News

Exclusive: Production has wrapped in Wales on boxing crime-drama Salvable, starring Toby Kebbell (For All Mankind), Shia Labeouf (Fury) and James Cosmo (Game Of Thrones). Above is a first-look image.

Metro International Entertainment is handling worldwide sales and has pre-sold the film in a raft of territories including to Capelight in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Nos Lusomundo in Portugal, Discovery in Former Yugoslavia, Violator Cinema in Cis, and Phoenicia in the Middle East.

Rounding out the cast is Kila Lord Cassidy (The Wonder), Elaine Cassidy (The Wonder), Michael Socha (Papillon), Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli), Nell Hudson (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Barry Ward (Extra Ordinary). Former World Champion boxer Carl Froch has been training Kebbell and Labeouf at Penarth ABC boxing gym and will have a cameo in the film.

Kebbel plays Sal, aka “The Bull”, a washed-up boxer on the brink of 40 who is fighting more than his opponents. With...

If you’re on the prowl for under-the-radar horror films that brim with killer plotlines and unforgettable scares, you’ve clicked the right link. Tubi, with its splendid, monstrous offerings, is like a buffet for horror lovers, hosting a melange of terror-inducing tales. Nestled among these are some hidden diamonds that deserve their time in the moonlight. While meandering through the cinematic alleys of satanic cults, haunting horrors, and supernatural strikes, there’s also something bound to hit close to home for some of us: a good old break-up story.

Without further ado, let’s unwrap these hidden gem horror movies one-by-one.

Rlje 1. Satanic Panic (2019)

Anyone order delivery? When pizza delivery girl Sam gets tangled up with a ritually-inclined high society cult, the audience is treated to an outrageous blend of slapstick comedy and gory horror. Hayley Griffith’s earnest portrayal of Sam offers a compelling contrast to the decadence of the cult,...

Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne have parted ways as partners for their production company, Animal Pictures, TheWrap has learned. After founding the company together in 2018, Lyonne will continue to produce projects under the same banner, while Rudolph will operate independently.

“Moving forward, Natasha will operate under the name Animal Pictures while Maya will produce independently,” Rudolph and Lyonne said in a joint statement obtained by TheWrap. “We will continue to support each other and remain committed to the various projects we’ve developed together and have in the pipeline. We are excited for each other and what the future holds.”

Since the company’s launch, the duo has spearheaded several series, including Peacock’s mystery comedy “Poker Face,” in which Lyonne stars as an unlikely mystery solver Charlie Cale, Apple TV+ series “Loot,” which stars Rudolph, as well as Cirocco Dunlap’s Amazon Prime Video series “The Hospital.”

With several...

Exclusive: Animal Pictures principals Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne are going their separate ways on the producing front, in an amicable situation, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

Sources ascribed the split to a desire on the part of both producers to entertain differing creative paths and pursuits. Rudolph and Lyonne have made the mutual decision that Lyonne will continue to operate under the name Animal Pictures, as Rudolph branches off to produce independently.

Rudolph and Lyonne affirmed the news in the following statement shared with Deadline: “Moving forward, Natasha will operate under the name Animal Pictures while Maya will produce independently. We will continue to support each other and remain committed to the various projects we’ve developed together and have in the pipeline. We are excited for each other and what the future holds.”

The pair are said to be quite proud of what they’ve achieved together, since Animal Pictures’ 2018 founding,...

Exclusive: Ahead of this year’s Cannes Film Festival and market, indie distributor Good Deed Entertainment (Gde) has launched an international sales division.

Gde’s Executive Vice President of Acquisitions Erik Donley will be leading the unit, alongside Executive Vice President of Production and Distribution Andy Myers and Head of Sales Marco Disilvio.

Gde says it currently has 30 films available for worldwide distribution. In addition to selling acquired titles, the company will also work with their own original productions, via their fledgling production division led by Head of Production Phil Garrett.

First on deck is filmmaker Quinn Armstrong’s Fresh Hell film series, produced by Myers and Garrett. Fresh Hell is a three-feature film anthology series from writer-director Quinn Armstrong (Survival Skills) and will be released under Gde’s genre film label, Cranked Up Films, which has included the titles Extra Ordinary and Nightmare Cinema.

“Expanding our reach into the...

Projects include ‘Orange World’, the latest from ’Sunlight’ filmmaker Claire Dix.

Katie Holly’s Irish production company Blinder Films, the outfit behind Extra Ordinary, Mr Malcolm’s List, Love And Friendship and Dublin premiere Sunlight, has re-launched as Keeper Pictures, with an expanded team and a bustling slate of development projects.

