Esponda Productions, Vesuvio Entertainment, Rocky Mountain Pictures and Disarming Films are pleased to announce that AN OPEN SECRET, Amy Berg’s exposé of the alarming, and unchecked level of child sexual abuse in Hollywood, will have a 20-city US theatrical release beginning June 5, and will also have its international premiere at the 2015 Marché du Film in Cannes, next month. As a World Market Premiere, this will be the first time the film will be screened for international buyers and the first public showing of the film since its critically acclaimed screening at the New York Doc Fest in November 2014.
The film’s Cannes Marche screening, to be held at 18:00h on May 19 at the Olympia 8 theatre, located at 5 Rue de la Pompe, 06400 Cannes, precedes the long-awaited theatrical release of the film, scheduled to begin June 5 in Denver and Seattle, and widening to at least 20 key cities in the weeks following initial release.
AN OPEN SECRET, directed by Oscar®-nominated director Amy Berg (WEST OF MEMPHIS; DELIVER US FROM EVIL), is a shocking look at the lives of these children and at the system that essentially funnels them towards sexual predators without any oversight or regard for their safety. The children the film follows, now all young adults, were exposed to some of the biggest names in the film industry, which has created a groundswell of controversy.
Executive producers Gabe Hoffman and Matthew Valentinas were inspired to research the topic of child sex abuse in Hollywood after learning of Cory Haim's death from a drug overdose, and that he was an abuse victim, something not discussed until the last few years of his life. The pair reached out to Disarming Films to conduct extensive investigative research on the topic, and the overwhelming results compelled the pair to move forward with a documentary about the subject, and Amy Berg was the perfect person to tackle this sensitive issue. They moved forward with the film with the goal of donating any profits to support victims of child abuse.
“This is clearly one of the most controversial, and most important films of 2015 and sheds light on one of the dirtiest secrets in Hollywood,” said Greg H. Sims, CEO of Vesuvio Entertainment, which is distributing the film in partnership with Rocky Mountain Pictures.
Randy Slaughter of Rocky Mountain Pictures says, “We’re pleased to bring AN OPEN SECRET to filmgoers across the US. Since its festival premiere last fall, the public and the media have clamored for us to bring this film to theaters, and now we are answering their call.” Slaughter and longtime partner Ron Rodgers have overseen the theatrical release of dozens of major feature films, including 2016: OBAMA’S AMERICA, whose $34M box office made it the second-highest grossing political documentary ever released.
Comments director Amy Berg, "I am pleased that An Open Secret will finally have an opportunity to screen for a larger audience. Its an important film about an extremely important issue."
Media were galvanized in their response to an early cut of the film screened in New York in November 2014. Indiewire said, “Amy Berg’s ‘An Open Secret’ is a devastating exposé of Hollywood’s sexual abuse problem…the director takes a bold, incendiary look at a topic many people would rather avoid.
The Hollywood Reporter informed that AN OPEN SECRET is “…a sober look at accusations that lend themselves to sensationalism…Berg’s film is very tightly focused… with any luck it will encourage other victims to speak up, and enlighten the parents of showbiz aspirants about the industry’s dangers.”
Flavorwire said, “[AN OPEN SECRET is]…quietly horrifying, as it details the trauma and the abuse of power inflicted on young men with stars in their eyes…. it’s the type of work that should have the power to effect change in laws for child actors, and open up the eyes of parents who push their kids toward stardom.”
Finally, Variety proposed, “If Berg can find a distrib[utor] willing to brave the forces that have silenced this open secret for decades, the documentary should find avid [audiences] worldwide.”
Finally, a reception follows the invitation only screening at Cannes, details of which will be announced shortly.
AN OPEN SECRET Credits
Esponda Productions presents AN OPEN SECRET in association with Vesuvio Entertainment and Rocky Mountain Pictures. A Disarming Films production, AN OPEN SECRET is directed by Amy Berg, and produced by Amy Berg and Katelyn Howes. Cinematography is by Jenna Rosher. Executive producers are Gabe Hoffman and Matthew Valentinas; Co-producers, Peter Clune and Alex Riguero. Directed by Amy Berg. Written by Amy Berg and Billy McMillin and Lorien Haynes. Editors are Bill McMillin and Phil Thangsombat; Music is by Gary Lightbody and John McDaid; Sound Designer/Re-recording mixer is Garrett Montgomery. Genre: Documentary; Running Time 97:43: Rated R
Amy Berg, Director
Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Emmy Award® winning and Oscar® nominated documentary filmmaker. She was nominated for an Academy Award® for her documentary DELIVER US FROM EVIL (2006). She went on to direct WEST OF MEMPHIS, a documentary about the failure of the justice system in the West Memphis Three case. She worked in collaboration with producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. The film premiered to rave reviews at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was BAFTA nominated. Sony Pictures Classics released the film in Fall 2012.
Amy completed her first narrative feature, EVERY SECRET THING, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014 and will be released theatrically in May 2015. Her doc, PROPHET’S PREY, which was made in association with Showtime and Imagine Entertainment will open in theaters this fall. She is currently in production on several films, which include a project about music legend Janis Joplin. Amy’s company, Disarming Films, writes and produces long-form documentaries focusing on social justice.
About Vesuvio Entertainment
Vesuvio Entertainment fills a unique niche in the entertainment business by focusing not only on important, emerging new talent, but also on the synergy between filmed entertainment and music. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, Vesuvio Entertainment Corporation, and its foreign subsidiary Vesuvio International, is known for producing and distributing high-end, independent commercial films. Its growing film library includes such diverse titles as the early and critically acclaimed George Clooney film RED SURF, THE FEAR and its sequel FEAR 2; and TOUCH ME starring Amanda Peet, Michael Vartan, Peter Facinelli, Greg Louganis, and Jane Lynch. The film was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival. Vesuvio’s thriller, BEHIND YOUR EYES is an award winning film that became the #2 best renting genre DVD in the US in a field of major studio releases. The company also was involved in the international distribution of "Craigslist Joe," from Executive Producer Zach Galifianakis, securing distribution in territories ranging from the Benelux to Israel, and on airlines worldwide.
About Rocky Mountain Pictures
With 40 years of theatrical distribution and marketing experience behind each of them, principals Ron Rodgers and Randy Slaughter launched Rocky Mountain Pictures after seventeen years of distributing films as RS Entertainment (RSE). RSE was created for the purpose of delivering independent film to the U.S. theatrical marketplace and Rocky Mountain Pictures and RSE have together released in excess of 120 theatrical titles representing dozens of independent filmmakers. In most recent years, Rocky Mountain has been best known for the controversial Atlas Shrugged and 2016: Obama's America. The latter film was the US’ second-highest grossing political feature documentary ever, with $34 million in box office receipts.
About Esponda Productions
Esponda was formed by Gabe Hoffman and Matthew Valentinas solely for the purpose of making AN OPEN SECRET, based on the research done by Disarming Pictures, and has committed to donating Esponda's profits from the film to victims of child sexual abuse.
