Sundance Selects Picks Up LAST WEEKEND with Patricia Clarkson

By: May. 14, 2014
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Sundance Selects announced today that the company is acquiring North American rights to LAST WEEKEND, starring Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson. The film marks the directorial debut of Tom Dolby and Tom Williams, with an ensemble cast that includes Zachary Booth (KEEP THE LIGHTS ON), Chris Mulkey ("Twin Peaks"), Joseph Cross (RUNNING WITH SCISSORS), Devon Graye (THE DISCOVERERS) and Jayma Mays ("Glee").

This is Patricia Clarkson's first leading role since the critically acclaimed CAIRO TIME (2009), which was distributed by Sundance Selects' sister label, IFC Films.

LAST WEEKEND, which had its world premiere at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival, will be released theatrically and on VOD later this summer.

The darkly comic action of LAST WEEKEND unfolds over the course of a long Labor Day weekend at Lake Tahoe, California. Celia Green (Patricia Clarkson) and her husband, Malcolm (Chris Mulkey), gather their two adult sons (Zachary Booth and Joseph Cross) and their partners for a rare vacation together. As the holiday begins, Celia finds herself Torn between her historic estate-and The Past that it represents-and her desire to move forward with her life. On Saturday morning, an accident threatens to unhinge Celia's meticulously devised plans. Amidst this catastrophe, Celia must decide whether she is ready to let go of the house. LAST WEEKEND is a film about the end of an era for a family-and the steps we must often take in order to create new beginnings.

LAST WEEKEND was filmed at the historic 1929 Lake Tahoe estate that was the location of the 1951 Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift classic, A PLACE IN THE SUN.

Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: "Tom Dolby and Tom Williams have crafted an exquisite and beautiful American drama. We couldn't be happier to work with them and to be back in business with the incomparable Patricia Clarkson."

"We are thrilled to have the film distributed by Sundance Selects," said co-directors Dolby and Williams. "Viewers relate to this film in a very personal way and are often reminded of their own families. We're excited about bringing the LAST WEEKEND family to a larger audience."

Novelist Dolby and producer Williams attended High School and college together; they have been friends since they were seventeen years old. "Patricia Clarkson's character's revelations about parenthood are very much fueled by our own experiences with becoming parents," added Dolby and Williams, who were both facing early parenthood with their respective families when production started.

LAST WEEKEND is a co-production between Gran Via Productions, Greyshack Films, and Water's End Productions. The film was executive produced by Mark Johnson ("Breaking Bad") and produced by Mike S. Ryan (JUNEBUG). Rounding out the cast are Alexia Rasmussen, Rutina Wesley, Fran Kranz, Julie Carmen, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Sheila Kelley, Mary Kay Place and Judith Light.

The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment on behalf of the filmmakers.

Sundance Selects is a sister label to IFC Films and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.



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