Long-standing Keeper Pictures producer Yvonne Donohoe has been promoted to a newly created role, head of creative. Evan Horan, who was associate producer on Mr Malcolm’s List, has been promoted to producer. Amy Carroll has joined as development executive, previously working at South of the River and Kudos,...

Exclusive: Bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz’s YA fantasy novel The Ring & The Crown is getting a series adaptation for Disney+ from 20th Television, The Gotham Group and 3 Arts Entertainment, along with Disney Branded Television.

Written by veteran showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg (Our Kind of People), the series, now in development, is set in an Arthurian world in which magic exists. It centers on Princess Marie-Victoria, the heir to the mightiest empire in the world, who is being forced into a political marriage, and her dear friend Aelwyn Myrddyn, the bastard daughter of Merlin, who is being forced into service of the crown. The Annual London Season is just beginning, and as noble families from across the globe are gathering to flaunt their wealth and magic at lavish parties, behind the scenes, Marie-Victoria, Aelwyn, and others are making moves to secure political power, true love,...

Chicago – The 8th Annual Irish Movie Hooley … a Hooley is a rowdy party … will be a bit different this year. Moving from its familiar Loop location, the Hooley will screen at two historic suburban theaters on consecutive weekends. From September 16th-18th, 2022, the Hooley will be at the Lake Theatre in Oak Park, Illinois, and from September 23rd-25th have screenings at The Wilmette Theatre in Wilmette. For all info and ticket information, click Movie Hooley.

The Irish Movie Hooley highlights three films, and will give both locations the same programming. On Friday, September 16th and 23rd, the film is “Extra Ordinary,” a supernatural comedy featuring Will Forte. On Saturday the 17th and 24th, “Redemption of a Rogue” will screen, with its award-winning theme of the prodigal son. And finally on the 18th and 25th, “The Boys from Kingbridge,” following four lifelong friends as they grow up in the Bronx,...

First published August 12th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.

Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.

Movies included here may be available on services other than those mentioned, and in other regions, too. JustWatch and Reelgood are great for finding which films are on what streamers; you can customize each site so that it shows you only those services you have access to.

When you rent or purchase a film through the Prime Video and Apple links here, I get a small affiliate fee that helps support my work. Please use them if you can! (Affiliate fees do not increase your cost.)

published August 12th, 2022 both sides of the pond

Things are pretty awful everywhere, so please enjoy some light diversion in the form of the 2019 Irish fantasy comedy Extra Ordinary.

The success of monster hits such as Squid Game, Netflix’s most popular series ever, as well as Money Heist, All of Us Are Dead, Elite and Lupin, has proven that there is no language barrier for non-English-language series to become global phenoms.

There has been more evidence of that over the last couple of weeks. After the latest Korean breakout, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, edged The Sandman to log the most viewed hours for any series — English or non-English language — for the week of Aug. 15, this past week two non-English-language show, Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Mexican drama High Heat, were the most watched Netflix series around the world with 48.8 million and 44.1 million hours viewed, respectively.

Top English-language performer, mystery limited series Echoes, starring Michelle Monaghan, came in third overall with 36.6M hours viewed.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo extended its impressive streak at the top of the non-English language Netflix weekly rankings.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo’s remarkable run, which Deadline has chronicled for the last couple of weeks, continues. The latest Netflix hit from Korea has growing its viewership every week, from 24 million hours viewed in Week 1 to a new high mark of 77.43M hours viewed in its seventh week (8/15-8/21). It is a rare Netflix series that has increased its viewing in each of the first seven weeks.

The series also has become a rare non-English series to be an outright No. 1 for the week, eclipsing The Sandman, which dropped in Week 3 to 77.24M but still topped the weekly English-language chart.

The Korean drama has now held the No. 1 spot in Netflix’s Weekly Top 10 for non-English series for six of its seven weeks to date, only briefly slipping to No. 2 in Week 3. Interestingly, since the all-time charts are supposed to be based on hours viewed in the first 28 days of release,...

“Sex Education” fans can breathe easy. Ncuti Gatwa is set to return as Otis’ beloved Bff Eric Effiong in the hit Netflix series, Variety can exclusively confirm.

Creator, writer and executive producer Laurie Nunn is also confirmed to return to the series about the socially awkward Otis Milburn (played by Asa Butterfield) and his friends as they navigate teenage sexuality in the shadow of Otis’s sex therapist mother Jean (Gillian Anderson).

Fans feared for Eric’s future in the show after the BBC blindsided everyone when they dramatically revealed Gatwa had been cast as the new Doctor Who hours before the BAFTA TV awards in May. The upcoming season of the British sci-fi show, which has been written by “It’s a Sin” showrunner Russell T. Davies, is currently shooting in Wales. (Davies is also responsible for re-booting “Doctor Who” in 2003 after a 7-year hiatus).

