BAD EDUCATION - Potential SPOILERS

[jo]

Fans who saw it at TIFF were all impressed ( no tweet saying otherwise) --

[jo]

It looks like we do have a good chance of seeing it here in the Philippines, if HBO-ASIA is publicizing the teaser/trailer of BAD EDUCATION!

[jo]

If it's anything -- the teaser drop, especially as it is under the auspices of HBO FILMS, has raised the profile of HBO in quite many parts of the world. Bad Edcuation has become a poster child for the quality of films of HBO, given that the movie earned very favorable critical reactions and earned praise from fan attendees of the Toronto film festival. This endorsement has not been enjoyed by HBO Original films before they could air.

Other quality HBO films did not have the advantage of having been previously seen and reviewed by top critics and by film festival fans!

All of a sudden, people are asking about HBO if they don't have it on their TV options.

Jo

[jo]

Feb 23, 2020 23:25:44 GMT -5 jo said:

It looks like we do have a good chance of seeing it here in the Philippines, if HBO-ASIA is publicizing the teaser/trailer of BAD EDUCATION!

They replied

[jo]

Presumably, the rerun will be across all of HBO on a global basis?


Jo

[njr]

Of course. When a film premieres on HBO (or any other pay TV) there are numerous reruns.

[hughmanity]

Here is a film blogger who feels as strongly as many of us did that the film should've had a theatrical release.

Bad Education': Upcoming HBO Movie Deserves Theatrical Release [Trailer]
February 21, 2020 Jordan Ruimy

Cory Finley’s “Bad Education” starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney, one of the best films I saw at TIFF last year, had been struggling to find a buyer ever since its premiere. Most were blaming a volatile and unpredictable movie market dominated by franchises, especially after all those Sundance Box-Office duds happened this past summer. However,

Finley’s film was finally bought by HBO for an astounding $16.5million [via Deadline]. This officially made it ineligible for Oscar contention since it would be premiering on television. A real shame if you ask me since Jackman gives the performance of his career. Is this how dour the state of the industry is now? One of the best movies of the Spring, maybe even the year, will not see the light of day in theaters? It’s an embarrassment of the highest order. As you can tell, I'm positively irked this isn't getting a theatrical release, mostly due to the fact that HBO movies just always fall off the radar for many people (The Tale, You Don’t Know Jack), chances are it’ll happen here as well.

“Bad Education” is based on the true story of a Long Island school superintendent (Jackman), his “assistant superintendent for business” (Janney) and the embezzlement scheme they concocted as they stole millions of dollars from school funds. All of this happened under the watch of a clueless school board.

Here’s a snippet from my review:

“Jackman and Janney are the perfect match to carry “Bad Education” forward, both delivering darkly comedic performances. In fact, this could very well be a career peak for Jackman, an Aussie actor who has had plenty of commercial hits in his career, but has not always had his talents taken seriously by critics. His Frank is a man who can be liable one second and repugnant the next. “

The unadorned greed on display is nothing new for Finley, who tackled similar themes in his debut feature “Thoroughbreds”, but unlike that movie, the characters here feel richer and more humane. Count this as another taut, tense and terrific drama from Finley. He’s made another scathing indictment on the way money can corrupt and darken the soul.

www.worldofreel.com/blog/2020/2/aug2upse25hsaz3awiqwe17n8qo0uz

[jo]

It was originally bruited about that BAD EDUCATION was meant to be one of the inaugural attractions of HBO-MAX, but purchased at a record high at the TIFF. But they are now putting it on world premiere attention at HBO? It is doubtful that HBO ever purchased any original content ( for a movie) at this price for HBO-proper.

*HBO always carries a cartload of EMMY trophies every year...so this may not be the main reason?
*Is cable TV going to suffer with the onrush of streaming services from major providers (Netflix/Disney+/AppleTV/HBO-MAX/others) and they want to put HBO proper as an active competitor for consumer attention.
*Some major talent ( Nicole Kidman, etc) from film have graced TV screens as original content occasionally...and here was another chance to emphasize that they sometimes provide this kind of topnotch acting drama/dramedy?


