News

Exclusive: Troian Bellisario (Pretty Little Liars) and Thomas Lennon (Unfrosted) have joined Weekend at the End of the World, an indie horror comedy co-written and directed by Gille Klabin.

The pair stars alongside the previously announced Cameron Fife and Clay Elliott. Details as to their roles are under wraps.

Recently wrapping production in Los Angeles, Weekend follows best friends Karl (Elliott) and Miles (Fife), who find themselves in a secluded cabin in the woods with what they think is an opportunity to get rich, with the only thing standing in their way being the end of the world.

The project marks the second outing for Gille Kalbin as director following the release of sci-fi thriller The Wave, starring Justin Long. Klabin, Elliott, and Spencer McCurnin wrote the script, with Hero Moves and June Street Productions producing.

Best known for starring on teen drama Pretty Little Liars, Bellisario’s feature credits...

Exclusive: Piper Curda (May December), Noel Fisher (Shameless) and Josh Zuckerman (Oppenheimer) will topline Cogn-ai-tive, an AI thriller from first-time feature filmmaker Tommy Savas. It has wrapped production.

Written by Angie Simms, the film centers on a pioneering tech startup on the verge of launching Cogn-ai-tive — a new AI chatbot with unparalleled speed and intelligence. Soon, the team discovers their creation harbors a dark and sinister will of its own.

Hailing from Reckless Content in collaboration with Bridge & Tunnel Films, the indie also stars Natasha Behnam (The Girls on the Bus), Ritesh Rajan (Russian Doll) and Lucius Baybak (Dear White People). The production team includes executive producer Jason Schnell, producers Judy Craig and Kelly May, line producer Cameron Fife, and co-producer Justin Mooney.

“Cogn-ai-tive is a commentary on the ever-growing reliance on technology and artificial intelligence in our lives,” Savas said. “I’ve always been inspired by the iconic cinema of the ’90s.

For several years now, Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program has supported a wide variety of projects: shorts, features, both narrative and nonfiction. Not to mention the occasional new media project, special event or advocacy initiative. Each month’s Fiscal Spotlight column announces three new projects taking part in the program.

But maybe you’re curious how some of those prior subjects have turned out. Well hey, you’re in luck! Once again it’s time for another FiSpo Update highlighting the recent achievements of previous Fiscal Spotlight subjects.

Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. The projects and makers participating in the program express a uniqueness of vision, celebrate diversity and advance the craft of filmmaking through the creation of these special works. To see the full range of projects that are part of our program, visit our Sponsored Projects page.

Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing has acquired award-winning feature films “Definition Please” and “Donkeyhead” and will debut them on Netflix.

Array has acquired distribution rights to both films in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand, with the additional territory of Canada for “Definition Please,” and will debut them on Jan. 21 on Netflix.

Both films are by South Asian origin female actor-filmmakers making their feature directorial debuts and who also star in them. “Definition Please” is by Sujata Day, whose acting credits include HBO’s “Insecure” and she directed and starred in short “Cowboy and Indian,” which is now being developed as a series.

The film follows Monica (Day), a former Scribbs Spelling Bee champion in the U.S. who must reconcile with her estranged brother when he returns home to help care for their sick mother. The film also features Ritesh Rajan (“Russian Doll”), Anna Khaja (“The Walking Dead: World Beyond...

Exclusive: Array Releasing has acquired two new feature films from emerging South Asian female directors: Agam Darshi’s Donkeyhead, and Sujata Day’s Definition Please. The company has acquired distribution rights to both films in the U.S., UK, Australia and New Zealand, with the additional territory of Canada for Definition Please. Both films will debut January 21 on Netflix.

“Array Releasing is proud to distribute the work of Sujata Day and Agam Darshi, two promising South Asian women filmmakers who both wrote, directed and star in their directorial debuts,” Array president Tilane Jones said. “Definition Please and Donkeyhead beautifully showcase the dynamic talent of their creators while sharing the oftentimes humorous dynamics of tradition and culture that film lovers of all kinds can relate to, appreciate and celebrate.”

Definition Please follows Monica (Day), a former Scripps spelling bee champion who must reconcile with her estranged brother when he returns home...

