Juno Temple in "Little Birds."
We have the top three movies you must see from The Sundance Film Festival 2011. We have brought you the best of the best dramas that debuted at the festival.
Homework
Homework Starring Freddie & Emma
Artist and Executive Producer Andrew Levtias premiered his film “Homework”, Directed and Written by Gavin Wiesen, this is a first film for them both, but Andrew’s third time as Sundance as he was once an Actor himself.
Freddie & Emma On Set
The film stars Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts and Michael Angarano, but also in the picture are veterans; Rita Wilson, Alicia Silverstone, Elizabeth Reaser and Blair Underwood, as well as new comer, Sasha Spielberg (yes that is her dad). George (Highmore) is a loner type fatalistic teenage who refuses to pay attention in class, do any work or participate in any social activities, that is till he is befriended by Sally (Roberts) a very complicated yet popular girl who sees something in him that draws her close. She introduces him to the world of his classmates who are trying to make the best of their senior year, while he shows her another part of the world she had not yet paid attention to, including a bohemian artist Dustin (Angarano).
Andrew Levitas & A Painting Of His Featured in Homework
Dustin’s artwork is actually the real life work of Artist Andrew Levitas, who also makes a cameo in the film opposite Sally’s mother, who is played by Reaser, a promiscuous drunk. George’s mother, played by Wilson, is a lovely yet insecure woman trying to make it through a relationship fueled with lies, everything takes a turn for George when his teacher (Silverstone) and Principle (Underwood) give him a serious task to complete before the school year ends.
Writer/Director Gavin Wiesen
Gavin does an excellent job of portraying the Upper East Side New York City teenagers, and the characters pull at your heartstrings, yet make you laugh, if you have ever felt out of place, in love or frustrated by your family and school work.
Little Birds
Little Birds Lily (Juno Temple) & best friend Alison (Kay Panabaker)
Alan and Gabe Polsky showcased their film “Little Birds”, along with Producing partner Jamie Patricof, this is Polsky’s second film in two years, but first to make it to Sundance. You may have seen their last movie, “Bad Lieutenant” with Nic Cage & Eva Mendes, or have heard rumors about their documentary about Jerry Weintraub which they’re producing with Kevin Huvane, Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter and Mr. Weintraub himself.
Gabe Polsky, Eva Mendes and Alan Polsky
The Hollywood Reporter ranked the Polsky’s in their List of Top 10 Producers to Watch last year, and we are certainly paying attention. We love that “Little Birds” takes place in California too.
Juno Temple
Director/Writer Elgin James created a story about Lily (Juno Temple) and her best friend Alison (Kay Panabaker), as two 15 year-olds girls living near Cali’s Salton Sea, basically a ghost town full of abandoned hotels, and a run down polluted lake in the middle of the desert.
Kay Panakaer by Justin Coit
Once it was once a famous wealthy area, the town has memory of better times and the girls dream and begin adventures to create a new life for themselves, and as we have all been dreamers in our lives, the characters touch your hearts and minds as you watch their journey unfold. Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Kyle Gallner and Chris Coy also star.
The Son Of No One
And finally, last but certainly not least, and literally premiered the closing night of the festival, is the film “The Son of No One”.
Son of No One Poster
Executive Producers Cassian Elwes, Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort and veteran indie Producer Holly Weirsma and Trudie Styler (yes Sting’s wife), bring you a story about a young police officer (Channing Tatum) who is assigned to a precinct in a working class neighborhood where he was raised, everything is going along well till a deep secret emerges as he follows the footsteps of his deceased father.
Katie Holmes & Channing Tatum on the set
The post 9/11 tension, combined with an anonymous source reveals buried information about the murder of two boys, with a possible police cover-up that rattles the neighborhood and causes Tatum to go into protective mode of his girlfriend, played by Katie Holmes and all else that is dear to him.
Tatum describes the film as a “sort of copy psycho drama” which sounds good to us! Get ready for a standoff between Detective Stanford (Al Pacino) and Tatum, and presumably Ray Liotta too. Funnyman Tracy Morgan plays Tatum’s best friend, a role Terrance Howard was once mentioned for, also stars Juliette Binoche.
Al Pacino & Channing Tatum on set of Son Of No One
Writer/Director Dito Montiel, keeps an independent feel, despite the studio-caliber cast and brings passion, authenticity and brilliant drama, which we are certain you will enjoy, and Holly Wiersma has a knack for making pictures we love including; “Wonderland”, “Factory Girl”, “Bobby” and “Happy Endings”, so we are certain you will be entertained.
Talia Osteen and Holly Wiersma
And, congrats to our friends making things fun in Park City — event planner Ally Bernstein planed the parties for the majority of the films, including Creative Artists Agencies (CAA) big event, Jen Goldman handled the “Homework” event along with Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg from Strategic Group, a Gifting Suite full of swag was on hand from Michael Heller of Talent Resources and Kenny Griswold, who basically brought the concept of parties, nightlife, gifting lounges and “Chef Dance” to Sundance, along with his wife, as always, took around top clients to all of the events that come to life.
