The Miami Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 41st edition, including “Thelma,” starring June Squibb, opening the event and Tony Goldwyn’s “Ezra” as closing night selection.
Goldwyn will be honored at the festival with the Art of Light award along with Alison Brie, while Greg Kwedar, director of “Sing Sing,” will receive the Impact Award.
The festival runs April 5-14, with Goldwyn in attendance for the April 13 closing screening of “Ezra,” which stars Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg, and Rainn Wilson.
“This year’s lineup spotlights exciting narrative programming, essential documentaries, and groundbreaking shorts, bringing an unbelievable host of films to our local community,” said James Woolley, Executive Director. “The Miami Film Festival is delighted to welcome our audiences back for another year of incredible screenings and inspiring conversations.”
“We are thrilled to be bringing this incredible slate of diverse and exciting films to Miami,...
Goldwyn will be honored at the festival with the Art of Light award along with Alison Brie, while Greg Kwedar, director of “Sing Sing,” will receive the Impact Award.
The festival runs April 5-14, with Goldwyn in attendance for the April 13 closing screening of “Ezra,” which stars Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg, and Rainn Wilson.
“This year’s lineup spotlights exciting narrative programming, essential documentaries, and groundbreaking shorts, bringing an unbelievable host of films to our local community,” said James Woolley, Executive Director. “The Miami Film Festival is delighted to welcome our audiences back for another year of incredible screenings and inspiring conversations.”
“We are thrilled to be bringing this incredible slate of diverse and exciting films to Miami,...
- 3/7/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
How far will you go to deny your identity in order to be a somebody? What happens when you make a deal with a devil whom you might normally despise, but has transfixed much of an entire nation’s population? And how long can you will yourself to ignore evidence of the intolerable? These are just a few of the questions raised — sometimes with allusive finesse, sometimes with blunt-force impact — during “The Performance,” an enthralling period drama with often disquieting contemporary relevance.
If you have roamed through this cinematic territory before, you may discern in Shira Piven’s exceptional film traces of “Cabaret,” “Mephisto” and other tales of ambitious entertainers striving for the spotlight as Adolf Hitler’s shadow spreads over 1930s Germany. But this largely faithful adaptation and intelligent expansion of a 2002 short story by Arthur Miller ultimately stands on its own merits as both vivid historical recreation and riveting cautionary fable,...
If you have roamed through this cinematic territory before, you may discern in Shira Piven’s exceptional film traces of “Cabaret,” “Mephisto” and other tales of ambitious entertainers striving for the spotlight as Adolf Hitler’s shadow spreads over 1930s Germany. But this largely faithful adaptation and intelligent expansion of a 2002 short story by Arthur Miller ultimately stands on its own merits as both vivid historical recreation and riveting cautionary fable,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Vansh Luthra, who is known for his work in Czech film ‘Destination Paradise’, will soon be seen in the Hollywood film ‘The Performance’ in which he will share the screen with Primetime Emmy winning actor Jeremy Piven.
The story of the film revolves around a second-generation Jewish American dancer whose troupe is on tour in Europe and is scouted for a special performance for Adolf Hitler. The film also stars Robert Carlyle, Maimie McCoy and Lara wolf, and is directed by Shira Piven.
Describing his experience working with award-winning actor Jeremy Piven, he told: “It was really nice working with Jeremy, I also had an opportunity to talk to him and understand his process. He was very kind and willing to tell me some tricks and his style of approaching the work. Looking at him preparing for the scene was quite interesting, how he used his props and other...
The story of the film revolves around a second-generation Jewish American dancer whose troupe is on tour in Europe and is scouted for a special performance for Adolf Hitler. The film also stars Robert Carlyle, Maimie McCoy and Lara wolf, and is directed by Shira Piven.
Describing his experience working with award-winning actor Jeremy Piven, he told: “It was really nice working with Jeremy, I also had an opportunity to talk to him and understand his process. He was very kind and willing to tell me some tricks and his style of approaching the work. Looking at him preparing for the scene was quite interesting, how he used his props and other...
- 7/20/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
When it comes to comedy, "Saturday Night Live" is one of the best gigs an actor can get. The show has produced some of the biggest stars in the business: Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and many more. But that list of comedy greats isn't complete without Kristin Wiig, who was a cast member on "SNL" from 2005 to 2012. Wiig's work on the show resulted in some of the most memorable sketches of the 21st century. Who could forget Gilly, the overly-excited Sue, or the beloved Target Lady?
While she was on the show, Wiig began dipping her toe into feature films, with small parts in comedies like "Knocked Up" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Her biggest career moment came in 2011 with the release of "Bridesmaids," which she co-wrote and starred in alongside Maya Rudolph. Wiig also has a number of indie movies on her filmography, including...
While she was on the show, Wiig began dipping her toe into feature films, with small parts in comedies like "Knocked Up" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Her biggest career moment came in 2011 with the release of "Bridesmaids," which she co-wrote and starred in alongside Maya Rudolph. Wiig also has a number of indie movies on her filmography, including...
- 4/22/2023
- by Kira Deshler
- Slash Film
Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council) will host its fifth fundraising event, “Night of Comedy” in New York presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery.
The evening will bring incredible talent together in support of Nrdc’s ongoing work to fight climate change and protect public health, while offering comic relief during these challenging times.
Nrdc’s “Night of Comedy” will pay special tribute to Nrdc Honorary Trustee and Night of Comedy Founder, Anna Scott Carter, for her tremendous service on behalf of Nrdc and its mission to safeguard the earth and the natural systems on which all life depends.
The evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Seth Meyers and Mike Birbiglia, Michael Che, Chloe Fineman, Nick Kroll and Hasan Minhaj.
Night of Comedy founder Anna Scott Carter & Graydon Carter are joined by David & Pam Zaslav as National Co-Chairs. Other co-chairs include Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Claire Bernard, Jimmy and Jane Buffett,...
The evening will bring incredible talent together in support of Nrdc’s ongoing work to fight climate change and protect public health, while offering comic relief during these challenging times.
Nrdc’s “Night of Comedy” will pay special tribute to Nrdc Honorary Trustee and Night of Comedy Founder, Anna Scott Carter, for her tremendous service on behalf of Nrdc and its mission to safeguard the earth and the natural systems on which all life depends.
The evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Seth Meyers and Mike Birbiglia, Michael Che, Chloe Fineman, Nick Kroll and Hasan Minhaj.
Night of Comedy founder Anna Scott Carter & Graydon Carter are joined by David & Pam Zaslav as National Co-Chairs. Other co-chairs include Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Claire Bernard, Jimmy and Jane Buffett,...
- 9/2/2022
- Look to the Stars
Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council) will host its fifth fundraising event, “Night of Comedy”, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at Cipriani South Street, Casa Cipriani in New York.
