Film News Roundup: Documentary ‘Surviving Supercon’ Releases Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)
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In today’s film news roundup, “Surviving Supercon” releases its trailer prior to its opening night slot of the Florida Film Festival, a coronavirus movie has completed production, Javier Bardem’s “The Roads Not Taken” gets a virtual release and 1606 Studio adds to its staff.
FILM FESTIVAL
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Abyssmal Entertainment has released its first trailer exclusively to Variety for convention documentary “Surviving Supercon,” which will premiere as the opening night film at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando, Fla.
The festival was recently postponed from April 17-26 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Festival staff members are tentatively aiming to reschedule for August for the 29th iteration of the event.
“Surviving Supercon” showcases the 2018 Supercon in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., following husband and wife owners Mike Broder and Sandy Martin dealing with an array of problems arising from hosting 60,000 attendees.
The film is directed and edited by Steven Shea and contains original music composed by Robert Reider. Abyssmal Entertainment is a Los Angeles based alternative multimedia company founded by Shea.
CORONAVIRUS MOVIE
Applied Art Productions has completed production of “Anti-Coronavirus Movie,” asserting that it’s the first film about the deadly disease.
The film, shot in Arizona, follows a man who returns from an anniversary trip to Italy carrying the virus and his journey through dealing with the consequences while trying to keep his family safe. Keith Lopez leads the cast along with Tina Marie Nigro, Courtney Asher, John Carr, Harper Wasnesky and Bali Bare.
“Because this pandemic is causing a lot of suffering across the world, I felt it was important to bring people an uplifting story of hope and love,” said Mitesh Patel, the film’s writer, producer and director. “Our incredible cast and crew did an amazing job of bringing that message to life in this movie.”
The production team, consisting of 11 cast and crew members, completed the movie in just seven days while following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s sanitation and prevention guidelines.
VIRTUAL SCREENINGS
Bleecker Street will launch a virtual screening program to bring “The Roads Not Taken,” starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning with Laura Linney and Salma Hayek, to audiences across the country.
Sally Potter’s film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February and was released in New York and Los Angeles on March 13, but was but unable to expand due to mandatory theatre closures. Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, CMX Cinemas, Bow Tie Cinemas, Laemmle Theatres and Studio Movie Grill have already signed up as exhibition partners, with a number of independent movie theaters reaching over 175 sites.
Screening the film will cost audience members $12 for a three-day viewing window with revenue being split between the distributor and exhibition partners. The program will launch on April 10.
“While we were looking forward to bringing the film to theaters across the country, this new approach helps us to share Sally’s vision with audiences while also supporting our exhibition partners during this difficult time,” said President of Distribution Jack Foley.
Bardem portrays the father of Fanning’s character as he floats through alternate lives he could have lived.
HIRES
Creative editorial boutique 1606 Studio has hired editor Brandy Troxler as part of its effort to grow its talent pool. Troxler has worked in the Bay Area for more than a decade and has edited spots for Mini USA, Yelp, Toyota, Texas.gov and others.
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