"It's the ultimate clickbait thirst trap." IFC Films has revealed the first official trailer for The Beta Test, a seductive, provocative new thriller from filmmaker Jim Cummings (of Thunder Road and The Wolf of Snow Hollow). Cummings teams up with actor Pj McCabe to co-write & co-direct this film, which initially premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year. It also played at the Tribeca, Edinburgh, Deauville, Vancouver, and Champs-Elysées Film Festivals this year. A married Hollywood agent receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, infidelity, and digital data. It's partially a commentary on the wrold of agents in Hollywood, and partially a commentary on the disruptive nature of sexual provocation, how easily it can tear things apart. The film stars Cummings & McCabe, plus Virginia Newcomb, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Grace Applegate, Jessie Barr, Malin Barr, and Christian Hillborg. This...
- 9/20/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“A hilarious skewering of the shallowness of the movie industry and the paranoia and mistrust that afflicts the guilty. Cummings and McCabe’s film touches a raw nerve with sharp, funny, awkwardly prickly provocation.” – Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist
Hitting cinemas this fall is The Beta Test starring Jim Cummings, Virginia Newcomb, Pj McCabe, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Grace Applegate, Jessie Barr.
A married Hollywood agent receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, murder and infidelity in this scintillating satire.
Written and Directed by Jim Cummings & Pj McCabe, The Beta Test opens in Select Theaters, on Digital Platforms and VOD on November 5th.
The film premiered at Berlinale and the Tribeca Film Festival and will screen at the upcoming Fantastic Fest on Monday September 27th. Watch an interview from this summer with the two filmmakers.
https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-beta-test
Images Courtesy of IFC Films.
Hitting cinemas this fall is The Beta Test starring Jim Cummings, Virginia Newcomb, Pj McCabe, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Grace Applegate, Jessie Barr.
A married Hollywood agent receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, murder and infidelity in this scintillating satire.
Written and Directed by Jim Cummings & Pj McCabe, The Beta Test opens in Select Theaters, on Digital Platforms and VOD on November 5th.
The film premiered at Berlinale and the Tribeca Film Festival and will screen at the upcoming Fantastic Fest on Monday September 27th. Watch an interview from this summer with the two filmmakers.
https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-beta-test
Images Courtesy of IFC Films.
- 9/19/2021
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Exclusive: Sundance Institute has announced the 21 fellows and 18 projects they have selected for their first-ever, multi-track Episodic Lab, which is being held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fellows chosen include Justin Calen-Chenn (The Cavi), Lauren Glover (A Dignified Death), Andrew Lopez (Emotional), Jessie Barr and Lena Hudson (Fantasia for You), Elissa Blount Moorhead and Ericka Blount Danois (fiftyTWO), Stacy F. McDonald (Gone But Not Forgotten), Zach Gonzalez-Landis (The Great Impasta), Mansoor Adayfi and Antonio Aiello, Yvonne Hana Yi (Hannah with the Dogs), Carly Woodworth (Lasting), Jackie Katzman (Loons), Terrance Daye (Mandingo), Jess dela Merced (On Soul), Shirin Najafi (Regulars), Johnny Alvarez (Somewhere Else), Rom Lotan (Tehran Disco), Melody Cooper (Those Who Kill) and Nicole Saad (Tinderbox).
The 2021 Lab, hosted on Sundance Collab, has been designed as an immersive two-part experience. Fellows were divided into either the “Idea to Pilot Track,” in which they developed an...
Fellows chosen include Justin Calen-Chenn (The Cavi), Lauren Glover (A Dignified Death), Andrew Lopez (Emotional), Jessie Barr and Lena Hudson (Fantasia for You), Elissa Blount Moorhead and Ericka Blount Danois (fiftyTWO), Stacy F. McDonald (Gone But Not Forgotten), Zach Gonzalez-Landis (The Great Impasta), Mansoor Adayfi and Antonio Aiello, Yvonne Hana Yi (Hannah with the Dogs), Carly Woodworth (Lasting), Jackie Katzman (Loons), Terrance Daye (Mandingo), Jess dela Merced (On Soul), Shirin Najafi (Regulars), Johnny Alvarez (Somewhere Else), Rom Lotan (Tehran Disco), Melody Cooper (Those Who Kill) and Nicole Saad (Tinderbox).
