BEVERLY HILLS, March 1, 2011 – “The Kids Are All Right,” produced in association with Artist International and executive produced by Steven Saxton, CEO of AI’s parent company, Hollywood Studios International, won Best Screenplay at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards – the widely popular and premiere awards event celebrating independent film. The awards ceremony was held in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 26th and aired that evening on IFC. Screenplay writers Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg were on hand to accept the award and speak on behalf of the film.
The Independent Spirit Award win caps off a remarkable awards season run for “The Kids Are All Right” that included Golden Globe® Awards wins for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy of Musical (for Annette Bening). The film was amongst the most widely recognized and critically heralded films heading into Sunday night’s Academy Awards® ceremony, carrying four nominations in the categories of Best Picture, Best Actress (Annette Bening), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Mark Ruffalo) and Best Original Screenplay (Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg).
“The Kids Are All Right” will go down as one of the greatest success stories in independent film. A commercial and critical hit, the film won the hearts of critics and audiences around the world and will continue to reach even more fans worldwide through the home entertainment marketplace.
“Seldom is there a film that connects with audiences and critics in the way ‘The Kids Are All Right’ did,” said Steven Saxton. “We are proud to be a part of the amazing journey the film took us on and hope to emulate this success with future HSI projects.”
Joel Newton, Artist International’s Managing Director and a Co-Producer said: “We’re extremely happy for Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg for winning the Indie Spirit Award and putting a nice period on the end of this amazing awards season run. This has been such a great experience for all of us at Artist International and HSI. The film’s achievements speak for themselves. Its exciting to think about how many more people around the world will be able to experience the ‘The Kids Are All Right’ on DVD, VOD and all the various other platforms. The film will have a long life.”
From the moment “The Kids Are All Right” ignited a bidding war at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, it has been one of the most talked about and praised films of the last year. Dubbed “the breakout hit of the summer,” the comedy-drama about a lesbian couple whose world is forever changed after their son and daughter bring their biological sperm donor father into their life, grossed more than $30 million worldwide at the box office.
“The Kids Are All Right,” has garnered near unanimous praise from critics and moviegoers alike. In December 2010, the film (released by Focus Features) picked up the most awards from the New York Film Critics Circle with a total of three, consisting of best screenplay, Bening’s lead performance and Mark Ruffalo’s supporting role. Prior to that, it took top honors at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and received the second most Indie Spirit nominations of any film, with a total of five, picking up nods for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Female lead for Bening and Best Supporting Male for Ruffalo.
ABOUT ARTIST INTERNATIONAL
Artist International is a management/production company that partners with artists to create great content. The company provides professional representation to actors, writers, directors, athletes, music performers, artists, and other entertainment properties. Its four divisions – music, literary, sports, and talent – operate with the singular focus of understanding the goals, passions and talents of its clients and maximizing their potential. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Hollywood Studios International, Artist International is positioned to collaborate with artists to bring new content to life, whether by internal means or external partnerships.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL
Hollywood Studios International (OTCBB: HYWS) is a media holding company focused on the intelligent deployment of capital in the entertainment industry. The company has developed a portfolio of fee-based businesses ranging from talent representation to international distribution. Following the current round of funding, the Company intends to file with the SEC to be a fully reporting publicly traded company.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any assumption could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the objective and plans of the Company will be achieved.
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