The Academy has announced the five winners of the 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting who each win a $35,000 prize and mentorship from an Academy member throughout their fellowship year.
The recipients will also be featured at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Live Read on April 25 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater (pictured), where an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the 2023 winning scripts.
The 2023 winners appear below listed alphabetically:
Brent Delaney, Brownie Mary
At the height of the AIDS crisis, Mary Jane Rathbun illegally distributes cannabis-infused brownies to heal thousands of gay men in...
The recipients will also be featured at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Live Read on April 25 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater (pictured), where an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the 2023 winning scripts.
The 2023 winners appear below listed alphabetically:
Brent Delaney, Brownie Mary
At the height of the AIDS crisis, Mary Jane Rathbun illegally distributes cannabis-infused brownies to heal thousands of gay men in...
- 3/4/2024
- ScreenDaily
This month sees the U.S. release of The Amazing Maurice, a feature length adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s acclaimed 2001 YA novel. Though Pratchett has been adapted a handful of times for television, most recently with Amazon’s Good Omens (excellent) and BBC America’s The Watch (patchy), this will be the first true big-screen take on a Pratchett book*, which is frankly astonishing when you consider that Sir Terry has been a bestseller since the mid-‘80s, with a series of accessible and cinematic comic fantasy hits, most of which would lend themselves to the screen.
Pratchett even writes cinematically—almost all of his adult novels are written without chapters, skipping scene-to-scene just as a movie does. Some of these books were adapted in the ‘90s for the stage, three successful video games, and even a prog rock album. Meanwhile several of his novels have been made successfully for the small screen,...
Pratchett even writes cinematically—almost all of his adult novels are written without chapters, skipping scene-to-scene just as a movie does. Some of these books were adapted in the ‘90s for the stage, three successful video games, and even a prog rock album. Meanwhile several of his novels have been made successfully for the small screen,...
- 2/21/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Continuing a tradition that began in 1985, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday named four individuals and one writing team as the final winners for the 2022 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.
Jennifer Archer from Springwater, Ontario, and Timothy Ware-Hill of Orange, NJ, took two of the spots. The other three went to winners from Southern California including Sam Boyer, J.M. Levine, and the team of Callie Bloem and Christopher Ewing. Each individual and the writing team will receive a 35,000 prize and mentorship opportunities from an AMPAS member for their fellowship year.
A live read of selected scenes from all five of the winning scripts will be performed November 9 during the formal awards ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Nicholl Fellowships was established in 1985 through the support of Gee Nicholl in memory of her husband Don Nicholl.
A total of 5,526 scripts from 85 countries were submitted for this year’s competition.
Jennifer Archer from Springwater, Ontario, and Timothy Ware-Hill of Orange, NJ, took two of the spots. The other three went to winners from Southern California including Sam Boyer, J.M. Levine, and the team of Callie Bloem and Christopher Ewing. Each individual and the writing team will receive a 35,000 prize and mentorship opportunities from an AMPAS member for their fellowship year.
A live read of selected scenes from all five of the winning scripts will be performed November 9 during the formal awards ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Nicholl Fellowships was established in 1985 through the support of Gee Nicholl in memory of her husband Don Nicholl.
A total of 5,526 scripts from 85 countries were submitted for this year’s competition.
- 9/29/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy has announced this year’s Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners, including four individuals and one writing team. Each individual and writing team will receive a 35,000 prize and mentorship from an Academy member throughout the recipient’s fellowship year.
In addition to the winners being featured at the 2022 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards, an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the winning screenplays live at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Nov. 9.
This year’s amateur screenwriters competition received a total of 5,526 scripts from 85 countries. After several rounds that were judged by industry professionals and Academy members, 11 individual screenwriters were selected as finalists, with their scripts read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee before voting on this year’s winners. The 2022 finalists include Michael Boyle (“8 Habits of Highly Murderous People”), Darcy P. Brislin (“We Sing”), Jake Disch (“The Supremes”), Julian Hooper (“Madame”) and S.
In addition to the winners being featured at the 2022 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards, an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the winning screenplays live at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Nov. 9.
This year’s amateur screenwriters competition received a total of 5,526 scripts from 85 countries. After several rounds that were judged by industry professionals and Academy members, 11 individual screenwriters were selected as finalists, with their scripts read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee before voting on this year’s winners. The 2022 finalists include Michael Boyle (“8 Habits of Highly Murderous People”), Darcy P. Brislin (“We Sing”), Jake Disch (“The Supremes”), Julian Hooper (“Madame”) and S.
- 9/29/2022
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Sixth months after Peter Samuelson and Jonathan Prince launched PhilmCo Media, the production banner is gearing up its first project “1660 Vine,” a musical film that producers hope to adapt as a Broadway show.
“1660 Vine,” follows a group of influencers who move into a Hollywood apartment complex to help each other pursue social media stardom. The film will feature influencers and social media celebrities, with Prince Khemuni Norodom of the Cambodian Royal Family leading the cast that also includes TikTok stars Cheryl Porter and Chris Olsen and “American Idol” alum Pia Toscano.
The movie is set to begin filming in Los Angeles June 2022, and release on specialty musical platforms StreamingMusicals.com and BroadwayOnDemand.com. After launch, the film will roll out on other streaming services. Producers plan to make the script available next year to license for stage productions in student, community and professional theaters. Following the launch of the stage version of the film,...
“1660 Vine,” follows a group of influencers who move into a Hollywood apartment complex to help each other pursue social media stardom. The film will feature influencers and social media celebrities, with Prince Khemuni Norodom of the Cambodian Royal Family leading the cast that also includes TikTok stars Cheryl Porter and Chris Olsen and “American Idol” alum Pia Toscano.
The movie is set to begin filming in Los Angeles June 2022, and release on specialty musical platforms StreamingMusicals.com and BroadwayOnDemand.com. After launch, the film will roll out on other streaming services. Producers plan to make the script available next year to license for stage productions in student, community and professional theaters. Following the launch of the stage version of the film,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The story of the real-life 1988 protests at all-deaf Gallaudet University that became a watershed moment for the deaf community in the U.S. is being turned into a feature film. Jules Dameron, a Gallaudet alum, wrote and will direct Deaf President Now, which is now casting and aims to begin production later this year.
Sam Sokolow (Nat Geo’s Genius) and Steven Posen are producing the pic along with PhilmCo’s Jonathan Prince and Peter Samuelson. Amy Lanier and Bruce Daitch are executive producing. The team said it is committed to a mixed Asl/English-language production. “We intend this to be the first mainstream film to be fully integrated with a deaf-oriented crew and set,” Posen said.
Posen originated the project with Dameron to tell the story behind the uprising at the Washington DC university, at the time the only all-deaf college in the U.S. The student-led protests...
Sam Sokolow (Nat Geo’s Genius) and Steven Posen are producing the pic along with PhilmCo’s Jonathan Prince and Peter Samuelson. Amy Lanier and Bruce Daitch are executive producing. The team said it is committed to a mixed Asl/English-language production. “We intend this to be the first mainstream film to be fully integrated with a deaf-oriented crew and set,” Posen said.
Posen originated the project with Dameron to tell the story behind the uprising at the Washington DC university, at the time the only all-deaf college in the U.S. The student-led protests...
- 3/2/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Haley Hope Bartels (Pumping Black), Karin delaPeña Collison (Coming of Age), Byron Hamel (Shade of the Grapefruit Tree), R.J. Daniel Hanna (Shelter Animal) and Laura Kosann (The Ideal Woman) are the screenwriters and scripts chosen as the winners of the 2021 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition, AMPAS announced today.
