September 2017
Close-Up
BALANCING AUDIENCE APPETITE WITH AWARD-WINNING MOVIES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Readers:
The purpose of this magazine is to share with our movie-goers, the industry and our partners - updates about what is happening at Flix Premiere each month. We aim to highlight and explore the upcoming month’s film premieres in each market, to announce new developments on our platform and to provide a CEO update about the exciting current and future plans at Flix Premiere. Happy reading!
IN THIS ISSUE: September Premieres Snapshot Learn about our exclusive new premieres showing each week US September Premieres Snapshot - pg. 2 UK September Premieres Snapshot - pg. 3
Close Up: Premiere Feature Reviews
Fireworkers
A chance to immerse yourself in the wonderful stories premiering each week. Prism
The Middle Distance - Ross Partridge, Joslyn Jensen, Kentucker Audley, Jennifer Lafleur - pg. 4 Leaves Of The Tree - Eric Roberts, Sean Young, Federico Castelluccio, Kresh Novakovic, Marisa Brown, Armand Assante, Sarah Sebastiana - pg. 5
Leave Of The Tree
Fireworkers - Christina Bennett Lind, Gene Gallerano, Heather Lind, Jeff Barry, Drew Denny, Michael Izquierdo - pg. 6 Prism - Christian Madsen, Marcos de la Cruz, Christy Carlson Romano, Amy Hargreaves, Maya Kazan, Lorraine Farris, Oakes Fegley - pg. 7 The Cursed Ones - Oris Erhuero, Ama K Abebrese, Jimmy Jean Louis, Fred Amugi, David Dontoh, Ophelia Dzidzornu - pg. 8 Sink - Anel Alexander, Shoki Mokgapa, Jacques Bessenger, Amalia Uys, Asante Mabuza - pg. 9 Occupy, Texas - Gene Gallerano, Janine Turner, Peri Gilpin, Lorelei Linklater, Reed Birney - pg. 10
CEO’s Corner In this fourth edition, Martin Warner appraises the value of award-winning independent cinema in the context of the industry and for the movie consumer.
- pg. 11
The Curse
d Ones
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US PREMIERES SNAPSHOT
Starring: Ross Partridge, Joslyn Jensen, Kentucker Audley, Jennifer Lafleur
September 1, 2017 - 7pm EST
Starring: Christina Bennett Lind, Gene Gallerano, Heather Lind, Jeff Barry, Drew Denny, Michael Izquierdo
September 8, 2017 - 7pm EST
Starring: Christian Madsen, Marcos de la Cruz, Christy Carlson Romano, Amy Hargreaves, Maya Kazan, Lorraine Farris, Oakes Fegley
September 15, 2017 - 7pm EST
Starring: Anel Alexander, Shoki Mokgapa, Jacques Bessenger, Amalia Uys, Asante Mabuza
September 22, 2017 - 7pm EST
Starring: Oris Erhuero, Ama K Abebrese, Jimmy Jean Louis, Fred Amugi, David Dontoh, Ophelia Dzidzornu
September 29, 2017 - 7pm EST
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UK PREMIERES SNAPSHOT
Starring: Eric Roberts, Sean Young, Federico Castelluccio, Kresh Novakovic, Marisa Brown, Armand Assante, Sarah Sebastiana
September 2, 2017 - 7pm bST
Starring: Christina Bennett Lind, Gene Gallerano, Heather Lind, Jeff Barry, Drew Denny, Michael Izquierdo
September9,9,2017 2017--7pm 7pmbST bST September
Starring: Oris Erhuero, Ama K Abebrese, Jimmy Jean Louis, Fred Amugi, David Dontoh, Ophelia Dzidzornu
September 16, 2017 - 7pm bST
Starring: Gene Gallerano, Janine Turner, Peri Gilpin, Lorelei Linklater, Reed Birney
September 23, 2017 - 7pm bST
Starring: Christian Madsen, Marcos de la Cruz, Christy Carlson Romano, Amy Hargreaves, Maya Kazan, Lorraine Farris, Oakes Fegley
September 30, 2017 - 7pm BST
Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
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US Premiere: September 1 - 7PM EST
The director builds quiet but considerable dramatic tension because we are not sure if we really want these two to get together and disrupt James’s life. The bittersweet ending
The Middle Distance
strikes exactly the right note. Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Writer-director Patrick Underwood grew up in the
I
n the wake of his father’s death, wheeling and dealing Los Angeles consultant Neil Mercer (Ross Patridge) returns to his childhood home in rural coastal Michigan. It’s the peak of winter and the businessman has not bothered to see his family in years. The mood between them is as frosty as the weather outside. But the house must be prepared for the realtor and sold in order for Neil to get back to his life. So, he is determined to make the best of it and pitch in with the effort. When his brother is suddenly called out to Chicago for a music gig, though, his only option is to befriend his sibling’s free-spirited fiancé or deal with all of the mess on his own. The Middle Distance is a family drama that is equal parts coming of age tale. Neil is already an adult, of course. He has a high-profile job, a fancy loft, and a fast life of women and whiskey to vouch for it.