On another note -- there have been some tweets from European fans re the availability of the screening there. It seems that HBO is firmly established in Eastern Europe...but may be working as tieups in western Europe ( such as Sky in the UK and OCS in France?). Why has it become quite an effort to watch a movie

Jo

[luzie]

As I said before, HBO isn't available in Germany and other (European) countries! Presumably Bad Education will be shown on Sky (or another Pay TV channel) later as other HBO movies and series before, but many people, me either, don't have Sky. So all in all this entire deal sucks!

[jo]

Not sure if this will help - but you might try contacting Amazon.de re possibility of watching it on Prime Video.

From Wiki notes --

Prime Video

Prime Video, also marketed as Amazon Prime Video, is an American Internet video on demand service that is developed, owned, and operated by Amazon. It offers television shows and films for rent or purchase and Prime Video, a selection of Amazon Studios original content and licensed acquisitions included in the Amazon's Prime subscription. In the UK, US, Germany, Sweden, and Austria, access to Prime Video is also available through a video-only membership, which does not require a full Prime subscription.[2] In France and Italy, Rent or Buy and Prime Video are not available on the Amazon website and Prime Video content is only accessible through a dedicated website. In some countries Prime Video additionally offers Amazon Channels, which allows viewers to subscribe to other suppliers' content, including HBO in the United States.[3]

HBO is available in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia & Iberia ( Spain/Portugal). Also, it seems the UK has arrangements with SKY while France has arrangements with OCS.

For HBO- Europe :

www.hbo-europe.com/

Jo

[jo]

Unfortunately, it seems that this kind of developing trend for movies not usually classified as big-budget tentpoles or prestige movies ( targeting awards notice) is becoming the norm, with the launch of major streaming services ( Amazon, Netflix, DisneyPlus, HBO-MAX, AppleTV and others) in the past, this year and the next. Indies will likely find this trend even more pronounced.

Even major movies like Martin Scorcese's The Irishman,while it complied with the required theatrical screening of 1 week ( to qualify for the Oscars), was put on Netflix for movie audiences. The limited screening is required only for LA commercial theatres. Scorcese had to do it this way because he could get funding for such a big project only from Netflix. For indie-type movies, it is not just the production budget that matters but also the marketing budget to launch the movie (TV ads/billboards/printmedia, media tour). The advantage of streaming is that they already have the (TV) channel to advertise the feature.

There are quite a number of articles posted on the thread UNDERSTANDING THE FILM BUSINESS in the OFF-TOPIC section on the subject and developments in the film industry with regards film financing and film distribution.

Jo

[jo]

Replying to the twitter message/teaser drop from the major movie producer

[jo]

Honestly, it looks like they couldn't make what the movie really is

For one, the teaser does not spoil anything from the movie - it was simply an intro to the characters and the general setting - but not much hint on the real issue(s) tackled in the movie?

But they think the subject ( public education) is a timely subject rarely tackled in movies...and may be worth a look as an interesting theme.

They noted the acclaim given to the performances in the trailer.


Jo

[jo]

Very negative outlook on the impact of the coronavirus threat on the film industry.

deadline.com/2020/02/coronavirus-corvid-19-hollywood-studios-response-financial-impact-delayed-releases-china-korea-italy-global-international-box-office-1202867768/#comments

BAD EDUCATION --

I never thought I would ever say that the release of the movie via HBO would be welcome news. It might even spike better viewing numbers than originally thought because TV can become the channel of choice to watch movies for as long as the health issue remains at a high level.


THE MUSIC MAN --

By coincidence - the long advance sale period has enabled the early filling of seats on offer. If it is any indication - the seating charts indicate how much of the seats at least from September to December have already been sold. Hopefully, the health threat would have dissipated by that time.