Each of the five fellows will receive a $35,000 prize, along with mentorship from an Academy member throughout their fellowship year, which will see them complete a feature-length screenplay. (The Academy will acquire no rights to the works of its fellows and does not involve itself commercially in any way with their completed scripts.)
From November 8-12, one fellow per day will be featured on the Academy’s YouTube channel, in conversations with filmmakers Destin Daniel Cretton, Phil Lord, Our Lady J, Rawson Marshall Thurber and Olivia Wilde, and other content.
Bartels, Collison, Hamel, Hanna and Kosann’s scripts were chosen from...
Each of the five fellows will receive a $35,000 prize, along with mentorship from an Academy member throughout their fellowship year, which will see them complete a feature-length screenplay. (The Academy will acquire no rights to the works of its fellows and does not involve itself commercially in any way with their completed scripts.)
From November 8-12, one fellow per day will be featured on the Academy’s YouTube channel, in conversations with filmmakers Destin Daniel Cretton, Phil Lord, Our Lady J, Rawson Marshall Thurber and Olivia Wilde, and other content.
Bartels, Collison, Hamel, Hanna and Kosann’s scripts were chosen from...
- 11/8/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Film financier Peter Samuelson and showrunner-director Jonathan Prince have joined forces to launch PhilmCo, a production and distribution banner designed to produce socially-conscious movies and TV shows with a built-in philanthropic component.
Samuelson and Prince are working with private investors to fund the development of a range of projects that are about to be shopped to studio and network partners. The content backed by PhilmCo will focus on issues and causes that allow creative partners to build in calls to action to address the problems illustrated by the story.
Prince said issue-oriented content in the past has rarely taken the step of directly connecting audiences to charitable donations or social actions to capitalize on awareness. This will be a primary focus of PhilmCo which aims to knit together a network of appropriate nonprofit, charitable and philanthropic partners to help support each project and benefit.
“We’re all great storytellers, we...
Samuelson and Prince are working with private investors to fund the development of a range of projects that are about to be shopped to studio and network partners. The content backed by PhilmCo will focus on issues and causes that allow creative partners to build in calls to action to address the problems illustrated by the story.
Prince said issue-oriented content in the past has rarely taken the step of directly connecting audiences to charitable donations or social actions to capitalize on awareness. This will be a primary focus of PhilmCo which aims to knit together a network of appropriate nonprofit, charitable and philanthropic partners to help support each project and benefit.
“We’re all great storytellers, we...
- 10/8/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Producers invited 120 foster children on set and film received standing ovation at special screening
When a film about a child tortured in a corrupt foster care system was shown to teenage survivors of similar abuse and neglect, its British producer feared the subject could prove too traumatic for them to watch.
But Peter Samuelson was moved when they told him afterwards that the film had given them a voice and that some of those who had observed its filming on set had been inspired to pursue careers in the film industry.
When a film about a child tortured in a corrupt foster care system was shown to teenage survivors of similar abuse and neglect, its British producer feared the subject could prove too traumatic for them to watch.
But Peter Samuelson was moved when they told him afterwards that the film had given them a voice and that some of those who had observed its filming on set had been inspired to pursue careers in the film industry.
- 7/4/2021
- by Dalya Alberge
- The Guardian - Film News
The Movie Partnership has debuted a trailer for the affecting drama inspired on true events ‘Foster Boy’.
Based on writer Jay Paul Deratany’s experiences as a trial lawyer fighting for child welfare in Chicago, the film follows the trial of a for-profit Foster care agency, who puts a known sex offender into the same foster home as a lawyer’s young client, Jamal, with catastrophic results. Each man heals the other in the pursuit of justice, as they expose the horrifying corrupt agency.
Executive Producer Shaquille O’Neal says, “A lot of what you see in that film, actually happened in the courtroom and Shane shows us the trauma and crushing emotional baggage foster kids carry for the rest of their lives.”
A firm festival favourite, the film is produced by Peter Samuelson; founder of First Star, a charity that gives academic support to young adults in the care system...
Based on writer Jay Paul Deratany’s experiences as a trial lawyer fighting for child welfare in Chicago, the film follows the trial of a for-profit Foster care agency, who puts a known sex offender into the same foster home as a lawyer’s young client, Jamal, with catastrophic results. Each man heals the other in the pursuit of justice, as they expose the horrifying corrupt agency.
Executive Producer Shaquille O’Neal says, “A lot of what you see in that film, actually happened in the courtroom and Shane shows us the trauma and crushing emotional baggage foster kids carry for the rest of their lives.”
A firm festival favourite, the film is produced by Peter Samuelson; founder of First Star, a charity that gives academic support to young adults in the care system...
- 2/18/2021
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday revealed the five winners of its 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. This year’s five scribes, culled from 7,831 submissions and 10 finalists, will receive a $35,000 prize and be a part of an awards ceremony and virtual table read of their work on December 3.
As in past years, recipients are expected to complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year.
The 2020 winners (listed alphabetically):
James Acker, SadBoi
Beth Curry, Lemon
Vanar Jaddou, Goodbye, Iraq
Kate Marks, The Cow of Queens
Jane Therese, Sins of My Father
The 2020 finalists (listed alphabetically):
Kris A. Holmes, The Seeds of Truth
Fred Martenson, Demons in America
Robin Rose Singer, The Lions of Mesopotamia
David Harrison Turner, Safe Haven
Andrew Wankier, Three Heavens
The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee is chaired by Academy Short Films and Feature Animation Branch governor Jennifer Yuh Nelson. The members...
As in past years, recipients are expected to complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year.
The 2020 winners (listed alphabetically):
James Acker, SadBoi
Beth Curry, Lemon
Vanar Jaddou, Goodbye, Iraq
Kate Marks, The Cow of Queens
Jane Therese, Sins of My Father
The 2020 finalists (listed alphabetically):
Kris A. Holmes, The Seeds of Truth
Fred Martenson, Demons in America
Robin Rose Singer, The Lions of Mesopotamia
David Harrison Turner, Safe Haven
Andrew Wankier, Three Heavens
The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee is chaired by Academy Short Films and Feature Animation Branch governor Jennifer Yuh Nelson. The members...
- 9/30/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee has selected the five winning fellows of the 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition, who were winnowed from ten finalists out of 7,831 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. Each winner takes home a $35,000 prize. Their scripts will be highlighted at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Virtual Table Read by an ensemble of actors on Thursday, December 3.
The 2020 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
The 2020 finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Kris A. Holmes, “The Seeds of Truth”
Fred Martenson, “Demons in America”
Robin Rose Singer, “The Lions of Mesopotamia”
David Harrison Turner, “Safe Haven”
Andrew Wankier, “Three Heavens”
The fellowships support each writer’s completion of a feature-length screenplay within the year. (The Academy neither acquires rights...
The 2020 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
The 2020 finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Kris A. Holmes, “The Seeds of Truth”
Fred Martenson, “Demons in America”
Robin Rose Singer, “The Lions of Mesopotamia”
David Harrison Turner, “Safe Haven”
Andrew Wankier, “Three Heavens”
The fellowships support each writer’s completion of a feature-length screenplay within the year. (The Academy neither acquires rights...
- 9/30/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee has selected the five winning fellows of the 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition, who were winnowed from ten finalists out of 7,831 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. Each winner takes home a $35,000 prize. Their scripts will be highlighted at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Virtual Table Read by an ensemble of actors on Thursday, December 3.
