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Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American right to Genevieve Adams’ dramedy Simchas and Sorrows, along with worldwide rights to Peter Curtis Pardini’s doc The Last Band on Stage, and North American rights to Jaclyn Bethany’s queer thriller, The Falling World. The Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company will release the former title at the Laemmle Noho in Los Angeles on September 16, and on all major digital and VOD platforms on the 20th. Pardini’s film will hit VOD and theaters in three cities on September 30, with Bethany’s indie unspooling on VOD on October 18.

Simchas and Sorrows tells the story of Agnes (Adams), an atheist actress who attempts to convert to Judaism to marry the love of her life, Levi (Thomas McDonnell). Adams directed the pic from her script, with Hari Nef, Luke Forbes, Julie Haltson, Greg Bello, Annelise Cepero, Billy Calder, Lucy Morris, Chip Zien and John Cullum rounding out the cast.

Tobias Truvillion (Hitch), Taryn Manning (Orange is the New Black), Zach McGowan (Shameless), Chris Tardio (Younger) and Tasha Lawrence (The Looming Tower) have been tapped to star in Sanctioning Evil, an indie action-thriller from Jars Media Group and Novakovic Brothers Films.

Directed by Ante Novakovic, the story centers on Staff Sgt. Barnes (Truvillion), a recently discharged Army veteran who finds his way back into society via a charismatic congressman named Ambrose (McGowan). Barnes and Ambrose walk a fine line between covert military operations on civilian soil and unsanctioned retribution toward an underground criminal element, all while being tracked by FBI special agent Kensington (Manning).

Rounding out the cast are Carrie Kim, James Biberi, Kyle Travis Sharp, Kresh Novakovic, Betsy Beutler, Al Linea, Peter Patrikios, Ebony Jo-Ann, Taheim Bryan, Tony Ferro, Artie Pasquale and Byron Clohessy.

Kyle Travis Sharp and Lance Sharp wrote the screenplay, which is being produced by Rob Simmons,...

Exclusive: LA-based Film Bridge International has boarded international sales rights to crime series Big Dogs, which it will begin selling during the Toronto virtual market.

The eight-part series premiered domestically on Amazon Prime in July and stars Brett Cullen (Joker), Manny Perez (The Night Of), Michael Rabe (Homeland), and Lance Henriksen (Falling).

Filmed in New York, the series charts intersecting stories of organized crime, white collar felonies, and police corruption across the city. Creator Adam Dunn of Aurelian Productions based the series on his novels of the same name, writing the episodes in partnership with Tony Glazer of Choice Films.

“It’s time for Big Dogs to go global. I’m excited for this series to be seen by audiences throughout the world,” said Film Bridge’s Ellen Wander. “Fans of crime shows like Breaking Bad will find this well-crafted and meaningful series a more than worthy addition to the genre.

Setting a surging crime wave against financial collapse and an underworld economy in New York City would have seemed like a complete work of fiction in some modern times, as recently as a decade-and-a-half ago. But after America’s real-life financial collapse in 2008, the entertainment industry has begun crafting television shows and films that powerfully […]

The post Interview: Manny Perez and Michael Rabe Talk Big Dogs (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.

The New Group has announced that Rhea Perlman will join F. Murray Abraham, Kate Buddeke, Laura Esterman, Nancy Giles, Lily Gladstone, Ed Harris, Charlotte Hope, Mark Linn-Baker, Amy Madigan, Rileigh McDonald, Kenny Mellman, Maulik Pancholy and Michael Rabe in the New York premiere of David Rabe's Good for Otto. Rhea Perlman will appear in the role of Nora, as Rosie O'Donnell, previously announced, is unable to appear due to illness. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production will play a limited Off-Broadway engagement February 20 - April 1, with Opening Night on Thursday, March 8 at The Pershing Square Signature Center The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, 480 West 42nd Street.

The New Group has announced full casting and creative team for David Rabe's Good for Otto, with Kate Buddeke, Laura Esterman, Nancy Giles, Lily Gladstone, Charlotte Hope, Mark Linn-Baker, Kenny Mellman and Maulik Pancholy joining, as previously announced, F. Murray Abraham, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Rileigh McDonald, Rosie O'Donnell and Michael Rabe in this New York premiere directed by Scott Elliott.

A rare 35mm revival screening of Bernardo Bertolucci's 1979 controversial drama La Luna, organized and hosted by Cinema Retro columnist David Savage and co-sponsored by Iconic Linx, brought near-sellout crowds to Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan last Monday night, April 25th, including the family of the late Jill Clayburgh (1944-2010) star of the film.

Organized both as a belated tribute to Clayburgh and an attempt, as described by Savage, to bring the neglected film back into popular and critical consciousness, the screening was a family affair for the beloved Clayburgh-Rabe family, bringing together Jill's husband, famed playwright David Rabe, their actress daughter Lily Rabe (star of the forthcoming "Miss Stevens") and their actor son Michael Rabe. Matthew Barry, Jill Clayburgh's co-star and son in the film, now 53 and a casting director, flew in from Los Angeles to attend the screening and panel discussion that followed, moderated by Savage. 

They were joined by David Rabe,...