Vitagraph Films Acquires All North American Rights for Official Spanish Oscar Submission, TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA (EVEN THE RAIN) From Wild Bunch

Columbus Day, October 12, 2010 – Vitagraph Films, LLC partners David Shultz and Margot Gerber announced today that they acquired all North American rights for Spain’s official entry for ‘Best Foreign Language Film” for the 2011 Oscars, TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA (EVEN THE RAIN) from Wild Bunch, on behalf of producer Juan Gordon’s Morena Films. Ironically the deal was finalized in time to announce the acquisition on Columbus Day, as the “film-within-a-film” in TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA chronicles some of gold-seeking Christopher Columbus’ exploits with the indigenous people he encountered in the Americas, circa 1492.

An official selection of the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA is directed by Icíar Bollaín from a screenplay by Paul Laverty (ROUTE IRISH), a frequent Ken Loach collaborator. The film stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Luis Tosar and Carlos Aduviri.

The deal was negotiated on Vitagraph’s behalf by European agent, Guy Amon of the Paris-based Leisure and Multimedia Consulting. LMC has been representing films in France since the early 1980s and works with Munich based TMG/CONCORDE FILM ‘s Dr. Herbert Kloiber and Markus Zimmer on film and television acquisitions for German speaking territories and sales in the French market of TMG's productions.

TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA sets up an intriguing dialogue about Spanish imperialism through incidents taking place some 500 years apart, while examining the personal belief systems of the members of a film crew headed by director Sebastian (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his producer Costa (Luis Tosar) who arrive in Bolivia to make a revisionist film about the conquest of Latin America. Set in February and March of 2000 when real-life protests against the privatization of water rocked the nation, the film reflexively blurs the line between fiction and reality in what Variety calls "a powerful, richly layered indictment of the plight of Latin America's dispossessed." Carlos Aduviri is dynamic as a local who is cast as a 15^th century native in the film, but when the make-up and loin cloth come off, he sails into action protesting his community’s deprivation of water at the hands of the government. Meanwhile, Gael Garcia Bernal’s Idealist film director is as relentless as Werner Herzog infamously was in making FITZCARALDO, pushing ahead against all odds, ignoring the prevailing danger about to disrupt at any moment. Despite the devastation emerging around him, Sebastian seems unable to engage with any emotion over than a dogmatic desire to get his film done. And of course, the film also recalls themes in Herzog’s AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD and the film-within-a-film scenes are as brutal as any in APOCALYPTO.

Founded in 1999, the Los Angeles based Vitagraph Films, LLC is a self contained theatrical and home optical, television distribution entity. Vitagraph currently has the documentary AHEAD OF TIME: The Remarkable Life Story of Ruth Gruber (directed by Bob Richman) in theatres and will open TODAY’s SPECIAL on November 19^th. In 2009, Vitagraph Films distributed VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR, a documentary on the Italian haute couture fashion designer Valentino and the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX: The Story of the Red Army Faction, a docudrama based on the West German terrorist group that formed in the late 1960s in opposition to the prevailing post-WWII government. In 2005, Vitagraph Films released Spanish filmmaker Alex de la Iglesias’ EL CRIMEN FERPECTO in the U.S.

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Ruth Gruber, Journalist Who Captured The Exodus on Film to Celebrate 99th Birthday at Brooklyn Heights Cinema