The 2020 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
The 2020 finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Kris A. Holmes, “The Seeds of Truth”
Fred Martenson, “Demons in America”
Robin Rose Singer, “The Lions of Mesopotamia”
David Harrison Turner, “Safe Haven”
Andrew Wankier, “Three Heavens”
The fellowships support each writer’s completion of a feature-length screenplay within the year. (The Academy neither acquires rights...
The 2020 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
The 2020 finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Kris A. Holmes, “The Seeds of Truth”
Fred Martenson, “Demons in America”
Robin Rose Singer, “The Lions of Mesopotamia”
David Harrison Turner, “Safe Haven”
Andrew Wankier, “Three Heavens”
The fellowships support each writer’s completion of a feature-length screenplay within the year. (The Academy neither acquires rights...
- 9/30/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The five winners of the 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday. Each fellow will receive $35,000 and be highlighted at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and virtual table read, scheduled to take place on Dec. 3. At the awards, an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the winning scripts.
The 2020 winners are:
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
There have been 166 fellowships awarded since 1986. Past fellows include Michael Werwie (screenwriter of Netflix’s “Lost Girls”), Alfred Botello (co-writing the upcoming “Space Jam: A New Legacy”), Matt Harris and Melissa Iqbal (currently adapting “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August”).
A total of 7,831 scripts were submitted for this year’s competition. The Academy selected 10 individual screenwriters as finalists before being judged by the fellowships committee.
The 2020 winners are:
James Acker, “SadBoi”
Beth Curry, “Lemon”
Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq”
Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens”
Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
There have been 166 fellowships awarded since 1986. Past fellows include Michael Werwie (screenwriter of Netflix’s “Lost Girls”), Alfred Botello (co-writing the upcoming “Space Jam: A New Legacy”), Matt Harris and Melissa Iqbal (currently adapting “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August”).
A total of 7,831 scripts were submitted for this year’s competition. The Academy selected 10 individual screenwriters as finalists before being judged by the fellowships committee.
- 9/30/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures is adding to its growing acquisition slate with the lastest pick-up, Foster Boy, a courtroom drama starring Matthew Modine, Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr., Julie Benz, and Shane Paul McGhie. Gravitas has the North American distribution rights and is planning a theatrical and on-demand release on September 25.
Brenda Bakke, Amy Brenneman, Michael Beach, and Greg Germann also star in the film, which has played at a number of festivals including the International Black Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, and Woodstock Film Festival.
Directed Youssef Delara, the pic follows Michael Trainer, a hardened corporate lawyer unwittingly dragged into an ominous trial in which a for-profit foster care agency put a known sex offender into the same foster home as his young client Jamal, resulting in catastrophic trauma and immediately altering Jamal’s future. He wants nothing to do with Jamal’s case until a Judge forces him to represent him.
Brenda Bakke, Amy Brenneman, Michael Beach, and Greg Germann also star in the film, which has played at a number of festivals including the International Black Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, and Woodstock Film Festival.
Directed Youssef Delara, the pic follows Michael Trainer, a hardened corporate lawyer unwittingly dragged into an ominous trial in which a for-profit foster care agency put a known sex offender into the same foster home as his young client Jamal, resulting in catastrophic trauma and immediately altering Jamal’s future. He wants nothing to do with Jamal’s case until a Judge forces him to represent him.
- 8/27/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
If you think the Oscar voting process is weird—with all those short lists, screening deadlines, members-only streaming arrangements, branch nominations, and hors d’oeuvres counts (or whatever passes for the latest feeding restrictions)—you’ll be wholly befuddled by the latest Board of Governors election at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The rules have changed (again). This year, candidates for the 17 open slots on a 54-member board self-submit their names, go through no qualifying round, and are elected on a branch-by-branch preferential ballot with up to five ranked choices, like the annual Best Picture vote. The first candidate in a branch to get 50% of the vote plus one is a winner.
As for the rest of the process, well, it’s kind of like speed-dating in the dark.
Nearly as this mere outsider can tell, here’s how the election, which gets underway at 9 Am Pt this morning,...
The rules have changed (again). This year, candidates for the 17 open slots on a 54-member board self-submit their names, go through no qualifying round, and are elected on a branch-by-branch preferential ballot with up to five ranked choices, like the annual Best Picture vote. The first candidate in a branch to get 50% of the vote plus one is a winner.
As for the rest of the process, well, it’s kind of like speed-dating in the dark.
Nearly as this mere outsider can tell, here’s how the election, which gets underway at 9 Am Pt this morning,...
- 6/1/2020
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
The list of candidates for the 2020 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors election is now out, with the winner in each branch being chosen directly from these entries rather than whittling it down to four finalists in each, as has been done previously. The list of candidates is made up of qualified AMPAS members who actually submit themselves.
Also new this year in the streamlined timetable, as Deadline exclusively reported May 16. The winners for the 17 open slots on the 54-member board will be chosen by preferential balloting, just like Best Picture race at the Oscars. Voting begins Monday and ballots are due back June 5.
The actors branch is the largest in the Academy and it also has drawn the biggest field of contenders for the one spot that is up. Incumbent governor Whoopi Goldberg is running for re-election against past governor Ed Begley Jr. vying to return to the board.
Also new this year in the streamlined timetable, as Deadline exclusively reported May 16. The winners for the 17 open slots on the 54-member board will be chosen by preferential balloting, just like Best Picture race at the Oscars. Voting begins Monday and ballots are due back June 5.
The actors branch is the largest in the Academy and it also has drawn the biggest field of contenders for the one spot that is up. Incumbent governor Whoopi Goldberg is running for re-election against past governor Ed Begley Jr. vying to return to the board.
- 5/29/2020
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The list of candidates for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2020-2021 Board of Governors has been unveiled to members.
Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5.
Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those seats is open each year because terms are staggered.
The candidates were posted on the Academy members’ portal on Friday afternoon. Below is the complete list (divided by branch) of those running for spots on the board.
Actors
Michael Lee Aday
Ed Begley, Jr.
Robert Carradine
Nicolas Coster
Colman Domingo
Richard Dreyfuss
Spencer Garrett
Bruce Glover
Whoopi Goldberg (incumbent)
James Keach
Stacy Keach
Peter Wong
Jodi Long
Tim Matheson
Joe Pantoliano
Lou Diamond Phillips
Andrea Riseborough
Andrew Stevens
Rita Wilson
Casting Directors
Kerry Barden
Richard Hicks
Margery Simkin
Debra Zane
Cinematographers
Andrzej Bartkowiak
Richard P. Crudo
Svetlana Cvetko...
Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5.
Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those seats is open each year because terms are staggered.
The candidates were posted on the Academy members’ portal on Friday afternoon. Below is the complete list (divided by branch) of those running for spots on the board.
Actors
Michael Lee Aday
Ed Begley, Jr.
Robert Carradine
Nicolas Coster
Colman Domingo
Richard Dreyfuss
Spencer Garrett
Bruce Glover
Whoopi Goldberg (incumbent)
James Keach
Stacy Keach
Peter Wong
Jodi Long
Tim Matheson
Joe Pantoliano
Lou Diamond Phillips
Andrea Riseborough
Andrew Stevens
Rita Wilson
Casting Directors
Kerry Barden
Richard Hicks
Margery Simkin
Debra Zane
Cinematographers
Andrzej Bartkowiak
Richard P. Crudo
Svetlana Cvetko...