The 2021 Lab, hosted on Sundance Collab, has been designed as an immersive two-part experience. Fellows were divided into either the “Idea to Pilot Track,” in which they developed an...
- 5/14/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
IFC FIlms holds US rights.
Buyers in the UK, France and Canada have acquired rights to Jim Cummings’ recent Berlin Encounters selection The Beta Test.
Benjamin Wiesnner of Los Angeles-based production company Vanishing Angle negotiated the deals with Blue Finch in the UK, New Story in France, and Vortex Media in Canada.
The horror thriller centres on a Hollywood agent who gets sucked into a world of sexual infidelity and mysterious streams of digital data.
It recently sold to IFC Films for the US and is expected to launch in the US and the first wave of international markets in autumn.
Buyers in the UK, France and Canada have acquired rights to Jim Cummings’ recent Berlin Encounters selection The Beta Test.
Benjamin Wiesnner of Los Angeles-based production company Vanishing Angle negotiated the deals with Blue Finch in the UK, New Story in France, and Vortex Media in Canada.
The horror thriller centres on a Hollywood agent who gets sucked into a world of sexual infidelity and mysterious streams of digital data.
It recently sold to IFC Films for the US and is expected to launch in the US and the first wave of international markets in autumn.
- 3/24/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jim Cummings’ thriller “The Beta Test” has been acquired by IFC Films.
Cummings wrote, directed and stars in the film that was an official selection for this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. IFC will distribute the film theatrically, on digital platforms and on demand this fall.
“The Beta Test” follows an enraged Hollywood agent who received a letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes trapped in a world of lying and infidelity. Pj McCabe, Virginia Newcomb, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Grace Applegate, Jessie Barr, Keith Powell, Joy Sunday, Wilkey Lau, Malin Barr and Christian Hillborg also star.
“IFC has partnered with the boldest and most insanely talented filmmakers in history, Armando Iannucci, Paolo Sorrentino, Andrea Arnold, and hundreds of others and then they let us just ruin it in 2021,” Cummings said in a statement to TheWrap. “This movie was financed independently through a crowd-equity platform called WeFunder, we produced it independently,...
Cummings wrote, directed and stars in the film that was an official selection for this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. IFC will distribute the film theatrically, on digital platforms and on demand this fall.
“The Beta Test” follows an enraged Hollywood agent who received a letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes trapped in a world of lying and infidelity. Pj McCabe, Virginia Newcomb, Kevin Changaris, Olivia Grace Applegate, Jessie Barr, Keith Powell, Joy Sunday, Wilkey Lau, Malin Barr and Christian Hillborg also star.
“IFC has partnered with the boldest and most insanely talented filmmakers in history, Armando Iannucci, Paolo Sorrentino, Andrea Arnold, and hundreds of others and then they let us just ruin it in 2021,” Cummings said in a statement to TheWrap. “This movie was financed independently through a crowd-equity platform called WeFunder, we produced it independently,...
- 3/22/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to “The Beta Test,” a new digital-age thriller that was written, directed by and starring Jim Cummings and Pj McCabe.
The film was an official selection for this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. IFC will release “The Beta Test” theatrically, on digital platforms and on demand later this fall. The film centers on an engaged Hollywood agent, who receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, infidelity and digital data.
“I cannot wait for everybody to see this movie, it is so much fun,” Cummings said. “We raised the budget through crowd-equity, we shot the film with our friends, we edited and finished the film from our homes. Our audience helped make this wild, beautiful film possible and we are anxious to get to share it with people. I can’t think...
The film was an official selection for this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. IFC will release “The Beta Test” theatrically, on digital platforms and on demand later this fall. The film centers on an engaged Hollywood agent, who receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, infidelity and digital data.
