“The collaboration among the Buttery Bros., CrossFit HQ, and Gravitas has been smooth and it’s great to get the band back together,” said Michael Murphy, President of Gravitas Ventures. “Previous CrossFit films are immediate best-sellers, and we expect the same from Resurgence which is awesome in scope, story-telling, and quality.”

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The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles‘ Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature went toTamil director Thamizh’s debut film Seththumaan (Pig) as the 19th edition of the fest wrapped its run this week. The Features Jury gave honorable mention to Malayalam film Biriyaani, directed by Sajin Baabu. Ajitpal Singh’s debut feature Fire in the Mountains won the Audience Award for Best Feature.

The Grand Jury Prize for Best Short went to Karishma Dev Dube for Bittu, while the Audience Award for Best Short went to Aarti Neharsh’s queer love story The Song We Sang.

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Freestyle Digital Media has acquired North American VOD rights to the World War II feature documentary Lost Airmen of Buchenwald. It will hit digital platforms June 15.

Written and directed by Mike Dorsey, the doc tells the story of the 168 Allied airmen in World War II who fought for survival in Germany’s infamous Buchenwald Concentration Camp after they were caught by the German Gestapo while hiding with the French Resistance. Facing starvation, disease, execution, forced marches, and even a bombing by their own side, the airmen are in a race against time to get out of Buchenwald alive.

Dorsey, Gerald Baron, Frank Imhof and Duane McNett are producers. Freestyle negotiated the deal with A3 Artists Agency representing Dorsey.

Here’s the trailer:...

A man in a psychiatric ward believes he might be the President of the United States in the trailer for The Current Occupant, this year's July installment of Blumhouse and Hulu's horror anthology series Into the Dark.

Directed by Julius Ramsay from a screenplay by Alston Ramsay (a former political speechwriter in Washington D.C.), Into the Dark: The Current Occupant stars Barry Watson ("The Loudest Voice"), Sonita Henry ("Krypton"), Marvin 'Krondon' Jones III ("Black Lightning"), Lilli Birdsell ("Doom Patrol"), Kate Cobb ("Scandal"), Ezra Buzzington ("Crossbones") and Joshua Burge ("The Revenant").

You can check out the new trailer below, and keep an eye out for The Current Occupant when it's released on Hulu beginning Friday, July 17th.

Synopsis: "Trapped in a mysterious psychiatric ward, a man with no memory comes to believe that he's the President of the United States and the subject of a diabolical political conspiracy. As...

Exclusive: Hulu’s Into The Dark has set the cast for its upcoming Independence Day-themed installment and has persevered through Covid-19 to finish the July episode of the Blumhouse horror anthology.

Barry Watson (The Loudest Voice), Sonita Henry (Krypton), Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III (Black Lightning), Lilli Birdsell (Doom Patrol), Kate Cobb (Scandal), Ezra Buzzington (Crossbones) and Joshua Burge (The Revenant) star in the episode, which airs on July 17 on the streamer.

The episode, which is written by speechwriter-turned-screenwriter Alston Ramsay and directed by Julius Ramsay, who has helmed episodes of The Walking Dead and The Purge, is titled The Current Occupant.

Trapped in a mysterious psychiatric ward, the episode follows a man with no memory comes to believe that he’s the President of the United States and the subject of a diabolical political conspiracy. As the asylum’s soul-crushing forces bear down on him, he fights to preserve...

"I enjoy listening to you." The Orchard has unveiled a trailer for a quirky romance titled Operator, about a relationship that goes awry when the programmer creates a digital version of his wife's voice. The indie film stars Martin Starr (from "Silicon Valley" and "Party Down") and Mae Whitman (seen in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Perks of Being a Wallflower), along with Nat Faxon, Cameron Esposito, Retta, Christine Lahti and Kate Cobb. I hate to say it, but this almost seems like a low-rent TV-movie version of Spike Jonze's brilliant Her, playing on the technology angle and the romance. Maybe there's something to it, but it didn't really grab my attention aside from Whitman's performance (she's a voice actor in real life, too). Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Logan Kibens' Operator, in high def from Apple: An anxious programmer enlists the help of his...

Chicago – On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Midwest Independent Film Festival will award their “Best of the Midwest” honors with a ceremony at The Underground Nightclub in Chicago. The evening will be hosted by Festival Director Mike McNamara, and nominees include “The Kings of Summer,” directed by Justin Vogt-Roberts, “Sole Survivor,” directed by Ky Dickens and “Be Good,” directed by Todd Looby.

The ‘Best of the Midwest’ Awards Are Tuesday, December 3rd

Photo credit: MidwestFilm.com

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been named by Chicago Magazine in their “Best of Chicago” issue, and has become one of the top places for local filmmakers, producers and actors to network in the city.

The nominees for the “Best of the Midwest” Awards are as follows….

Best Music Video...

Got some time to kill? How about diggin' in for some good old fashioned short form horror in Eddie O'Keefe latest slice of the supernatural, The Ghosts?

There's not much to report about the film other than it was directed by O'Keefe, was written by Jack Guimon along with O'Keefe, and stars Kate Cobb, Alexander Koch and Jack Guimon. Still, we know how much you guys like being kept in the know, and you have to admit the retro artwork below is intriguing.

For more on The Ghosts, including a bunch of stills, hit up the official The Ghosts Facebook page.

The Ghosts from Eddie O'Keefe on Vimeo.

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Why Watch? Looking like Eddie Cochran hooked a projector onto his Fender amp and then blasted it up to eleven with a healthy dose of distortion, The Ghosts gives the 50s throw back feel a slight punk twist. A young, bored girl falls in love with the mysterious leader of a leather jacketed gang. It’s the black and white nostalgia of the rough and ready era filtered through a modern day lens. Stay golden, Pony Boy. What Will It Cost? Just 13 lucky minutes of your time. Does it get better any better than that? Check out The Ghosts for yourself: The Ghosts (2011) Directed By: Eddie O’Keefe Written By: Eddie O’Keefe & Jack Guimon Starring: Kate Cobb, Alexander Koch, and Jack Guimon Trust us. You have time for more short films.