- 5/29/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Matthew Modine, Shane Paul McGhie, Amy Brenneman star.
Jason Moring’s Toronto-based sales agent Double Dutch International (Ddi) has boarded worldwide rights to Foster Boy starring Matthew Modine and will launch sales at the Cannes virtual market in June.
Modine plays a high-powered corporate attorney who rediscovers his humanity when he represents a young man let down by a corrupt foster care system.
Shane Paul McGhie also stars alongside Julie Benz, Amy Brenneman, Michael Beach, and Greg Germann.
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal served as executive producer on the film directed by Youssef Delara from a screenplay by Jay Paul Deratany,...
Jason Moring’s Toronto-based sales agent Double Dutch International (Ddi) has boarded worldwide rights to Foster Boy starring Matthew Modine and will launch sales at the Cannes virtual market in June.
Modine plays a high-powered corporate attorney who rediscovers his humanity when he represents a young man let down by a corrupt foster care system.
Shane Paul McGhie also stars alongside Julie Benz, Amy Brenneman, Michael Beach, and Greg Germann.
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal served as executive producer on the film directed by Youssef Delara from a screenplay by Jay Paul Deratany,...
- 5/15/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
It’s no secret that I have suffered some losses lately. For better or worse, my pain and grief are public. But I understand the opportunity to face the pain, learn from it, and model a behavior. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
But there are hundreds of thousands of kids across the U.S. — 30,000 just in Los Angeles County – who struggle, suffer, and grieve every day, too often alone, usually unnoticed, and without much public understanding and support. They are foster kids.
Life has challenges and, as a kid, I faced my fair share. But there was someone in my life who, along with my parents, was always there for me. His name is Michael Parris, whom I affectionally call “Uncle Mike.”
Mike was a police officer in my hometown of Newark, N.J. He was a mentor and role model, and it is hard for me...
But there are hundreds of thousands of kids across the U.S. — 30,000 just in Los Angeles County – who struggle, suffer, and grieve every day, too often alone, usually unnoticed, and without much public understanding and support. They are foster kids.
Life has challenges and, as a kid, I faced my fair share. But there was someone in my life who, along with my parents, was always there for me. His name is Michael Parris, whom I affectionally call “Uncle Mike.”
Mike was a police officer in my hometown of Newark, N.J. He was a mentor and role model, and it is hard for me...
- 2/21/2020
- by Shaquille O'Neal
- Variety Film + TV
Five promising writers have been selected as winners of the 2019 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition, out of a total of 7,302 scripts and 12 finalists. The fellows will each receive a generous $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards Presentation & Live Read on Thursday, November 7, 2019, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. For the seventh consecutive year, an ensemble of notable actors will read selected scenes from the winning scripts.
The 2019 winners are (listed alphabetically by author): Aaron Chung, “Princess Vietnam”; Karen McDermott, “Lullabies of La Jaula”; Renee Pillai, “Boy with Kite”; Sean Malcolm, “Mother”; and Walker McKnight, “Street Rat Allie Punches Her Ticket.”
Each writer comes from a unique background: Chung is a film intern at Entertainment One, with a master’s in screenwriting; McDermott is an attorney and English professor, according to her Twitter bio; and McKnight is a novelist,...
The 2019 winners are (listed alphabetically by author): Aaron Chung, “Princess Vietnam”; Karen McDermott, “Lullabies of La Jaula”; Renee Pillai, “Boy with Kite”; Sean Malcolm, “Mother”; and Walker McKnight, “Street Rat Allie Punches Her Ticket.”
Each writer comes from a unique background: Chung is a film intern at Entertainment One, with a master’s in screenwriting; McDermott is an attorney and English professor, according to her Twitter bio; and McKnight is a novelist,...
- 10/4/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
At this point, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ governors election looks more like a round-up than a race; more than 180 members have declared their interest in filling 17 contested spots on the 54-member Board of Governors.
Voting in the run-off round starts on Monday and ends May 18. That will narrow the present field to a maximum of four nominees per branch in the final round, which follows.
For now, there are on average about 11 candidates in the running for each slot. In the casting directors and costume design branches, only three members have declared for each slot. But not so in the actors branch, where 17 members — including Brie Larson, Jacki Weaver and Meg Ryan — are vying for the spot being vacated by termed-out Tom Hanks; or the producers, executives, and public relations branches, all of which have a bumper crop of candidates. Marvin Levy, currently a governor in the public relations branch,...
Voting in the run-off round starts on Monday and ends May 18. That will narrow the present field to a maximum of four nominees per branch in the final round, which follows.
For now, there are on average about 11 candidates in the running for each slot. In the casting directors and costume design branches, only three members have declared for each slot. But not so in the actors branch, where 17 members — including Brie Larson, Jacki Weaver and Meg Ryan — are vying for the spot being vacated by termed-out Tom Hanks; or the producers, executives, and public relations branches, all of which have a bumper crop of candidates. Marvin Levy, currently a governor in the public relations branch,...
- 5/11/2018
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a case of art imitating life and vice versa. This month, a legal thriller about the abuse of an African-American kid in the foster system from producer Peter Samuelson (Arlington Road) is in post-production and readying for festivals. But just last week, the screenwriter for the film Foster Boy won a $45M judgment against a social services agency — the largest award in the history of the state of Illinois in a case involving the death of a toddler in the foster system.
It was a case the producer/screenwriter/lawyer Jay Paul Deratany handled himself.
But a year before Deratany even knew about the the death of 2-year-old Lavandis Hudson in the foster system, the attorney was writing a screenplay about an African-American boy who is abused by a private social services company. Deratany has been practicing law for about 30 years — 16 of them handling cases involving foster care negligence and child neglect.
It was a case the producer/screenwriter/lawyer Jay Paul Deratany handled himself.
But a year before Deratany even knew about the the death of 2-year-old Lavandis Hudson in the foster system, the attorney was writing a screenplay about an African-American boy who is abused by a private social services company. Deratany has been practicing law for about 30 years — 16 of them handling cases involving foster care negligence and child neglect.
- 4/5/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
Four individuals and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2016 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee announced the winners via Livestream today. The fellows will each receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards Presentation & Live Read on Thursday, November 3, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. For the fourth consecutive year, an ensemble of actors will be reading selected scenes from the winning scripts.
The 2016 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Michele Atkins, “Talking About the Sky” (Seattle, Wa)
Spencer Harvey and Lloyd Harvey, “Photo Booth” (Balgowlah, Australia)
Geeta Malik, “Dinner with Friends” (Los Angeles, CA)
Elizabeth Oyebode, “Tween the Ropes” (Sunnyvale, CA)
Justin Piasecki, “Death of an Ortolan” (Los Angeles, CA)
A total of 6,915 scripts were submitted for this year’s competition. Eleven individual screenwriters and one...
The 2016 winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Michele Atkins, “Talking About the Sky” (Seattle, Wa)
Spencer Harvey and Lloyd Harvey, “Photo Booth” (Balgowlah, Australia)
Geeta Malik, “Dinner with Friends” (Los Angeles, CA)
Elizabeth Oyebode, “Tween the Ropes” (Sunnyvale, CA)
Justin Piasecki, “Death of an Ortolan” (Los Angeles, CA)
A total of 6,915 scripts were submitted for this year’s competition. Eleven individual screenwriters and one...
- 9/29/2016
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Three individual writers and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2014 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition.
Each individual winner and the combined writing team will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at an awards presentation on Thursday, November 13, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
For the second consecutive year, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows’ winning scripts by members of the Academy.
