FILM SCREENS AT THIS WEEK'S AFI FESTIVAL
New York, NY – November 1, 2007 – IFC Entertainment announced today that it has acquired all North American rights to Alex Holdridge's comedy In Search of a Midnight Kiss, which has been one of the festival circuit's great hits this year following its American premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and its international premiere at Edinburgh Film Festival where it was named 'Best of the Fest.' The film will screen at this week's AFI Festival. The announcement was made today by IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring.
"Alex Holdridge along with his incredibly talented collaborators have created one of the discoveries of the year. In Search of a Midnight Kiss might bring to mind such generational comedies as Swingers or the humor of vintage Woody Allen, but it's a complete original. We're thrilled to be able to bring it to a wide audience," stated Sehring.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss was written and directed by Alex Holdridge. The film's executive producer is Anne Walker-McBay who has been Richard Linklater's producer on films such as Before Sunrise and Before Sunset and Dazed and Confused. The film stars Scoot McNairy, also a co-producer on the film, Sara Simmonds, Brian McGuire and Kathleen Luong. Seth Caplan produced the film. The film features music by hot indie bands Okkervil River and Shearwater.
It's New Year's Eve. Wilson (Scoot McNairy), a twenty-nine-year old guy who has just had the worst year of his life, is new to Los Angeles, has no date, no concrete plans and every intention of locking the doors and forgetting the last year ever happened. That is until his best friend, Jacob (Brian McGuire), browbeats him into posting a personal ad on Craig's List. When Vivian (Sara Simmonds), a strong-willed woman hell bent on being with the right guy at the stroke of midnight responds, a chaotic, sometimes hilarious and sometimes touching journey through the streets of Los Angeles begins. In the waning hours of the year, emotional vulnerability and bitterly honest humor seem to be waiting around every corner.
Arianna Bocco, Vice President of Acquisitions and Productions, Lizzie Nastro, Director, Acquisitions and Co-Productions and Betsy Rodgers, Counsel for IFC Entertainment, negotiated the acquisition of the film with Cinetic Media who represented the filmmakers.
IFC Entertainment has 5 films in total in this year's AFI Festival including 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS which won the Palme d'or in Cannes earlier this year and recently won the Fipresci for Best Film of the Year from the International Film Critics; Jacques Rivette's THE DUCHESS OF LANGEAIS, which is an adaptation from Honore de Balzac's novella La Duchesse de Langeais, FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON starring Juliette Binoche and Catherine Breillat's THE LAST MISTRESS starring Asia Argento.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss will be released theatrically and on local cable's On Demand platform in 2008.
About IFC Entertainment
IFC Entertainment consists of IFC Films, a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters; IFC First Take and IFC In Theaters, the operations that together make up IFC Entertainment's theatrical and on-demand day and date initiative; IFC Productions, a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects; the IFC Center, an art house in NYC and IFC Films on Demand, video-on-demand offerings.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, Rainbow Sports Networks managed FSN Bay Area and FSN New England, LIFESKOOL, SPORTSKOOL, and VOOM HD Networks. Through its IFC Entertainment division, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a theatrical feature film distribution company; IFC First Take/IFC in Theaters, a day and date theatrical feature film/VOD initiative; the IFC Center in New York City; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Entertainment, which owns and operates a film library. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division, and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.