Film Based on Garrison Keillor's Celebrated Radio Show Starring Meryl Streep,
Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, Tommy Lee Jones, Lindsey Lohan and More
NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Picturehouse has acquired all North
American rights to Academy Award-nominated director Robert Altman's "A Prairie
Home Companion," based on Garrison Keillor's legendary radio variety show and
starring Keillor (as himself), with Academy Award-winners Meryl Streep, Kevin
Kline, Tommy Lee Jones, Academy Award-nominees Lily Tomlin, John C. Reilly,
Woody Harrelson, Virginia Madsen, "Saturday Night Live's" Maya Rudolph, and
Lindsey Lohan it was announced today by Bob Berney, president of Picturehouse.
From a script penned by Keillor, "A Prairie Home Companion" was produced
by Altman's Sandcastle 5 Productions and executive produced and co-financed by
GreeneStreet Films and River Road Entertainment. Capitol Films is handling
foreign sales.
A Prairie Home Companion" is a fictionalized account of Keillor's
award-winning show, which currently runs on more than 558 public radio
stations. The film follows the show's cast of characters preparing for the
final live broadcast on the eve of being shut down after 30 years. As
passions erupt, secrets emerge and a mysterious stranger lurks in the shadows,
the vigilant stage manager must hold it all together since the "show must go
on."
"With his signature style, Robert Altman has crafted a hilarious and
endearing film," said Bob Berney. "'A Prairie Home Companion' is a
masterfully-acted ensemble piece that captures the humor and heart of Garrison
Keillor's radio show with great cinematic flair. Fans are in for a real treat
when they see Meryl Streep and the cast belt out their favorite songs."
Begun in 1974 by Keillor and still running today, the radio show "A
Prairie Home Companion" is part music, part comedy, part storytelling. The
program is currently heard by more than four million listeners each week on
more than 558 public radio stations and is heard abroad on the BBC, RTE
(Ireland), Armed Forces Radio worldwide, and satellite and cable services
across Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand reaching more than 35 million
homes. Each week, Keillor tells homespun stories of Lake Wobegon, a fictional
Midwestern town, interspersed with musical interludes.
The deal was brokered on behalf of Picturehouse by Ben Zinkin, Senior
Executive VP Worldwide Business and Legal Affairs, New Line Cinema and Sara
Rose, Senior VP Acquisitions at Picturehouse and negotiated on behalf of the
film by Cinetic and CAA.
Attorney George Sheanshang played an instrumental role in the genesis of
this film by introducing Altman and Keillor to one another and then brought
the project to GreeneStreet.
River Road Entertainment is an integrated entertainment company whose
principal business is the development and production of feature films and
documentaries. River Road's current slate of films includes Ang Lee's
"Brokeback Mountain," starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal and the
Madonna documentary "I'm Going To Tell You A Secret." River Road projects
currently in production or pre-production include "Fur, An Imaginary Portrait
of Diane Arbus," starring Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey, Jr., Brett Morgan's
new documentary "C7," about the violent clash between activism and the
establishment during the 1968 Democratic Convention, and Steven Soderbergh's
"Che," starring Benicio del Toro as the controversial revolutionary.
GreeneStreet Films (GSF) is the NY based finance, development, production
and sales outlet. Currently GSF is producing and co-financing with The
Weinstein Company the thriller "Awake," starring Jessica Alba, Hayden
Christensen and Terence Howard, written and directed by Joby Harold. It is
now shooting in New York City. GreeneStreet is also shooting in New York
Michael Ian Black's romantic comedy, "The Pleasure of Your Company," starring
Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher.
This fall, GreeneStreet had two of its most recent productions in the
Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. The musical "Romance & Cigarettes,"
written and directed by John Turturro, starring James Gandolfini, Susan
Sarandon, and Kate Winslet had its world premiere in Venice and NA premiere in
Toronto. "Slow Burn," starring Ray Liotta, LL Cool J, Mekhi Phifer, Taye
Diggs and Chiwitel Ejiofor premiered in Toronto.
Launched in April 2005, Picturehouse is the joint venture of two leaders
of the entertainment community -- HBO and New Line Cinema. Picturehouse
currently has in release the critically acclaimed Israeli comedy by Gidi Dar,
Ushpizin ("The Guests"). Upcoming films include Michael Winterbottom's
"Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" starring Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon and
Jeremy Northam; Mary Harron's "The Notorious Bettie Page" starring Gretchen
Mol; "Factotum" starring Matt Dillon and Lili Taylor; and Steven Shainberg's
"Fur," which recently wrapped production and stars Nicole Kidman and Robert
Downey, Jr.
For additional information contact:
Marian Koltai-Levine, Picturehouse -- 212.649.4829 - 914.672.2418 (cell)
Nina Baron, Picturehouse -- 212.649.6112
Vicky Eguia, Picturehouse - 310.246.7608
SOURCE Picturehouse
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CONTACT: Marian Koltai-Levine, +1-212-649-4829, or cell, +1-914-672-2418, or Nina Baron, +1-212-649-6112, or Vicky Eguia, +1-310-246-7608, all of Picturehouse
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