Documentary Film The Secret Life of Lance Letscher and Cinematic Classic
The Glass Menagerie Also in Film Package Acquired by Ovation
MIPCOM: Cannes, France – October 16, 2017 Expanding its programming cache for both its linear service and its newly launched Ovation NOW app, Ovation has acquired a package of films from New York-based television and film distribution company FilmRise. Included in the licensing agreement are Manifesto, starring Cate Blanchett; Marjorie Prime, starring Geena Davis, John Hamm, Tim Robbins and Lois Smith; documentary film The Secret Life of Lance Letscher; and the classic The Glass Menagerie, directed by Paul Newman and starring Joanne Woodward. The announcement was made today by Scott Woodward, EVP, Programming, Ovation, and Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise.
“With our expansion into digital, we are increasingly seeking content that can be showcased on both our linear network as well as on our Ovation NOW app and VOD,” notes Woodward. “The FilmRise package is a great example of the kind of programming we’re always on the lookout for – artfully produced and executed films with stellar performances, and documentaries featuring groundbreaking artists and the artistic process. These attributes coupled with linear and digital windows of availability for our various platforms are a home run for us.”
The deal was negotiated by Danny Fisher and Melissa Wohl, Head of Sales of FilmRise and by Scott Woodward of Ovation.
Manifesto is a feature film based on the multi-screen film installation written, produced and directed by Julian Rosefeldt, which features Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett in 13 different roles performing various manifestos. The feature premiered in theatres earlier this year and will debut on Ovation TV and Ovation NOW in 2018.
An arthouse film favorite, Marjorie Prime is a film based on Jordan Harrison’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated play about an ailing 86-year-old woman’s interaction with a holographic projection of her late husband. As Marjorie’s “Prime” requires information from her and her family to develop a more complex understanding of his history, each family member begins to develop ever diverging accounts of their own lives and history. With rave reviews for performances given by Lois Smith, Jon Hamm, Geena Davis and Tim Robbins, the film has been also lauded for shining a light on the world of artificial intelligence and our concepts of morality. Marjorie Prime was directed by Michael Almereyda and will premiere on Ovation and Ovation NOW in 2018.
The Secret Life of Lance Letscher is a deeply personal and psychological portrait of internationally-known collage artist Lance Letscher, told through his memories of triumph and trauma. Featuring images of more than a hundred of his intricate and complex collages, sculptures and installations, viewers gain insight into Letscher’s methodical techniques and brilliant mind. The documentary will premiere on Ovation and Ovation NOW in November 2017.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Paul Newman-directed version of Tennessee Williams’ 1945 novel The Glass Menagerie, Ovation will feature the classic in its fall lineup. The film features outstanding performances by Joanne Woodward, John Malkovich and Karen Allen.
Danny Fisher states, “These four films represent the exceptional programming featuring outstanding talent that we are acquiring and continue to build into our vast library. This partnership with Ovation signifies our commitment and dedication in bringing these full length features to the appropriate audiences and subsequent fan base.”
About OVATION… America’s Only Arts Network
Art has the power to inspire us, elevate our thinking, and awaken our senses. As an independent television, production and digital media company, OVATION has an unparalleled commitment to the arts, culture and captivating entertainment. Showcasing a lineup of critically-acclaimed premium dramas, arts-related specials and documentaries, and iconic films, OVATION salutes innovative storytelling, lives for the art in entertainment, finds beauty in the everyday, and applauds art in unexpected places. OVATION is available to nearly 50M subscribers via cable, satellite and telco systems including Comcast Cable/Xfinity, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, SPECTRUM, Verizon FiOS, as well as on VOD. Through THE OVATION FOUNDATION, the company is committed to advocating for the arts, nationally and locally, and has provided more than $15M in contributions and in kind support to arts institutions and arts education. You can follow OVATION on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, OvationTV.com, and through our App, OVATION NOW.
About FilmRise
FilmRise is a film and TV distribution company founded by veteran producer/financiers Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher and Alan Klingenstein. With over 15,000 titles in a wide range of genres, the company’s releases include HBO’s multiple Emmy®-winning “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”; “Janis: Little Girl Blue,” produced by Oscar®-winner Alex Gibney; two-time Academy Award®-nominee Julie Delpy’s “Lolo”; and the controversial Sundance hit “White Girl.” Television titles include the iconic Robert Stack hosted series “Unsolved Mysteries” and Showtime’s Emmy®-winning “Years of Living Dangerously.”
FilmRise’s recent acquisitions include the acclaimed true crime documentary “I Called Him Morgan”; the multi-Goya award-winning “Truman” starring Ricardo Darin; the box office hit “Harry & Snowman”; “Manifesto” starring two-time Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett; sci-fi drama “Marjorie Prime” starring Jon Hamm and Tim Robbins; and “My Friend Dahmer” starring Ross Lynch. For more information, go to www.FilmRise.com