Exclusive: Sujata Day from HBO’s Insecure is set to make her directorial debut with Definition Please which will star Ritesh Rajan and Jake Choi. Day wrote the script and will produce alongside Cameron Fife of June Street Productions. Gook and Ms. Purple‘s Justin Chon and Alex Chi will serve as consulting producers. Executive producers are Ahmad Cory Jubran and Hiren C. Surti.

Definition Please, which is written by Day, follows a Scripps Spelling Bee champion that must reconcile with her estranged brother when he returns home to help care for their sick mother. “Definition Please is loosely based on my relationship with my family and growing up Indian-American in my hometown of Greensburg, Pennsylvania,” Day told Deadline. “Instead of waiting for the powers that be to greenlight my film, I greenlit it myself.

Exclusive: Adam Ray is set to star as the lead in the upcoming film The Bellmen directed by Cameron Fife. The movie follows a charming bell captain at a popular Arizona resort who decides becoming a manager is the only way to win the girl of his dreams

The cast of The Bellmen also includes Josh Zuckerman, Jonathan Kite, Andrew Caldwell, Alphonzo McAuley, Willie Garson, Kelen Coleman, Anjali Bhimani, Richard Kind, and Thomas Lennon. Jason Adler, who developed the script with Fife, is producing under his production company Park Avenue Creative, along with June Street Productions. Kim Waltrip is executive producing.

Ray can be seen in Ballers as well as the second season of American Vandal which is currently streaming on Netflix. He can also be seen in the forthcoming Jennifer Lopez comedy Second Act. His previous credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and the Netflix film Game Over Man.

This summer, the fine folks over at Chiller Films will release Aaron B. Koontz's feature directorial debut, Camera Obscura, in theaters on June 9th and on VOD and Digital on June 13th. In today's Horror Highlights, we also have release details for The Bigfoot Project, Justice Served, and Black Rose, as well as information on Splathouse Productions' Blue Caveman Indiegogo campaign.

Camera Obscura Release Details: Press Release: "New York, NY – April 11, 2017 – Chiller Films is pleased to announce the release of the anticipated horror thriller Camera Obscura, in theaters on June 9 and on VOD and Digital HD on June 13. The film is written by Aaron B. Koontz and Cameron Burns and marks the theatrical directing debut of Koontz. The cast includes Christopher Denham (“Billions,” “Argo”), Nadja Bobyleva (“Bridge of Spies”), Catherine Curtin (“Stranger Things,” “Orange is the New Black”), Chase Williamson (Siren, “Beyond the Gates”) and Noah Segan (“The Mind’s Eye,...

We're back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today's feature includes release details for seasons 1 and 2 of Bad Timing, a look at a new poster from Chopping Block, a Hooked Up red band trailer, a Q&A with the director of The Burning Dead, and much more:

New Poster Released for Chopping Block: "Five kidnappers find themselves in a bloody situation in the brand new poster for the upcoming slasher comedy Chopping Block!

Chopping Block follows a group of recently fired corporate workers out of work and out of luck. Desperate times call for desperate measures as they decide to kidnap their ex-boss’s daughter for a much needed ransom. Things take a bloody turn when the boss’s daughter just happens to be the only survivor of the masked psychopath "Sadie Grace". Hilarity and bloodshed ensue when Sadie...

Malcolm Goodwin's coming-of-age drama A True Story, has been acquired by Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media, for a simultaneous (day-and-date) theatrical and VOD release in September. The exact day will soon be announced. A True Story follows two broke Hollywood writers (played by Cameron Fife and Tyler McGee, who also penned the screenplay for the film) dealing with the ups and downs of romance, friendships, hopes and dreams, while waiting for their big break into the industry.  Goodwin, Fife and McGee also produced the indie feature. Primarily an actor, who's appeared in both film and TV (Breakout Kings is probably his most notable work),...

Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired coming-of-age film A True Story, directed by Malcolm Goodwin. The film has been slated for theatrical and VOD day-and-date release in September, with a exact date to be announced soon. Written by Cameron Fife and Tyler McGee, the film follows two broke Hollywood writers (Fife and McGee) who, while waiting for their big break, deal with the trials and tribulations of dating, friendship and aspiring to work in the industry. The pic was produced by Goodwin, Fife and McGee. Goodwin, who was featured on A&E's Breakout Kings, also

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