At this time, travel plans may be a little worrisome, but hopefully the health issue would become less frightening by the time the show starts previews.


Jo

[jo]

Re the threat to the film industry --'

www.indiewire.com/2020/02/coronavirus-movie-theaters-heres-what-to-expect-1202213186/


Excerpts --

Theater closings would be unprecedented, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. However, streaming could be a bigger threat than the virus

Streaming, the Existential Threat

China is dealing with its school shutdown by teaching students online, if possible. The few companies not suffering big stock losses in the last couple days are those that specialize in work-from-home applications. And ultimately, that also represents’ theaters’ biggest fear: In the face of public health concerns, studios could choose to stream first-run releases.

One precedent is “The Interview,” the Seth Rogen comedy pirated by North Korea. Instead of a wide release at Christmas, Sony played mostly independent theaters (worldwide gross, about $12 million) and at the same time generated $40 million in VOD rentals, with little marketing.

Now, some studios might consider going the same route. If a top title can charge a premium rate and see a 75% rental while avoiding most marketing costs, and generate a huge profit, that would be a game changer.

Theaters have long known that this possibility exists, but no one has dared try it. Coronavirus could make the difference.

For indies ( like BAD EDUCATION) which are poised for release in the first half of 2020, this might be a blessing in disguise, as people's focus on any outside activities becomes more careful.

But what about the major summer tentpoles ( the last Craig Bond movie is due out in late April; the slate for big-budget movies coming soon) and for Disney, especially worrisome would be their $200 million-budgeted MULAN with an all-Chinese cast. The big-budget studio projects will have to be marketed very carefully.


Down the line - REMINISCENCE won't probably get a release date till towards the last quarter...or may even be postponed to 2021 when things hopefully could be better.

Streaming will have the advantage...on the other hand, Disney+ will be in a bind. It makes a lot of its money from its billion-dollar box office successes - some partly due to the China market...and some due to the nature of their movies which are meant for theatrical releases.

Hope negative outlooks will change better or faster than predicted.


Jo

[jo]

BAD EDUCATION is beginning to get some press coverage again --


www.indiewire.com/2020/02/bad-education-hugh-jackman-hbo-teaser-1202212726/

‘Bad Education’ Teaser: Hugh Jackman Enters the Emmy Race as a High School Boss Caught in a Scandal
Cory Finley's film, which sold out of the Toronto Film Festival for nearly $20 million, hits HBO on April 25.

Ryan Lattanzio
Feb 21, 2020 3:39 pm


At last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, HBO scooped up Cory Finley’s buzzed-about dark comedy “Bad Education” for just shy of a cool $20 million. That’s great news for the ripped-from-the-headlines film, which earned star Hugh Jackman raves for his turn as an embezzling high-school superintendent, and its potential to reach a massive global audience. But that also means, without a theatrical release, there will be no Academy Awards for this film. “Bad Education” will instead vie for Primetime Emmys, as its April 25 street date on HBO platforms makes it eligible for this year’s awards.

With a cast led by Jackman, plus TV mainstays Allison Janney (both an Emmy and Oscar winner) and Ray Romano (also an Emmy winner), it’s an enviable ensemble, all directed by Finley, who last helmed the hit indie dark comedy “Thoroughbreds.” Jackman plays Dr. Frank Tassone, the superintendent of the Roslyn School District in Long Island, who, after inheriting an administrative mess, ends up steering the largest single public school embezzlement scandal in history. That scandal is inspired by real-life events observed by co-producer/writer Mike Makowsky during his time as a student at Roslyn. The film’s producers also include Fred Berger (“La La Land”), Oren Moverman (“Time Out of Mind”), Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (“Honey Boy”), Julia Lebedev (“Dear White People”), and Eddie Vaisman (“Monsters and Men”).


