"Good Soldier" Invades U.S. Distribution

Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys' doc "The Good Soldier" has been picked up by Artistic License. The film will have its world premiere this Friday at the Hamptons International Film Festival, which gets underway tonight (October 8). The deal was negotiated by Sande Zeig for Artistic License Films and Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys for Out of the Blue Productions, Uys and Lovell's production company.

The company will open "The Good Soldier" in New York on Wednesday, November 11th. On the preceding Friday, November 6th, the film will receive a national promotional boost when it is featured on PBS's "Bill Moyers Journal." The film is an historical documentary about war itself, as seen through the eyes of five veterans from four different wars, the film speaks to all sides of the question: What does it take to be a good soldier? The answer, reduced to its essence: The ability to kill other human beings.

"This is an extraordinary and particularly timely film," commented Sande Zeig, president of Artistic License in a statement. "And the enthusiasm exhibitors have already shown is very exciting."

In addition to New York, where it will be opening at The Village East, with a panel discussion featuring the filmmakers and several soldiers opening night, Artistic License has secured exhibition on 11 other screens in Los Angeles, Chicago, Madison (WI), Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City and Gloucester (MASS).

This is the second documentary for Uys and Lovell, who are married. Their first film, "Riding the Rails," about teenagers in the Great Depression and also released by Artistic License Films, was made in 1997 and acquired by MoMA for its permanent collection; it won the Peabody Award, LA Film Critics Award for Best Documentary and the DGA Award for Best Director.