Fortunately some canny scheduling has...

The Quiet Girl is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen. It is perfection. It is impossibly small, and emotionally immense. This is the sort of film that creeps up on you slowly, in ways that you don’t realize are happening, until you are so utterly overcome with emotion that you don’t quite know how to digest it. It’s the sort of film that you sit through the entire end credits of, not because you are wondering which Marvel character will make a surprise appearance after them, or to be polite to the artists and craftspeople who made it, but because you simply cannot move, you’re that overwhelmed.

Honestly, it’s been a long time since I felt like it was disrespectful to the cinema audience that when the lights come up, you are expected to leave. I could have just sat alone...

Maya Rudolph has 87 billion reasons for a fresh start after becoming the most famous cheated on woman on the planet in new workplace comedy AppleTV+ series “Loot,” streaming June 24.

The 10-episode series is written and created by Alan Yang (“Master of None”) and Matt Hubbard (“30 Rock”), plus executive produced by lead star and “Saturday Night Live” Emmy winner Rudolph.

“Loot” centers on Molly Novak (Rudolph), who discovers her picture-perfect husband (Adam Scott) is cheating on her. After their divorce, Molly’s life is in shambles — and no amount of yachts, private jets to St. Barts, or crying in a massive candy room will fulfill her very rich but very lonely life. So, Molly turns to her non-profit empire to find herself in charity work and put all that divorce settlement money to good use.

“Pose” Emmy winner Michaela Jaé Rodriguez stars as charity foundation executive Sofia Salinas, who is...

The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Return to Shudder Sunday, May 15: "Fangoria, Fangoria Studios and Shudder announced today that the 2022 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards will premiere on Sunday, May 15th at 7pm Et, exclusively on Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers, and the supernatural.

The ceremony, which recognizes outstanding achievements in horror film and television, will once again be hosted by actor and writer David Dastmalchian, and will feature Dee Wallace, Joe Lo Truglio, Joe Dante, Tracie Thoms, Jim Cummings, Rachel True and the directing team known as Radio Silence among its presenters. (See below for the full presenters list.) This year’s nominees include Candyman, Last Night in Soho, Titane, Chucky, and Midnight Mass. The special is produced by Armen Aghaeian, produced and directed by Ama Lea, and written by Michael Varrati. Executive Producers are Tara Ansley, Abhi Goel, and Phil Nobile Jr.

“Last year’s Chainsaw Awards...

Exclusive: Millie Brady and Pollyanna McIntosh are leading the cast of Double Blind, an Irish horror-thriller being produced by Los Angeles-based Epic Pictures Group.

The project is written by Darach McGarrigle and marks the feature directorial debut for Ian Hunt-Duffy who, along with producer Simon Doyle, runs the Dublin-based production company Failsafe Films.

It follows seven strangers taking part in a paid drug trial who become trapped in the lab after the side effects of the study escalate the situation into a nightmarish scenario- if they fall asleep, they die. Brenock O’Connor (Game of Thrones), Abby Fitz (The Cellar), Shonagh Marie, Diarmuid Noyes, Frank Blake, and Akshay Kumar round out the cast.

The film is now shooting in Ireland. Epic will launch sales at the upcoming Cannes Marche du Film.

Double Blind is the latest Irish co-production...

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment has tapped Good Deed Entertainment’s Kristin Harris for the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Production and Development.

Harris will lead the company’s emerging production and development arm, reporting to Vertical Partners Peter Jarowey and Rich Goldberg beginning March 14. She most recently served as Executive Vice President, Distribution and Operations for the boutique studio Good Deed, there overseeing and managing all content and distribution operations for a slate of six to 10 films per year, including Extra Ordinary, Lucky Grandma, Summertime, Ma Belle, My Beauty and the Academy Award-nominated Loving Vincent.

“It should come as no surprise, film financing is a key area of expansion for us, and frankly, for all of our competitors across the globe. Vertical needed to find the right executive to help build out that sector of our business which is extremely nuanced and labor-intensive,” said Jarowey and Goldberg in a joint statement.

LevelK’s dark comedy “Samuel’s Travels” has sold to Cranked Up Films for North America and the Caribbeans following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest.

Directed by Aik Karapetian, the Latvian-Belgian movie follows Sam, a foreigner who gets lost in the remotest part of Eastern Europe, on the edges of a mythical forest, while searching for his biological father Lagzdins. A minor road accident leads to a chance meeting with a pig-farmer’s daughter whose kind hospitality is a smoke screen to capturing him and making him a slave on the farm.