“I cannot wait for everybody to see this movie, it is so much fun,” Cummings said. “We raised the budget through crowd-equity, we shot the film with our friends, we edited and finished the film from our homes. Our audience helped make this wild, beautiful film possible and we are anxious to get to share it with people. I can’t think...
- 3/22/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Navigating the precarious aspects of growing up while simultaneously buried deep in the throes of grief is one young woman’s struggle in director Jessie Barr’s “Sophie Jones.” This meaningful drama, co-written and starring Barr’s cousin Jessica, taps into the immediacy of being a teenager and the intimacy of sorrow, yielding astute insights. The pair set their story during the fertile period in a maturing teen’s life when hormones and complex emotions run roughshod. With Nicole Holofcener on board as executive producer, it’s a poignant exploration of this arduous age, rooted in staggering authenticity.
Sixteen-year-old Sophie (Jessica Barr) has been reeling since the recent death of her mother. The absence is achingly painful as Sophie scours Mom’s closet for any tangible remnant, any reminder, from smelling her clothes to sorting through her ashes. Sophie’s father Aaron (Dave Roberts) and younger sister Lucy (Charlie Jackson...
Sixteen-year-old Sophie (Jessica Barr) has been reeling since the recent death of her mother. The absence is achingly painful as Sophie scours Mom’s closet for any tangible remnant, any reminder, from smelling her clothes to sorting through her ashes. Sophie’s father Aaron (Dave Roberts) and younger sister Lucy (Charlie Jackson...
- 3/2/2021
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
With theatrical exhibition regaining some life as New York City theaters open up at a limited capacity this month, the spring and summer will be an interesting time for the film industry. In terms of the arthouse model, it’ll be curious to see how the Virtual Cinemas that so many theaters have relied on as a revenue stream these past 12 months meld with the more limited capacity standard physical screenings. As we wait and see how these shifts take shape, check out our rundown of the films to check out this month.
14. Sophie Jones (Jessie Barr)
Executive produced by Nicole Holofcener, Jessie Barr’s coming-of-age tale Sophie Jones had a festival run last year, earning acclaim at Deauville Film Festival and more, and now it arrives this month via Oscilloscope Laboratories. Led by the director’s cousin, Jessica Barr, she plays the title character, who struggles with the unexpected...
14. Sophie Jones (Jessie Barr)
Executive produced by Nicole Holofcener, Jessie Barr’s coming-of-age tale Sophie Jones had a festival run last year, earning acclaim at Deauville Film Festival and more, and now it arrives this month via Oscilloscope Laboratories. Led by the director’s cousin, Jessica Barr, she plays the title character, who struggles with the unexpected...
- 3/2/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Sophie Jones, the creation from co-writing cousins Jessica and Jessie Barr, excels when focused on the eponymous high schooler’s detachment from friends and family. Exploring the grief and loss associated with losing a parent––in this case, Sophie’s mother––Sophie Jones is the result of multiple stories stemming from the Barr cousins. With Jessica playing the title role and Jessie directing, the film draws from their experiences, as both lost a parent when they were 16 years old.
The movie exudes a naturalness in the scenes between Sophie and her friends, as well as those featuring Sophie and her love interests. At the story’s beginning, she’s a drama kid, a virgin, an older sister, and a protector of her mom’s legacy––more than all of these, however, she’s just a teenager. As a junior in high school, she’s still figuring out how to deal with overwhelming amounts of grief.
The movie exudes a naturalness in the scenes between Sophie and her friends, as well as those featuring Sophie and her love interests. At the story’s beginning, she’s a drama kid, a virgin, an older sister, and a protector of her mom’s legacy––more than all of these, however, she’s just a teenager. As a junior in high school, she’s still figuring out how to deal with overwhelming amounts of grief.
