WAYLON PAYNE (WALK THE LINE) AND ALI LARTER (HEROES) STAR IN CRAZY, WHICH
WON THE JURY AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE AT THE CHARLESTON INT'L FILM FESTIVAL
AND BEST SCREENPLAY AT METHOD FEST
LOS ANGELES, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- CRAZY, an independent feature film
inspired by the tragic life and groundbreaking music of legendary 1950s-era
guitarist Hank Garland, is an official selection at the third annual Big
Island Film Festival (5/15-5/18) in Waikoloa, Hawaii. CRAZY will be shown
at 7:30PM on Saturday, May 17 at the Festival Theater at Queen's Gardens.
Most recently on the festival circuit, CRAZY, which was directed by
Rick Bieber, won the Jury Award for Best Feature at the Charleston
International Film Festival. For Charleston, SC's Post and Courier, film
critic Bill Thompson wrote, "CRAZY has a bedrock feel of authenticity...the
work of a filmmaker who genuinely cares about the story he is relating and
the man at its core...a lively, emotionally resonant movie -- with
wonderful music -- that is an uncommonly seamless meld of character study
and period recreation." Earlier this spring, at the L.A. area's 10th Annual
Method Fest in Calabasas, CA, the film won the Daily News Award for Best
Screenplay for a script co-written by Bieber, Jason Ehlers and Brent Boyd.
Bieber was introduced to the project, and to the late Hank Garland, by
Ray Scherr, who served as Executive Producer for CRAZY along with guitar
hero Steve Vai (who performs a cameo as Hank Williams) under the Favored
Nations Films mantle. Scherr had known the Garland family for over a
decade, and believed Hank's true story had great potential for a compelling
drama. Hank consulted on the screenplay and was involved with the project
until he passed away in December '04, shortly before principal photography
began.
Waylon Payne, acclaimed for his debut film role as Jerry Lee Lewis in
the Oscar-winning film Walk The Line, stars as Hank Garland. LA.com
recently wrote of his performance, "The brash and brilliant musician is
well played by charismatic actor Waylon Payne." In addition to acting,
Payne is a country artist with deep musical roots. He was named for his
godfather, Waylon Jennings, and is the son of GRAMMY-winning country singer
Sammi Smith and Jody Payne, longtime guitarist for Willie Nelson.
Payne headlines CRAZY opposite Ali Larter (Heroes, Legally Blonde,
Varsity Blues, etc), who plays Hank's beautiful but deeply troubled wife
Evelyn Garland. Cast members also include: Scott Michael Campbell, who
plays Garland's friend and fellow Nashville guitar ace Billy Byrd; Lane
Garrison as Hank's brother and manager Billy Garland; singer Stacy Earl,
who performs as country crooner Goldie Hill; Evans Forde as Nashville music
legend Chet Atkins; and Ryan Cross, who plays jazz bassist Joe Benjamin.
CRAZY chronicles Hank Garland's rise to fame in Nashville, from playing
on hits for icons including Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, the Everly Brothers
and Roy Orbison through his brief but influential solo career as a
visionary jazz artist. It also explores his tempestuous marriage as well as
his repeated clashes with the "Nashville Mob" -- who then controlled the
country music establishment -- over artist's rights, civil rights and other
issues. The car crash and electroshock treatments that eventually ended
Garland's performing career and derailed his life are starkly portrayed,
and the enormity of what was lost is deeply felt.
CRAZY is also an official selection at upcoming 2008 festivals
including: the Jacksonville Film Festival (5/15-18); Hoboken International
Film Festival (5/30-6/5); New Jersey International Film Festival
(5/30-6/15); Colorado's Breckenridge Festival of Film (6/5-8); Boston
International Film Festival (6/6-14); International Film Festival of
England (6/9-13, Tamworth, U.K.); Maui International Film Festival
(6/11-15); Provincetown International Film Festival (6/18-22); Long Island
International Film Expo (7/9-17); Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival
(7/16-28) and the Scottsdale International Film Festival (10/3-7).
For more information, log on to http://www.crazy-themovie.com
SOURCE Favored Nations Films
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Related links:
http://www.crazy-themovie.com
CONTACT:
Erin Podbereski, +1-626-585-9575,
erin@jensencom.com, for Favored Nations Films
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