It’s an auspicious debut for Underwood, whose sharp eye for character and a distinctive visual style is evident from the film’s very first frame.
rural Michigan area where most of the story is set, and he has a feeling for the bucolic settings as well as the provincial nature of small town life. Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Rather, facing so much evidence of who he was in his past and accompanied by a new kindred spirit who shows him what life could be in the future–Neil has the opportunity to grow into a better version of himself.
It suggests that even a man of such a hardened exterior may have hidden sensibilities, a tender spot in his past, and a chance at becoming a warmer family member, friend, or lover in the future. Ross Partridge gives a masterful performance as Neil. He achieves the rare combination of playfulness, mischief, and ego that make a guy a likeable jerk. The sincerity of his acting, and director Patrick Underwood’s ability to draw it out and capture it in the shot, are one of the highlights of the film. Joslyn Jensen compliments his performance remarkably as the photographer-fiancé Rebecca. The two actors build chemistry in this pairing of opposites that the film deals with in a realistic and heartfelt way.
Kevin Duggin’s expressive lensing of rural
The film paints a familiar portrait of a guy whose only purpose in life is to win, to drive the fancy car, and to sleep with all of the most gorgeous women.
Michigan’s wintry landscapes is the standout element
But The Middle Distance manages to humble this archetype when tasking him with yardwork, basic household repairs, and plumbing issues.
of establishing mood.
in a pretty basic tech package. Music supervisor Kristen Genovese’s song choices do a good job
Alissa Simon, Variety
Stephen Saito, The Moveable Fest
Cinematographer Kevin Duggin frames both them and the wintry landscape with impeccable compositions. Duggin finds the tidy square frames within the shots. And it is as if we were watching a cinematic reproduction of the landscape photography that Rebecca produces in her work. In the hustle and bustle of modern life we are all well reminded that occasionally slowing down to reconnect with ourselves and those who are important to us is critical. So, take pause and journey The Middle Distance with Flix Premiere.
Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
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Leaves Of The Tree
UK Premiere: September 2 - 7PM BST
A
secret source of healing powers, dating back centuries, is suddenly rediscovered both by industry and an ancient religious order. All who become aware of its abilities want to exploit it for their own advantage. Will the forces of good prevail, or will the incredible medicine be used for the pure and unrestrained pursuit of power? Leaves of the Tree is both a drama and spiritual film that shifts from a nineteenth century period backdrop to developing its plot in the present day. Retiring lawyer Patrick, played by the formidable Eric Roberts, forms part of a team that learns of a new discovery touted as a miracle salve. He decides to take on one final patent case for his firm, with hopes that the remedy might aid his congenital heart disease. As good fortune would have it, the cure is only available in a small olive grove in Sicily. So, he travels to Italy with boss and family in tow to investigate the incredible claims surrounding the treatment. What he finds there, first, is a vibrant village full of gracious culture, and then a bewildering mystery that only his journey will help to unravel.