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Sam Baron, Cambridge, United Kingdom, “The Science of Love and Laughter”
Alisha Brophy, Los Angeles, CA, and Scott Miles, Austin, TX, “United States of Fuckin’ Awesome”
Melissa Iqbal, London, United Kingdom, “The Death Engine”
Sallie West, Charleston, Sc, “Moonflower”
The winners were selected from a record 7,511 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. Eight individual screenwriters and...
Each individual winner and the combined writing team will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at an awards presentation on Thursday, November 13, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
For the second consecutive year, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows’ winning scripts by members of the Academy.
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Sam Baron, Cambridge, United Kingdom, “The Science of Love and Laughter”
Alisha Brophy, Los Angeles, CA, and Scott Miles, Austin, TX, “United States of Fuckin’ Awesome”
Melissa Iqbal, London, United Kingdom, “The Death Engine”
Sallie West, Charleston, Sc, “Moonflower”
The winners were selected from a record 7,511 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. Eight individual screenwriters and...
- 10/3/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There’s no such thing as a sure path to success in Hollywood, but the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting is as close as you’re going to get. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the five 2013 finalists just over two weeks ago, and already the honorees are fielding calls from agents, managers and studios eager to work with them. At least one has already signed with an agent and a manager.
The program, now in its 28th year, allows aspiring screenwriters who have never earned more than $25,000 writing fiction for film or television to submit an...
The program, now in its 28th year, allows aspiring screenwriters who have never earned more than $25,000 writing fiction for film or television to submit an...
- 11/8/2013
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Four individual writers and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Each winner will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at an awards presentation on Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
For the first time, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows’ winning scripts.
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Frank DeJohn & David Alton Hedges, Santa Ynez, CA, “Legion”
Patty Jones, Vancouver, BC, Canada, “Joe Banks”
Alan Roth, Suffern, NY, “Jersey City Story”
Stephanie Shannon, Los Angeles, CA, “Queen of Hearts”
Barbara Stepansky, Burbank, CA, “Sugar in My Veins”
The winners were selected from a record 7,251 scripts submitted for this year’s competition.
Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete...
For the first time, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows’ winning scripts.
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Frank DeJohn & David Alton Hedges, Santa Ynez, CA, “Legion”
Patty Jones, Vancouver, BC, Canada, “Joe Banks”
Alan Roth, Suffern, NY, “Jersey City Story”
Stephanie Shannon, Los Angeles, CA, “Queen of Hearts”
Barbara Stepansky, Burbank, CA, “Sugar in My Veins”
The winners were selected from a record 7,251 scripts submitted for this year’s competition.
Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete...
- 10/21/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting 2013 finalists announced (photo: post-’Twilight’ Ashley Greene 2013 in ‘Random’) The finalists for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting 2013 competition, selected from a record 7,251 scripts, have been announced. Next, their scripts will be read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, which, according to the Academy’s press release, may award as many as five $35,000 fellowships. This year’s finalists, the majority of which hail from California, are the following (listed alphabetically by author): Scott Adams, Menlo Park, CA, "Slingshot" William Casey, Los Angeles, CA, "Smut" Frank DeJohn and David Alton Hedges, Santa Ynez, CA, "Legion" Brian Forrester, Studio City, CA, "Heart of the Monstyr" Noah Thomas Grossman, Los Angeles, CA, "The Cupid Code" Patty Jones, Vancouver, BC, Canada, "Joe Banks" Erin Klg, New York, NY, "Lost Children" Alan Roth, Suffern, NY, "Jersey City Story" Stephanie Shannon, Los Angeles,...
- 9/27/2013
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
Selected from a record 7,197 scripts, it was announced today that five writers have been selected as winners of the 2012 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Each writer will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 8.
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Nikole Beckwith, Brooklyn, NY, “Stockholm, Pennsylvania”
Sean Robert Daniels, Laezonia, Gauteng, South Africa, “Killers”
James Dilapo, New York, NY, “Devils at Play”
Allan Durand, Lafayette, La, “Willie Francis Must Die Again”
Michael Werwie, Los Angeles, CA, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile”
This is the first time entries from Louisiana and South Africa have been selected as winners. Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. The Academy acquires no rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not involve...
This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Nikole Beckwith, Brooklyn, NY, “Stockholm, Pennsylvania”
Sean Robert Daniels, Laezonia, Gauteng, South Africa, “Killers”
James Dilapo, New York, NY, “Devils at Play”
Allan Durand, Lafayette, La, “Willie Francis Must Die Again”
Michael Werwie, Los Angeles, CA, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile”
This is the first time entries from Louisiana and South Africa have been selected as winners. Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. The Academy acquires no rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not involve...
- 10/24/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Beverly Hills, CA - Seven writers have been selected as winners for the 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer (or writing team) will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 3.
The 2011 Nicholl Fellows are (listed alphabetically by author):
Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Okla., “Cutter” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child”
The winners were selected from a record 6,730 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a “first look” clause,...
The 2011 Nicholl Fellows are (listed alphabetically by author):
Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Okla., “Cutter” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child”
The winners were selected from a record 6,730 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a “first look” clause,...
- 10/19/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Beverly Hills, CA - Seven individual writers and three writing teams have been selected as finalists for the 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy’s Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
This year’s finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Oklahoma, “Cutter” K.E. Greenberg, Los Angeles, Calif., “Blood Bound” Ehud Lavski, Tel Aviv, Israel, “Parasite” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Aaron Marshall, West Hollywood, Calif., “Fig Hunt: The Quest for Battle Armor Star Captain” Khurram Mozaffar, Lisle, Illinois, “A Man of Clay” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child” Paul Vicknair & Chris Shafer,...
Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy’s Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
This year’s finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):
Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Oklahoma, “Cutter” K.E. Greenberg, Los Angeles, Calif., “Blood Bound” Ehud Lavski, Tel Aviv, Israel, “Parasite” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Aaron Marshall, West Hollywood, Calif., “Fig Hunt: The Quest for Battle Armor Star Captain” Khurram Mozaffar, Lisle, Illinois, “A Man of Clay” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child” Paul Vicknair & Chris Shafer,...
- 9/30/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Beverly Hills, CA . Five writers have been selected as winners of the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 4.
This year.s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., .Short Term 12.
Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., .And Handled with a Chain.
Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, .The Jumper of Maine.
Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., .A Good Hunter.
Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., .Identifying Marks.
The winners were selected from 6,304 scripts submitted for this year.s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a .first look. clause, an option,...
This year.s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., .Short Term 12.
Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., .And Handled with a Chain.
Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, .The Jumper of Maine.
Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., .A Good Hunter.
Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., .Identifying Marks.
The winners were selected from 6,304 scripts submitted for this year.s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a .first look. clause, an option,...
- 10/20/2010
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The five winners of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 25th annual Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting are listed below. Each will receive $30,000 (in installments) at a gala dinner on November 4. Of the 6,304 submissions, the Nicholls Committee (made up of chairperson and producer Gale Anne Hurd; writers Naomi Foner, Daniel Petrie, Jr., Tom Rickman and Dana Stevens; actor Eva Marie Saint; cinematographers John Bailey and Steven B. Poster; executive Bill Mechanic; producers Peter Samuelson and Robert W. Shapiro; and agent Ronald R. Mardigian) chose the five winners who will each complete a feature length script during their fellowship year. Of the 113 fellowships that have been awarded over time, recipients include Oscar nominee Susannah Grant (The Soloist, Erin Brockovich), Doug Atchison ...