The evening will pay special tribute to Nrdc Honorary Trustee and Night of Comedy Founder, Anna Scott Carter, for her tremendous service on behalf of Nrdc and its mission.
“Anna Scott Carter has helped shape a better future for us all,” said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of Nrdc. “She has dedicated much of her life to developing bold and creative strategies to broaden environmental awareness and bring about change. Her innovation and commitment to protecting our planet are only matched by the overwhelming warmth, joy, and generosity she brings to the table every day. We are fortunate to have her as part of our Nrdc family.”
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Seth Meyers and Hasan Minhaj,...
The evening will pay special tribute to Nrdc Honorary Trustee and Night of Comedy Founder, Anna Scott Carter, for her tremendous service on behalf of Nrdc and its mission.
“Anna Scott Carter has helped shape a better future for us all,” said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of Nrdc. “She has dedicated much of her life to developing bold and creative strategies to broaden environmental awareness and bring about change. Her innovation and commitment to protecting our planet are only matched by the overwhelming warmth, joy, and generosity she brings to the table every day. We are fortunate to have her as part of our Nrdc family.”
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Seth Meyers and Hasan Minhaj,...
- 7/27/2022
- Look to the Stars
Amid a host of lawsuits by foreign productions looking to recoup money from Romania’s beleaguered cash rebate system, industry insiders say the situation has reached a crisis point, with one leading U.K. financier and executive producer warning that the government runs the risk of “obliterating foreign direct investment” into Romania if a resolution isn’t reached in the coming weeks.
Nearly a dozen lawsuits are currently active in the Romanian court system, which last month ordered the government to pay roughly 642,000 plus legal fees to the producers of “The World to Come” (pictured), writer-director Mona Fastvold’s romantic frontier drama starring Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston, which filmed in Romania in 2019. The government has appealed the ruling.
The U.K. financier, who has two decades of experience in the country, says that an impasse now dragging into its third year has caused “immense reputational damage” to both the government and the industry.
Nearly a dozen lawsuits are currently active in the Romanian court system, which last month ordered the government to pay roughly 642,000 plus legal fees to the producers of “The World to Come” (pictured), writer-director Mona Fastvold’s romantic frontier drama starring Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston, which filmed in Romania in 2019. The government has appealed the ruling.
The U.K. financier, who has two decades of experience in the country, says that an impasse now dragging into its third year has caused “immense reputational damage” to both the government and the industry.
- 6/27/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Earlier this week, Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council) hosted its first-ever Los Angeles fundraising comedy event, “Night of Comedy” at NeueHouse Hollywood.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts an award onstage during the Nrdc Night of Comedy Benefit
Credit/Copyright: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Nrdc
The evening honored Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian, producer and Nrdc Trustee Julia Louis Dreyfus for her extraordinary commitment and service to the planet.
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up included renowned comedians Nicole Byer, Pete Holmes, Leslie Jones, Nick Kroll and Tig Notaro, all of whom came together in support of Nrdc’s on-going work to fight climate change and protect public health. The evening helped to raise awareness for the need to keep fighting for our future—but offer welcome comic relief during these challenging times. Other notable guests included Tony Hale, Baratunde Thurston, Mitch Glazer, Kelly Lynch, Brian Grazer, among others.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts an award onstage during the Nrdc Night of Comedy Benefit
Credit/Copyright: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Nrdc
The evening honored Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian, producer and Nrdc Trustee Julia Louis Dreyfus for her extraordinary commitment and service to the planet.
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up included renowned comedians Nicole Byer, Pete Holmes, Leslie Jones, Nick Kroll and Tig Notaro, all of whom came together in support of Nrdc’s on-going work to fight climate change and protect public health. The evening helped to raise awareness for the need to keep fighting for our future—but offer welcome comic relief during these challenging times. Other notable guests included Tony Hale, Baratunde Thurston, Mitch Glazer, Kelly Lynch, Brian Grazer, among others.
- 6/10/2022
- Look to the Stars
The pre-wwii drama is being offered at the Cannes market.
Producers of pre-World War II drama The Performance have released new stills of the film, which is being offered this week in the Cannes market.
Shira Piven directed and co-wrote the script, based on an Arthur Miller short story, with Josh Salzberg. Jeremy Piven and Robert Carlyle star in the story of a second-generation Jewish American dancer whose troupe is on tour in Europe and is scouted for a special performance for Adolf Hitler.
Daniel Finkelman of Sparks Next produced the film - shot in Slovakia and in post-production in...
Producers of pre-World War II drama The Performance have released new stills of the film, which is being offered this week in the Cannes market.
Shira Piven directed and co-wrote the script, based on an Arthur Miller short story, with Josh Salzberg. Jeremy Piven and Robert Carlyle star in the story of a second-generation Jewish American dancer whose troupe is on tour in Europe and is scouted for a special performance for Adolf Hitler.
Daniel Finkelman of Sparks Next produced the film - shot in Slovakia and in post-production in...
- 5/24/2022
- ScreenDaily
Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council) will host its fundraising comedy event, “Night of Comedy” in Los Angeles for the first time, on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at NeueHouse Hollywood.
The evening will honor Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian, producer and Nrdc Trustee Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her extraordinary commitment and service to the planet.
“In this critical year for climate progress—the support of these comedy all-stars is more important than ever,” said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Julia is an extraordinary advocate for the planet, using her voice to raise awareness about the gravity of climate change and providing hope by highlighting solutions. She is a cherished part of the Nrdc family, and we are honored to work together to build a cleaner, healthier and more just world.”
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Chelsea Handler, Leslie Jones,...
The evening will honor Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian, producer and Nrdc Trustee Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her extraordinary commitment and service to the planet.
“In this critical year for climate progress—the support of these comedy all-stars is more important than ever,” said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of Nrdc (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Julia is an extraordinary advocate for the planet, using her voice to raise awareness about the gravity of climate change and providing hope by highlighting solutions. She is a cherished part of the Nrdc family, and we are honored to work together to build a cleaner, healthier and more just world.”
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the evening’s line-up will include renowned comedians Chelsea Handler, Leslie Jones,...
- 5/9/2022
- Look to the Stars
It's the eve of the midterm elections, and Adam McKay is feeling optimistic about the Democrats' prospects of taking back the house.
Still, the SNL writer turned Oscar-winning filmmaker insists he is not throwing a results-viewing party with his Hollywood friends, even as I spot an assistant carrying supplies from Whole Foods into his West Hollywood offices. Instead, McKay, looking like a college professor with a corduroy jacket and scarf, says he is planning to hang out at his house with his wife, director Shira Piven (Jeremy's sister), their two daughters and his mother-in-law, and together they will "...