Did you know that when Otto Preminger found out that much of Leon Uris' book EXODUS was based on Ruth Gruber's EXODUS 1947, he told Ruth he could have saved money had he not bought the rights to the Uris story. He said he wanted to do something for her. She thought, "maybe a screen credit?," but all she got were two tickets to see the film! In 2008 she was invited to Israel to speak about Preminger when the studio donated a print of the film to the Jerusalem Cinematheque's archive. The AHEAD OF TIME crew followed her there to capture Ruth's visit to the Captain of the ship Exodus on film. He was 23 years old at the time. When they reunited, he marveled that she was 11 years older than he and that 60 years had not changed their stance on the events of that time. Yithak Aharonovitch passed away in Israel in December of 2009 at the age of 86. Ruth took the famous photos of the Exodus trying to come into port in Palestine where it was thwarted by the British, including the one depicting the Union Jack with a swastika painted on it. Her photos were nearly confiscated, but she wouldn't give them up. Ruth's editor at the Herald Tribute decided to put them out over the AP (Associated Press), saying the photos belonged to the world. Her interviews with the refugees on the ship (many of them Holocaust survivors) gave the situation a human face. Ruth's photos were influential in shaping world opinion and Ruth found herself involved in the creation of the Jewish state of Israel. She ended up escorting 1000 survivors to safety on another ship, The Henry Gibbons as part of a US mission. On that ship was 5-year old Doris Schecter who is one of the executive producers of the film AHEAD OF TIME. Ruth's book EXODUS 1947, which exposed some unpleasant facts about the British, was finally published in the UK in 2007! Learn more about Ruth in the documentary AHEAD OF TIME. She will be speaking live at a cinema in her hometown (Brooklyn, NY) on Thursday, September 30, 2010 (which happens to be her 99th birthday!) after the 7:30 PM screening of AHEAD OF TIME. Many of Ruth's photos can be seen at this link to the Jewish Virtual Library.

VITAGRAPH FILMS ENTERS DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH CONSTANTIN FILMS TO DISTRIBUTE 2009 OSCAR AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEE THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX IN THE U.S

Vitagraph Films has entered into a distribution deal with Constantin Film to distribute THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX, the 2009 Academy Award ® and Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, in all media in the United States. Written and produced by Bernd Eichinger (2005 Academy Award nominee DOWNFALL) and directed by Uli Edel (LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN, CHRISTIANE F), the film dramatizes the history of the real-life West German terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF), which rose to violent action against the German political status quo in the late 1960s. Led by Ulrike Meinhof, a prominent journalist who forfeited her career and children to engage in anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist acts of resistance, and Andreas Baader, the group’s youthful members went underground, sacrificing leading normal lives, to fight for a more human society – through terrorist bombings and bloodshed. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX’s ensemble cast includes, Martina Gedeck (THE LIVES OF OTHERS, THE GOOD SHEPARD), Moritz Bleibtreu (RUN LOLA RUN), Johanna Wokalek (AIMEE AND JAGUAR) and Bruno Ganz (THE READER, DOWNFALL). Based on Stefan Aust’s critically acclaimed non-fiction book Der Baader bMeinhof Komplex the film was Constantin Film’s biggest box office success in 2008. An updated edition of Aust’s book was released in March 2009.

Vitagraph Films currently plans to theatrically platform the release of the film in August 2009 in 18 of the top 20 markets.

“We are pleased that an American audience will now be able to see this exceptional film in theatres. David Shultz and Margot Gerber have shown a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and Constantin Film is proud to be in business with Vitagraph Films,” says Martin Moszkowicz of Constantin Film AG. “This is a story that has not been widely told in America,” says David Shultz, President of Vitagraph Films.

“With the early years of our current century dominated by the aftermath of 9/11, this is an interesting time for audiences to take a look at a previous generation of terrorism – and through it, a complex political world history that continues to reverberate in our times.” Vitagraph Films LLC is currently distributing THE MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH, TOKYO! and VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR. Established in 1999, some of Vitagraph’s previous titles include JCVD, Larry Clark’s WASSUP ROCKERS, Takashi Miike’s AUDITION and Alex de la Iglesia’s EL CRIMEN PERFECTO.

ABOUT CONSTANTIN FILM
Constantin Film has been one of the most successful producers and independent distributors of feature films in Germany for over 25 years. The company, which is listed on the stock market since 1999, is also involved in the international production of theatrical films in English as well as TV production (TV movies, series, entertainment formats). The classic production and distribution operations were supplemented successfully in 2004 by license trading and the internal exploitation of video and DVD rights and intensified TV service production, with a particular focus on TV entertainment. Constantin Film’s international box-office hits include The Neverending Story, The Name of the Rose, the Resident Evil and Fantastic Four franchises, Perfume—The Story of a Murderer and Academy Award® nominees Downfall and The Baader Meinhof Complex. Forthcoming releases include Pope Joan and Pandorum.

