The Sundance Film Festival returned to Park City after a two-year virtual hiatus and that means the in-person awards ceremony returned as well. Well, sorta.
23.01.2023 - 04:07 / deadline.com
Theater Camp is a hilarious film by first time directors Molly Gordon (Booksmart), and Nick Lieberman. This was a collaborative effort between friends as it’s written by Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Nick Lieberman, and Noah Galvin. You can tell this is a labor of love because while it’s kooky, it’s full of vulnerability and earnestness.
The movie opens at AdirondACTS (located in the Adirondacks in upstate NY), a rundown theater camp founded by Joan (Amy Sedaris). While they’re readying for the summer session of kids to arrive, the staff is shocked to learn Joan has fallen ill. A diverse group of kids showed up, many of whom are unsure of their talents but the camp staff is worried that without their leader, they won’t be able to move on, but they do manage to finally pull it together to get these kids into shape. The AdirondACT crew is composed of a peculiar bunch of characters. Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon) are the theater director who teaches acting and singing; Glenn (Noah Galvin) is the in-house stage manager; Clive (Nathan Lee Graham) is the dance teacher who can’t stop talking about Studio 54; Gigi (Owen Thiele) who is in charge of costume design; Janet (Ayo Edebiri) doesn’t know what she’s doing; and Joan’s son Troy (Jimmy Tatro), a clout chasing himbo who inherited the camp from his mom.
The kids go through a skills gauntlet as the staff test each kid to examine their strengths and weaknesses to gauge where their talents are best suited. The staff decide that this year’s production will be Joan Still, a biographical musical about the camp’s former owner. While everyone gets fired up about the show, Troy has learned that the camp is set to be foreclosed since they are behind on taxes. Since
The Sundance Film Festival returned to Park City after a two-year virtual hiatus and that means the in-person awards ceremony returned as well. Well, sorta.
Written by Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill, “You People” takes a look at what happens when two very different families — one Black and one white — come together. Hill and Lauren London play a new couple whose relatives find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences.“You People” also marks Barris’ directorial debut.“You People” was released in select theaters on Jan.
Winter runway! Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway and more stars took over Sundance Film Festival 2023 — and made the event all about their stylish ensembles.
EXCLUSIVE: Searchlight Pictures is in final talks to acquire Theater Camp, in a worldwide deal that will land in the $8 million range, with a theatrical release guarantee. Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, the film stars Gordon and Ben Platt as longtime best friends who return to an upstate run down theater camp which is imperiled when its founder lapses into a coma due to an unfortunate strobe light incident. Her son takes over, and he tries to stave off foreclosure even though he initially has little interest in greasepaint and the boards. The project grew out of Booksmart, another Gloria Sanchez production. Elbaum & Ferrell produced with PictureStart’s Erik Feig (who financed), Samie Kim Falvey, Julia Hammer, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman, Noah Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman and Platt.
Searchlight has won a fierce bidding war for one of the buzziest Sundance crowd-pleasers. The Disney-owned distributor has closed a deal for the well-reviewed and well-received “Theater Camp,” with distribution rights going for around $10 million.
There is so much to appreciate about A.V. Rockwell’s A Thousand and One. The film chronicles the lives of native New Yorkers from 1994-2005, which was a period of transition in NYC. The atmosphere began to change, as stop and frisk was over-utilized, gentrification was displacing the people of Harlem at rapid speed, and the culture of the city gave way to sterilization. Now there are even fewer resources available, the wage gap is beyond repair and it’s unaffordable. Rockwell drew inspiration from this and created a coming-of-age story about finding an identity and chosen family.
PARK CITY – Listen, we’re not going to sit here while you read this review and pretend that we’re a musical theater expert. Sure, we may be The Playlist’s default gay/queer/LGBTQ+ critic, but “the stage” usually isn’t our thing.
The Persian Version, directed and written by Maryam Keshvarz stars Layla Mohammadi, and Niousha Noor as a mother and daughter at odds with one another.
Gloria Sanchez, the production partnership between Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum that ramped up after Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy ended their long partnership, today launches Theater Camp. Coming on the heels of the Apple TV+ musical Spirited, Theater Camp premieres shortly at Eccles as an acquisition title. Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, the film stars Gordon and Ben Platt as longtime best friends who return to an upstate run down theater camp which is imperiled when its founder lapses into a coma due to an unfortunate strobe light incident. Her son takes over, and he tries to stave off foreclosure even though he initially has little interest in greasepaint and the boards. The project grew out of Booksmart, another Gloria Sanchez production. Elbaum & Ferrell produced with PictureStart’s Erik Feig (who financed), Samie Kim Falvey, Julia Hammer, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman, Noah Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman and Platt.
EXCLUSIVE: Nielsen, the audience measurement, data and analytics organization unveiled today the findings of their case studies on Native content at a panel discussion in the Indigenous House at Sundance Film Festival, presented by , the Native woman-led social justice organization dedicated to building visibility and representation for Native peoples.
Written and directed by Nida Manzoor, Polite Society stars Priya Kansara (Bridgerton), Ritu Arya (Umbrella Academy) and Nimra Bucha (Disney+ Ms. Marvel). The Focus Features movie had its world premiere Friday in the Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival.
Magazine Dreams is a drama and second feature directed by Elijah Bynum, which stars Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylor Paige, and Harrison Page