Film Movement, the distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, announces today that THE BAREFOOT ARTIST, a documentary about the internationally renowned artist Lily Yeh, will be released on DVD, along with three genre films – THE GAMBLER, CRUEL, and THE MANEATER – on January 5th, 2016. THE GAMBLER (“Lesojas”) is the acclaimed award-winning Lithuanian film about a passionate bettor who is forced to make radical decisions to return his debts. CRUEL, the critically acclaimed debut thriller by novelist Eric Cherrière, explores the meticulously crafted mind of a murderer; and THE MANEATER, by Natalie Saracco, is about a nihilistic artist who hides her fragility behind a fast-paced, promiscuous lifestyle until she meets a priest.
Directed by Glenn Holsten and Daniel Traub, THE BAREFOOT ARTIST is a moving documentary following the acclaimed Chinese-American artist Lily Yeh, known for her work with at-risk and refuge populations on five continents. Yeh is an artist who has created community art projects in some of the world’s most troubled areas. She teaches survivors of war how to make deeply personal art and regain a belief that life can be more about creation than destruction. An Official Selection at various socially-engaged film festivals, such as the DC Environmental Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, and United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF), THE BAREFOOT ARTIST is a Film Movement Release and will be available on DVD on January 5.
In THE GAMBLER, Lithuania’s official submission for the 2014 Academy Awards, Vincentas is the best paramedic in his unit, yet he is also an insatiable gambler with mounting debts. Desperate, he crafts an illegal game betting on the lives he is trying to save. Although his financial matters improve, Vincentas finds himself addicted to this illicit new thrill, causing problems for his burgeoning romance with a colleague. THE GAMBLER screened at the Marrakech, Tallinn Black Nights, and Santa Barbara film festivals; won a Special Jury Award at the 2013 Warsaw International Film Festival; and was awarded many of the Silver Crane Prizes (for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Score, Best Individual Achievement, Best Art Direction) at the 2014 Lithuanian Film Awards. THE GAMBLER, a Film Movement Release, will be available on DVD January 5.
CRUEL is the feature film debut of the famous French crime novelist Eric Cherriere. In the film, Pierre, a lonely 40-something, lives with his ill father. Intensely quiet, Pierre’s only respites from his solitary existence are his childhood memories of his dead mother, and the killing of innocent strangers. When Pierre meets Laure, his murderous inclinations subside, but not for long. The tension between his tender, burgeoning romance and his homicidal urges drive Pierre to the brink. “Moody, esoteric, thought-provoking and, not surprisingly, literary” wrote The Hollywood Reporter, CRUEL played in Busan and Santa Barbara, as well as at genre festivals like the 2015 Fantasia Film Festival, among others. CRUEL, an Omnibus Entertainment title, will be available on DVD on January 5.
Natalie Saracco’s debut feature THE MANEATER, follows Jezebel, a nihilistic artist who hides her fragility by living a fast-paced, promiscuous lifestyle. After attending her father’s funeral, the sultry temptress finds herself attracted to David, a handsome, earnest young priest. While David wrestles with the earthly desires elicited by this new temptress, jaded Jezebel tries to comprehend his deeply-rooted faith. THE MANEATER, which was featured at the 2014 Sarajevo Film festival, is an Omnibus Entertainment Release and will be available on DVD January 5.
Praise for the films include:
· “A poignant documentary about the transformative power of art.” – Los Angeles Times for THE BAREFOOT ARTIST
· “There is much healing in THE BAREFOOT ARTIST, Glenn Holsten and Daniel Traub’s fascinating documentary portrait of the artist Lily Yeh.” – Andy Webster, New York Times for THE BAREFOOT ARTIST
· “A bracing blast of Baltic Noir with a spiky political subtext, Lithuania’s Oscar submission for the Best Foreign Language Film contest is a contemporary psychological thriller…” – Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter for THE GAMBLER
· “THE GAMBLER which plays in competition at the Marrakech Film Festival, marks director Ignas Jonynas out as one to keep an eye on…Jonynas delivers a provocative and compelling movie that is confident to a fault with both the genre and character aspects of the script, all in his first time at bat.” – Jessica Kiang, The Playlist for THE GAMBLER
· “Cherrière’s film is…more of a dark drama than a thriller, but the look, feel and performances make for an engaging and frequently suspenseful watch…” – Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects for CRUEL
· “… CRUEL – it’s admirable and intriguing” – Jay Seaver, eFilm Critic for CRUEL
· “A strange piece, obsessed about the body and faith, that shows the director’s ease to shoot and her talent for directing actors…” – Avoir-Alire.com for THE MANEATER