Paramount Home Media Distribution and Samuel Goldwyn Films Collaborate on Distribution of William H. Macy’s Directorial Debut and Sundance Feature RUDDERLESS
Starring Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman, Jamie Chung, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne
HOLLYWOOD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paramount Home Media Distribution and Samuel Goldwyn Films announced today a collaboration to bring RUDDERLESS to theatrical and home viewing audiences. The feature directorial debut of Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee* William H. Macy, RUDDERLESS was produced by Keith Kjarval (Unified Pictures) and Brad Greiner in association with Aaron L. Gilbert's Bron Studios and had its world premiere as the Closing Night Film at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film stars Billy Crudup (Almost Famous), Anton Yelchin (Star Trek Into Darkness), Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”), Jamie Chung (“Believe”), Selena Gomez (Spring Breakers) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix).
Samuel Goldwyn Films will handle U.S. theatrical distribution day-and-date with Paramount Home Media Distribution’s VOD release. Paramount will also handle other U.S. ancillary platforms and all distribution in Canada, the UK, Russia and certain territories in Asia.
After a man has his life torn apart when he loses his son, he is content wasting the rest of his days until he discovers a box of unpublished music. Coming from such an unexpected source, the music is a revelation. He begins obsessively learning the songs, until one day he decides to play one of them at a local bar. The song captivates a young musician in the audience and the two unlikely friends decide to form a local band that gains sudden popularity and changes both of their lives.
"After seeing such a fabulous response at Sundance, we are thrilled to be partnering with two of the most prestigious distributors in our business on my directing debut,” said director William H. Macy. “When I first moved to LA, many years ago, I lived just off of Melrose, and I passed those beautiful gates to Paramount almost every day. Seeing them become our partner on RUDDERLESS and adding the storied Goldwyn Company into the mix excites me to no end."
“William H. Macy has always been a true talent in front of the cameras and now also proves to be a major force behind the scenes. Billy Crudup, Felicity Huffman and the rest of the cast deliver stellar performances. We are excited to again partner with Paramount Home Media Distribution in bringing Macy’s remarkable first feature to theaters,” said Peter Goldwyn, Senior Vice President, Samuel Goldwyn Films.
“RUDDERLESS is an incredibly powerful and moving film and we are extremely excited to bring it to audiences around the world,” said Syrinthia Studer, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Acquisitions, Paramount Home Media Distribution. “William H. Macy has delivered a terrific first feature with extraordinary performances by his stellar cast, a compelling story and wonderful original music. We feel confident that it will be embraced by audiences both in the U.S. and internationally.”
The deal was negotiated by Paramount Home Media Distribution, WME Global and Peter Goldwyn, Senior Vice President of Samuel Goldwyn Films, with Radiant Films handling international.
About Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops, produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. The company is dedicated to working with both world renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This is best exemplified by the Academy Award® nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and SUPER SIZE ME; AMAZING GRACE and Julie Delpy's hit comedy 2 DAYS IN PARIS. Past Goldwyn titles include the critically hailed ELEGY starring Academy Award® winner Penélope Cruz, HARRY BROWN starring Michael Caine and the box office smash FIREPROOF. MAO’S LAST DANCER, directed by Academy Award® nominee Bruce Beresford was one of the top grossing independent films of 2010. Samuel Goldwyn Films released THE WHISTLEBLOWER, a powerful, ripped from the headlines thriller starring Academy Award® winner Rachel Weisz and the 2012 critics’ darling, ROBOT & FRANK, starring Academy Award® nominee Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon. Additional Samuel Goldwyn Films releases include DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL, an acclaimed documentary about the late fashion icon, Gilles Bourdos’ RENOIR, the lush film about the famous painter’s later years and France’s official submission for the 2014 Academy Awards®, Academy Award® nominee James Cromwell starrer, STILL MINE, and the Jason Wise much buzzed about film SOMM. Upcoming releases include Academy Award®-winner Freida Mock’s critically acclaimed documentary ANITA featuring intimate and in-depth interviews with Anita Hill and filmmaker Lucia Puenzo’s haunting film and Argentina’s official submission to the 2014 Academy Awards® THE GERMAN DOCTOR.
About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
About Unified Pictures:
Unified Pictures operates as an independent film production and distribution company dedicated to the development, financing, production and distribution of top-tier filmed entertainment. With several cutting-edge and artistically innovative films, Unified Pictures has established an impressive presence in a wide variety of film genres.
The company has completed seven films in the past two and a half years. Unified’s latest film “Loitering with Intent,” starring Sam Rockwell, Marisa Tomei and Natasha Lyonne is world premiering at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival.
Additional films include William H. Macy’s directorial debut “Rudderless,” which closed this year’s Sundance Film Festival; "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete" (dir. George Tillman Jr., starring Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks), which opened the 2013 Sundance Film Festival; "A Single Shot" (dir. David Rosenthal, starring Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Jeffrey Wright), which premiered at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival; and “Trust Me” (dir. Clark Gregg, starring Gregg, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet, Molly Shannon, and William H. Macy) which had its world premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.
For more information please visit www.unifiedpictures.com.
About Bron Studios
Bron Studios is a British Columbia based producer of original motion pictures. Bron co-‐produced the Sundance closing night film Rudderless, starring Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne and directed by William H. Macy. Bron’s recent productions include: Welcome to Me, starring Kristen Wiig, Tim Robbins, Wes Bentley and James Marsden; Trust Me, starring Clark Gregg, Amanda Peet, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Janney, and A Single Shot, starring Sam Rockwell, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Isaacs, and William H. Macy. Bron is led by Managing Director Aaron L. Gilbert, Executive Producer and/or Producer of recent films Kill Me 3 Times, Son of a Gun, Miss Julie, Elsa & Fred, Ginger and Rosa, The English Teacher, Lullaby, and others. For more information please visit www.bronstudios.com.
*Academy Award nominee Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Fargo, 1996; Golden Globe nominee Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Seabiscuit, 2004; Golden Globe nominee Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, The Wool Cap (2005) and Door to Door (2003)
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