Freestyle Digital Media — the impartial movie arm of Byron Allen’s Leisure Studios — has acquired the distribution rights to “A Spartan Dream” and can launch it in choose theaters for one week, beginning Aug. 15.

“A Spartan Dream” is a romantic-comedy journey movie riddled with fantasy and delusion. Primarily based on a real story, the movie follows an ancient-Greece-obsessed American who travels to the land of his ancestors to promote his outdated household homestead. Nevertheless, plans go awry when he falls in love with an attractive Greek girl; he modifies course to salvage the village and alter historical past.

The movie stars Peter Bundic, Georgia Mesariti, Katerina Didaskalou, Renos Haralambidis and Nikos Tsergas, and is the function directorial debut for M. Achilles. It gained consideration after profitable Greatest Characteristic Movie on the 2025 Prague Actors and Filmmakers Movie Pageant.

The film’s theatrical run will happen in 5 cities between Aug. 15 and Aug. 22. It’s going to concurrently change into obtainable on VOD platforms, and the DVD will launch in September.

Thursday, July 10

Supernatural Horror-Thriller ‘Klifhaus’ Wraps Manufacturing

Principal pictures for “Klifhaus,” a psychological horror-thriller starring Nick Stahl (“Carnivàle, Within the Bed room”), Ana Ularu (“Emerald Metropolis,” “Siberia”), and Rade Sherbedgia (“Snatch,” “The Outdated Man”) has formally wrapped manufacturing. The movie is predicated on “Home of Horrors,” a brief story by Ben Financial institution, who additionally serves as an govt producer on the movie. The screenplay was written by Almagor, who will direct the movie, Michael HarPaz, and Marat Parkhomovsky.

“Klifaus” is about in “a decaying Stalin-era property deep within the Jap European Forest, the place the White household confronts buried trauma and supernatural unrest.” 

Stahl will play William, a rising politician drawn into the shadows of his authoritarian lineage, whereas Ularu will play Katie, his psychologically unraveling spouse. Sherbedgia will play Levan, the property’s haunting caretaker.

“”Klifhaus” started with a query that haunted me: what if the true horror isn’t the home, however the particular person you share it with?” says Almagor. “I got down to make a horror movie the place the true monster is emotional neglect, and the home turns into each a lure and a mirror. It is a slow-burn descent into insanity, a few marriage eroded by silence, management, repression, and unmet want, the place the supernatural is solely the echo of every thing that’s gone unsaid.”

The movie is searching for world gross sales and distribution companions.

Wednesday, July 9

Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Stevens’ ‘We Are Guardians’ Documentary Raises Over $1 Million For Amazon Rainforest Safety

The “We Are Guardians” movie influence marketing campaign staff has raised over $1 million in assist of the Indigenous-led motion to guard the Amazon rainforest and its folks.

The vast majority of the influence marketing campaign funds might be directed to the forest guardians featured within the movie and Indigenous-led initiatives, together with initiatives and coaching for Indigenous ladies. The cash will even be used to construct the infrastructure obligatory to realize the movie’s long-term influence targets, assist the movie’s launch, fund accessible neighborhood occasions, academic theatrical experiences and alternatives for viewers to interact in particular person with Indigenous motion leaders. 

“The movie’s influence marketing campaign is a vital a part of the mission,” Edivan Guajajara, the movie’s director, stated. “It’s not nearly displaying the story, however mobilizing folks, creating strategic partnerships, influencing insurance policies, and provoking everybody to affix this struggle. The world wants to grasp that defending Indigenous peoples is defending the planet. Each viewer can change into a guardian. That’s our mission.”

Produced by Fisher Stevens with Leonardo DiCaprio as govt producer, “We Are Guardians” is an environmental documentary that follows the Indigenous forest protectors of the Amazon as they threat their lives to fend off unlawful loggers and land invaders.

Along with elevating cash, the influence marketing campaign has delivered drones, radios, firefighting gear and cameras to forest guardians in addition to constructing monitoring bases.

Following its premiere in June, the theatrical launch of “We Are Guardians” opens in New York on Friday and can proceed its showings nationwide by way of September.

Worldwide Cinematographers Guild Announce Rising Honoree Recipients

The Worldwide Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Native 600) has chosen eight honorees to obtain the 2025 Rising Cinematographer Awards (ECAs). Amongst honorees are Isaac Banks, “The Trophy King,” John B. Barrett, “Recall,” Daniel Cotroneo, “Yae: Blind Samurai Lady,” Eythan Maidhof, “Class Clown,” Mariscela Beatríz Méndez, “The Center,” Josh Pickering, “Boundless | HomeAid,” Steven Jacob Russell, “Hammer” and Alexa Wolf, “To Fade Away.”

