Director Ben Brand has joined production company Great Guns for representation in the U.S., U.K. and Asia. His other international affiliations are Eddy in France, Akkurat in Germany and CakeFilm in Amsterdam.
Graduating in 2010 from the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam, Brand launched himself into the industry with his humorous trailer for the Young Director Award, winning several accolades–including the Golden Hammer, Silver Drum, and a Cresta Award–as well as two Cannes Lions nominations and over 50 million views online.
His ever-growing portfolio includes commercials for brands such as Nike and Nestle and multiple short films, including heartfelt animation in Life if Beautiful and Vimeo Staff Pick 97%–which later became The Netherlands’ official submission for Live Action Short Film at the 2014 Academy Awards. These two shorts have since screened at over 150 international film festivals, gained over 2.5 million views online, and been recognized at numerous additional award shows.
2017 saw Brand’s debut feature film Find This Dumb Little Bitch and Throw Her into a River undertake a worldwide festival tour, receiving multiple awards including Special Mention at Warsaw International Film Festival, New Directors Award at Norway’s Kosmorama Film Festival, and Best Narrative Feature Award at the Greenwich International Film Festival.
Alongside directing commercials across the world, Brand has recently completed two new projects: See You, an animated short for Pathé Cinemas in The Netherlands, and Re-Entry, a live action film set for January 2021 based on “The Egg,” a short story by Andy Weir, author of bestselling novel “The Martian.”
Brand said of joining Great Guns, “I love telling cinematic stories that cross all boundaries, so doing this together with the most passionate and talented of people is a dream come true!”
Oliver Fuselier, managing director and EP of Great Guns USA, added, “Ben tells real and authentic stories that tug at your heartstrings, from a car accident leaving only the baby to survive to a cheeky little girl that spoils a wedding with her evil smile. I am very excited to be part of this young director’s journey.”
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More