Still, the SNL writer turned Oscar-winning filmmaker insists he is not throwing a results-viewing party with his Hollywood friends, even as I spot an assistant carrying supplies from Whole Foods into his West Hollywood offices. Instead, McKay, looking like a college professor with a corduroy jacket and scarf, says he is planning to hang out at his house with his wife, director Shira Piven (Jeremy's sister), their two daughters and his mother-in-law, and together they will "...
- 11/19/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It's the eve of the midterm elections, and Adam McKay is feeling optimistic about the Democrats' prospects of taking back the house.
Still, the SNL writer turned Oscar-winning filmmaker insists he is not throwing a results-viewing party with his Hollywood friends, even as I spot an assistant carrying supplies from Whole Foods into his West Hollywood offices. Instead, McKay, looking like a college professor with a corduroy jacket and scarf, says he is planning to hang out at his house with his wife, director Shira Piven (Jeremy's sister), their two daughters and his mother-in-law, and together they will "...
Still, the SNL writer turned Oscar-winning filmmaker insists he is not throwing a results-viewing party with his Hollywood friends, even as I spot an assistant carrying supplies from Whole Foods into his West Hollywood offices. Instead, McKay, looking like a college professor with a corduroy jacket and scarf, says he is planning to hang out at his house with his wife, director Shira Piven (Jeremy's sister), their two daughters and his mother-in-law, and together they will "...
- 11/19/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
When Tess first entered Simone’s New York studio in Sunday’s Sweetbitter, she — and viewers — couldn’t help but notice an odd furniture choice, right there in the center of the living space: a functioning bathtub, mere steps from the front door.
The set dressing — taken straight from the source material novel — may seem like a whimsical flourish in the apartment of a character who prides herself on being rather practical. But it was based on an actual Brooklyn rental in which author Stephanie Danler, who wrote the book on which the Starz series is based, once lived.
“I...
The set dressing — taken straight from the source material novel — may seem like a whimsical flourish in the apartment of a character who prides herself on being rather practical. But it was based on an actual Brooklyn rental in which author Stephanie Danler, who wrote the book on which the Starz series is based, once lived.
“I...
- 5/28/2018
- TVLine.com
A mentally ill woman’s lottery win sees her become the star of her own televised life in a sharp, sympathetic black comedy
Lifting TV riffs from The Truman Show and To Die For (with a creepy touch of Videodrome), this black comedy casts Kristen Wiig as the habitually unstable Alice Klieg whose $86m lottery win allows her to turn her life into a television show – literally. Having not turned her own TV set off for over a decade, Alice pays a failing shopping channel to give her a show which is “like Oprah”, but without the guests and with only one topic of discussion; herself. Baring her soul through burger-cake cookery classes, live dog neutering, am-dram re-enactments of childhood slights, and (most importantly) “more swans”, Alice attracts cult attention and lawsuits in equal measure. To her great credit, Wiig manages to make Alice both engaging and annoying without ever rendering her ridiculous,...
Lifting TV riffs from The Truman Show and To Die For (with a creepy touch of Videodrome), this black comedy casts Kristen Wiig as the habitually unstable Alice Klieg whose $86m lottery win allows her to turn her life into a television show – literally. Having not turned her own TV set off for over a decade, Alice pays a failing shopping channel to give her a show which is “like Oprah”, but without the guests and with only one topic of discussion; herself. Baring her soul through burger-cake cookery classes, live dog neutering, am-dram re-enactments of childhood slights, and (most importantly) “more swans”, Alice attracts cult attention and lawsuits in equal measure. To her great credit, Wiig manages to make Alice both engaging and annoying without ever rendering her ridiculous,...
- 3/27/2016
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
★★★★☆ Mental health is a tricky topic to tackle sensitively in film, no less so when that particular film is a comedy. Shira Piven's Welcome to Me achieves the impossible in delivering laughs all the while carving out a central character with a disorder who's not only well defined, but also an honest reflection on what it is to be off-centre. Kristen Wiig stars as Alice Klieg, an unemployed and single sufferer of borderline personality disorder who hides away, thriving off watching old recordings of Oprah episodes. When she unexpectedly wins $86M in the California Stacks sweepstakes, she fires her therapist and moves out of her colour-coordinated apartment and into a casino.
- 3/23/2016
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Exclusive: Parody comedy Fifty Shades Of Black and Kristen Wiig-starring Welcome To Me both included in deal.
Vertigo Releasing has penned a six-picture DVD distribution deal with indie outfit Signature Entertainment.
The first film to be released under the new partnership will be Shira Piven’s comedy-drama Welcome To Me [pictured], starring Kristen Wiig, which will hit shelves on May 9.
The deal also includes Fifty Shades Of Black, Michael Tiddes’ Fifty Shades Of Grey parody, and Arild Fröhlich Norwegian-German comedy Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder.
Further titles are Benjamin Rocher’s Jean Reno-starring The Sweeney: Paris; Steven Gomez’s action sci-fi Kill Command; and Isabel Coixet’s Learning To Drive, starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley
Rupert Preston of Vertigo inked the initial deal with Marc Goldberg of Signature, with the potential for future deals on the near horizon.
Vertigo Releasing has penned a six-picture DVD distribution deal with indie outfit Signature Entertainment.
The first film to be released under the new partnership will be Shira Piven’s comedy-drama Welcome To Me [pictured], starring Kristen Wiig, which will hit shelves on May 9.
The deal also includes Fifty Shades Of Black, Michael Tiddes’ Fifty Shades Of Grey parody, and Arild Fröhlich Norwegian-German comedy Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder.
Further titles are Benjamin Rocher’s Jean Reno-starring The Sweeney: Paris; Steven Gomez’s action sci-fi Kill Command; and Isabel Coixet’s Learning To Drive, starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley
Rupert Preston of Vertigo inked the initial deal with Marc Goldberg of Signature, with the potential for future deals on the near horizon.
- 2/10/2016
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Parody comedy Fifty Shades Of Black and Kristen Wiig-starring Welcome To Me both included in deal.
Vertigo Releasing has penned a six-picture DVD distribution deal with indie outfit Signature Entertainment.
The first film to be released under the new partnership will be Shira Piven’s comedy-drama Welcome To Me [pictured], starring Kristen Wiig, which will hit shelves on May 9.
The deal also includes Fifty Shades Of Black, Michael Tiddes’ Fifty Shades Of Grey parody, and Arild Fröhlich Norwegian-German comedy Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder.
Further titles are Benjamin Rocher’s Jean Reno-starring The Sweeney: Paris; Steven Gomez’s action sci-fi Kill Command; and Isabel Coixet’s Learning To Drive, starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley
Rupert Preston of Vertigo inked the initial deal with Marc Goldberg of Signature, with the potential for future deals on the near horizon.