- 10/20/2010
- Thompson on Hollywood
Beverly Hills, CA – Five writers have been selected as winners of the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 4. This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author): Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., “Short Term 12” Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., “And Handled with a Chain” Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, “The Jumper of Maine” Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., “A Good Hunter” Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., “Identifying Marks” The winners were selected from 6,304 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a “first look” clause,...
- 10/20/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Academy Announces Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship Finalists for 2010 Beverly Hills, CA – Ten writers have been selected as finalists for the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy’s Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships. This year’s finalists are (listed alphabetically by author): Art Corriveau, Santa Fe, New Mexico, “Nicky Flynn Finally Gets a Life” Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., “Short Term 12” Sebastian Davis, Los Angeles, Calif., “Drunk-Dialing” Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., “And Handled with a Chain” Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, “The Jumper of Maine” Tim Macy, Kansas City, Mo., “The Last Queen” Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., “A Good Hunter” Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., “Identifying Marks” Logan Steiner, Redondo Beach, Calif., “The Promise of Spring” Sage Vanden Heuvel,...
- 9/27/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Six writers have been selected as winners of the 24th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
They are Matt Ackley for his screenplay "Victoria Falls"; Vineet Dewan and Angus Fletcher, "Sand Dogs"; John Griffin, "Dream Before Waking"; Nidhi Anna Verghese, "Jallianwala Bagh"; and Jeff Williams, "Pure." All are from Los Angeles except for Williams, who is from Wake Forest, N.C.
Each writer or writing team, selected from a record 6,380 submitted scripts, will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed Nov. 12 during a gala dinner in Beverly Hills.
The winners were chosen by the Nicholl Committee, chaired by Susannah Grant and comprised of Naomi Foner, Daniel Petrie Jr., Tom Rickman, Dana Stevens, Eva Marie Saint, John Bailey, Steven B. Poster, Bill Mechanic, Gale Anne Hurd, David Nicksay, Peter Samuelson, Robert Shapiro, Buffy Shutt and Ronald Mardigian.
They are Matt Ackley for his screenplay "Victoria Falls"; Vineet Dewan and Angus Fletcher, "Sand Dogs"; John Griffin, "Dream Before Waking"; Nidhi Anna Verghese, "Jallianwala Bagh"; and Jeff Williams, "Pure." All are from Los Angeles except for Williams, who is from Wake Forest, N.C.
Each writer or writing team, selected from a record 6,380 submitted scripts, will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed Nov. 12 during a gala dinner in Beverly Hills.
The winners were chosen by the Nicholl Committee, chaired by Susannah Grant and comprised of Naomi Foner, Daniel Petrie Jr., Tom Rickman, Dana Stevens, Eva Marie Saint, John Bailey, Steven B. Poster, Bill Mechanic, Gale Anne Hurd, David Nicksay, Peter Samuelson, Robert Shapiro, Buffy Shutt and Ronald Mardigian.
- 10/29/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected six unknown screenwriters to receive this year's Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. In its 23rd year, the fellowship awards each writer or writing team $30,000.
The 2008 winners are Jeremy Bandow for "Hive"; Ken Kristensen and Colin Marshall for "Out of Breath"; Jason Micallef for "Butter"; Eric Nazarian for "Giants"; and Lee Patterson for "Snatched."
The honorees will be feted Nov. 13 at a gala dinner that includes a keynote speech by "Out of Sight" screenwriter Scott Frank.
The winners were chosen from a pool of 5,224 eligible scripts submitted by individuals who have not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000 or received a fellowship or prize that includes a "first look" clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work. Each new fellow is expected to complete a new feature length script during the following year,...
The 2008 winners are Jeremy Bandow for "Hive"; Ken Kristensen and Colin Marshall for "Out of Breath"; Jason Micallef for "Butter"; Eric Nazarian for "Giants"; and Lee Patterson for "Snatched."
The honorees will be feted Nov. 13 at a gala dinner that includes a keynote speech by "Out of Sight" screenwriter Scott Frank.
The winners were chosen from a pool of 5,224 eligible scripts submitted by individuals who have not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000 or received a fellowship or prize that includes a "first look" clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work. Each new fellow is expected to complete a new feature length script during the following year,...
- 11/10/2008
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 12/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Having created an indelible rogue's gallery of lovable freaks and nonconformists, Johnny Depp ventures into the realm of the monstrous in the demanding film "The Libertine".
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
He delivers a haunting portrait of the 17th-century poet, provocateur and debauchee John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, who achieved literary acclaim only after his lingering death at 33, ravaged by syphilis and alcohol. One of the achievements of director Laurence Dunmore's insistently gritty first feature is that his protagonist, a repellent creature of rapacious sensual appetites, grows more recognizable the more physically grotesque he becomes. A dark cousin to such screen rapscallions as Raoul Duke, Jack Sparrow and, yes, Willy Wonka, Depp's dissolute earl possesses a staggering allure beneath the blood-chilling sneer.
Originally scheduled for September release in the midst of Miramax's crowded housecleaning slate, the unrated Weinstein Co. release world-premiered Friday at AFI Fest. (Not an MPAA signatory, the new shingle de-clined the organization's NC-17.) It bows Nov. 25 in Los Angeles and New York, where it should perform lustily. Wide release in January will be more of a challenge, even with Depp starring.
Like its protagonist, the self-proclaimed cynic of a golden age, "Libertine" makes no concessions to expectation. Shot as if through layers of grime, it takes an ad-mirably different approach to costume fare than high-sheen features like "Shakespeare in Love", which put the Weinsteins' Miramax on the Oscar map.
There's a stark power to Alexander Melman's grainy, candlelit cinematography (Dunmore himself operated the mostly handheld camera) that is in keeping with the unapologetic subject matter. But the drained-of-red palette and fetid green light, artifices in their own right, are at times more tiring than expressive. Audiences used to being spoon-fed dazzling period regalia might feel mired in the sludge. For those who can stick with it, the rewards are considerable.
"You will not like me", Rochester promises from the shadows in his to-the-camera prologue. Stephen Jeffreys' screenplay, based on his play, doesn't explain or excuse the behavior of a man devoted to pleasure and yet numb to it. A favorite in the king's court, though no worshipper of the throne, Rochester accepts a commission to write a major work of literature for Charles II (John Malkovich, who shepherded the project over its nine-year development after playing the title role in the U.S. premiere of the play). Rather than get to work, Rochester pursues his commitment to drink and sex, between escapades trading pornographic ripostes with writers George Etherege (Tom Hollander) and Charles Sackville (Johnny Vegas).
Rochester is shaken from licentious routine when he sees struggling actress Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton) booed offstage. She's one of the first generation of female actors -- following the trail blazed by women like Claire Danes' character in "Stage Beauty" -- and Rochester determines to make her the leading light of the London theater. He succeeds. Known for his brutal honesty, he demands truth from Lizzie's performances, and the fiercely independent actress, overcoming her wariness, flourishes under his tutelage. She also becomes his lover, igniting a passion that Rochester recognizes too late.
Although capable of listening respectfully to the advice of a favorite whore (Kelly Reilly), the earl shows his pious mother (Francesca Annis) only disdain. Matters are more complex with his wife, Elizabeth (Rosamund Pike), who has her eyes wide open to his philandering. Pike is extraordinarily affecting as the woman who began her relationship with Rochester as his teenage kidnap victim and ended it as his devoted caretaker. Morton, though underused, conveys Lizzie's ardor and formidable ambition.
