2015 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

 

Below please find the slate of the films that Brigade will be handling at the

2015 Sundance Film Festival  

 

 

THE OVERNIGHT (U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION)

Written and Directed by Patrick Brice

Starring Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche

In an attempt to acclimate to Los Angeles, a young couple spends an increasingly bizarre evening with the parents of their son's new friend.

 

UNEXPECTED (U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION)

Directed by Kris Swanberg

Written by Kris Swanberg & Megan Mercier

Starring Cobie Smulders, Gail Bean, Anders Holm

When Samantha Abbott begins the final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. UNEXPECTED follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship.

 

JAMES WHITE (NEXT)

Written and Directed by Josh Mond

Starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi

A coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges.

 

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER (NEXT)

Written and Directed by Matt Sobel

Starring Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Ursula Parker

A naive Californian teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long buried family secret.

 

TANGERINE (NEXT)

Directed by Sean Baker

Written by Sean Baker & Chris Bergoch

Starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan,

Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone

A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.

 

IT FOLLOWS (PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT)

Written and Directed by David Robert Mitchell

Starring Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto

Stuck with a sexually transmitted serial haunting after a romantic night out, a beautiful nineteen-year-old girl finds herself pursued by a legion of malevolent, lumbering phantoms that will pursue her forever – unless she passes the curse on to someone else.

 

ANIMALS (SPECIAL EVENTS)

Written and Directed by Phil Matarese & Mike Luciano

Produced by Jay & Mark Duplass

Featuring the voices of Phil Matarese, Mike Luciano, Mark Duplass,

Katie Aselton, Nick Kroll, Rob Corddry

An independently produced animated series that focuses on the downtrodden creatures native to Earth's least habitable environment: New York City. Whether it's lovelorn rats, gender-questioning pigeons, or aging bed bugs in the midst of a mid-life crisis, the awkward small talk, moral ambiguity, and existential woes of non-human urbanites prove startlingly similar to our own.

 

DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: The Story of National Lampoon (DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES)

Directed by Douglas Tirola

Three Harvard graduates start the first national humor magazine for adults, launching the careers of some of Hollywood's most legendary talent. But success and excess among its brilliant and subversive contributors begins to challenge its existence.

 

I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS (PREMIERES)

Directed by Brett Haley

Written by Brett Haley & Marc Basch

Starring Blythe Danner, Martin Starr, Sam Elliott, Malin Ackermann, June Squibb, Rhea Perlman

A sudden loss disrupts Carol's orderly life, propelling her into the dating world for the first time in 20 years. Finally living in the present tense, she finds herself swept up in not one, but two unexpected relationships that challenge her assumptions about what it means to grow old.

 

FILM DETAILS

           

THE OVERNIGHT

(Acquisition title: ICM/Submarine)

 

Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition

Written and Directed by Patrick Brice

Starring Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche

 

  

Synopsis:

Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, have recently moved to Los Angeles’ Eastside from Seattle. Feeling lost in a new city, they are desperate to find their first new friends. After a chance meeting with Kurt at the neighborhood park, they gladly agree to join family pizza night at the home. But as it gets later and the kids go to bed, the family “playdate” becomes increasingly more revealing and bizarre as the couples begin to open up.

Writer/director Patrick Brice’s second feature is a painfully funny take on thirty-something sexual frustration and parenthood. Featuring memorable lead performances by Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, and Judith Godrèche, each actor nimbly balances the script’s sudden emotional turns from surprising honesty to complete embarrassment. Produced by the Duplass Brothers and Gettin' Rad, THE OVERNIGHT tells a complex story of universal inadequacies. 

 

TRT: 80 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Patrick Brice, Naomi Scott (producer), Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche

 

Press Contact:

Morgan Ressa | Morgan@BrigadeMarketing.com | 310-854-9373

 

 

UNEXPECTED

(Acquisition title: David Kaplan/Andrea Roe)

 

Section: U.S. Dramatic Competion

Directed by Kris Swanberg

Written by Kris Swanberg & Megan Mercier

Starring Cobie Smulders, Gail Bean, Anders Holm

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Samantha Abbott (Cobie Smulders), is a dedicated and passionate teacher at an inner-city Chicago high school.  Just as she is coming to terms with her school closing, Samantha faces some life-changing and unexpected news: she is pregnant. After breaking the news to her live-in boyfriend John (Anders Holm) and opinionated mother (Elizabeth McGovern), Samantha learns that one of her most promising students, Jasmine (newcomer Gail Bean), has landed in a similar but very different situation.   As the women navigate their ambitions for the future, Samantha and Jasmine forge an unlikely friendship that will challenge their perspectives and leave a lasting impact on one another.