Vertigo Releasing has penned a six-picture DVD distribution deal with indie outfit Signature Entertainment.
The first film to be released under the new partnership will be Shira Piven’s comedy-drama Welcome To Me [pictured], starring Kristen Wiig, which will hit shelves on May 9.
The deal also includes Fifty Shades Of Black, Michael Tiddes’ Fifty Shades Of Grey parody, and Arild Fröhlich Norwegian-German comedy Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder.
Further titles are Benjamin Rocher’s Jean Reno-starring The Sweeney: Paris; Steven Gomez’s action sci-fi Kill Command; and Isabel Coixet’s Learning To Drive, starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley
Rupert Preston of Vertigo inked the initial deal with Marc Goldberg of Signature, with the potential for future deals on the near horizon.
- 2/10/2016
- ScreenDaily
Sometimes 10-year-olds know what's best - for movie audiences, that is. While The Big Short director Adam McKay deserves much of the credit for his film's Screen Actor's Guild and Oscar-nominated success - particularly the way in which he cleverly presented the complicated story of the 2008 financial crisis to general audiences - McKay's younger daughter Pearl played a key role in the film's development. Yes, that Pearl, the adorable cursing toddler from McKay and Will Ferrell's viral Landlord video on their website, FunnyOrDie. McKay says he runs all of his movie ideas by his family - wife Shira Piven,...
- 1/27/2016
- by Kara Warner, @karawarner
- PEOPLE.com
Sometimes 10-year-olds know what's best - for movie audiences, that is. While The Big Short director Adam McKay deserves much of the credit for his film's Screen Actor's Guild and Oscar-nominated success - particularly the way in which he cleverly presented the complicated story of the 2008 financial crisis to general audiences - McKay's younger daughter Pearl played a key role in the film's development. Yes, that Pearl, the adorable cursing toddler from McKay and Will Ferrell's viral Landlord video on their website, FunnyOrDie. McKay says he runs all of his movie ideas by his family - wife Shira Piven,...
- 1/27/2016
- by Kara Warner, @karawarner
- PEOPLE.com
This is definitely the time of year when film critic types (I’m sure you know who I mean) spend an inordinate amount of time leading up to awards season—and it all leads up to awards season, don’t it?—compiling lists and trying to convince anyone who will listen that it was a shitty year at the movies for anyone who liked something other than what they saw and liked. And ‘tis the season, or at least ‘thas (?) been in the recent past, for that most beloved of academic parlor games, bemoaning the death of cinema, which, if the sackcloth-and-ashes-clad among us are to be believed, is an increasingly detached and irrelevant art form in the process of being smothered under the wet, steaming blanket of American blockbuster-it is. And it’s going all malnourished from the siphoning off of all the talent back to TV, which, as everyone knows,...
- 1/9/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
When Catherine Hardwicke was first tapped to helm the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s “Saga” starter “Twilight,” the film was pegged as an indie romance with a small-to-mid-sized budget and zero expectation of the cultural phenom (read: loot machine) the series would eventually become. But the film — yes, sparkly vampires and all — wound up raking in almost $400 million, more than ten times the production budget, and kicked off a five-movie franchise equipped with one of the most dedicated fanbases the entertainment world has ever known. So, you might think that the door would be held wide open for her when studios start combing the director pool for just about anything, but that’s just not the case. And, as humorously depicted in this “Funny or Die” sketch featuring Hardwicke and four other accomplished female directors — including Shira Piven (“Welcome to Me”), Nisha Ganatra (“Transparent”), Nicole Holofcenter (“Enough Said”) and Anne Fletcher...
- 8/26/2015
- by thetwilightexaminer
- Twilight Examiner
The Real Reason Women Don’t Direct More Action Movies from Funny Or Die
Patty Jenkins is going to find herself in very select company when she gets the opportunity to direct Wonder Woman come 2017. She’s a woman in a largely boys’ club when it comes to superhero films. And yet contemporaries like Michelle MacClaren and Ava DuVernay were all rumored to join into the superhero fun, only to leave their respective projects due to “creative differences”.
We can only imagine what that might mean, and Funny or Die seems to have done that for us, taking us inside the board room with meetings with female directors like Catherine Hardwick (Twilight), Shira Piven (Welcome to Me), Nisha Ganatra (Transparent), Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said), and Anne Fletcher (Hot Pursuit). I mean, bro, can’t you just make it go “Kaboom”?
Watch the video above.
The post Votd: Here’s why...
Patty Jenkins is going to find herself in very select company when she gets the opportunity to direct Wonder Woman come 2017. She’s a woman in a largely boys’ club when it comes to superhero films. And yet contemporaries like Michelle MacClaren and Ava DuVernay were all rumored to join into the superhero fun, only to leave their respective projects due to “creative differences”.
We can only imagine what that might mean, and Funny or Die seems to have done that for us, taking us inside the board room with meetings with female directors like Catherine Hardwick (Twilight), Shira Piven (Welcome to Me), Nisha Ganatra (Transparent), Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said), and Anne Fletcher (Hot Pursuit). I mean, bro, can’t you just make it go “Kaboom”?
Watch the video above.
The post Votd: Here’s why...
- 8/25/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Funny Or Die has always produced topical content, but their latest short might just be one of their most spot-on satires yet, mostly due to the direct involvement of some of the industry's leading female directors. Read More: No More Excuses: Hollywood Needs to Hire More Female Directors Entitled "The Real Reason Women Don't Direct More Action Movies," the two-and-a-half-minute web video depicts a group of talented filmmakers -- Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight"), Shira Piven ("Welcome to Me"), Nisha Ganatra ("Transparent"), Nicole Holofcener ("Enough Said") and Anne Fletcher ("The Proposal") -- who can't seem to land a directing gig for the upcoming action sequel, "Super Cops 4." In a pitch meeting for the job with a trio of immature businessmen, including "New Girl" star Max Greenfield, the women all provide sensible answers to their ludicrous questions ("'Twilight made $400 million...
- 8/25/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
A sort of miracle. A black comedy about a not-well woman saving herself is a savage satire on a not-well world that doesn’t realize anything’s wrong. I’m “biast” (pro): love Kristen Wiig
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Everyone wants to be on TV,” Alice Klieg firmly believes, and this is a supposition about our world that is difficult to disprove. It’s also a supposition that is easy to send up… but Welcome to Me does not take that easy road. It takes a uncomfortable road paved with raw, uncensored emotion that is startling for the portrait it creates of the woman at its center — one of the more realistic depictions of mental illness I’ve seen, though I cannot claim to have a lot of direct experience of the particular affliction she is coping with...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Everyone wants to be on TV,” Alice Klieg firmly believes, and this is a supposition about our world that is difficult to disprove. It’s also a supposition that is easy to send up… but Welcome to Me does not take that easy road. It takes a uncomfortable road paved with raw, uncensored emotion that is startling for the portrait it creates of the woman at its center — one of the more realistic depictions of mental illness I’ve seen, though I cannot claim to have a lot of direct experience of the particular affliction she is coping with...