Almost unrecognizable in fake nose and massive wig, Malkovich has a contained intensity as the free-thinking sovereign who embraces the wonders of scientific and intellectual progress and who, beneath the official ire, seems to enjoy the raunchy irreverence of Rochester's literary output. Bawdiness notwithstanding, there's a touch of the conventional in the dialogue's self-consciously literary profusion of language. And however flavorful all the supporting turns, the piece is clearly a vehicle for its star.
Contributions by production designer Ben Van Os, costume designer Dien Van Straalen and especially hair and make-up designer Peter Owen ("The Lord of the Rings") are key to the sense of Restoration-era England in the throes of a hangover from post-Puritan excess. The film is dedicated to casting director Mary Selway, Marlon Brando and Hunter S. Thompson.
THE LIBERTINE
The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. and Odyssey Entertainment in association with Isle of Man Film present a Mr. Mudd production
Credits:
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Screenwriter: Stephen Jeffreys
Based on the play by: Stephen Jeffreys
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Executive producers: Chase Bailey, Steve Christian, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Ralph Kamp, Louise Goodsill
Director of photography: Alexander Melman
Production designer: Ben Van Os
Music: Michael Nyman
Costume designer: Dien Van Straalen
Editor: Jill Bilcock. Cast: Rochester: Johnny Depp
Elizabeth Barry: Samantha Morton
Charles II: John Malkovich
Elizabeth Malet: Rosamund Pike
Etherege: Tom Hollander
Sackville: Johnny Vegas
Jane
Kelly Reilly
Harris: Jack Davenport
Alcock: Richard Coyle
Countess: Francesca Annis
Downs: Rupert Friend
No MPAA rating -- running time 115 minutes...
- 11/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LONDON -- Alex Pettyfer, 15-year-old star of ITV's recent Tom Brown's Schooldays, was tabbed Wednesday to play schoolboy special agent Alex Rider in the upcoming film version of Anthony Horowitz's children's book Stormbreaker. Others set for the $43 million film include Mickey Rourke (Sin City) as a villainous businessman, Bill Nighy (Girl in the Cafe) as a spymaster and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda) as his assistant. Ewan McGregor will have a cameo as the schoolboy hero's superspy uncle. Other names in the cast include Alicia Silverstone, Missi Pyle, Sarah Bolger, Ashley Walters and Damian Lewis. Geoffrey Sax (White Noise) is directing from Horowitz's script as the film, produced by Marc Samuelson and Peter Samuelson, commences shooting July 3 on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. The Weinstein Co. has North American rights while Entertainment Film Distributors holds U.K. rights to the film, which is also produced by Steve Christian of Isle of Man Film and Andreas Grosch of VIP Medienfonds 4 (HR 5/19). The U.K. Film Council's Premiere Fund, fueled by the National Lottery, has contributed to the budget. Capitol Films is handling international sales.
- 6/29/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Going from psychos to psychotherapists, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Marcus Nispel has signed to helm Need for Escape Artists and Paramount Pictures. Production is slated to start Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. In Need, a successful New York therapist discovers that one of her patients -- a suicidal woman named Beth -- is having an affair with her husband. Diane Lane is in final negotiations to star as the therapist. The co-starring roles have yet to be cast. Chloe King wrote the script, which is loosely based on David Lawrence's novel of the same name. Jon Bokenkamp rewrote the material. Escape Artists' Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and David Alper are producing. Marc and Peter Samuelson are also producing through their Samuelson Prods., as is Jonathan Prince. Nispel became a wanted man around town when his feature directorial debut, the $9 million-budgeted Chainsaw, opened to $28.1 million. Its gross stands at $66.1 million. The Monday after the film's opening weekend, Nispel was deluged with offers, sources said. Before turning his attention to movies, the German-born director worked in the music video world. He is repped by Endeavor.
- 11/4/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Academy Award-nominated actress Diane Lane has come aboard to star in Sony-based Escape Artists' "Need". No director is on board, but production is slated to begin early next year. In "Need", Lane will star as a successful New York therapist who discovers that one of her patients -- a suicidal woman named Beth -- is having an affair with her husband. The co-starring role has yet to be cast. Chloe King wrote the script, which is based loosely on Lawrence David's novel of the same name. Jon Bokenkamp rewrote the material. Escape Artists' Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and David Alper are producing. Marc and Peter Samuelson are also producing through their Samuelson Prods., as is Jonathan Prince. Lane, repped by Endeavor and Joan Hyler Management, was nominated for a best actress Oscar this year for her role in "Unfaithful". She is garnering positive reviews for her upcoming turn in the Walt Disney Co.'s "Under the Tuscan Sun".
- 9/19/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Academy Award-nominated actress Diane Lane has come aboard to star in Sony-based Escape Artists' Need. No director is on board, but production is slated to begin early next year. In Need, Lane will star as a successful New York therapist who discovers that one of her patients -- a suicidal woman named Beth -- is having an affair with her husband. The co-starring role has yet to be cast. Chloe King wrote the script, which is based loosely on Lawrence David's novel of the same name. Jon Bokenkamp rewrote the material. Escape Artists' Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and David Alper are producing. Marc and Peter Samuelson are also producing through their Samuelson Prods., as is Jonathan Prince. Lane, repped by Endeavor and Joan Hyler Management, was nominated for a best actress Oscar this year for her role in Unfaithful. She is garnering positive reviews for her upcoming turn in the Walt Disney Co.'s Under the Tuscan Sun.
- 9/19/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LONDON -- Dougray Scott, Emilia Fox and Shaun Parkes round out the cast of You Don't Have to Say You Love Me. The film is directed by Simon Shore (Get Real) and produced by independent British producing duo Marc Samuelson and Peter Samuelson of Samuelson Prods. The castings were announced Friday. Say You Love Me, billed as a comedy-drama, follows a group of twentysomethings trying to avoid adulthood and responsibility. From a screenplay by Patrick Wilde (Get Real), the film is based on the Dutch film All Stars, which was adapted into a television spinoff and went on to win an International Emmy in 2000. The picture will be distributed by U.K. independent distribution company Momentum Pictures in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Momentum also helped develop the screenplay with Samuelson Prods. The film also is funded by cash from the Isle of Man Film Commission equity fund, with which Samuelson Prods. pacted last year. Further funding comes from tax fund First Choice Films 2004, set up by Grosvenor Park.
LONDON -- Dougray Scott, Emilia Fox and Shaun Parkes round out the cast of "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me." The film is directed by Simon Shore ("Get Real") and produced by independent British producing duo Marc and Peter Samuelson of Samuelson Prods. The castings were announced Friday. "Say You Love Me", billed as a comedy-drama, follows a group of twentysomethings trying to avoid adulthood and responsibility. From a screenplay by Patrick Wilde ("Get Real"), the film is based on the Dutch film "All Stars", which was adapted into a television spinoff and went on to win an International Emmy in 2000. The picture will be distributed by U.K. independent distribution company Momentum Pictures in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Momentum also helped develop the screenplay with Samuelson Prods. The film also is funded by cash from the Isle of Man Film Commission equity fund, with which Samuelson Prods. pacted last year. Further funding comes from tax fund First Choice Films 2004, set up by Grosvenor Park.
Talk about your phantom menaces. A paranoid thriller about a conspiracy involving home-grown terrorists, Sony Pictures' "Arlington Road" is scheduled to open domestically May 14 -- five days before you know what -- in a brave but probably doomed counterprogramming move. The gloomy, often powerfully effective film opens today in the United Kingdom.
