Latest news with #DeadLover
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Matt Johnson's ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' to open TIFF's Midnight Madness
TORONTO - Matt Johnson's time-warping bromantic misadventure and a crime thriller starring Bob Odenkirk are headed to the Midnight Madness program at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. This year's lineup of 10 genre-blurring comedies, action flicks and slashers will open with the Canadian premiere of Johnson's Toronto-set 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,' a mockumentary-style caper based on his Viceland series. Lead programmer Peter Kuplowsky says the comedy is 'steeped in Toronto lore circa the early aughts' and expects it to 'levitate the entire theatre' at TIFF, after earning a standing ovation at its SXSW premiere in March. Set to get pulses racing is the world premiere of 'Normal,' which sees Odenkirk play a temporary sheriff who uncovers the criminal underbelly of a sleepy town. It's directed by Ben Wheatley, who won the 2016 Midnight Madness People's Choice Award for the crime drama 'Free Fire.' Also promising heart-pounding thrills is the world premiere of 'Dust Bunny,' the feature debut of 'Hannibal' creator Bryan Fuller. The slasher stars Sophie Sloan as a young girl who asks her neighbour, played by Mads Mikkelsen, for help after she believes a monster under her bed ate her family. Set to close the program is the Canadian premiere of 'Dead Lover,' a horror comedy by Toronto's Grace Glowicki about a gravedigger determined to bring her drowned lover back to life. TIFF runs Sept. 4 to 14. Kuplowsky says he wanted to bookend the Midnight Madness program with 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' and 'Dead Lover' because they've made 'a substantial impact on the festival circuit.' 'I'm just really proud and feel very patriotic that these Canadian filmmakers made midnight movies that really resonated with international audiences,' Kuplowsky says. 'The prospect of having them finishing their festival tour with us in Toronto is really exciting.' 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' sees Johnson and longtime collaborator Jay McCarrol reprise their roles as two bumbling musicians still trying to achieve their dream of booking a show at local bar The Rivoli. This time, their quest sends them back in time. Kuplowsky says he gravitated toward several comedies for this year's lineup after noticing the success of 'Friendship,' the dark comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson that premiered at last year's program. 'I did really feel like there is this desire amongst contemporary audiences to laugh in cinemas again,' he says. Other gut-busters in this year's lineup include 'The Napa Boys,' an alt-comedy by Nick Corirossi that sees a group of friends embark on a wine-related adventure led by a mysterious sommelier. Meanwhile, Serbia's Aleksandar Radivojević serves up 'Karmadonna,' a sharp-edged comedy about a pregnant woman who gets a call from God telling her to kill targets on his hit list or lose her baby. Among other international offerings is 'Junk World,' a sequel to Japanese filmmaker Takahide Hori's 'Junk Head,' a stop-motion sci-fi film following a cyborg navigating an underground dystopia in search of a way to save humanity from extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Matt Johnson's ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' to open TIFF's Midnight Madness
TORONTO – Matt Johnson's time-warping bromantic misadventure and a crime thriller starring Bob Odenkirk are headed to the Midnight Madness program at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. This year's lineup of 10 genre-blurring comedies, action flicks and slashers will open with the Canadian premiere of Johnson's Toronto-set 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,' a mockumentary-style caper based on his Viceland series. Lead programmer Peter Kuplowsky says the comedy is 'steeped in Toronto lore circa the early aughts' and expects it to 'levitate the entire theatre' at TIFF, after earning a standing ovation at its SXSW premiere in March. Set to get pulses racing is the world premiere of 'Normal,' which sees Odenkirk play a temporary sheriff who uncovers the criminal underbelly of a sleepy town. It's directed by Ben Wheatley, who won the 2016 Midnight Madness People's Choice Award for the crime drama 'Free Fire.' Also promising heart-pounding thrills is the world premiere of 'Dust Bunny,' the feature debut of 'Hannibal' creator Bryan Fuller. The slasher stars Sophie Sloan as a young girl who asks her neighbour, played by Mads Mikkelsen, for help after she believes a monster under her bed ate her family. Set to close the program is the Canadian premiere of 'Dead Lover,' a horror comedy by Toronto's Grace Glowicki about a gravedigger determined to bring her drowned lover back to life. TIFF runs Sept. 4 to 14. Kuplowsky says he wanted to bookend the Midnight Madness program with 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' and 'Dead Lover' because they've made 'a substantial impact on the festival circuit.' 