- 6/21/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
"Come on, not the crazy bitch." -- Dawn Hurley (Joan Cusack) in "Welcome to Me" Shira Piven's "Welcome to Me" has been in limited theaters and on iTunes since the first of the month, and it's racked up praise from a number of critics, including Variety's Justin Chang ("A strange and often startlingly inspired media/mental-illness comedy") and the New York Times' A.O. Scott ("Defies expectations and easy categorization, forgoing obvious laughs and cheap emotional payoffs in favor of something much odder and more interesting"). Given that this is one of the few movies ever to specifically name Borderline Personality Disorder (Bpd) as the cause of its lead character's troubles, I wanted to be on board with it. I really, really wanted to be. I'm no Bpd expert, but I've tried my best to educate myself on what is an extremely complex, destructive, deadly (the suicide rate of patients...
- 5/21/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Title: Welcome To Me Alchemy Director: Shira Piven Writer: Eliot Laurence Cast: Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Linda Cardellini, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Wes Bentley, Alan Tudyk, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack Running time: 105 min, Rated R (sexual content, some graphic nudity, language) In Theaters May 1, 2015 Alice Klieg is a woman who’s obsessed with Oprah. She has a wall of videotaped shows that she knows by heart. She has borderline personality disorder, and has no inner censor. She hasn’t turned off her TV in 11 years. She wakes up at about noon-thirty every day and walks down to the corner store to buy a copy of O magazine and a [ Read More ]
The post Welcome To Me Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Welcome To Me Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/15/2015
- by juliana
- ShockYa
Kristen Wiig continues to flex her dramatic chops in her latest starring vehicle Welcome to Me, in which she plays Alice, a woman with borderline personality disorder who wins the lottery and becomes a multi-millionaire overnight. With the means and opportunity to finally break from her carefully regimented lifestyle, consisting of medication, therapy and endless episodes of Oprah, Alice funnels her winnings into transforming into the next big talk show host.
Photo by Suzanne Hanover, courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society.
The film’s director, Shira Piven, was on hand at the 58th San Francisco International Film Festival to discuss the dramedy’s themes and the process of making it. Originally conceived as a pilot by writer Eliot Laurence, the initial script piqued Piven’s interest so much that she implored him to re-work it as a screenplay. The result is a light-hearted film that balances a touchy subject with fine-tuned performances.
Photo by Suzanne Hanover, courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society.
The film’s director, Shira Piven, was on hand at the 58th San Francisco International Film Festival to discuss the dramedy’s themes and the process of making it. Originally conceived as a pilot by writer Eliot Laurence, the initial script piqued Piven’s interest so much that she implored him to re-work it as a screenplay. The result is a light-hearted film that balances a touchy subject with fine-tuned performances.
- 5/9/2015
- by Misa Shikuma
- SoundOnSight
Welcome To Me opens in St. Louis May 8th exclusively at The Hi-Pointe Theater
Bill Murray called Welcome To Me “one of the boldest and strangest comedies I’ve ever seen.”
In Welcome To Me, directed by Shira Piven—co-starring Linda Cardellini, Tim Robbins, Wes Bentley, Joan Cusack, and James Marsden—Kristen Wiig plays Alice Kleig, a woman with a borderline personality disorder who wins $86 million in the lottery and decides to buy her own talk show.
We Are Movie Geeks did not get a chance to see Welcome To Me in advance, but the critics who did are impressed:
Andrew O’Hehir at Salon.com calls Welcome To Me:
“Malicious, hilarious and heartbreaking … one of the biggest movie surprises of 2015 so far.”
Travis Hopson at Examiner.com says Welcome To Me is
“….hilariously wacky and touching….a showcase for what Wiig can do when put front and center.
Bill Murray called Welcome To Me “one of the boldest and strangest comedies I’ve ever seen.”
In Welcome To Me, directed by Shira Piven—co-starring Linda Cardellini, Tim Robbins, Wes Bentley, Joan Cusack, and James Marsden—Kristen Wiig plays Alice Kleig, a woman with a borderline personality disorder who wins $86 million in the lottery and decides to buy her own talk show.
We Are Movie Geeks did not get a chance to see Welcome To Me in advance, but the critics who did are impressed:
Andrew O’Hehir at Salon.com calls Welcome To Me:
“Malicious, hilarious and heartbreaking … one of the biggest movie surprises of 2015 so far.”
Travis Hopson at Examiner.com says Welcome To Me is
“….hilariously wacky and touching….a showcase for what Wiig can do when put front and center.
- 5/7/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Kristen Wiig is a master of uncomfortable comedy. The actress’s SNL characters pushed past the boundaries of social awkwardness, from career one-upper Penelope to mischievous weirdo Gilly, and her theatrical roles have found her tackling topics most people find inherently unfunny, from mental breakdowns (Girl Most Likely) to suicide (The Skeleton Twins), in films almost too dark to even qualify as dramedies. Wiig’s latest, Welcome to Me, also defies categorization.
An alternately sobering and amusing depiction of mental illness, it’s an entire film about a person you wouldn’t want to spend more than a minute alone in a room with. Alice Klieg (Wiig) is a lonely woman suffering from dissociative personality disorder who passes most days watching Oprah and a VHS collection of infomercials. She’s utterly mesmerized by the idea that anyone can succeed in life, provided they believe in themselves whole-heartedly, so much so...
An alternately sobering and amusing depiction of mental illness, it’s an entire film about a person you wouldn’t want to spend more than a minute alone in a room with. Alice Klieg (Wiig) is a lonely woman suffering from dissociative personality disorder who passes most days watching Oprah and a VHS collection of infomercials. She’s utterly mesmerized by the idea that anyone can succeed in life, provided they believe in themselves whole-heartedly, so much so...
- 5/2/2015
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Courtesy of the San Francisco Film Society.
The New Girlfriend
Written & Directed by François Ozon
France, 2014
The latest from prolific French auteur François Ozon opens on a somber note as Claire (Anaïs Demoustier) recounts her lifelong friendship with the deceased Laura (Isild Le Besco), whose untimely death has left her grieving husband David (Romain Duris) alone with their infant daughter. Shortly after the funeral, Claire checks in on the widower and finds him all made up, wearing Laura’s dress and a blonde wig to boot. Promising not to tell her husband Gilles (Raphaël Personnaz) about David’s cross-dressing, Claire finds herself entering uncharted territory with her late friend’s husband and no one to confide in. Beautifully shot with an eye for the little details that we associate with femininity, the film is as much an exploration of the rituals and meanings of female friendships as it is of gender,...