...this is largely a drama about faith and healing, with the Sicilian landscape as the star, followed by the underrated Eric Roberts, who throws himself into his part with joy and charisma – he positively bubbles when on-screen, and as a viewer I couldn’t wait for him to return. Noah Charney, Film International
The Sicilian countryside is gorgeously showcased in Leaves of the Tree. Director Ante Novakovic and cinematographer John Schmidt frame the story amidst towering ruins set against a pastoral backdrop. An olive grove indeed gives the impression of timelessness, and imbues the atmosphere with ancient wisdom.
There is an inherent beauty to mysticism and faith—the aura of believing in something that cannot be simply explained by science or logic is almost non-existent in an era of film drained of color and pumped with cynicism; however, Ante Novakovic’s “Leaves of the Tree” brings a heartwarming touch to belief and family that is the perfect escape from the end-of-theworld fare that occupies both the big and small screen. Christopher Saenz, Review Fix
The historical costumes are meticulously crafted to compliment the terrain, transporting us centuries in time. Modern characters in the film are instantly recognizable, relatable figures. Skeptics, the visitors are seduced by the magic of the olive grove and the Sicilian vistas along with the audience. Leaves Of The Tree features both a stellar Anglo and Italin cast, giving the film a truly international feel. Accompanying Roberts, Federico Castelluccio offers a strong performance as the Doctor Ferramonti, who serves as a guardian of the coveted estate. Sean Young and Marisa Brown make memorable impressions as additional tourists accompanying Patrick on his investigative voyage. Together, they form a harmonized ensemble that maintains the audience’s interest in all of the action.
What magic does the earth hide from us, what miracles might exist right under our noses if only we are willing to open our eyes to them? Watch Leaves Of The Tree and become a believer yourself.
Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
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US Premiere: September 8 - 7PM EST
Fireworkers
UK Premiere: September 9 - 7PM BST
As is required for such a picture, Fireworkers benefits from a strong ensemble of actors whose chemistry is riveting. Director and actor Christina Bennett Lind, Heather Lind, and Gene Gallerano stand out for their inspired performances.
O
ccasionally, a great loss invades our lives to remind us of the value of each moment we have with those we know and cherish. Fireworkers is a film about one such event that sends a group of still-young adults on a quest to reconnect with what drew them to one another in the first instance.
Brought together unwittingly, by the sudden death of a longtime friend, six estranged pals must face one another with all of the baggage of their collective history to fulfill her final wish - for them to all be together. When Esther dies, invitations are sent to six of her formerly close chums who have since drifted apart and neglected both her and each other. Upon arriving at her wake, she has left them individual instructions describing how to complete her bucket list, and she puts them to the task as a group.
The film is shot in such a way that it gives insight into the individual characters’ lives, the dynamics of their interpersonal relations in small groups, and then the totality of the herd.
This is the story of six friends who, struggling with an unexpected loss, are thrust into the unresolvable puzzles of their lives, the nature of friendship, and the ordinariness of moving on together after extraordinary loss. Christina Bennett Lind, Director
The result in Fireworkers is a stroll through a garden of memories, collecting bits and pieces of the essential elements of the lives and shared pasts of these friends until, little by little, a full picture of the complexities of their bond is thrown into sharp relief. As the assembled crowd mourns the dead, reects on the past, and discusses their misgivings, regrets, and aspirations for the future, the film leads us through the journey of their story. Failed past romances, new ames, and quests of self-betterment merge. Moments of unified grief, and fond remembrance, punctuate the action of the film, which crescendos into a sparkling finale.
It is an examination of the inbetween, of the nowhere, of the reality of looking for answers that might not exist. Christina Bennett Lind, Director Moments of unified grief and fond remembrance punctuate the action of the film, which crescendos into a sparkling finale.