The ECAs assist the subsequent era of visible storytellers by spotlighting and honoring early-career and rising Administrators of Pictures.

“The Rising Cinematographer Awards mirror the essential values that ICG stands for — fostering expertise, mentorship, and supporting a robust artistic neighborhood,” says John Lindley, ASC, Nationwide President of the ICG. “These honorees characterize the way forward for our craft, and we’re privileged to raise their visions at this pivotal second of their careers.”

“By recognizing excellent expertise on the earliest phases of their careers, the ICG is proud to assist open doorways and create alternatives for rising Administrators of Pictures to thrive on this dynamic trade,” says Steven Poster, ASC, Chair of the Guild’s ECA committee.

Eduardo Fierro, SVC, 2013 ECA alumnus who now joins this 12 months as the brand new Co-Chair of the ECA committee, provides, “It’s an honor to step into this position and assist proceed the custom of uplifting recent voices in cinematography. As an ECA alumnus, this has been a full circle expertise for me. The ECAs have a good time each inventive excellence and the spirit of mentorship that defines our neighborhood.”

The twenty seventh annual awards gala and reception might be held on the Tv Academy Saban Media Middle Wolf Theatre, on Sept. 28.

Vimeo Publicizes First Brief Movie Grant Winners

Vimeo has introduced the complete checklist of their first Brief Movie Grant winners. This system, which was launched earlier this 12 months in March, is about to offer aspiring filmmakers with trade entry and the chance for distribution to Vimeo’s world viewers.

“For 20 years, Vimeo has served and impressed hundreds of thousands of filmmakers and movie fanatics all over the world,” says Philip Moyer, the CEO of Vimeo. “We’re extremely proud to accomplice with trade leaders, Nikon and RED, on this new grant program to speed up the way forward for storytelling and launch a brand new era of filmmakers. Collectively we’ll present filmmakers with assets, mentorship, and a trusted platform to create distinctive quick movies and join with a world viewers.”

The 2025 winners had been chosen by a jury of trade professionals together with David Lowery (“The Inexperienced Knight), Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”), Sean Wang (“Didi”), Savanah Leaf (“Earth Mama”) and cinematographer Adam Bricker. Recipients of this 12 months’s award will obtain $30,000 every in funding for his or her movies, in addition to private mentorship alternatives with the choice jury and the Vimeo Curation Workforce. Winners will even obtain the most recent Z CINEMA line {of professional} gear and a Vimeo Normal subscription. 

See beneath for the complete winners checklist.

“Spaceboi,” directed by Andrew J. Rodriguez

“La Selva,” directed by Sofia Camargo

“I Keep in mind the Home Was Purple,” directed by Carmen Pedrero

“The Solely Man to Ever Exist,” directed by Annie Ning

“The Ineffable Hum,” directed by John C. Kelley

Monday, July 7

“Sheepwell” Wraps Manufacturing As Michole Briana White, Alix Lapri and Extra Lead Forged

Pathway Photos and SheNYC Arts have wrapped manufacturing on the darkish comedy function movie “Sheepwell,” starring Michole Briana White, Alix Lapri, Connor Paolo and producer Lauren Elizabeth Harris.

Primarily based on the Off Broadway play of the identical title by Margaret Rose Caterisano, director Kim Caicedo tailored the story right into a screenplay alongside Danielle DeMatteo. “Sheepwell” is described as a feminist thriller that reveals what occurs when an overconfident traveler messes with the unsuitable girl. Denise Grayson additionally acted within the movie.

“Upon studying the script for the primary time, I used to be instantly consumed by these ladies and the eerie, twisted Southern panorama that they’re making an attempt to outlive in,” Caicedo stated. “This movie is greater than only a thriller and a thriller. It’s a real-life depiction of what ladies in our society need to concern and struggle for day-after-day.”

DeMatteo, who can be the founder and inventive director of SheNYC Arts, added, “Sheepwell” is an extremely particular story that’s saved all of us up at evening at SheNYC, ever since we first learn the unique play script. We had the privilege of bringing it to life on an off-Broadway stage again in 2023, and it’s going to be much more thrilling and surprising on display screen.”