The New Girlfriend
Written & Directed by François Ozon
France, 2014
The latest from prolific French auteur François Ozon opens on a somber note as Claire (Anaïs Demoustier) recounts her lifelong friendship with the deceased Laura (Isild Le Besco), whose untimely death has left her grieving husband David (Romain Duris) alone with their infant daughter. Shortly after the funeral, Claire checks in on the widower and finds him all made up, wearing Laura’s dress and a blonde wig to boot. Promising not to tell her husband Gilles (Raphaël Personnaz) about David’s cross-dressing, Claire finds herself entering uncharted territory with her late friend’s husband and no one to confide in. Beautifully shot with an eye for the little details that we associate with femininity, the film is as much an exploration of the rituals and meanings of female friendships as it is of gender,...
- 5/1/2015
- by Misa Shikuma
- SoundOnSight
Broadcast Blues: Wiig’s Amusing Portrait of Mental Illness
Mental illness collides with reality TV inspired media for Shira Piven’s generally pleasurable oddity, Welcome to Me, granting Kristen Wiig her best solo semi-dramatic role to date. That’s not to say that the film is always successful on every front, as the film’s zany implausibility, while often funny, eschews the melancholy reality of its own broken heart. But some may be perfectly fine with Piven’s and screenwriter Eliot Laurence’s inability to make borderline personality disorder seem more than the basis for an entertaining scenario. Yet the film digs so deeply into its own batty delights that moments sometimes reserved for more sobering reflection don’t resonate with any sort of dramatic impact.
Alice Klieg (Wiig), a woman suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, wins $86 million dollars at the lottery, which allows her to stop depending on disability...
Mental illness collides with reality TV inspired media for Shira Piven’s generally pleasurable oddity, Welcome to Me, granting Kristen Wiig her best solo semi-dramatic role to date. That’s not to say that the film is always successful on every front, as the film’s zany implausibility, while often funny, eschews the melancholy reality of its own broken heart. But some may be perfectly fine with Piven’s and screenwriter Eliot Laurence’s inability to make borderline personality disorder seem more than the basis for an entertaining scenario. Yet the film digs so deeply into its own batty delights that moments sometimes reserved for more sobering reflection don’t resonate with any sort of dramatic impact.
Alice Klieg (Wiig), a woman suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, wins $86 million dollars at the lottery, which allows her to stop depending on disability...
- 4/29/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Welcome To Me Alchemy Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for Shockya. Databased on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: B+ Director: Shira Piven Screenwriter: Eliot Laurence Cast: Kristen Wiig, Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Mann, James Marsden, Tim Robbins, Alan Tudyk Screened at: Review 1, NYC, 4/14/15 Opens: May 1, 2015 Since everyone wants to be happy, a leading question that everybody asks is: “Does money buy happiness?” A recent assortment of self-help books conclude that up to a certain amount, say $75,000 annually in a big U.S. city, an increase in dollars will create an increase in happiness. The surprise, though, is that any increase of [ Read More ]
The post Welcome to Me Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Welcome to Me Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/27/2015
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Kristen Wiig's work in "Welcome To Me" is pretty terrific, and she pulls off something that could have easily blown up in her face. She plays a character who is deeply, profoundly mentally ill in a film that is funny and sad in equal measure without ever taking a cheap or sensational approach to whatever it is that's wrong with her. Not easy. Today, we've got an exclusive clip from the film for you, and I'll set it up by saying that the movie is about a woman who is obsessed with Oprah and her show. She tapes and watches all of the episodes, over and over, memorizing them. When she wins a massive lottery prize, she contracts a small local public access station to produce 100 episodes of her very own Oprah-like talk show. It is much stranger than it sounds, if you can believe that. I like the film a lot,...
- 4/15/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
What happens when a young woman with Borderline Personality Disorder wins the lottery?
In the case of Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig), she quits her psychiatric meds and buys her own talk show. Inspired by the immortal Oprah, she broadcasts her dirty laundry as both a form of exhibitionism and a platform to share her peculiar views on everything from nutrition to relationships to neutering pets.
Watch the trailer for Welcome To Me, directed by Shira Piven from an original screenplay by Eliot Laurence.
Wiig was intrigued by how real the bizarre and darkly-‐funny script felt, which she says made the “comedic parts even more funny and the dramatic parts more amazing.”
She hopes that the audience will have the same love-‐hate relationship with the character that she does. “You feel sorry for Alice and at the same time, you totally get why people are frustrated with her, and...
In the case of Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig), she quits her psychiatric meds and buys her own talk show. Inspired by the immortal Oprah, she broadcasts her dirty laundry as both a form of exhibitionism and a platform to share her peculiar views on everything from nutrition to relationships to neutering pets.
Watch the trailer for Welcome To Me, directed by Shira Piven from an original screenplay by Eliot Laurence.
Wiig was intrigued by how real the bizarre and darkly-‐funny script felt, which she says made the “comedic parts even more funny and the dramatic parts more amazing.”
She hopes that the audience will have the same love-‐hate relationship with the character that she does. “You feel sorry for Alice and at the same time, you totally get why people are frustrated with her, and...
- 2/27/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The first trailer for Kristen Wiig's comedy Welcome To Me has been released.
The film follows Alice Klieg (Wiig), a massive Oprah Winfrey fan with Borderline Personality Disorder, who wins $86 million in the lottery.
Alice decides to buy herself a talkshow with her winnings, and soon finds her fame increasing as she shares all of her thoughts and opinions on subjects from food to relationships.
James Marsden, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack and Wes Bentley also star in the Toronto Film Festival hit, produced by the likes of Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Wiig.
The film has been directed by Shira Piven, a writer-filmmaker who has also acted in Step Brothers and Bob Roberts.
Welcome To Me is released in the Us on May 1.
The film follows Alice Klieg (Wiig), a massive Oprah Winfrey fan with Borderline Personality Disorder, who wins $86 million in the lottery.
Alice decides to buy herself a talkshow with her winnings, and soon finds her fame increasing as she shares all of her thoughts and opinions on subjects from food to relationships.
James Marsden, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack and Wes Bentley also star in the Toronto Film Festival hit, produced by the likes of Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Wiig.
The film has been directed by Shira Piven, a writer-filmmaker who has also acted in Step Brothers and Bob Roberts.
Welcome To Me is released in the Us on May 1.
- 2/21/2015
- Digital Spy
Welcome To Me stars Kristen Wiig as Alice, a fame-obsessed woman with borderline personality disorder who after winning $86 million in the lottery, decides to spend the money on a TV show about herself. Eventually she must decide whether celebrity and recognition really brings happiness. James Marsden, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Wes Bentley and Linda Cardellini also star. Shira Piven directs and Eliot Laurence wrote the script for the pic, a Bron…...