A poetic tribute to friendship and its perseverance in the face of grief, Fireworkers is a drama that builds us up even as it challenges us to live fuller, more meaningful lives with those we love while they are still near.
Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
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US Premiere: September 15 - 7PM EST
Prism
UK Premiere: September 30 - 7PM BST
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young boy goes on a hike with his father into the woods, where they discover a dark cave. The father enters the cave, alone, and is never seen again. Fifteen years later, Bryan has transformed from a boy into a disturbed young man. Unable to commit to a relationship, or even a half-hearted attempt at becoming an actor to star in a production of Hamlet, he has been left permanently scarred by the unexplained disappearance of his dad.
A thrilling mystery that leaves you on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing until the very end.
In a moment of desperation, he tries to drown himself. Only, when he regains consciousness, he is lying in a hospital bed next to a man with amnesia who strongly resembles his father.
Christian Madsen, known for his work in Divergent, plays the brooding Bryan, fixated on recovering his dad. It is clear that the film’s creators meant for his attempt at playing Hamlet to draw a strong association with the famous prince’s character. But Bryan is decided from the beginning that he wants to recover his father, ignoring calls to the contrary and the obstacles ahead.
Prism combines elements of a plausible, realistic family drama that warp into a mind-bending paradox.
What follows is a thrilling mystery that leaves you on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing until the very end. Prism combines elements of a plausible, realistic family drama that warp into a mind-bending paradox. What happened to Bryan’s father? Who exactly is Bryan’s father? And what kind of threat are they both facing now that they’ve been reunited? Prism follows the clues and pieces together the fragments of his past, until it arrives at a shocking conclusion.
Are family bonds eternal, will they
Christy Romano plays an enigmatic nurse, who coaxes the distraught Bryan closer to something nearing emotional and mental health and wellness. The chemistry between Madsen and Romano offers a touching interruption of the suspense-driven story.
inevitably win in the end? The strange and the inexplicable events of Prism are sure to make it a film that you do not forget.
Director Cal Roberton and cinematographer Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi frame key points of the action in what appears to be an enchanted forest, even as we have the impression that the setting is merely a reflection of Bryan’s mythical and outlandish memory of his hike in the woods. Are family bonds eternal, will they inevitably win in the end? The strange and the inexplicable events of Prism are sure to make it a film that you do not forget.
Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
8 UK Premiere: September 16 - 7PM BST
The Cursed Ones
US Premiere: September 29 - 7PM EST
...it has all the elements of a fantastic film Great story, great acting, great cinematography and fantastic sound. Nollywood Observer
D
uring recess at school, a girl is accused of being a witch by her peers. Fodder for childish nonsense around the world, the accusation seems harmless enough–until it becomes deadly serious. This is what can happen, as Arthur Miller famously has shown, when superstition couples itself with opportunism in the rocky and unstable terrain of societal change. But the setting in The Cursed Ones is far from Salem, Massachusetts. Rather, the action takes place in a rural West African village where the urban journalist Godwin Ezeudu has been sent to cover a small tribal festival. What he finds is a village in turmoil when a sacred ritual yields no prize for its hunters. People are hungry to cast blame for the enmeshed local poverty and scarcity at any easy target.
What follows is an intense social drama that exposes, through fiction, the real-life practice of maligning, torturing, and killing young women who are accused of witchcraft. The problem has been identified by the UN as reaching daunting proportions.
The Cursed Ones is a nuanced and psychologically sober film that brings to light the irony of religious misappropriation and the power of belief. Angela N. Carroll, BmoreArt
Directors Nana Obiri-Yeboah and Maximilian Claussen approach this disturbing subject by way of the creation of a rich and vibrant portrait of tribal village life in their cinematic universe. We are witnesses to the bold colors and pageantry of the rite of the hunt. The eclecticism and enmeshment of Catholic religious practices with indigenous traditions, stands out for the ways in which it produces a unique culture, even as the overall setting shows itself to be a recipe for potential disaster.