'I'm just really proud and feel very patriotic that these Canadian filmmakers made midnight movies that really resonated with international audiences,' Kuplowsky says. 'The prospect of having them finishing their festival tour with us in Toronto is really exciting.' 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' sees Johnson and longtime collaborator Jay McCarrol reprise their roles as two bumbling musicians still trying to achieve their dream of booking a show at local bar The Rivoli. This time, their quest sends them back in time. Kuplowsky says he gravitated toward several comedies for this year's lineup after noticing the success of 'Friendship,' the dark comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson that premiered at last year's program. 'I did really feel like there is this desire amongst contemporary audiences to laugh in cinemas again,' he says. Other gut-busters in this year's lineup include 'The Napa Boys,' an alt-comedy by Nick Corirossi that sees a group of friends embark on a wine-related adventure led by a mysterious sommelier. Meanwhile, Serbia's Aleksandar Radivojević serves up 'Karmadonna,' a sharp-edged comedy about a pregnant woman who gets a call from God telling her to kill targets on his hit list or lose her baby. Among other international offerings is 'Junk World,' a sequel to Japanese filmmaker Takahide Hori's 'Junk Head,' a stop-motion sci-fi film following a cyborg navigating an underground dystopia in search of a way to save humanity from extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grace Glowicki's ‘Dead Lover' Acquired by Cartuna and Dweck Productions Out of SXSW
'It's alive!' — as the mad scientists would say. Grace Glowicki's grotesque, 16mm-shot romance 'Dead Lover' has been acquired for North American distribution by Cartuna and Dweck Productions, operating under a new venture Cartuna x Dweck. The deal comes after the film's selection at SXSW, following a premiere at Sundance in January. 'We firmly believe that we are at the early stages of a historic creative movement,' says James Belfer, founder and CEO of Cartuna. 'Inventive, boundary-pushing storytellers need more distribution support now than ever. This collective of producers has opted to take matters into our own hands and it's our sincere hope that it will inspire others to do the same.' More from Variety 'Dead Lover': How Director Grace Glowicki Pulled Off the Grotesque Indie Romance With Dollar Store Lights, Kiddie Pools and a Single Zoom Lens 'Dead Lover' Review: Macabre Attempt to Keep a Lost Romance Alive Is Both Entertaining and Inventive Joshua Burge, Dweck Productions Join Joel Potrykus' Dark Comedy 'Vulcanizadora' (EXCLUSIVE) 'What Grace and her collaborators have dug up from their creative depths is like nothing I've ever seen before and we are so honored to be a part of this infinitely imaginative team,' said Hannah Dweck, owner and co-founder of Dweck Productions. 'We can't wait to set this exuberantly unrestrained, disgusting, beautiful, smelly, exhumed corpse of a rom-com loose on the world!' The acquisition is the latest development in Cartuna's film distribution venture, which put out the Blu-ray release of the word-of-mouth slapstick comedy 'Hundreds of Beavers' last year and has sold more than 10,000 copies since. 'Dead Lover' is the first all-right acquisitions for the company, and the inaugural under its newly formed partnership with Dweck Productions. Kurt Ravenwood, a partner of SRH agency and producer on 'Hundreds of Beavers,' will provide marketing strategy on 'Dead Lover.' Grace Glowicki wrote, directed and stars in 'Dead Lover,' a prosthetics-centric horror-comedy about a stinky, lonesome gravedigger who reanimates her squeeze using his detached finger. Ben Petrie is a co-writer and co-star. The film made its premiere in the Midnight section at Sundance, with later selections at SXSW, International Film Festival Rotterdam and Göteborg Film Festival. Forthcoming screenings are set for the Overlook Film Festival and the Los Angeles Festival of Movies. 'We feel touched by kismet to be working with Cartuna X Dweck!' Glowicki said in a statement. 'Individually, both companies are stalwart champions of independent voices in cinema, and we're in love with their vision for a united superfront putting out movies with a fresh, individualized approach. Ben, Yona and I are thrilled to be putting our brains together with them on rolling out Dead Lover!' The deal was negotiated by Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick of Yellow Veil Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers and James Belfer on behalf of Cartuna x Dweck. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