From director Kris Swanberg, UNEXPECTED is lovingly realized with warmth, humor and a keen understanding of life's complexities.

 

TRT: 85 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier (co-writer), Cobie Smulders, Gail Bean, Anders Holm

 

Press Contact:

Gerilyn Shur | Gerilyn@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5851

 

 

JAMES WHITE

(Acquisition title: UTA)

 

Section: NEXT

Written and Directed by Josh Mond

Starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Mackenzie Leigh

 

 

 

Synopsis:

James White (Christopher Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City.  He retreats further into a self-destructive, hedonistic lifestyle, but a series of setbacks with his mother's battle with a serious illness forces James to take control of his life. As the pressure on him mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely.

JAMES WHITE is a confident and closely observed directorial debut that explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son. It marks MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond’s first appearance at the Festival as a writer/director. Abbott’s strong central performance is aided by a stellar supporting cast featuring Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City”), Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, and Ron Livingston (DRINKING BUDDIES). Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, JAMES WHITE follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity.

 

TRT: 85 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Josh Mond, Sean Durkin (producer), Antonio Campos (producer), Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Mackenzie Leigh

 

Press Contact:

Nathaniel Baruch | Nathaniel@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5851

 

 

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

(Acquisition title: Cinetic)

 

Section: NEXT

Written and Directed by Matt Sobel

Starring Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Ursula Parker

 

 

 

Synopsis:

A Nebraskan family reunion couldn’t seem more backwards to a Californian teenager. If Ryder had his way, he’d choose a moment just like this to show his conservative relatives his true colors, the bigger the scene the better. For his mother’s sake however, Ryder agrees to keep quiet, save parading around the picnic in his most audacious pair of short-shorts. Ryder’s antics raise dubious eyebrows from his hardened cowboy relatives, but 9-year-old Molly can’t get enough. She follows her cool California cousin everywhere. After lunch, they walk to the barn to look for a bird’s nest in the rafters.

Their strange encounter, and whatever happened while the two escaped their family’s watchful eyes, makes Ryder the sudden target of suspicion, and places him at the center of a long buried family secret. 

Anchored by a breakthrough performance by Logan Miller as Ryder and rich, dramatic turns by Robin Weigert and Josh Hamilton, TAKE ME TO THE RIVER constantly forces one to question any given character's culpability until the film's finale. The film is woven together by an omnipresent sense dread -- the masterful debut from writer/director Matt Sobel.

 

TRT: 84 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Matt Sobel, Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton

 

Press Contact:

Caitlin Hughes | Caitlin@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5829

 

 

TANGERINE

(Acquisition title: ICM/Submarine)

 

Section: NEXT

Directed by Sean Baker

Written by Sean Baker & Chris Bergoch

Starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan,

Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone

 

 

 

Synopsis:

It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.

Director Sean Baker’s prior films brought rich texture and intimate detail to worlds seldom seen on film. TANGERINE follows suit, bursting off the screen with energy and style. Exhibiting fierce chemistry with his actors to fashion a dazzlingly distinctive film filled with humor and heart, Baker’s talent is on full display. A decidedly modern Christmas tale told on the streets of L.A., TANGERINE defies expectation -- a veritable cinematic jolt.

 

TRT: 89 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch (co-writer), Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone

 

Press Contact:

Caitlin Hughes | Caitlin@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5829

 

 

IT FOLLOWS

(RADiUS-TWC)

 

Section: PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT

Written and Directed by David Robert Mitchell

Starring Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto

 

 

 

Synopsis:

For 19-year‐old Jay (Maika Monroe, THE GUEST), the fall should be about school, boys and weekends at the lake. Yet after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter she suddenly finds herself plagued by nightmarish visions; she can't shake the sensation that someone, or something, is following her. As the threat closes in, Jay and her friends must somehow escape the horrors that are only a few steps behind.

With a riveting central performance from Monroe and a strikingly ominous electronic score by Disasterpeace, IT FOLLOWS is an artful psychosexual thriller from David Robert Mitchell (whose THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVERS premiered at Critics' Week in 2010). The film also stars Keir Gilchrist ("The United States of Tara"), Daniel Zovatto (LAGGIES), Jake Weary ("Chicago Fire"), Olivia Luccardi ("Orange is the New Black"), and Lili Sepe (SPORK).

