The San Francisco Film Society has revealed exclusively to Indiewire the 12 filmmaking teams that will participate in the first edition of A2E: Artist to Entrepreneur, the two-part digital distribution lab taking place during the festival and spearheaded by Film Society executive director Ted Hope.
As Indiewire previously announced, A2E: Artist to Entrepreneur will take place May 2 – 5 in two parts: A lab focused on direct distribution called OnRamp and a series of networking sessions entitled LaunchPad.
The lab is designed to help filmmakers consider the prospects of direct distribution by not only showing them how to take advantage of digital platforms but providing marketing guidance as well. The films selected for the lab are a combination of titles that have recently screened at festivals and others in various stages of production. “We tried to find a mix of movies,” Hope told Indiewire. “This is a pilot program designed to excavate the best practices that we need to dig ourselves out of the hole as an independent film culture.” He added that while the lab was not intended to force filmmakers to utilize direct distribution, several participants had already expressed interest in doing so.
The finalists, as well as the representatives participating in the labs, can be found below:
1982
Tommy Oliver (writer/director/producer/editor)
1982 tells the story of a black father whose wife succumbs to a crack cocaine addiction and his efforts to shield his 10-year-old daughter from the ill effects of having a drug addicted mother while trying to wean her off of her addiction. This project was supported by the San Francisco Film Society with a SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grant.
Borrowed Time
Jules Bishop (writer/director) and Olivier Kaempfer (producer)
Borrowed Time tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a hapless young burglar and his eccentric victim. What emerges is a bittersweet comedy about growing up and rediscovering youth in parallel, as the burglar and victim form a bond that will help them both find a way out of their respective troubles. This project is supported by Film London and the British Film Institute.
Breakfast with Curtis
Laura Colella (writer/director/producer)
Syd, an eccentric bookseller with delusions of grandeur, caused a rift five years ago between the bohemian residents of his house and the family next door. Syd now tries to draft the boy next door, Curtis, as a creative collaborator, sparking big changes for everyone around them. This project is supported by Film Independent.
Car Dogs
Adam Collis (director/producer), Adam Robinson and David Breschel
(coproducers)
In the scorching Arizona summer, Mark Chamberlain has 1 day to sell 19 cars—and finally free himself from his father’s grip. But is he willing to do whatever it takes?
The Cold Lands
Tom Gilroy (writer/eirector), Paul Mezey (producer) and Margaret Shafer (Cinereach consultant)
After his mother’s sudden death, a young boy disappears into the deep woods of upstate New York and takes up with an unpredictable and mysterious drifter. This project is supported by Cinereach.
Detroit Unleaded
Rola Nashef (writer/director/producer) and Leon Toomey (producer)
Detroit Unleaded is a slice-of-life romantic comedy about twenty-something second generation Arab Americans trapped within the confines of bulletproof glass. This project is supported by IFP.
The Happy Sad
Rodney Evans (director/producer/editor)
The Happy Sad is a feature-length drama that follows two couples, one black and one white, whose lives collide as they navigate open relationships and sexual identity. This project is supported by Frameline.
I Put a Hit on You
Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart (co-writer/directors), Jordan Gross (producer) and Mike MacMillan (producer)
I Put A Hit on You is a darkly comedic “lo-fi” romantic thriller about a brokenhearted woman that teams up with her ex-boyfriend to try and stop the hit man she accidentally hired to kill him. This project is supported by the Canadian Film Centre.
It Felt Like Love
Eliza Hittman (writer/director) and Laura Wagner (producer)
On the outskirts of Brooklyn, a 14-year-old’s sexual quest takes a dangerous turn when she pursues an older guy and is willing to do anything to get close to him. This project is supported by the Sundance Institute.
Obvious Child
Elisabeth Holm (producer)
In this subversive romantic comedy about growing up without regret, Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) gets dumped, fired, pregnant, and has the best worst Valentine’s Day of her life.
Ping Pong Summer
George Rush (producer)
A family vacation during the summer of 1985 changes everything for a teenage boy obsessed with Ping-Pong. This project was supported by the San Francisco Film Society with a SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grant.
Pit Stop
Jonathan Duffy (producer)
Two men. A small town. A love that isn’t quite out of reach. Recovering from an ill-fated affair with a married man, Gabe finds solace in the relationship he maintains with his ex-wife and daughter. On the other side of town, Ernesto evades life at home with his current live-in ex-boyfriend by spending much of his spare time in the hospital with an ailing past love. This project is supported by the Sundance Institute.
Stay tuned for more coverage of A2E: Artist to Entrepreneur in the coming weeks.
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