The movie, which shot mostly in English, stars a mix of established and up-and-coming actors, including Kevin Janssens (“The Ardennes”), Laura Siliņa, Juris Bartkevičs (“Three fold”) and Aigars Vilims (“Piton”). Cranks Up Films is planning to release “Samuel’s Travels” next Spring. It was produced by Gints Grūbe (“Chronicles of Melanie”) at Mistrus Media.

“(‘Samuel’s Travels...

Exclusive: Cranked Up Films has acquired North American rights to This Game’s Called Murder, an indie thriller from writer-director Adam Sherman (Wristcutters: A Love Story), with plans to release it in theaters and on demand December 3rd.

This Game’s Called Murder centers on Jennifer Wallendorf (Vanessa Marano), the daughter of a famed designer of women’s luxury footwear (Ron Perlman), who aims to sabotage his sadistic business. (Check out the first official trailer above.)

Sherman’s darkly comedic pic, full of murder, greed, and betrayal, also stars James Lastovic, Natasha Henstridge, Nicole Sousa, Nikko Austen Smith, Tory Devon Smith, Judson Mills, Challen Cates, Annabel Barrett, Tyler Steelman and more. Sherman produced with Noémi Santo.

“We couldn’t be more excited for audiences to experience this one-of-a-kind, vivid, and unapologetically ‘in-your-face’ film,” said Cranked Up Films CEO, Scott Donley. “Adam has such a unique perspective and filmmaking voice, it’s been...

You probably missed the charming Irish comedy/horror "Extra Ordinary" when it debuted in 2019. The film was especially unlucky with its theatrical release in the US, which happened to land in March 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic overwhelmed the country. But the story of "Extra Ordinary" just found itself a second life thanks to the producing team behind Animal Pictures: Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne. The comedy veterans are creating a TV series based on the film -- a 30-minute sitcom developed in part by TBS.

"Extra Ordinary" is about a ghostbusting duo trying to save a teenager...

The post Supernatural Rom-Com Extra Ordinary is Becoming a TV Series From Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: Irish indie feature Extra Ordinary, a horror comedy about a ghost-busting duo, premiered in 2019 at SXSW to rave reviews.

It is now being adapted as a half-hour comedy series for TBS.

The Turner-owned cable network has put the project into development with Animal Pictures, the production company run by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne, and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.

The trio will produce the adaptation with Katie Holly & Yvonne Donohoe of Ireland’s Blinder Films, who produced the original movie with Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, who wrote and directed the original feature attached to write and direct the series.

Extra Ordinary follows Rose and Martin, a ghostbustin’ duo, as they counsel ghosts in their small Irish village while navigating their own budding and sometimes awkward relationship. Everything is going well until an American family with supernatural powers moves into the local castle.

The film starred Maeve Higgins as Rose...

Exclusive: Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman will rewrite and direct the science fiction feature Sid for Amazon Studios from an original spec screenplay written by Travis Milloy (Pandorium), Deadline has learned. The storyline is being kept under wraps.

Ahern & Loughman’s feature directorial debut, Extra Ordinary, premiered in competition at last year’s SXSW to rave reviews, notching 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. The supernatural comedy follows Rose (Maeve Higgins), a mostly sweet and mostly lonely small-town driving instructor who must use her supernatural talent to save the daughter of Martin (Barry Ward), also mostly sweet and lonely, from a washed-up rock star (Will Forte) who is using her in a satanic pact that will reignite his fame.

Davis Entertainment and Zoic Studios are producing Sid. Producers are John Davis and John Fox via Davis Entertainment. EPs include Davis Entertainment’s Jeremy Stein and Zoic Studios’ Chris Jones, Samantha Shear and Loni Peristere.

WaZabi Films, the Montreal-based sales agent launched by Anick Poirier and Lorne Price, has boarded horror comedy “Red Wings,” one of buzziest and most singular titles at early August’s Frontières Co-Production Market.

Created by executive producer Rhiannon Aarons, a publisher/co-editor on Bob Flanagan’s book “The Book of Medicine,” and Dana Hammer, author of novels such as “Rosemary’s Baby Daddy” and “Dead Viking Rehab,” “Red Wings” turns on Audrina, who gets bitten by a bat and gains an unnatural gift: Killer red bats that fly out of her vagina when she menstruates.

Learning to accept and master her superpower, she gains control of her life and fights evil in the process. Audrina starts the film being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. She now embraces her new bat-friends and sets out for retribution.

Kate Kroll will direct “Red Wings,” which is produced by Anne-Marie Gélinas at EMAfilms.

Aarons,...

Production scheduled for spring 2021; Emma Slade, Katie Holly to produce.

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga will star in Ant Timpson’s mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice, which XYZ Films has boarded for worldwide sales at AFM 2020 Online and jointly represents the US with CAA Media Finance.