In his second film, director Mark Pellington ("Going All the Way") has taken on a volatile subject with inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock and Oliver Stone. The result is unsettling because of the often manipulative filmmaking coupled with a fairly plausible premise and scenario. With one of the darkest endings in recent memory, "Arlington" will suffer from dismissive critics and mixed word-of-mouth.
Pellington and crew open the film boldly with an attention-getting moment of horror, when college professor Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges) discovers that his neighbor's son (Mason Gamble) wandering in shock with a badly injured hand. Nearly hysterical himself, Michael rushes the boy to the hospital in time and learns that Brady Lang lives across the street with parents Oliver (Tim Robbins) and Cheryl (Joan Cusack) and two young sisters.
While screenwriter Ehren Kurger has perhaps worked in one too many topical reference -- including fictional versions of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing and the Ruby Ridge, Idaho, debacle -- the central gambit of Michael at first liking the Langs and then coming to suspect Oliver of hiding his true nature keeps the film grounded more or less in reality.
Michael is not in the greatest shape. He panics; he imagines too much; he bends the rules to follow a hunch. In a brief visit to the Langs' home, he notices blueprints for a building and gets the idea that Oliver and Cheryl are part of the secret group he believes was responsible for a devastating bombing in St. Louis.
Michael's girlfriend Brooke (Hope Davis) and son Grant Spencer Treat Clark), who is coping but not happy in the aftermath of a family tragedy, help Michael Keep it together, but also forsake him when he appears to have misjudged the Langs. Grant becomes friends with Brady and joins a Cub Scout-like group, and the mundane conventions of suburban life are shown as reassuring rituals. But there's an ominous atmosphere that the filmmaking accentuates in a successful attempt to make the viewer constantly on guard and uncomfortable.
Unlike "American History X", the ideology of the right-wing, anti-government characters is not given much attention. What little rhetoric we get is from cagey Oliver and conflicted Michael's lectures on the subject. Indeed, Robbins' performance is the best thing in the film -- with Bridges' a close second -- as the tall guy downplays his charisma and yet exudes menace in many subtle ways, from body language to penetrating gazes to the aggressive way he sidetracks Michael early on by admitting to a criminal act as a teenager.
Michael has a grudge against the FBI for a crucial error that resulted in the death of his wife, an agent. A Peckinpahesque flashback of the shootout is a severe sequence of sickening, up-close-and-personal violence. Bureaucracies and bombers are the enemies. Still friends with an FBI agent (Robert Gossett) who won't risk his job to help him, Michael on his own investigates Oliver's background and finds several suspicious things, including a name change.
Eventually the noose tightens and Michael's worst fears are realized. The movie steers headlong into an apocalyptic resolution that may not win points for plausibility and coherence but certainly sends one home in a grim mood. The widescreen film is always interesting visually, but Angelo Badalamenti's uneven score is over-the-top, like too much of the movie.
ARLINGTON ROAD
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Screen Gems presents
In association with Lakeshore Entertainment
A Gorai/Samuelson production
Director: Mark Pellington
Screenwriter: Ehren Kurger
Producers: Peter Samuelson, Tom Gorai, Marc Samuelson
Executive producers: Tom Rosenberg, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Ted Tannebaum
Director of photography: Bobby Bukowski
Production designer: Therese Deprez
Editor: Conrad Buff
Costume designer: Jennifer Barrett-Pellington
Music: Angelo Badalamenti
Casting: Ellen Chenoweth
Color/stereo
Cast:
Michael Faraday: Jeff Bridges
Oliver Lang: Tim Robbins
Cheryl Lang: Joan Cusack
Brooke Wolf: Hope Davis
Whit: Robert Gossett
Brady Lang: Mason Gamble
Grant Faraday: Spencer Treat Clark
Dr. Archer Scobee: Stanley Anderson
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
In his second film, director Mark Pellington ("Going All the Way") has taken on a volatile subject with inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock and Oliver Stone. The result is unsettling because of the often manipulative filmmaking coupled with a fairly plausible premise and scenario. With one of the darkest endings in recent memory, "Arlington" will suffer from dismissive critics and mixed word-of-mouth.
Pellington and crew open the film boldly with an attention-getting moment of horror, when college professor Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges) discovers that his neighbor's son (Mason Gamble) wandering in shock with a badly injured hand. Nearly hysterical himself, Michael rushes the boy to the hospital in time and learns that Brady Lang lives across the street with parents Oliver (Tim Robbins) and Cheryl (Joan Cusack) and two young sisters.
While screenwriter Ehren Kurger has perhaps worked in one too many topical reference -- including fictional versions of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing and the Ruby Ridge, Idaho, debacle -- the central gambit of Michael at first liking the Langs and then coming to suspect Oliver of hiding his true nature keeps the film grounded more or less in reality.
Michael is not in the greatest shape. He panics; he imagines too much; he bends the rules to follow a hunch. In a brief visit to the Langs' home, he notices blueprints for a building and gets the idea that Oliver and Cheryl are part of the secret group he believes was responsible for a devastating bombing in St. Louis.
Michael's girlfriend Brooke (Hope Davis) and son Grant Spencer Treat Clark), who is coping but not happy in the aftermath of a family tragedy, help Michael Keep it together, but also forsake him when he appears to have misjudged the Langs. Grant becomes friends with Brady and joins a Cub Scout-like group, and the mundane conventions of suburban life are shown as reassuring rituals. But there's an ominous atmosphere that the filmmaking accentuates in a successful attempt to make the viewer constantly on guard and uncomfortable.
Unlike "American History X", the ideology of the right-wing, anti-government characters is not given much attention. What little rhetoric we get is from cagey Oliver and conflicted Michael's lectures on the subject. Indeed, Robbins' performance is the best thing in the film -- with Bridges' a close second -- as the tall guy downplays his charisma and yet exudes menace in many subtle ways, from body language to penetrating gazes to the aggressive way he sidetracks Michael early on by admitting to a criminal act as a teenager.
Michael has a grudge against the FBI for a crucial error that resulted in the death of his wife, an agent. A Peckinpahesque flashback of the shootout is a severe sequence of sickening, up-close-and-personal violence. Bureaucracies and bombers are the enemies. Still friends with an FBI agent (Robert Gossett) who won't risk his job to help him, Michael on his own investigates Oliver's background and finds several suspicious things, including a name change.
Eventually the noose tightens and Michael's worst fears are realized. The movie steers headlong into an apocalyptic resolution that may not win points for plausibility and coherence but certainly sends one home in a grim mood. The widescreen film is always interesting visually, but Angelo Badalamenti's uneven score is over-the-top, like too much of the movie.
ARLINGTON ROAD
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Screen Gems presents
In association with Lakeshore Entertainment
A Gorai/Samuelson production
Director: Mark Pellington
Screenwriter: Ehren Kurger
Producers: Peter Samuelson, Tom Gorai, Marc Samuelson
Executive producers: Tom Rosenberg, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Ted Tannebaum
Director of photography: Bobby Bukowski
Production designer: Therese Deprez
Editor: Conrad Buff
Costume designer: Jennifer Barrett-Pellington
Music: Angelo Badalamenti
Casting: Ellen Chenoweth
Color/stereo
Cast:
Michael Faraday: Jeff Bridges
Oliver Lang: Tim Robbins
Cheryl Lang: Joan Cusack
Brooke Wolf: Hope Davis
Whit: Robert Gossett
Brady Lang: Mason Gamble
Grant Faraday: Spencer Treat Clark
Dr. Archer Scobee: Stanley Anderson
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 3/19/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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