- 2/21/2015
- Deadline
You may recall a few weeks back we brought you the leaked teaser for Kristen Wiig’s latest comedy, Welcome To Me, which was shortly thereafter taken down by the studio. Today, we bring you news of its return! Millennium Entertainment has now debuted the first official trailer for the dramedy, and you can check it out above.
Welcome To Me is directed by Shira Piven and written by Eliot Laurence. It follows Wiig’s borderline personality sufferer, Alice Klieg, who wins the lottery. Bypassing typical human desires when faced with the onset of mass wealth, Alice buys her own talk show. As her medical condition persists, the nature of her show sees her becoming something of a cult celebrity, whose show slowly rises in the TV rankings.
After having seen that preliminary leaked trailer – which may have been intended for industry usage and not public eyes – this latest version differs in tone.
Welcome To Me is directed by Shira Piven and written by Eliot Laurence. It follows Wiig’s borderline personality sufferer, Alice Klieg, who wins the lottery. Bypassing typical human desires when faced with the onset of mass wealth, Alice buys her own talk show. As her medical condition persists, the nature of her show sees her becoming something of a cult celebrity, whose show slowly rises in the TV rankings.
After having seen that preliminary leaked trailer – which may have been intended for industry usage and not public eyes – this latest version differs in tone.
- 2/20/2015
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
Coming out of "Saturday Night Live" and into the movie world is not an easy path (ask Joe Piscopo, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Norm MacDonald... you get the idea... ) but you have to admire how Kristen Wiig has used the opportunities that have landed in front of her. After the breakout smash "Bridesmaids," she resisted the idea of jumping into a sequel, and instead diversified with lots of indie pictures, hitting Sundance last month with two more ("Nasty Baby," "The Diary Of A Teenage Girl"). Oh sure, she's not adverse to big studio projects (hello, "Ghostbusters") but arguably, it's her work in smaller movies that's far more interesting. And so today comes another trailer for just one of those movies, "Welcome To Me." Directed by Shira Piven, and co-starring James Marsden, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Wes Bentley, Tim Robbins, Alan Tudyk, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and more, the story follows thirty-something,...
- 2/20/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
During the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, we highlighted what seemed to be the first trailer for the comedy Welcome to Me starring Kristen Wiig. However, that turned out to be a sales trailer for the film while it was still looking for distribution, and it was taken down. But now the real, official trailer for the film has surfaced as the film has been set to arrive in limited theaters in May. In the film Wiig plays a woman with borderline personality disorder who manages to get her own show on a local TV network after she wins the lottery jackpot. It looks like a fun, quirky showcase for Wiig but there's a great supporting cast too. Watch! Here's the official first trailer for Shira Piven's Welcome to Me from YouTube: Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig) suffers from borderline personality disorder, and though she manages it fairly well, past tumult has...
- 2/20/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Sneak Peek footage from director Shira Piven's comedy feature "Welcome To Me", starring Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Linda Cardellini and Wes Bentley, opening May 1, 2015:
"...a woman with borderline personality disorder wins the lottery and decides to spend the cash on her own cable access talk show, where her larger-than-life personality and obsession with being famous begins to alienate her friends and family..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Welcome To Me"...
"...a woman with borderline personality disorder wins the lottery and decides to spend the cash on her own cable access talk show, where her larger-than-life personality and obsession with being famous begins to alienate her friends and family..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Welcome To Me"...
- 2/13/2015
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Now that Kristen Wiig has figuratively won the lottery with a lead role in the Ghostbusters reboot, it’s about time we heard some release info on the movie where her character literally wins the lottery. That’d be Welcome to Me, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall to a fair amount of praise. Wiig plays a woman with borderline personality disorder who wins millions, starts her own television show and, as far as I can tell from its trailer, becomes quite successful with the latter in spite of her exhibition of strange and impulsive behavior while hosting the program. She also makes out with Wes Bentley and his latest shapely beard. The rest of the cast of this movie is also impressive. There’s James Marsden, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Joan Cusack (Broadcast News callback!) joining Bentley at the TV station, plus Tim Robbins (pretend Network callback!) as...
- 1/31/2015
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Alchemy has released the first trailer for its bizarre Kristen Wiig comedy “Welcome to Me,” which the company acquired at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival when it was known as Millennium Entertainment.
Wiig stars as a lottery winner with Borderline Personality Disorder and an Oprah obsesssion who uses her winnings to finance her own talk show.
Also Read: Kristen Wiig’s ‘Welcome to Me’ – Comedy, Tragedy, Nudity
Shira Piven directed the movie, which co-stars James Marsden, Linda Cardellini, Wes Bentley, Joan Cusack and Tim Robbins.
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum produced “Welcome to Me” under their Gary Sanchez banner,...
Wiig stars as a lottery winner with Borderline Personality Disorder and an Oprah obsesssion who uses her winnings to finance her own talk show.
Also Read: Kristen Wiig’s ‘Welcome to Me’ – Comedy, Tragedy, Nudity
Shira Piven directed the movie, which co-stars James Marsden, Linda Cardellini, Wes Bentley, Joan Cusack and Tim Robbins.
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum produced “Welcome to Me” under their Gary Sanchez banner,...
- 1/30/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Before she straps on the proton pack to bag a trapful of New York City’s spooks, Kristen Wiig will be revelling in the joys of being very, very rich for Welcome To Me. Directed by Shira Piven, the film debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival with little fanfare. So far it has snagged positive reviews from critics, most of which aim praise directly at Wiig. Now that the folks at Film Divider have signalled the existence of the movie’s teaser, we can catch a glimpse at her celebrated performance.
In the movie, Wiig stars as Alice Krieg, a reclusive TV obsessive who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder early in life. That life undergoes a huge transformation when she wins the lottery – a staggering $86 million. Instead of buying a yacht, or having a full-scale replica of herself carved out of gold, she opts to start her own TV talk show.
In the movie, Wiig stars as Alice Krieg, a reclusive TV obsessive who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder early in life. That life undergoes a huge transformation when she wins the lottery – a staggering $86 million. Instead of buying a yacht, or having a full-scale replica of herself carved out of gold, she opts to start her own TV talk show.
- 1/30/2015
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
This week we learned that Kristen Wiig was going to be one of the new Ghostbusters along with Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. But before she heads into blockbuster reboot territory, you'll get a chance to see her in indie mode with Welcome to Me. The film sees her as a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder who suddenly becomes an overnight sensation as she wins the lottery, quits taking her medication and launches her own wacky talk show. The premise is wild, and the comedy seems to be a little dark, but it looks like a tour de force from Wiig in the lead role that makes it worth seeing. Give it a look. Here's the first trailer for Shira Piven's Welcome to Me from Vimeo (via Film Divider): The trailer has been removed at the demands of Cargo Entertainment. Sorry for the inconvenience. Alice Klieg...