Production is scheduled for spring 2021 with Emma Slade of Firefly Films producing alongside Katie Holly for Blinder Films. Timpson and XYZ Films serve as executive producers.

Toby Harvard wrote the screenplay from a story by Timpson and Harvard about an injured man (Brody) with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory who washes up on a remote island.

Ahead of the American Film Market, Buffalo 8, the Los Angeles-based production, post, distribution and finance outfit, has hired Nikki Stier Justice as Head of Distribution.

Stier Justice previously served as the COO and Head of Production of Good Deed Entertainment, overseeing titles including Loving Vincent, To Dust, and Extra Ordinary for the indie studio. At Buffalo, she will oversee a distribution business that was set up in 2018 to help indie filmmakers filmmakers seeking alternative options for their project releases across aggregation, direct distribution.

She joins Sean Flanagan, previously of Visual Data Media and Premiere Digital, in overseeing the expanding division.

Buffalo 8 is part of BondIt Media Capital, which has provided debt financing to more than 325 feature film and television projects in the last seven years. Recent BondIt-backed projects include Liam Neeson-starring The Honest Thief, Roland Emmerich’s Midway, and the Oscar-nominated animated film Loving Vincent.

“BondIt is a company...

Martin Scorsese to present the best film award.

The Irish Film and Television Academy awards ceremony will take place online on October 18th with Martin Scorsese lined up to present the best film award.

Actress and comedian Deirdre O’Kane returns to host the awards and other guest presenters include Liam Neeson, Daisy Ridley, Ruth Negga, Pierce Brosnan and Caitriona Balfe.

Normal People lead actors Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones will reunite to present a showcase of this year’s Irish nominees. The president of Ireland will give a special presentation to the nominees on the night.

Films in the running...

"These aren't just restless spirits. These are malevolent entities!" Amazon has released an official trailer for a new comedy series debuting this October titled Truth Seekers, about a podcast paranormal investigation team. Again we're breaking our no-tv policy just because this is Simon Pegg & Nick Frost re-teaming again on a TV series (the first since Spaced!) and this looks fun. It's worth a look. Truth Seekers is a supernatural comedy drama series featuring Nick Frost, Samson Kayo, Simon Pegg, and Emma D'Arcy. A group of part-time paranormal investigators team up to uncover a deadly conspiracy. This instantly reminds me of the underrated indie gem Extra Ordinary, a funny horror comedy from Ireland about a woman who can see ghosts. And there have been tons of other small-time paranormal investigators horror films over the years, too. The cast includes Malcolm McDowell, Susan Wokoma, and Julian Barratt. Check this out below. Here's...

The international genre festival circuit has been finding ways to adapt to pandemic climate. Our friends at the Mayhem Film Festival in Nottingham, UK announced in July that they would be presenting a 'Skeleton Edition' this year.    Today the festival announced three titles that will have physical screenings at the festival's home, the Broadway Cinema. The three films playing this year will be Boys From County Hell, Psycho Goreman and The Oak Room.    Psycho Goreman and The Oak Room are familiar to us. Boys From County Hell is new and from the producers of Extra Ordinary and that was kind of a thing last year, wasn't it? Remember last year? Those were the days, huh? Anyways, a horror-comedy from Ireland with a title...

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

With less than three weeks before U.S. theaters reopen August 21, major studios have slowed their PVOD releases. With the promise of reopening comes a shot at a profitable theatrical life, but the PVOD revolution continued apace with Liongate’s “The Secret: Dare to Dream.” It immediately reached as high as #1 on VOD charts on Friday.

The film is the very definition of a high-concept presale: A self-help book published in 2006, “The Secret” was an Oprah Winfrey Club title that sold 30 million copies. Directed by Andy Tennant (“Hitch”), it stars Katie Holmes and Josh Lucas. Gravitas Ventures and Roadside Attractions acquired it last November, and planned an April theatrical release. After the theaters closed, it moved to Roadside partner Lionsgate, which has a dedicated VOD division. It opened July 31 on PVOD at $19.99.

On FandangoNow, it landed immediately as #1 and holds the slot for the full week, despite having only three days of release.

Drama played Edinburgh last summer, stars Bruno Ganz (Downfall) in penultimate role.

Kino Lorber has partnered with Menemsha Films on the virtual theatrical release of Nikolaus Leytner’s Austrian coming-of-age drama The Tobacconist starring the late Bruno Ganz.

The film will launch on Kino Marquee on July 10 and will also open in theatrical engagements as cinemas open in key markets across the Us over the coming months.

The release marks Kino Lorber’s latest virtual cinema collaboration with other distributors after it worked with Well Go USA on House Of Hummingbird, which debuts on June 26, and Good Deed Entertainment on Extra Ordinary and Lucky Grandma.

