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Exclusive: Writer-director Nitzan Bachar “Nb” Mager has set an impressive cast for her debut feature, Thoughts and Prayers. The roster includes Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring franchise), Margaret Cho (Fire Island), Elizabeth Marvel (Presumed Innocent), Alyssa Marvin (Trevor: The Musical), Yul Vazquez (Severance), Bill Camp (Zero Day), and Molly Ringwald (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans).

Currently in post-production, Thoughts and Prayers is a dark comedy based on Mager’s award-winning, Oscar-qualifying short film, Run Amok. The story follows a teenage girl who decides to stage a musical reenactment of a tragedy that took place at her high school 10 years ago.

Julie Christeas, Founder and CEO of Tandem Pictures, produced alongside Frank Hall Green. Exec producers included Tom Franco, Allison Franco, Tad Selby, Derek Strum, Joav Bally, Jaykant R. Patel, Rama K. Penta, Rajesh Penta, Elia Petridis and Lela Meadow-Conner. Mager’s script was a...

Exclusive: Emmy nominee Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale) has signed on to star alongside Peyton Kennedy, Anjali Bhimani, Jeremy Radin, Akilah Hughes and Ben Gleib in the indie Pruning.

In Lola Blanc’s psychological horror film, which is currently in production in the Los Angeles area, a far-right political commentator Sami Geller (Brewer) discovers that her rhetoric has inspired a mass shooting. She must then contend with the part of herself that has a conscience.

Blanc is directing from the script she wrote with Jeremy Radin, with Nick Paskhover and Chris Beyrooty producing. David Lawson, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will also produce under their Rustic Films banner, with Brewer, Deric A. Hughes and Elia Petridis serving as EPs. Brewer is represented by CAA and Schreck Rose Dapello.

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Exclusive: Leticia Peguero has been appointed as Senior Vice President at Oscar-nominated documentarian Stanley Nelson’s (Attica) Firelight Media.

Peguero comes to...

Elia Petridis, who directed legendary old-time actor Ernest Borgnine in his final role in “The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez,” has decided to focus on what could be Hollywood’s future by starting virtual reality company Fever Content. As part of the company’s launch, Petridis has brought on Craig Bernard, who previously served as chief creative cfficer for Samo Vr, as Fever Content’s executive producer. At Samo, Bernard oversaw several Vr projects, including the music video for the Eden song, “Drugs.” That film was showcased by Vr company Jaunt at this year’s Sundance and SXSW festivals.

Eye For An Eye: Henrietta Review Imagine if you combined the brutal supernatural horror of Lucio Fulci, with the colorful neo-noir style of Micheal Mann, adding a healthy dose of 70’s Giallo for good measure. The result would probably be something close to Eye for an Eye: Henrietta, the new short film from USC Mfa alum, writer/director Elia Petridis. The short is a tight horror piece that works with the schlock-value of its subject matter, and isn’t afraid to wink to its audience, all while still making them squirm. The film tells the story of the titular Henrietta, a down-on-her-luck character who takes up residency at a creepy half-way house, within which her close friend recently disappeared. Once there, she learns that the setting may...

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

Plus: Comic-Con panel talks diversity and Vr; Ellen Burtsyn joins The House Of Tomorrow; and more…

Dolby and The Walt Disney Studios announced on Monday that seven new titles will be shown at Dolby Cinema locations around the world.

Disney/Pixar’s Cars 3 will be the 50th title to be colour-graded in Dolby Vision and mixed in Dolby Atmos for Dolby Cinema in just over one year.

The other films are: Peter’s Dragon; Doctor Strange; Moana; Beauty And The Beast; Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2; and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Ellen Burstyn, Nick Offerman, Asa Butterfield, Alex Wolff, Maude Apatow and Michaela Watkins have joined Superlative Films’s The House Of Tomorrow. Peter Livolsi’s directorial debut is currently shooting in Minnesota and tells of a quest by two teenagers to have sex, become punk gods and survive high school.Virtual reality has the potential to create real change for minorities...

By Lee Pfeiffer

Ernest Borgnine's final film, The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vincente Fernandez has been released on Blu-ray on the Indican video label. The following is my review of the film's recent theatrical release:

The independent production is a modestly-budgeted family comedy/drama that presents the legendary Oscar-winner with the kind of showcase role that actors in their nineties almost never have. Borgnine makes the most of it, too, giving a terrific and moving performance that earned him the Best Actor award at last year's Newport Film Festival. Written and produced by Elia Petridis, Fernandez centers on Rex Page (Borgnine), a cantankerous old coot given to griping about every aspect of life. He seems oblivious to the fact that he has an adoring wife (June Squibb), a devoted middle-aged daughter (Dale Dickey) and and a worshipful granddaughter (Audrey P. Scott). Rex is frustrated by his failure...

