Me and Orson Welles US distributor announced
One year after it launched at Toronto, Richard Linklater’s Me And Orson Welles has found US distribution through an alliance assembled by UK finance and production company Cinemanx (NX).
The film will open in select theatres on November 25 through Freestyle Releasing, backed by a campaign by former New Line marketing guru Russell Schwartz’ Pandemic Marketing.
Louisville-based Hart/Lunsford Pictures is funding the P&A costs and Warner Bros Home Video (WBHV) will handle the DVD release. Cinetic Media, who introduced the films to buyers in autumn 2008, brokered the deal with WBHV.
Me And Orson Welles is a coming-of-age story about the time the legendary director staged a Broadway production of Julius Caesar. Zac Efron stars alongside Claire Danes and newcomer Christian McKay as Welles.
“We’ve developed what we believe is an exciting roadmap for distributing this film, one we hope will pave the way for many others to come,” NX chairman Steve Christian said.
“The climate is such that there are fewer homes for films of this quality and budget range and it is important to create new options. By harnessing the power of our partners, experienced motion picture veterans, NX is able to play for the upside of a film we deeply believe in.”
NX recently formed a relationship with Vue Entertainment in the UK to produce and directly distribute titles including Me And Orson Welles.
NX currently has three films in post-production: Heartless starring Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy and Eddie Marsan; Wild Target with Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt and Martin Freeman; and the upcoming Toronto entry The Disappearance Of Alice Creed starring Gemma Arterton, Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston.
screen daily
eta2: From THR.com:
"Cinemanx is pioneering this type of U.S. distribution strategy, and I think that says a lot about the vision of Cinemanx's Steve Christian and Marc Samuelson," Linklater said. "I'm excited about the possibilities, for myself and for other filmmakers."
ETA1: Since we're on the topic of MAOW, it sounds like another screening was held cause this dude twittered about it:
Also this company, Freestyle Releasing, has a variety of films they've distributed. The most well-known is probably The Illusionist and one of the more recent is My One and Only with Renée Zellweger.
If they follow a similar release pattern as My One and Only, MAOW will be limited the first weekend to probably just NY and LA. This past weekend, the third weekend, My One and Only went to 77 theaters and appears to be in most of the major cities across the country. So, if the approach is similar, hopefully most of us (here in the States anyway) will be within a relatively close distance to a theater showing MAOW by mid-December. Fingers crossed :)
eta3: I found another personal blog entry review of MAOW from the Deauville festival... much more appreciative of Zac... but thought the movie was a little too cliche I guess.
lecinedejo.blogs
Me and Orson Welles m'a moyennement plu, l'histoire dans les années 30 d'un jeune homme qui va croiser l'immense Orson Welles et faire grâce à lui, dans sa propre pièce, ses débuts au théâtre, avec ses illusions et désillusions.L'ensemble est plaisant mais classique, malgré le charme certain de Zac Efron et surtout la révélation, dans le rôle du fantasque et ambitieux Orson Welles, de Christian McKay, étonnant de justesse, et de charisme dans un rôle où il crève l'écran.Un acteur à suivre.
This is an approximate translation via google, babelfish and freetranslation:
Me and Orson Welles I moderately liked the story set in the 30s of a young man who will cross the great Orson Welles and to make thanks to him, in its own part, its beginnings with the theatre, with its illusions and disillusions. Altogether it is pleasant but traditional, in spite of the unquestionable charm of Zac Efron and especially the revelation, in the role of odd and ambitious Orson Welles, of Christian McKay, astonishing of accuracy, and charisma in a role where it bursts onto the screen. An actor to be followed.
source
The film will open in select theatres on November 25 through Freestyle Releasing, backed by a campaign by former New Line marketing guru Russell Schwartz’ Pandemic Marketing.
Louisville-based Hart/Lunsford Pictures is funding the P&A costs and Warner Bros Home Video (WBHV) will handle the DVD release. Cinetic Media, who introduced the films to buyers in autumn 2008, brokered the deal with WBHV.
Me And Orson Welles is a coming-of-age story about the time the legendary director staged a Broadway production of Julius Caesar. Zac Efron stars alongside Claire Danes and newcomer Christian McKay as Welles.
“We’ve developed what we believe is an exciting roadmap for distributing this film, one we hope will pave the way for many others to come,” NX chairman Steve Christian said.
“The climate is such that there are fewer homes for films of this quality and budget range and it is important to create new options. By harnessing the power of our partners, experienced motion picture veterans, NX is able to play for the upside of a film we deeply believe in.”
NX recently formed a relationship with Vue Entertainment in the UK to produce and directly distribute titles including Me And Orson Welles.
NX currently has three films in post-production: Heartless starring Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy and Eddie Marsan; Wild Target with Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt and Martin Freeman; and the upcoming Toronto entry The Disappearance Of Alice Creed starring Gemma Arterton, Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston.
screen daily
eta2: From THR.com:
"Cinemanx is pioneering this type of U.S. distribution strategy, and I think that says a lot about the vision of Cinemanx's Steve Christian and Marc Samuelson," Linklater said. "I'm excited about the possibilities, for myself and for other filmmakers."
ETA1: Since we're on the topic of MAOW, it sounds like another screening was held cause this dude twittered about it:
Also this company, Freestyle Releasing, has a variety of films they've distributed. The most well-known is probably The Illusionist and one of the more recent is My One and Only with Renée Zellweger.
If they follow a similar release pattern as My One and Only, MAOW will be limited the first weekend to probably just NY and LA. This past weekend, the third weekend, My One and Only went to 77 theaters and appears to be in most of the major cities across the country. So, if the approach is similar, hopefully most of us (here in the States anyway) will be within a relatively close distance to a theater showing MAOW by mid-December. Fingers crossed :)
eta3: I found another personal blog entry review of MAOW from the Deauville festival... much more appreciative of Zac... but thought the movie was a little too cliche I guess.
lecinedejo.blogs
Me and Orson Welles m'a moyennement plu, l'histoire dans les années 30 d'un jeune homme qui va croiser l'immense Orson Welles et faire grâce à lui, dans sa propre pièce, ses débuts au théâtre, avec ses illusions et désillusions.L'ensemble est plaisant mais classique, malgré le charme certain de Zac Efron et surtout la révélation, dans le rôle du fantasque et ambitieux Orson Welles, de Christian McKay, étonnant de justesse, et de charisme dans un rôle où il crève l'écran.Un acteur à suivre.
This is an approximate translation via google, babelfish and freetranslation:
Me and Orson Welles I moderately liked the story set in the 30s of a young man who will cross the great Orson Welles and to make thanks to him, in its own part, its beginnings with the theatre, with its illusions and disillusions. Altogether it is pleasant but traditional, in spite of the unquestionable charm of Zac Efron and especially the revelation, in the role of odd and ambitious Orson Welles, of Christian McKay, astonishing of accuracy, and charisma in a role where it bursts onto the screen. An actor to be followed.
source