It’s officially a new month and a new week, which means we have a bunch of brand new Blu-ray and DVD releases headed home this Tuesday. The official start to summer is right around the corner, which makes this the perfect time for Steven Spielberg’s Jaws to swim its way into 4K waters for the very first time, in honor of the film’s 45th anniversary this year. And if that wasn’t cool enough, Oscar winner Parasite from filmmaker Bong Joon Ho is also getting a 4K release this week as well.

Kino Lorber is also keeping busy with a pair of Blu-rays to kick off their slate of releases for the month—Let’s Kill Uncle and They Came from Beyond Space—and if you’re a big Creepshow fan, you’re definitely going to want to pick up the new anthology series this week.

Other...

Recent Well Go USA releases include Burning, Shadow, Ip Man 4.

Kino Lorber has slotted the latest film into its Kino Marquee platform, partnering with Well Go USA on the virtual theatrical release of Bora Kim’s Berlin Generation 14+ grand prix winner House Of Hummingbird.

The South Korean drama centres on 14-year-old Eun-hee, who despite parental neglect and fraternal abuse, moves through life breezily, exploring with her friends and experiencing adventure and young love against the backdrop of the fatal Seongsu Bridge collapse in Seoul in 1994.

The film premiered at Busan International Film Festival in 2018 where it won the Knn audience...

Welcome to the new normal. While we currently have no Sunday box-office estimates, we have our first full-fledged VOD report courtesy of Kino Marquee. The numbers for the streaming arm of New York distributor Kino Lorber bear little resemblance to those of, say, Universal VOD, but it’s an eye-opening look at the potential — and the limits — of virtual cinema.

These early numbers suggest the combined virtual-theatrical returns could end up in the range of a full theatrical release. For now, they also suggest that for theaters there is no substitute for the physical customer.

“I think we have all learned over our joint foray into this new business that virtual ticket sales do not make up 100% of theatrical revenue lost by exhibitors and distributors,” said Wendy Lidell, Kino Lorber’s senior VP of theatrical/nontheatrical distribution and acquisitions, writing to the Art House Convergence Google group. “This is a different business.

With streaming dominating the industry — and suddenly becoming the “new normal” in a changing world — IndieWire is taking a closer look at the news cycle, breaking down what really matters to provide a clear picture of what companies are winning the streaming wars, and how they’re pulling ahead.

By looking at trends and the latest developments, Streaming Wars Report: Indie Edition offers a snapshot of what’s happening overall and day-to-day in streaming for the indie set. Check out the latest Streaming Wars Report for updates to the bigger players in the industry. Buzzy Originals

Embracing the Virtual Experience

In just three weeks, indie outfits like Kino Lorber, Music Box Films, and Film Movement have already rolled out theatrical-at-home plans (otherwise known as...

Renowned films from the market include Raw, Vivarium, Extra Ordinary, Turbo Kid.

Lindsay Peters, executive director of the Canadian genre industry platform Frontières whose successes in recent years have included Raw, Vivarium and Turbo Kid, is departing after six years at the helm, effective April.

Peters took over in 2014 and working with market organisers at Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal to build the international profile of Frontières, forging a critical partnership with the Marché du Film in Cannes in collaboration with Julie Bergeron that launched in 2016.

Since 2017 Frontières produced three annual events: the co-production market at Fantasia, the Cannes platform,...

In today’s film news roundup, Anne Hathaway will portray an American journalist in Paris, blockbuster director Michael Bay signs with Sony Pictures, and “Extra Ordinary” and “The Etruscan Smile” are added to arthouse streaming services.

Casting

Anne Hathaway is starring in the movie “French Children Don’t Throw Food,” based on Pamela Druckerman’s autobiographical book, “Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting.”

StudioCanal is financing and is set to produce with Blueprint Picture. Druckerman, an American journalist, wrote the book after she had a baby in Paris and noticed that French children were well-behaved and slept through the night by the time they were two or three months old.

Jamie Minoprio and Jonathan Stern wrote the most recent draft of the adaptation. Blueprint’s producing credits include Focus Features’ “Emma” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

Hathaway won an Academy Award for supporting actress in 2012’s “Les Miserables.

Local art house theaters need your support during the coronavirus pandemic just as much as the major theater chains, and now there are several “virtual cinema” options for film lovers to support those movie theaters from the comfort of your own homes.

A number of indie distributors and art house theater chains have launched virtual cinema streaming platforms that are designed to give art house fans access to new titles they can no longer see in theaters, but they’ve done so with the support of the individual theaters that would’ve otherwise screened those films.

VOD streaming rentals for a new title can be made directly through a specific theater in your local community, such as Film at Lincoln Center in New York or the Music Box in Chicago. So far, Kino Lorber, Film Movement, Magnolia and Alamo Drafthouse all have their own similar offerings.