Blu-ray, DVD, Digital & VOD Release Date: May 14, 2013

Price: DVD $Tba, Blu-ray $Tba

Studio: Indican Pictures

Independent film The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez is the last movie actor Ernest Borgnine (Johnny Guitar) made.

The 2012 comedy stars Borgnine as Rex Page, an old man living in the Rancho Park nursing home, bitter that he never became a true cowboy like the Mexican folk hero he once met, Victor Fernandez.

When he discovers Rancho Park is run by the villainous local businessman Mr. Walker and his evil henchman Dr. Dominguez, Rex decides to make his dream come true and save the home, earning the love and respect of his family and the staff.

Barry Corbin (No Country for Old Men) and Carla Ortiz (Black Limousine) also star in the unrated movie, which was written and directed by Elia Petridis (How Henri Came to Stay).

Borgnine died in July 2012 after a long career,...

By Lee Pfeiffer

Ernest Borgnine's final film, The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vincente Fernandez, opens theatrically with a one-week run at the Laemmle Encino Town Center Theater beginning today.  The independent production is a modestly-budgeted family comedy/drama that presents the legendary Oscar-winner with the kind of showcase role that actors in their nineties almost never have. Borgnine makes the most of it, too, giving a terrific and moving performance that earned him the Best Actor award at this year's Newport Film Festival. Written and produced by Elia Petridis, Fernandez centers on Rex Page (Borgnine), a cantankerous old coot given to griping about every aspect of life. He seems oblivious to the fact that he has an adoring wife (June Squibb), a devoted middle-aged daughter (Dale Dickey) and and a worshipful granddaughter (Audrey P. Scott). Rex is frustrated by his failure to fulfill his dream of becoming...

Indican Pictures has debuted the first trailer for The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fern&#225ndez, screen icon Ernest Borgnine's final role. The actor portrays a retired radio DJ who becomes a heroic figure to the Latino staff of his new nursing home, when they discover he met their hero Vincente Fernandez. Take a look at the late actor's big screen swan song with new footage from writer-director Elia Petridis's dramatic comedy, opening in Los Angeles December 7.

The Man Who Shook The Hand Of Vicente Fernandez - Trailer

Retired radio DJ, Rex Page (Ernest Borgnine's final role. The actor portrays a retired radio DJ who becomes a heroic figure to the Latin), always dreamed of being a Western movie cowboy. After suffering a back injury, Rex finds himself recovering at Rancho Park nursing home, a facility held in the villainous grip of local businessman Mr.

Indican Pictures has acquired North American rights to Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine.s final film, .The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernández..

Indican will release the film theatrically in Los Angeles this October, with additional select cities to follow, and will launch an awards campaign centered on Borgnine.s final performance.

Film premiered in April at this year.s Newport Beach Int’l Film Festival, where Borgnine won the fest’s Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award.

The pic is written and directed by Elia Petridis, and produced by Darren Brandl and Dave O’Brien. Additional cast members include Barry Corbin, Carla Ortiz, Dale Dickey and Tony Plana.

.Vicente Fernández. stars Ernest Borgnine as a stubborn man who becomes the local hero of his nursing home upon leading the Latino staff in a revolt against the home’s tyrannical owner.

.Indican Pictures is extremely honored to be releasing...

Indican Pictures has obtained the North American rights to Academy award winner Ernest Borgnine's final film, "The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernández," the studio announced on Wednesday. Indican will release the film theatrically in Los Angeles in October before rolling the film out in select cities, ahead of a proposed awards campaign for Borgnine's final performance. The film debuted in April at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where Borgnine won the fest's Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award. Elia Petridis directed "The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernández" from his own...

Hollywood veteran Ernest Borgnine can add ordained minister to his impressive resume after presiding over the nuptials of moviemakers Elia Petridis and Maranatha Hay.

Petridis, who directs the 94-year-old star in new film The Man Who Shook The Hand of Vicente Fernandez, asked Borgnine to conduct the wedding ceremony in Bellingham, Washington - and he was thrilled when the actor agreed.

He tells The Hollywood Reporter, "We honestly did not think he would marry us due to the fact that it was out of state - and he's 94. Why would he travel?

"We asked him just to give it a shot and he was totally enthusiastic and happy to do it. We were very moved."

Borgnine was ordained online for the wedding, which took place on 31 July.