- 3/2/2021
- by Michael Frank
- The Film Stage
"Death is weird." Oscilloscope Labs has revealed an official trailer for the indie coming-of-age drama titled Sophie Jones, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Jessie Barr. This premiered at a few film festivals last year, and it's getting a virtual release coming up soon in March. Inspired by true experiences of grief, girlhood, and growing up, Sophie Jones provides a stirring portrait of a 16-year old trying to figure out life. "Stunned by the untimely death of her mother and struggling with the myriad challenges of teendom, Sophie tries everything she can to feel something again, while holding herself together, in this sensitive, acutely realized, and utterly relatable coming-of-age story." Starring Jessica Barr as Sophie, with Skyler Verity, Claire Manning, Charlie Jackson, and Dave Roberts. This looks like a worthwhile indie gem. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jessie Barr's Sophie Jones, direct from YouTube: Inspired by true experiences of grief,...
- 2/26/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Oscilloscope Laboratories is about to get angsty. The Adam Yauch indie film company has acquired North American rights to Jessie Barr’s coming-of-age drama Sophie Jones executive produced by Nicole Holofcener. The film is slated to be released in the first quarter of 2021.
Inspired by true experiences of grief, girlhood, and growing up, Sophie Jones paints a portrait of the titular 16-year-old (played by the director’s cousin Jessica Barr) who is shocked by the untimely death of her mother. As she struggles with her loss and the challenges of being a teen, Sophie tries everything she can to feel something again, while holding herself together.
“Sophie Jones has been a true labor of love and I’m beyond thrilled that the film has found its home with Oscilloscope,” said Jessie Barr, who was also a Sundance Fellow. “This is a dream come true. Oscilloscope’s love for filmmakers,...
Inspired by true experiences of grief, girlhood, and growing up, Sophie Jones paints a portrait of the titular 16-year-old (played by the director’s cousin Jessica Barr) who is shocked by the untimely death of her mother. As she struggles with her loss and the challenges of being a teen, Sophie tries everything she can to feel something again, while holding herself together.
“Sophie Jones has been a true labor of love and I’m beyond thrilled that the film has found its home with Oscilloscope,” said Jessie Barr, who was also a Sundance Fellow. “This is a dream come true. Oscilloscope’s love for filmmakers,...
- 1/5/2021
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“Sophie Jones” opens on its titular protagonist, played by Jessica Barr, as she fiddles with a bag of cremated remains. She rubs the ashes between her fingers, revealing a piece of fragmented bone which she raises experimentally to her mouth to taste. Bad idea. She spits it out and puts it back in the bag.
Such is the dark, charming nature of this coming-of-age film, directed by first-timer Jessie Barr (Jessica’s cousin), co-written by the star and director, and executive produced by Nicole Holofcener.
Continue reading ‘Sophie Jones’ Is Indie Coming-Of-Age At Its Best [Review] at The Playlist.
Such is the dark, charming nature of this coming-of-age film, directed by first-timer Jessie Barr (Jessica’s cousin), co-written by the star and director, and executive produced by Nicole Holofcener.
Continue reading ‘Sophie Jones’ Is Indie Coming-Of-Age At Its Best [Review] at The Playlist.
- 9/23/2020
- by Lena Wilson
- The Playlist
Deauville will be one of the first film festivals to take place physically in France since March.
Kelly Reichardt’s period drama First Cow, Miranda July’s crime comedy caper Kajillionaire and Jonathan Nossiter’s dystopian drama Last Words will be among 14 US titles playing in competition at the Deauville American Film Festival this year.
The festival, unfolding in the upmarket beach resort of Deauville on France’s Normandy coast, will take place September 4-13.
It will be one of the first film festivals to take place physically in France since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early March, alongside the Angouleme Francophone Festival,...
Kelly Reichardt’s period drama First Cow, Miranda July’s crime comedy caper Kajillionaire and Jonathan Nossiter’s dystopian drama Last Words will be among 14 US titles playing in competition at the Deauville American Film Festival this year.
The festival, unfolding in the upmarket beach resort of Deauville on France’s Normandy coast, will take place September 4-13.
It will be one of the first film festivals to take place physically in France since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early March, alongside the Angouleme Francophone Festival,...
- 7/21/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦69¦
- ScreenDaily
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