Here’s a quick...

In the words of “Sweeney Todd” pie baker Mrs. Lovett, “Times is hard.” As everyone adjusts to the new reality of working remotely, comedians and filmmakers who rely on freelance work are being hit hard. Film and TV productions are shutting down faster than we can update our exhaustive running list. Comedians are losing out on precious weekly gigs. Theater practitioners are worried the nonprofit theater world may not bounce back. An already tenuous lifestyle just became a whole lot harder.

And yet, creatives gotta create. Lock a comedian or filmmaker in their apartment for seven days straight and they are bound to come up with some pretty entertaining — if more than a little bizarre — content. With everyone else stuck at home craving human connection and distractions, they have a more willing audience than ever before. In an effort to find a silver lining, IndieWire is keeping tabs on the...

For Maeve Higgins, launching a film career started with denial. “It’s so hard to get a movie made, I just didn’t believe it would happen,” she says with a laugh. Written and directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, “Extra Ordinary” features the Irish comedian in her first starring role. “It’s probably good I didn’t fully believe it,” Higgins adds. “I didn’t have time to get worried about it.”

Known for her work on series like Ireland’s “Naked Camera” and “Maeve Higgins’ Fancy Vittles” and her books “We Have a Good Time, Don’t We?” and “Maeve In America: Essays by a Girl from Somewhere Else,” Higgins might be best known to American audiences for her recent appearances on the hit NPR program “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” On that quiz show, Higgins doesn’t always have the right answers, but makes up...

The overall box office this weekend has fallen 25% or more, which is partly due to a weak slate of titles. But the specialty business is a site of carnage. That’s because the core older arthouse audience is avoiding theaters during the current pandemic, despite the presence of compelling films at varying levels of release.

Specialized theaters have one advantage: The films they play aren’t as likely to be pulled, and can roll out more gradually and even hold. And if the big circuits shut down, surviving arthouses might pick up extra business. But the grim reality is their patrons shouldn’t be going out, even if low attendance, super-sanitizing and seat spreading limits the risk. That makes more shutdowns a likelihood.

More from IndieWire'It's Always Sunny' Star and Co-Creator Rob McElhenney Urges Studios to Keep Paying Laid-Off StaffPaul Schrader Calls Out Producers for Shutting Down His Film After...

There was a stampede of new titles opening this weekend at the specialty box office, and despite coronavirus-induced fears of being in close proximity in theaters, there weren’t any glaring slumps in the indie and arthouse space. Of the films released this weekend, First Cow made some moo-ves at the box office, earning an estimated $96,059 with a per-theater average of $24,015. Not only is that an impressive debut for the A24 title, but it marks a career-high for the talented auteur Kelly Reichardt.

The period film about a prized bovine, starring John Magaro and Orion Lee, had four exclusive runs in New York at the AMC Lincoln Square and Angelika, as well as Los Angeles at the Arclight Hollywood and Landmark. The opening was a solid start for the film that will hopefully fuel the long roll-out that will continue into spring. Reichardt has been lauded for her intimate, cinematic...

Extra Ordinary, a blend of low-key supernatural chills and offbeat Irish comedy, is one of the sweetest and funniest movies of the year. /Film was able to sit down with writer/directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman and cast members Will Forte, Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, and Claudia O’Doherty to discuss the film, which premiered at […]

The post ‘Extra Ordinary’ Directors and Cast on Bringing Their Sweet and Strange Supernatural Comedy to Life [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

A psychic driving instructor fights to save a young girl from a satanic sacrifice at the hands of a washed up psychedelic rock star in directors Enda Loughman & Mike Ahern's Extra Ordinary. This dark comic fantasy from Ireland absolutely wrecked the SXSW audience [last year], who I don't think were quite prepared for the potent mix of broad splatstick comedy and the sweet coming-of-age story of a thirty something woman looking for meaning beyond teaching teenagers to parallel park. Rose (Maeve Higgins) is that driving instructor, but with a not-so-secret past. Rosa's father was the UK's premiere paranormal expert, hosting a popular series of informational specials on various aspects of the intersection between the worlds of the living and the dead. Rosa inherited her...

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Tagline: "Putting the Normal in Paranormal." Extra Ordinary is a horror comedy from Blinder Films. The film involves a driving instructor, with supernatural powers. She uses these powers to save the daughter of a friend, from a Satanic priest. Developed by Mike Ahern ("The Hatch") and Enda Loughman, this indie feature stars: Maeve Higgins (The Babymooners), Barry Ward, Will Forte and Claudia O'Doherty. Set to release across North America, a preview of the film is available here. The trailer shows character Rose (Higgins) and her special powers. She sees spirits in her hometown. When a young girl becomes possessed, Rose must face a Satanist, who performs demonic rituals. Which power will conquer the other? In the U.S., Cranked Up Films will handle the film's release. Extra Ordinary will show on March 6th, in theatres. The Cranked Up website shows the film playing in dozens and dozens of U.S.