Hugh Jackman’s against-type turn as a disgraced school administrator earned raves out of TIFF, with IndieWire’s David Ehrlich heralding “the most human performance he’s ever given, wrapped in translucent vanity and cut with finely sliced layers of doubt and denial.” He also wrote, “Heavy with poisoned humor and as panoramic as Finley’s ‘Thoroughbreds’ was laser-focused, ‘Bad Education’ is in no hurry to reveal the full picture; watching the first hour of the movie, it’s hard to imagine how this seemingly benign story of suburban malfeasance could possibly explode into the biggest embezzlement scandal in the history of the American school system. But the pieces are there from the moment the film starts, buried just under the sand.”

Once the film releases on April 25, expect to see “Bad Education” also pop on HBO’s new horse in the streaming derby, HBO Max, which drops in May. Watch the “Bad Education” teaser below:

.

[jo]

This screen cap captures the eyes glistening a little with tears. What an actor!

[jo]

BAD EDUCATION will get a USA Premiere at the TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL!

Tribeca Film Festival
From Wikipedia,

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) is an American film festival, held in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, showcasing a diverse selection of independent films. Since its inaugural year in 2002, it has become an outlet for independent filmmakers in all genres to release their work to a broad audience.

In 2006 and 2007, the festival received over 8,600 film submissions and held 1,500 screenings.[1] The festival's program line-up includes a variety of independent films including documentaries, narrative features and shorts, as well as a program of family-friendly films. The festival also features panel discussions with people in the entertainment world and a music lounge produced with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) to showcase artists. One of the more distinctive components of the festival is its artists awards program in which emerging and established artists celebrate filmmakers by providing original works of art that are given to the filmmakers' competition winners. Past artists of the artists award program include Chuck Close, Alex Katz, and Julian Schnabel.

The festival now draws an estimated three million people—including often-elusive celebrities from the worlds of art, film, and music—and generates $600 million annually.[2]

Tribeca Film Festival
www.tribecafilm.com

Tribeca Enterprises was founded by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro in 2001. Through programs that embrace storytelling in all of its expansive forms—

From Indiewire --

www.indiewire.com/2020/03/tribeca-2020-feature-lineup-1202214949/

Tribeca 2020 Unveils Features Lineup: ‘The Trip to Greece,’ ‘King of Staten Island,’ ‘Bad Education,’ and ‘Shirley’
This year's festival kicks off on April 15 and includes 95 world premieres, plus a number of hit selections from TIFF, Sundance, and SXSW.

Kate Erbland
3 hours ago
@katerbland


“Bad Education”
HBO Films

The 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, has today unveiled its feature film lineup, including a number of world premieres and a selection of proven hits from other festivals, including TIFF, Sundance, and SXSW. The features program will include 115 films from 124 filmmakers from across 33 different countries. This newly announced lineup includes 95 world premieres, 2 international premieres, 4 North American premieres, 4 U.S. premieres, and 9 New York premieres, plus one sneak preview. The 2020 Tribeca Film Festival will run April 15 to 26 across New York City and even, for the first time ever, New Jersey.

“This year’s festival embraces the unique power of film to bring people together — whether that’s literally the communal experience of watching a film in a packed theater, or the more intangible way a great film can make you empathize with a stranger’s struggle,” said festival director Cara Cusumano in an official statement. “In an election year where we will go to the polls to make big decisions about our future together, these films are an opportunity for connection and understanding.”


Tribeca will play home to a number of exciting world premieres, including Michael Winterbottom’s fourth film in his “Trip” franchise (“The Trip to Greece”), Alice Wu’s long-awaited sophomore film “The Half of It,” Andrew Irvine’s Catherine Keener-starring drama “No Future,” Jamie Babbitt’s Drew Barrymore-starring rom-com “The Stand-In,” Gabriel Range’s David Bowie biopic “Stardust,” and Brent Wilson’s intimate documentary “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road.”

