Film News Roundup: Tom Arnold, Paige Howard to Star in Indie Comedy ‘Hollywood.Con’
In today’s film news roundup, Tom Arnold and Paige Howard star in an indie comedy, “Call Her Ganda” is getting an Oscar campaign, and Epic Level has hired a “Charlie Says” executive producer.
CASTINGS
Tom Arnold, Paige Howard, Devin Ratray, Brian Krause, and Cody Kasch are starring in the just-completed independent comedy “Hollywood.con.”
The film is a father-daughter collaboration with Benjamin Boorem producing and Mika Boorem starring and directing. Mika Boorem, whose credits include “Blue Crush” as Kate Bosworth’s sister, “Good Day for It,” and “Hearts in Atlantis,” makes her feature directing debut. The cast members have all acted with her in prior projects.
The script is written by the Boorems, Cshediiz Coleman, Benjamin Lockman, and Michael Lindley. Mika Boorem portrays a struggling actress who accidentally steals the identity of a big-time producer, portrayed by Howard, and gets thrown into a Mayan movie in Guatemala. She’s mistaken as a rival cartel member by Arnold’s El Jade character and steals an airplane to complete the movie and get home.
“Hollywood.con” includes a special appearance by Billy Bob Thornton and his band the Boxmasters.
ACQUISITION
Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to the documentary “Call Her Ganda,” directed by PJ Raval, and is launching an Academy Awards campaign for the movie.
The film focuses on the 2014 murder of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude by a U.S. Marine, and the obstacles faced in the pursuit of justice by three women — an attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan), and Jennifer’s mother (Julita “Nanay” Laude).
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Breaking Glass will release the film theatrically beginning Sept. 21 in New York, Sept. 28 in Los Angeles, and Oct. 5 in San Francisco, followed by a national rollout throughout the fall.
“Especially with our current political climate, I hope viewers find inspiration in witnessing these resilient women taking on the U.S., a foreign superpower, fighting for their voices to be heard and demanding accountability despite the odds. As Americans, we should all take a note, and support their efforts, while also fighting the oppressive forces in our own backyards,” said Raval. “I’m thrilled to be working with Breaking Glass who is dedicated to bringing the story of Jennifer Laude to audiences nationwide.”
“’Call Her Ganda’ is that rare film that comes along once in a generation,” said Richard Wolff, CEO of Breaking Glass. “This story is tragic, empowering, and exactly what our society needs right now to move the conversation about human rights forward.”
Producers are Raval, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Marty Syjuco, and Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala. Executive producers are Jim Butterworth, Daniel Chalfen, and Barbara Dobkin.
Breaking Glass acquired rights to the film in a deal negotiated between Wolff, Josh Braun, and Ben Schwartz of Submarine Entertainment, Chalfen of Naked Edge Films, and Raval of Unraval Pictures.
PRODUCER DEAL
Epic Level Entertainment has announced that it’s hired Dana Guerin as a producer as part of collaborating on “Charlie Says,” which will premiere Sunday at the Venice Film Festival.
“Charlie Says” recounts the story of the three female members of the Manson Family who were imprisoned for the notorious 1969 murders. It’s directed by Mary Harron and written by Guinevere Turner, the team behind “American Psycho.”
Guerin, whose credits include “The Vault” and “Outlaws and Angels,” developed “Charlie Says” for six years alongside Harron and Turner. She’s an exec producer on the project.
Epic Level’s John Frank Rosenblum said of Guerin, “With her latest film, ‘Charlie Says,’ she is telling the female perspective of a story that had previously been dominated by the male perspective, ensuring that it was also written, directed and primarily produced by women. Here again, Dana shows that she is ahead of the curve with what the public wants, and indeed now demands, from popular entertainment.”
Epic Level noted that it has historically focused on horror and genre entertainment and said Guerin’s addition will expand their productions to include relevant contemporary themes aligned, for instance, with the #MeToo movement.
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