Alamo Drafthouse, the cinema chain that popularized in-theater dining, is partnering with speciality film festival Fantastic Fest to bring greater attention to independent genre movies.

Under the new pact, Fantastic Fest will offer Alamo Drafthouse ticket buyers “bonus content” when they watch movies from the film festival. That includes bringing in the talent behind the movies, live-streaming Q&As and hosting afterparties at the theater. The goal, to combat the comfort and appeal of staying home to stream Netflix or Disney Plus, is to make going to the movies feel more like an event.

“Our reason for existence, and this is true for both the Alamo and Fantastic Fest, is to support emerging filmmakers and the incredible films they create,” Alamo Drafthouse founder and CEO Tim League said. “We see so many wonderful films debut at the festival each year; it is immensely rewarding to continue that relationship all the way through their commercial launch.

“Vikings” star Alyssa Sutherland will lead the cast of upcoming action-thriller “Avarice.”

The Australian actor will play Jane, a woman who must rescue her husband, a cryptocurrency specialist, after he is abducted by two ex-soldiers during a home invasion. Sutherland starred as Aslaug in History’s original drama series “Vikings.” She also appeared in Spike series “The Mist.”

John V. Soto is attached to helm Epic Pictures’ “Avarice,” which is slated to go into production in Australia in April 2020. Soto’s credits include the Luke Hemsworth-starrer “The Reckoning,” for which he scooped best director at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards.

Tim Maddocks of Madd Films will produce the film alongside Soto. Epic Pictures Group will executive produce and handle world sales for the feature.

“I’m excited to be working with Alyssa – she is such a talented actor,” Soto said. “I’m a huge fan of her work in ‘Vikings’ and ‘The Mist.

Grimmfest wrapped up its festivities the previous weekend. After much lost sleep was caught up on, the hangovers long subsided, it was time to announce this year's award winners. This year proved if you could bring the horror and the laughs you were in good standing with the Grimmfest audience.    Kirill Sokolov`s dark comedy horror Why Don`t You Just Die! was the big winner, taking home both the Best Feature and Best Director awards. Sokolov`s film also took home the Best SFX award.    So it is a big win for Sokolov and the other big winner, the Audience Award, went to the terrific horror comedy Extra Ordinary. It`s star Maeve Higgins took home the Best Actress award for her role in the film. ...

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‘Karli’ won the horror festival’s first work-in-progress award.

Kirill Sokolov’s Why Don’t You Just Die! has won a hat-trick of awards at Manchester horror festival Grimmfest, including best feature.

As well as the top prize, the dark comedy won best director for Sokolov and best SFX. It also received a special mention for cinematography and in the audience award category.

The team behind the Russian feature has been awarded £80,000 worth of post-production services from M2 MediaPost, which can be used as finance against a future film production.

The film, which marks Sokolov’s debut feature, is set...

Back in August, Adam Egypt Mortimer's Daniel Isn't Real won the Feature Film Jury Prize at Popcorn Frights, and following its recent screening at Fantastic Fest, it will continue to take its imaginative story around the festival circuit now that it's been announced for the second wave of programming for Telluride Horror Show.

In addition to Daniel Isn't Real, the Telluride Horror Show's second wave of programming also includes Wounds, the horror anthology Scare Package, Extra Ordinary, and more.

You can read the full second wave of programming below, check here for the first wave of programming, and to learn more, visit Telluride Horror Show's official website.

Press Release: Telluride, Co - The full film lineup, special events, and festival schedule are now live for the 10th anniversary Telluride Horror Show, slated for October 11-13, 2019 in the mountain resort town of Telluride, Colorado.

The second wave includes highly-anticipated genre films from Blumhouse,...

Hold on to your proverbial (or literal) pants, Sheffield. The juggernaut that is Celluloid Screams Horror Film Festival is coming up fast (October 24th-27th to be exact), and do they have a treasure trove of film greatness for you. From horror comedies Extra Ordinary, Tone-Deaf and Little Monsters, to more serious scares in The Nightingale, Something Else and Bliss, to a couple of film surprises, our friends Celluloid Screams have something for even the most discerning horror film fan. There are a few weekend passes left, and single tickets go on sale this Saturday, September 28th. So peruse the amazing line-up in the press release below, and get ready for an amazing weekend. Celluloid Screams Horror Film Festival Announces 2019 Programme!                                  Celluloid Screams Horror Film...

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