It’s a heart-pounding film which asks powerful questions about culture, tradition and the most vulnerable in society. Precious Oyelade, True Africa
Enter Paladin, a travelling combination of shaman and exorcist, who will identify and cast out demons, for a rich fee. Godwin discovers, though, that the huckster has a dark history which raises the stakes of his presence in the village from mere fraud to outright danger. Will the reporter be able to team with the local clergy to stop the village from being consumed by the fever of a witch hunt?
Oris Erhuero gives a standout performance as the relentless Godwin, who finds himself completely surprised to have discovered a story of real import in the village. We see the passion of his resolve transform him from a mere outside observer of a social problem into an active participant in its attempted resolution. Will Godwin manage to intervene for the young girl before it is too late? The Cursed Ones is a powerful film that brings us into a rarely-explored and understudied living culture. It has an impactful message that is sure to shift our perspectives of the situation of young women in rural West Africa. No wonder, then, that it won three major production accolades, for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
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Close Up: Premiere Feature Review
Sink
US Premiere: September 22 - 7PM EST
S
eated at a dining room table, a white couple stricken with anxiety and a grave tone invites their black domestic servant to seek employment elsewhere, if she so chooses. The latter’s face is one of absolute dejection. She reluctantly asks to stay, and so in heavy breaths, followed by silence, it is decided that she will resume her duties as their maid on Monday. Sink is a South African film about one mother’s tragic loss, and another’s struggle with insurmountable guilt due to an unpardonable episode of neglect. As a Mozambican immigrant in Johannesburg, Rachel Nyaga faces the choice of staying in the employ of a family that has grievously wronged her, or being exiled back to her impoverished homeland.
Sink is a triumph of a film that explores love and
While making conscious decisions about how to navigate this new treacherous landscape, she must tend to the haunting, painful memories that gradually reveal the full contents of her story to the film’s viewers.
loss so fearlessly that it will leave you breathless
In Rachel’s plight, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the legacy of Apartheid, and not to be disturbed by the social imbalances perpetuated by systemic racism.
Herman Eloff, Channel 24
and shake you to your core.
Shoki Mokgapa delivers a powerful performance through subtlety as Rachel. Delicately balancing the pathos of her loss and the pragmatics of her circumstances, she plays both the noble victim and an active agent in deciding her future. Anel Alexander and Jacques Bessenger deliver as the neurotic, high-bourgeois Jordaans. They convince us that the tragedy unfolding about them is just a symptom, or a hazard of everything that makes up their way of life. Director Brett Michael Innes’s composition of the world the Jordaan family inhabits throws these inequities into stark relief. The sleek modernist home that Rachel cleans is made up of sterile, muted tones.
Sink is a powerful story about loss, and an incredible metaphor for the difficulties and the possible rewards of reconciliation. It is absolutely not to be missed.
Only in the clever use of the reverse-shot to signal a flashback do we pick up a sense of vibrancy, color, and life in the home. These recollections interrupt the deafening emptiness of the present.
During the screening the atmosphere in the tent could have been cut with a knife, and as the audience – which included some of South Africa’s film industry’s best and brightest – left the makeshift cinema there was hardly a dry eye left, and a haunting silence remained as they walked back down the blue carpet.
Chris Letcher’s beautifully spare score elegantly supports the
Jonathan Ball, Sunday Book Times Live
emotional tone rather than telling you what you are supposed to feel, just as the film gives you a scenario and makes you
Innes also makes clever use of aerial shots to shift perspective on the drama and heighten the play of contrasts in color. Such a move, along with fantastic acoustic choices, turns a backyard swimming pool into an ominous living character in the plot. We see Rachel contemplating her situation from above, as if we were the very character evaluating her life from the outside.
