Rhode Island films have national ties

Amidst the blue, blue skies, the deep amber sunlight, the long afternoon shadows, the … WAIT!

Ok Rhode Island — I’m baaaaccck! But, I’ll really be back in the middle of this month. I’ve missed you dearly. I’ve been so busy with my own film projects – a crazy mockumentary by the brilliant  Raz Cunningham, which merits its own write-up soon, and I’m wrapping a web series with that always-producing  Seth Chitwood – whew! It feels good to take a break and chat up some film news. This is just a teaser (aw, you know me). There’s in-depth info on this stuff  below, and more to follow. Always.

As I was waxing poetic above – the air is cool and crisp, rife with the smell of burning leaves. Okay, enough of that. I want to go jump in a pile of leaves – preferably NOT burning – right now. The low fires and embers of some very hard work have blazed into a roaring bonfire for some of our local filmmakers in Rhode Island.

Almost Human

The film Almost Human, a horror flick written by former Coventry residents Joe Begos and Josh Ethier and produced by Anthony Ambrosino and Nick Delmenico, has come full circle. The film was picked up by IFC at the Toronto Film Festival. I knew when I first saw the trailer in June 2012 that the film was a cut above and would go places. I’ve been pushing it ever since and knew that it would play a part in putting Little Rhody firmly into the indie film world. It’s a very impressive piece of work, and we’ll let you know when you can catch the film on IFC in the near future.

Breakfast with Curtis

Laura Colella, one of those walk softly, but carry a big stick individuals, has written and produced a film called Breakfast with Curtis. Laura is a Sundance Lab alum, filmmaker and a RISD film studies professor currently on sabbatical. She’s also pursuing a master’s at Brown. Breakfast with Curtis was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, won a distribution grant from Jameson at the Spirit Awards, and was presented by none other than Paul Thomas Anderson for a screening/Q&A in LA. (Yep, the same PTA who wrote and directed There Will Be Blood, The Master, Magnolia, and Boogie Nights.) Laura’s film will be screened starting November 22, 2013, at the Cable Car Cinema in Providence, RI. But more on that later, as we have an interview with Laura that you won’t want to miss.

Right Where?

Nathan Suher and his company IM Filmworks is proud to announce that its most recent film, Right There, is complete. Its premiere on Friday, October 18, 2013, at 8 pm will be screened at Speed of Thought Playhouse Café (39 North Washington St., North Attleboro, MA).

Right There is a romantic comedy about a simple man’s persistent attempts over the course of 30 days to gain the attention of a beautiful woman eating lunch on a park bench. “This isn’t your average romantic comedy,” says Nathan Suher, director. That’s because Right There is a silent film. Nathan says that this film was heavily influenced by early-era filmmaking. “I’ve always been a gigantic fan of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Our film’s goal was to recapture this golden era of cinema.”

Right There was filmed last May, primarily in downtown North Attleboro, as well as in Mansfield and Rehoboth. Says director Nathan Suher, “Filming in my hometown was a huge benefit, as many local vendors and residents supported our film in a multitude of ways.”

Suher hopes the premiere will launch a successful festival run. Right There has recently been submitted to the Sundance Film Festival, and there are immediate plans to submit it to several other festivals this fall.

For more information on IM Filmworks, their movie Right There and Nathan Suher, visit https://www.facebook.com/imfilmworks

Live to Save?

Fatally ill, Garvey thinks he figured out how to die. But when his beloved wife Evelyn goes missing, he must live to save her. This is the synopsis of Bereave from former RI’ers  Evangelos and George Giovanis,  brothers who are putting together this film starring Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, The Artist), Neve Campbell (Scream, Wild Things) and JJ Field (Captain America, Centurion). They launched an Indiegogo campaign a couple months ago and in 48 days managed to raise about $26,000. They launched on Kickstarter as well with even more success. In less than 48 hours they  managed to raise more than $21,000. These guys have a quite the history. Evangelos and George Giovanis self financed all of their films by building, working in and then selling small restaurants. Needless to say, they almost bankrupted the family (sorry mom and dad!) in pursuing their dream. Much more on these resourceful brothers and their past films, and an interview to come!

Creepy Stuff

Self Storage, by Tommy DeNucci and the Woodhaven Production Company, is a locally shot feature film that will be available through Redbox, Netflix, Walmart, Target, Amazon and Video on Demand. That’s major international distribution  for them, and kudos for making it happen in RI! Stay tuned for a more in-depth story on Tommy D., Verdi Films, and their next film in pre-production right now called Bleed for This – the story of the comeback of none other than boxer Vinny Pazienza.

More creepy stuff!

Normal, is a flick about that not-so-normal guy, Jim (Michael Reed), a lonely, troubled guy who works as an apartment superintendent and replays his tortured past. Through a series of flashbacks and interactions with the mysterious tenants who surrounds him, we not only learn of his dark secrets, but also what it means to be normal. The answers he finds in his journey will shatter not only his perceptions of the past, but also his fragile grip on reality. Directed by Richard Marr Griffin and written by Lenny Schwartz, the film will make its debut in January. Can’t wait for that one! In addition to Michael Reed, it stars a host of others from right here in RI. We’ll send you a reminder before the film premieres – right around Halloween to scare you a little. Marr-Griffin is currently in production on his film Future Justice, which will premiere sometime in 2014.

I hope you enjoyed this teaser of what’s to come. And don’t forget to look for us soon on “Take Two,” Motif‘s own film review show. We’ve been busy, Nick and I – he with his own show called Nick’s Sci-Fi Corner – but we will return soon for a new episode, with a new spin on things, and some interesting people.

Remember: film is rolling. Especially in RI.