Vitagraph to take VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR into expanded marketplace

The fashion conscious are running down the runway to see VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR, boosting it into the position of highest grossing documentary of 2009. Now open in New York, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles, it continues to roll out across the country with director Matt Tyranuer in person for q & a in as many as 3 cities per weekend!

Vogue columnist Andre Leon Talley will join the director for q & a at the City Cinemas 1, 2, 3 in Manhattan on Friday when the film expands beyond the Film Forum where it opened on March 18. Vitagraph Films will now work with the filmmakers to expand the number of cities where the film will open.


VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR is a feature-length film on the legendary designer Valentino Garavani in the wake of his exit in 2008 from the company he founded in Rome more than 45 years ago. Produced and directed by Matt Tyrnauer, Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, the film is an intimate, engaging and very funny fly-on-the-wall exploration of the singular world of one of Italy's richest and most famous men. The film documents the colorful and dramatic closing act of Valentino’s celebrated career, tells the story of his extraordinary life and work, and also explores the larger themes affecting the fashion business today. But at the heart of the film is the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner and companion of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti.

For theatres, to see photos and trailer and more:

http://www.valentinomovie.com/
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Tokyo! Opens Today on More LA Screens & Around the Country

We are holding a second week in Los Angeles and Orange County! Very exciting. There are photos on our Facebook Vitagraph fan page from director Michel Gondry's surprise appearance at the Nuart last week for a q & a with lead actress Ayako Fujitani. Oh and join our Twitter too. Our commentary is really exciting! Last week we went to an event at Royal/T. This weekend, the LA Cupcake Challenge (which is sold out!).

Here are some screens we are on this week in the LA Area. Check out this link for more cities and theatres:

You can join the Vitagraph e-mail list on our home page.

3/27/09: Irvine, CA
Edwards Westpark 8 Cinema
3755 Alton Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 622-8600
http://www.fandango.com/edwardswestpark8_aabhq/theaterpage?wssac=58&wssaffid=11481_REGWebsite

3/27/09: West Hollywood, CA
Laemmle's Sunset 5
http://www.laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=2
8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, 90046
(323) 848-3500

3/27/09: Pasadena, CA
Laemmle's Playhouse 7
http://www.laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=6
673 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, 91101
(626) 844-6500

3/27/09: Westwood, CA
Landmark’s Regent Theatre
http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/LosAngeles/RegentTheatre.htm
1045 Broxton Avenue (between Weyburn & Kinross) Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 281-8223

Some Nice Press, Ayako stays longer at the Nuart

As previously mentioned, Tokyo! opens in Los Angeles on March 20th after a successful New York opening. Will people love Tokyo! as much in our home town. We love the talented and charming Ayako Fujitani (who plays a young woman with some major transformation issues following a move to Tokyo to find her purpose in life with her fledgling filmmaker boyfriend). Anyway, Ayako has agreed to come to the Nuart for the 7:15 PM show on Friday, March 20 to discuss working with director Michel Gondry, having a "blue screen body," dragging a chair around, her impressions of making movies in Japan and more. She cut her teeth on Gamera and Ultraman flicks growing up and is also a writer.

Originally she was just doing an introduction, but now its a full fledged q & a after the screening. Ayako was interviewed by the LA Times' Michael Ordona so look for a profile on her in what is left of the paper on Thursday. Susan King wrote this great peice on the movie!

Vitagraph personnel will be hanging around the Nuart Friday night so come by and have a spring roll with us before, after or during one of the screenings!

We also open this weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area including Berkeley and San Jose. All of our theatres are listed at this link.

Tokyo! Opens in our Hometown March 20!

Yes, Tokyo! is finally coming to Vitagraph's hometown, that little hamlet know as Los Angeles! David and Margot will be at the Nuart Theatre in West LA on March 20 for the 7:30 PM show and we hope to see all of our friends there too. We know we have at least 3 (followers of our blog). We can all go out for sake after the screening.

The lead actress in the Michel Gondry segment of Tokyo!, Ayako Fujitani is coming down to introduce the film for that show. See below for more on Ayako. She has a really cool retro looking digital camera.

You can actually win tickets to that show if you check out giveaways at Giant Robot and Royal/T or listen to KCRW.

And when you come be sure to say hi to Jim and Marc the Nuart managers.