- 1/30/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
In perhaps her first starring role without an overwhelming supporting cast ("Bridesmaids," 2011) or an equally funny co-star (Bill Hader in "The Skeleton Twins," 2014), Kristen Wiig takes the reins in the new comedy "Welcome to Me," directed by Shira Piven. Wiig plays Alice, a nutty, lonely thirty-something who spends her days glued to the television -- especially Oprah. Then everything changes, when Alice wins 86 million dollars playing the Mega-Millions. She tells her therapist she wants to do something "big" with the money; so she pays 15 million dollars to become the star and producer of her very own talk show. Wiig's awkward, offbeat humor is perfect for something like this -- you need the right person to make struggling with a mental illness funny. As she performs one ridiculous stunt after another while hosting her show (entering the stage on a swan-boat, eating a hamburger cake in front of her audience, and recording her own.
- 1/30/2015
- by Anya Jaremko-Greenwold
- Indiewire
Kristen Wiig is taking the road less traveled, and after a bumpy start, it's starting to show signs of life. Most former "Saturday Night Live" standouts either head to Hollywood to make as many studio comedies as they can or try to fashion a comedy series on TV. Wiig exploded — and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay — in Paul Fieg's blockbuster "Bridesmaids," but for the most part she's been exploring her range in indies such as "Girl Most Likely," "Hateship Loveship" and "Welcome to Me." Whether or not it's a deliberate strategy, it's paid off with Craig Johnson's "The Skeleton Twins." The dramedy reunited Wiig with her former "SNL" co-star Bill Hader as siblings who, after years of semi-estrangement, need each other more than ever. The duo earned raves for their performances, but neither has made a significant mark on the awards season this year. The good...
- 12/18/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
The distributor has acquired Us rights to the Kristen Wiig starrer following the comedy’s September world premiere in Toronto.
Millennium has earmarked a 2015 release for the story about a narcissistic lottery winner who uses her new-found riches to launch an ill-fated TV show.
Joining Wiig on the cast are Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Mann, James Marsden, Tim Robbins and Alan Tudyk.
Shira Piven directed from a screenplay by Eliot Laurence. Welcome To Me is a Bron Studios/Gary Sanchez Production in association with Media House Capital.
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L Gilbert, Marina Grasic, Jessica Elbaum and Wiig produced.
“In Welcome To Me Shira Piven has crafted an inspired film that features Kristen Wiig in a brilliantly funny and moving role,” said Millennium Entertainment CEO Bill Lee.
“We’re so pleased to be in business with this tremendous group of filmmakers and look forward to bringing this very...
Millennium has earmarked a 2015 release for the story about a narcissistic lottery winner who uses her new-found riches to launch an ill-fated TV show.
Joining Wiig on the cast are Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Mann, James Marsden, Tim Robbins and Alan Tudyk.
Shira Piven directed from a screenplay by Eliot Laurence. Welcome To Me is a Bron Studios/Gary Sanchez Production in association with Media House Capital.
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L Gilbert, Marina Grasic, Jessica Elbaum and Wiig produced.
“In Welcome To Me Shira Piven has crafted an inspired film that features Kristen Wiig in a brilliantly funny and moving role,” said Millennium Entertainment CEO Bill Lee.
“We’re so pleased to be in business with this tremendous group of filmmakers and look forward to bringing this very...
- 12/3/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Millennium Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Welcome To Me, the Toronto Film Festival dark comedy starring Kristen Wiig. A 2015 release is planned by Millennium, which is ramping up its distribution slate after recently splitting off from a group of investors including Avi Lerner’s Nu Image.
Shira Piven directed the movie, about a fame-obsessed woman who, after winning $86 million in lottery money, decides to spend it on a TV show about herself. Eventually she must decide whether celebrity and recognition really brings happiness. Eliot Laurence wrote the script for the pic, a Bron Studios/Gary Sanchez Production in association with Media House Capital. Wiig also produced with her former SNL cohort Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L. Gilbert, Marina Grasic and Jessica Elbaum. Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Mann, James Marsden, Tim Robbins and Alan Tudyk co-star.
Jason Resnick negotiated...
Shira Piven directed the movie, about a fame-obsessed woman who, after winning $86 million in lottery money, decides to spend it on a TV show about herself. Eventually she must decide whether celebrity and recognition really brings happiness. Eliot Laurence wrote the script for the pic, a Bron Studios/Gary Sanchez Production in association with Media House Capital. Wiig also produced with her former SNL cohort Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L. Gilbert, Marina Grasic and Jessica Elbaum. Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Mann, James Marsden, Tim Robbins and Alan Tudyk co-star.
Jason Resnick negotiated...
- 12/3/2014
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
Millennium Entertainment has nabbed U.S. distribution rights to Welcome to Me, starring Kirsten Wiig. Also starring Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini and Joan Cusack, the film first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. The project, directed by Shira Piven from a screenplay by Eliot Laurence, centers on a fame-obsessed lottery winner named Alice (Wiig). She decides to spent her winnings on a TV show about herself. A Bron Studios/Gary Sanchez Production, in association with Media House Capital, the film is produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L. Gilbert, Marina Grasic, Jessica Elbaum and Kristen Wiig. Millennium is planing
read more...
read more...
- 12/3/2014
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chicago – Women in Film (Wif) Chicago is a advocate group for women filmmakers, on-set professionals and executives in the creative arts, and every year they present their Focus Awards to significant contributors in those arenas. The honorees in 2014 were Shira Piven, Susan Credle, Erin Sarofsky and Christina Varotsis.
The event took place on November 5th, 2014, at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, and was hosted by marketing executive Melissa Thornley. Each of the recipients were feted with a video tribute, and each told their stories when they accepted the award. HollywoodChicago.com spoke with three of the honorees, with a diversity of voices for women in the film and creative industries.
Shira Piven, Film and Theater Director
Shira Piven is part of theater royalty in Chicago, as her parents Byrne and Joyce founded the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston, Illinois, and her brother Jeremy is a notable film, theater and television actor.
The event took place on November 5th, 2014, at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, and was hosted by marketing executive Melissa Thornley. Each of the recipients were feted with a video tribute, and each told their stories when they accepted the award. HollywoodChicago.com spoke with three of the honorees, with a diversity of voices for women in the film and creative industries.
Shira Piven, Film and Theater Director
Shira Piven is part of theater royalty in Chicago, as her parents Byrne and Joyce founded the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston, Illinois, and her brother Jeremy is a notable film, theater and television actor.
- 11/29/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.