TORONTO, Sept. 17 (UPI) — IFC Films says it has acquired The Bleeder, a boxing drama that screened at the Venice and Toronto film festivals.
Directed by Philippe Falardeau, and written by Jeff Feurzeig and Jerry Stahl, the Chuck Wepner biopic stars Liev Schreiber, Elisabeth Moss and Naomi Watts. It will get a North American theatrical release in the spring.
“The Bleeder‘s journey could not have found a better conclusion. I’m thrilled that IFC Films acquired our film. I love the group’s philosophy and during the past days, their passion for The Bleeder was certainly contagious. I look forward to working with them in the near future,” Falardeau said in a statement.
“I am truly thrilled our film has found a home at IFC Films and Showtime. The team at IFC Films is pretty much leading the way in terms of effective and substantive theatrical releases right now,” added Schreiber. “As for Showtime, they’ve become family in the past five years, so to have them be a part of this movie just feels right. Such a great outcome.”
Showtime will be the pay television home for the movie after its theatrical release. The network is also where Schreiber’s series Ray Donovan airs.
La Biennale di Venezia and Persol are pleased to announce that American actor and director Liev Schreiber (Spotlight, X Men Origins: Wolverine, Everything is Illuminated) is the recipient of the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival (31 August – 10 September 2016).
The awards ceremony to confer the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award 2016 to Liev Schreiber will take place on Friday September 2nd at10 pm in the Sala Grande (Palazzo del Cinema, Lido di Venezia), on the occasion of the screening Out of Competition of the film The Bleeder (USA/Canada, 93’) directed by Philippe Falardeau, starring Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. This biopic tells the true story of American boxer Chuck Wepner, who inspired the character of Rocky Balboa in the famous Rocky film series.
Liev Schreiber has participated in the Venice Film Festival several times in the past:
as the star last year of the Oscar-winning film Spotlight by Tom McCarthy, in 2012 with the opening film The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mira Nair, in 2004 with The Manchurian Candidate (2004) by Jonathan Demme; and as a director in 2005 with his debut film Everything is Illuminated, starring Elijah Wood. for which he won the Lanterna Magica Prize and the Biografilm Award.
The Director of the Venice Film Festival, Alberto Barbera, made the following statement in regards to this award: “My admiration for Liev Schreiber is boundless. He has the ability to fully invest his talent both in starring roles in many independent films and as a costar in many mainstream Hollywood productions, as well as in a spectacular TV series like Ray Donovan which he produced and partially directed. The solid grounding he received as a Shakespearean actor when he was starting out continues to foster some unpredictable and complex performances, imbued with deep compassion. Each time he appears on screen it is as though the film’s tone has risen, making every appearance of his something unique and memorable. His essential qualities of sensitivity, intuition and intelligence can also be found in Everything is Illuminated, the one feature he has directed to date– and I hope it will not remain the only directorial effort by this singularly talented person.”
Chiara Occulti, Luxottica Group Senior Vice President Brand and Communication Management, stated: “We are particularly proud to continue our collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival of the Biennale di Venezia, which has reached its twelfth consecutive edition this year. In 2016, the PERSOL TRIBUTE TO VISIONARY TALENT AWARD celebrates Liev Schreiber, a talent who reflects the personality of Persol to its fullest. We are proud that an artist such as Schreiber has accepted to be the recipient and to associate his talent with that of Persol.”
Liev Schreiber is considered one of the most talented actors in contemporary cinema, as well as a respected director and actor for the theatre. His biggest hits include the film Spotlight (2015) directed by Tom McCarthy, winner of the Oscar for Best Film, Salt (2010) by Phillip Noyce, X Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) by Gavin Hood, Taking Woodstock (2009) by Ang Lee, Defiance (2008) by Edward Zwick, The Manchurian Candidate (2004) by Jonathan Demme, Kate & Leopold (2002) by James Mangold alongside Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, A Walk on the Moon (1999) by Tony Goldwyn, The Hurricane (1999) by Norman Jewison, RKO 281 (1999) by Benjamin Ross, Big Night (1996) by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci and the Scream trilogy (1996, 1997, 2000) directed by Wes Craven. In 2005 Schreiber directed Everything is Illuminated, with Elijah Wood. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, one of the most famous drama schools in the world and one of the oldest in Great Britain, and graduated in 1992 from the Yale School of Drama. He won a Tony Award in 2005 for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for Glengarry Glen Ross, and has received two additional nominations for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play for his starring roles in A View From the Bridge (2010) and Talk Radio (2007).
The 73rd Venice International Film Festival will be held on the Lido from August 31st to September 10th 2016, directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by the Biennale chaired by Paolo Baratta.