question how you would deal with it. Theresa Smith, Independent Online (IOL)
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Close Up: Premiere Feature Review UK Premiere: September 23 - 7PM BST
Occupy, Texas
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oung Texan son Beau Baker (Gene Gallerano) never stopped occupying Wall Street. Seven years after the movement, he still lives in a sleeping bag under a stoop in New York’s financial district. Or at least he does until his uncle retrieves him following the unexpected death of his parents. Occupy, Texas follows Beau’s journey from life in the streets back to upper middle-class Dallas, where he has inherited his parent’s estate and the guardianship of two young sisters. Fasten your seatbelts, this is going to make for a wild ride! From negotiating homework, dating, and the basic upkeep of his family home with his siblings, to encountering old flings and remembrances of his former Texan life, Beau is entirely unprepared for a sudden return to society. Gene Gallerano, who plays Beau, also penned the screenplay for the film. He was inspired to do so when contact with Occupy Wall Street protestors in New York left him wondering what comes next for the passionate members of this group when the movement dissolves?
Occupy, Texas is a feel-good feature about the strong ties that keep families united despite distance and time....It’s a
Frasier alumna and Texas native Peri Gilpin tops off the cast as Dallas society professional Aunt Uma, who is hellbent on assuring that Beau does not destroy his sisters’ chances at a normal life.
film you can wrap around yourself and snuggle.
Occupy, Texas is a charming film
Bob Bloom, the film yap
about the painful reconciliation of a rebel with their roots, and the
What will be the outlet for all of this intense energy? The result is a brilliant premise for a comedy, but one that manages to also be a reflection on grief, loss, and the deeper meaning of what it means to grow up and move on.
possibility that everyone really can, one day, return home.
Gallerano’s Beau is delightfully quirky and a recognizable archetype of alternative living. His talent is particularly well matched by Catherine Elvir, who plays his inquisitive, goofy, and vibrant younger sister, Arden.
Shot primarily in Dallas, director Jeff Barry draws the audience into a familiar world of Texan manners and gossip, and shakes it up with exactly the kind of outsider it needs - one who was raised there.
The two have a tender chemistry that balances fun playfulness and genuine sibling affection under atypical and strained circumstances. Lorelei Linklater plays a more brooding and aloof Claire.
Occupy Texas is a charming film about the painful reconciliation of a rebel with their roots, and the possibility that everyone really can, one day, return home.
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CEO’S CORNER When we explored this further, we concluded, that there wouldn’t be a ‘recognisable movie market’ that we see today if it was only supported by Studio franchise movies. What do we mean by this? The ability of the consumer to see life through lens of great genre, requires the flourishing market of Independent Cinema. The movie business is great because of both the Studio and Independent productions. We would go on to conclude that mainstream movies that are mostly supplied by big studios require the width and credibility of Independent Cinema. This is further amplified by the rise of film festivals spawning up all over the world, supported by 90%+ of Independent productions. Secondly, it is the clear sign that there is a renaissance and rise of amazing Independent Cinema, witnessed further by the world-wide support of the consumer and industry at these many film festivals, and in the awards these movies garner.
THE RISE OF AWARD-WINNING MOVIES
The crest of these award-winning movies are features that raise the bar of conversation and possess the power to create a movement. We are fortunate and thankful to say that these award-winning movies and more, can be found on Flix Premiere. We are busy shining a light on the very best mainstream Independent productions - that has led us to become the Home of Award-Winning Cinema. With approximately 200 exclusive theatrical award-winning movies and more available to our customers, and a pipeline of 300+ planned for future release - we cannot wait to share the amazing stories coming to Flix Premiere soon.
Happy reading.
A
warm welcome back to Close Up. In our fourth edition of the magazine, the team reflected on something profound that we have been seeing in the movie market, and I wanted to share their story and one I concur with and am extremely excited that Flix Premiere can continue to play a key role in. Firstly, as the Studios continue to create exciting blockbuster mainstream content, one observation is that millennial target viewing ends up extending itself into franchise-based movies. While this is great for the few movies, but not for the many - it does not serve the wider palette and broader demographic of the movie consumer.
Martin Warner, CEO and Founder
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