16 total awards and nominations on the Festival Circuit for Indie Feature Mocku Comedy this year
The executive producers of “Ron and Laura Take Back America” announce today that their feature won "Best Ensemble Cast" and earned 8 other nominations including "Best Feature," "Best Directors," "Best Screenplay," "Best Actor" and "Best Actress” at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema. Written and directed by its co-stars, the comedy team of Mel England (“Little Big Top”) and Janice Markham (“Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral”), the film also stars Golden Globe® Best Actress Nominee Irene Bedard (“Into the West”), Jim J. Bullock (“The New Hollywood Squares”), and features a celebrity cameo by Academy Award® Best Actress Nominee Sally Kirkland.
“Ron and Laura Take Back America” is a mockumentary that follows in the footsteps of such films as Christopher Guest’s “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman.” The satirical comedy follows the exploits of a conservative suburban couple who decide to take their country back from Obamacare, Immigration Reform, Gay Marriage… and Hollywood Health Food Nuts!
The film is indeed on a festival winning streak, having garnered a total of 16 awards and nominations from the festival circuit, including “Best Comedy,” “Best of Festival," “Best Director” (England & Markham) and “Best Actress” (Markham) at Indie Fest USA. Earlier in 2014, the film also won “Best Comedy” at the New York City International Film Festival, and earned nominations for “Best US Narrative Feature” and “Best Actor” (England). At Idyllwild, the film also earned nominations for the Mary Austin Women in Film Awards for "Best Director" and "Best Screenplay" (Markham), and "Excellence in Producing" (Markham, Vaccaro and Bedard) at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in January.
A modern day "All in the Family," the film is a funny, sometimes poignant, look at a family divided by the contemporary political issues of our time. When Ron and Laura decide to film their protests, the “culture wars” land right in their own back yard — they find out their son is gay, and they lose their health insurance! “Ron and Laura Take Back America” draws its humor from sometimes painful realities, and sometimes, just plain silly wacky comedy!
One of the film’s stars and producers, Irene Bedard, known to audiences worldwide as the voice of Disney’s “Pocahontas” as well as playing ground-breaking roles in over forty films, has relished her involvement with the IIFC. Bedard is also the director of Idyllwild’s Native Film Studies Program, in its first year at the festival. “People are really enjoying the film, and we are so grateful it’s getting recognition,” says Bedard. She continues, "Ron and Laura Take Back America" is a film that not only is unique and daring as a political satire – but it’s also hilarious!”
The film is also executive produced by Tony® winning producer Sue Vaccaro (“Clybourne Park”), and produced by Jill Rothman (“Little Tin Man”), Jay Hopkins (“School of Their Own”) Kassi Crews (“A Better Place”) and Neal Rubinstein (Broadway’s “On the Town”).
About Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema
The Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema (IIFC) is an annual, competitive, independent film and arts festival held every January in Idyllwild, California. Founded in 2009, it's been called "the greatest little film festival on earth" by IndieFilm.com and described "like a mini Sundance" by The Hollywood Reporter. The festival runs in mid-January at various venues in Idyllwild, California, including the historic Rustic Theatre. For more information go to www.idyllwildcinemafest.com.
About “Ron and Laura Take Back America”
“Ron and Laura Take Back America” is a mockumentary satire about a suburban couple who decide to take their country back from Obamacare, Gay Marriage, and Hollywood Health Food Nuts! The feature film is a joint production of Vox Box Entertainment and Magical Iguana Productions, in association with Vaccaro Motion Pictures, and is executive produced by Janice Markham (“Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral”), Mel England (“Best Day Ever”) and Sue Vaccaro (Tony winner for “Clybourne Park”). The film is also produced by Jill Rothman (“Little Tin Man”), Jay Hopkins (“School of Their Own”) Kassi Crews (“A Better Place”) and Neal Rubinstein (Broadway’s “On the Town”)
Video Credits
VOX BOX ENTERTAINMENT & MAGICAL IGUANA PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH VACCARO MOTION PICTURES & SLEEPING LADY/WAKING GIANTS PRODUCTIONS
DIRECTED BY MEL ENGLAND & JANICE MARKHAM
WRITTEN BY JANICE MARKHAM & MEL ENGLAND
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS JANICE MARKHAM MEL ENGLAND SUE VACCARO JAY HOPKINS
PRODUCERS GIDEON MARKHAM ANTHONY WANDELL LUCAS KAMP JAY HOPKINS JILL ROTHMAN KASSI CREWS NEAL RUBINSTEIN
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY GIDEON MARKHAM
EDITOR CINDY PARISOTTO
CO-PRODUCERS IRENE BEDARD THOM DENOMME RAY & DIANE MAUTNER LILLY RUBINSTEIN
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS RACHELLE MASTERS MARC ALAN MINICK CARY HARRISON DAVID URBAN GHEN LARYA & JOY DABBS
Jay Hopkins
Greenwood Drive Entertainment
310.975.4162
Contact Jay via email
2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More