Among the many films on offer at this year’s festival, there are a number of standouts from other events, all the better to give New York cinephiles the chance to catch up on some of the most buzzed-about films of 2019 and 2020, including Cory Finley’s TIFF hit “Bad Education,” Josephine Decker’s “Shirley,” Julie Delpy’s “My Zoe,” Judd Apatow’s SXSW opener “The King of Staten Island,” and Ron Howard’s documentary “Rebuilding Paradise.” Now in its second year, the Tribeca Critics’ Week section is also packed with lauded films that have already made their debut on the festival circuit, including Bill Benz’s “The Nowhere Inn” and Heidi Ewing’s “I Carry You With Me.”


This year’s program includes 19 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects, and 44 of the feature films have one or more women directors. The feature program was curated from 3,385 submissions, and this year’s Festival received a record 10,397 total submissions across all categories.

As previously announced, the 2020 festival will open April 15 with the world premiere of award-winning director Mary Wharton’s documentary, “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President,” at the Beacon Theatre as part of the City National Bank Screening Series with live performances from music legend Willie Nelson, Musical Director Paul Shaffer, Nile Rodgers and others.




Check out the current Tribeca Film Festival lineup below, with all synopses provided by the festival.

U.S. Narrative Competition

Tribeca’s U.S. Narrative Competition showcases extraordinary work from breakout independent voices and distinguished filmmaking talent. These 10 world premieres will vie for the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

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Documentary Competition

Over Tribeca’s 19-year history, the non-fiction film selections have exhibited work from emerging and renowned filmmakers, including future Academy Award® winners. This year’s films will compete for Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.

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International Narrative Competition

The New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema. These films will compete for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
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Spotlight Narrative

Anticipated premieres from acclaimed filmmakers and performers are the focus of the Spotlight Narrative section which continues to be a launching pad for compelling stories.

Bad Education, directed by Cory Finley, written by Mike Makowsky. Produced by Fred Berger, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Oren Moverman, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Mike Makowsky. (USA) – US Premiere. In the wake of an impending embezzlement scandal, a charismatic superintendent struggles to maintain order to keep his high school district prosperous in this energetic dark comedy based on an outrageous true story. With Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Geraldine Viswanathan and Ray Romano. An HBO Films release.


Clean, directed by Paul Solet, written by Paul Solet, Adrien Brody. Produced by Daniel Sollinger, Adrien Brody, Paul Solet, Elliot Brody. (USA) – World Premiere. Tormented by a past life, garbage man Clean attempts a life of quiet redemption. But when his good intentions mark him a target of a local crime boss, Clean is forced to reconcile with the violence of his past in this brutal and bloody thrill ride. With Adrien Brody, Glenn Fleshler, Richie Merritt, Ari Chandler-DuPont, Mykelti Williamson, Rza, Michelle Wilson, John Bianco.Don’t Tell a Soul, directed and written by Alex McAuley. Produced by Merry-Kay Poe. (USA) – World Premiere. Joey’s older brother Matt convinces him to rob a house for their sick mother and security guard Hamby falls in a well chasing them. Now Hamby must match wits with the teenagers in order to get out. With Jack Dylan Grazer, Fionn Whitehead, Rainn Wilson, Mena Suvari.

The God Committee, directed and written by Austin Stark. Produced by Molly Conners, Amanda Bowers, Jonathan Rubenstein, Ari Pinchot, Jane Oster, Bingo Gubelmann, Benji Kohn. (USA) – World Premiere. When a donor heart arrives at a New York City hospital, a committee of doctors and bureaucrats must convene to decide which of three patients deserves the life-saving transplant in this ethically charged medical drama. With Kelsey Grammer, Julia Stiles, Colman Domingo, Janeane Garofalo, Dan Hedaya.

Happily, directed and written by BenDavid Grabinski. Produced by Jack Black, Nancy Leopardi, Ross Kohn, Spencer Berman, BenDavid Grabinski. (USA) – World Premiere. Joel McHale stars in this Jack Black-produced romantic-comedy-thriller about a happily married couple whose friends perform an intervention to put an end to their constant public displays of affection. With Joel McHale, Kerry Bishé, Stephen Root, Natalie Morales, Paul Scheer and Natalie Zea.

