Rachel Finn and Mary Saxon of FinnSaxon Represents, San Francisco and Malibu, Calif., have been signed to handle West Coast and Texas sales for Creative Film Management International, New York, and its directors Nick Cassavetes, Matthew Penn, Lesli Linka Glatter and the mono-monikered Kaos….Kendra Gelner and Jennifer Warren have partnered to form Candyland, a repping firm in New York. The company will handle East Coast sales for directors Lance Acord, Alison Maclean, Carter Smith and Ramaa Mosley of Park Pictures, New York; director Magnus Tear of Happy Tear, Stockholm; director Tenney Fairchild of M-80 Films, Santa Monica; and bicoastal music shop Face The Music….Venice, Calif.-headquartered Metro Pictures USA has secured New York-based independent rep Arthur Portnoy to handle the East Coast, and Chicago firm Hot Betty to cover the Midwest….PS 260, the New York editorial boutique headed by editors John Zieman and JJ Lask, has signed Dan Sbrega, the in-house East Coast rep for bicoastal RAW/ Progressive Films, to handle national sales.…Andrea Andrews has joined editorial house Jigsaw, Los Angeles, as head of sales and marketing….
Breakout Films and Major Takeaways From This Year’s Sundance Fest
Film wasn't the only thing on people's minds at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which comes to a close Sunday in Park City, Utah ( and online ).
The effects of the wildfires in Southern California loomed large, as did the bittersweet knowledge that this year will be the second to last Sundance based in Park City. Some films offered an escape from reality; others were a pointed reminder of the domestic and international political landscape, from transgender rights to the war in Ukraine.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the 41st edition of the festival.
The effects of the Southern California fires were deeply felt
The wildfires were still burning in parts of Los Angeles when Sundance began last week and reminders of its devastation were everywhere, even on screen. Max Walker-Silverman's "Rebuilding," starring Josh O'Connor as a cowboy who loses his ranch in a wildfire and forms a community with fellow survivors in a FEMA camp, hit close to home for many.
Filmmakers Meena Menon and Paul Gleason lost their home in Altadena where they filmed some of their zombie apocalypse movie "Didn't Die." Sundance artist labs head Michelle Satter lost her Palisades home as well. Satter had an audience of Sundance Institute donors in tears early in the festival while accepting an honor at a fundraising gala.
"It's a deeply devastating time for us and so many others, a moment that calls for all of us coming together to support our bigger community," Satter said. "As a friend recently noted, and I have to listen to this, 'Take a deep breath ... We lost our village, but at the end of the day we are the village.'"
The festival's move to another city dominated conversations
It was a topic... Read More