IT FOLLOWS took the 2014 Cannes, Toronto, Fantastic Fest and AFI film festivals by storm, and will be released by RADiUS-TWC in the Spring of 2015.

 

TRT: 92 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

David Robert Mitchell, Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Danny Zovatto

 

Press Contact:

Jennifer Hewell| Jennifer@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5846

 

 

ANIMALS.

(Acquisition title: ICM)

 

Section: Special Events

Written and Directed by Phil Matarese & Mike Luciano

Produced by Jay & Mark Duplass

Featuring the voices of Phil Matarese, Mike Luciano, Mark Duplass,

Katie Aselton, Nick Kroll, Rob Corddry

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Animals. is an independently produced animated series that focuses on the downtrodden creatures native to Earth's least habitable environment: New York City. Whether it’s lovelorn rats, gender-questioning pigeons, or aging bed bugs in the midst of a mid-life crisis, the awkward small talk, moral ambiguity, and existential woes of non-human urbanites prove startlingly similar to our own.

 

As old models of distribution and exhibition are shifting exciting new opportunities are opening up that have historically been nearly impossible for independent artists to create and have their work seen.  Animation and episodic work have proved challenging for anyone outside of a studio or a television network to work in.  But thanks to new technology and ingenious creators we are on the cusp of a creative revolution that is spawning work as innovative as Animals.

 

Following the screening of the first two episodes of will be a conversation with the creative team of Animals.: Mark Duplass, Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano. They will discuss how their unique project came to light as well as the changing landscape of episodic storytelling in the digital era.

 

TRT: 54 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Phil Matarese, Mike Luciano, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass

 

Press Contact:

Gerilyn Shur | Gerilyn@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5851

 

 

DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF NATIONAL LAMPOON

(Acquisition title: Cinetic)

 

Section: Documentary Premiere

Directed by Douglas Tirola

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Amidst the seismic cultural shift of the 1970s, American comedy got a sharper edge when a newly minted magazine named National Lampoon stuck its middle finger right up at the establishment. Spawned at an Ivy League school by the wonderfully warped minds of Douglas Kenney and Henry Beard, National Lampoon rose from a counterculture rag to a revered comic institution. Bound by a passion for the absurd and a mistrust of authority, Lampoon’s irreverence spanked nearly every available social taboo from weak-kneed politics to heated racial tensions. This unique cocktail of high satire and gallows humor exploded onto America’s cultural consciousness attracting visionary talents such as Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Chevy Chase, whose comedic force helped expand the magazine’s spirit to stage and film.  Director Douglas Tirola unearths never before seen archival footage and brilliantly weaves it together with the magazine’s beautiful and often shocking art, reliving National Lampoon’s meteoric rise from go-to magazine of the counter culture to a brand synonymous with Hollywood’s biggest comedies.  Energetic, revolutionary, subversive, and often hilarious, DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD elevates nostalgia to a roof-raising experience.

 

TRT: 98 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Doug Tirola

 

Press Contact:

Nathaniel Baruch | Nathaniel@BrigadeMarketing.com | 917-551-5851

 

 

I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS

(Acquisition title: Preferred Content)

 

Section: Premiere

Directed by Brett Haley

Written by Brett Haley & Marc Basch

Starring Blythe Danner, Martin Starr, Sam Elliott, Malin Ackerman, June Squibb,

Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Carol (Blythe Danner) is a retired schoolteacher and a longtime widow in her 70s. She enjoys a tranquil routine playing cards with close friends, keeping up her garden, and relaxing with a glass of wine. When her beloved dog dies, there’s a mournful vacuum that draws new experiences and attachments into her world. She forges a friendship with her younger pool guy (Martin Starr) and allows a pal to drag her to a speed-dating shindig. And then there’s the gravelly-voiced, exuberant gentleman, Bill (Sam Elliott), who comes out of nowhere.

The authenticity and honesty coursing through every scene of I’ll See You in My Dreams perfectly echoes the point of view of its elderly characters, who have no more time for nonsense or pretension, even in the most awkward or emotional moments. The talented and vibrant supporting cast avoids clichés in favor of nuance and truthfulness. Blythe Danner was made to play Carol, a beautiful, understated woman resigned to existential realities but certainly not ruling out magic.

 

TRT: 95 minutes

Country: USA

Language: English

 

Media Opportunities:

Brett Haley, Marc Basch (co-writer), Blythe Danner, Martin Starr, Sam Elliott, Malin Ackerman, June Squibb, Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place

 

Press Contact:

Morgan Ressa |  | 310-854-9373