“The King of Staten Island”
Inheritance, directed by Vaughn Stein, written by Matthew Kennedy. Produced by David M. Wulf, Richard Barton Lewis, Arianne Fraser. (USA) – World Premiere. When the patriarch of a wealthy and powerful New York family suddenly dies, his daughter is left with a shocking secret inheritance that challenges her beliefs in justice and threatens to destroy her family’s lives. With Lily Collins, Simon Pegg, Connie Nielsen, Chace Crawford, Patrick Warburton, Michael Beach. A DIRECTV release.


The King of Staten Island, directed by Judd Apatow, written by Judd Apatow, Pete Davidson, Dave Sirus. Produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel. (USA) – New York Premiere. Judd Apatow directs Staten Island’s own Pete Davidson–in his first starring film role–in this bracing, emotional comedy about a burnout who has to learn to let go of the past and finally grow up. With Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Maude Apatow, Ricky Velez and Steve Buscemi. A Universal Pictures release.

Love is Love is Love, directed by Eleanor Coppola, written by Eleanor Coppola, Karen Leigh Hopkins. Produced by Anahid Nazarian, Adriana Rotaru. (USA) – World Premiere. Tribeca alum Eleanor Coppola delivers a heartwarming triptych that explores love, infidelity and romance. With Maya Kazan, Joanne Whalley, Chris Messina, Kathy Baker, Marshall Bell, Cybill Shepherd, Rita Wilson, Rosanna Arquette, Polly Draper.

Love Spreads, directed and written by Jamie Adams. Produced by Jamie Adams, Maggie Monteith. (Wales) – World Premiere. Rock band Glass Heart seclude themselves in a remote cottage to find inspiration and energy for their next album. It all hinges on star Kelly, but inspiration won’t come, and tensions start to build. With Alia Shawkat, Eiza Gonzalez, Chanel Cresswell, Nick Helm, Dolly Wells, Tara Lee.

Monday, directed and written by Argyris Papadimitropoulos. Produced by Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Damian Jones, Deanna Barillari. (Greece) – World Premiere. Mikey and Chloe are two Americans living in Athens. Both are romantically unattached when they meet one hot summer Friday. Their instantaneous chemistry leads to a whirlwind weekend and questions about their future when they wake up Monday. With Sebastian Stan, Denise Gough.

My Zoe, directed and written by Julie Delpy. Produced by Malte Grunert, Gabrielle Tana, Andrew Levitas, Julie Delpy, Hubert Caillard, Dominique Boutonnat. (Germany, France) – US Premiere. In this hybrid of drama and science fiction, audiences are treated to director and star Julie Delpy’s newest exploration of modern relationships—here the eternal tie of parent and child. With Julie Delpy, Daniel Brühl, Gemma Arterton, Richard Armitage, Sophia Ally. In English, French, German with English subtitles. A Blue Fox Entertainment release.

Silk Road, directed and written by Tiller Russell. Produced by Stephen Gans, David Hyman, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Jack Selby. (USA) – World Premiere. Ripped from the headlines, Silk Road captures the birth of the titular darknet marketplace through an elaborate, thrilling cat-and-mouse game between its ambitious creator Ross Ulbricht and a disreputable DEA agent desperate to bring down the millennial kingpin. With Jason Clarke, Nick Robinson, Alexandra Shipp, Katie Aselton, Jimmi Simpson, Paul Walter Hauser.


The Sound of Philadelphia, directed and written by Jeremie Guez. Produced by Aimee Buidine, Julien Madon, David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, Trevor Matthews, Nick Gordon. (France, Belgium, Netherlands, USA) – World Premiere. Raised as brothers, cousins Peter and Michael are the progeny of Irish hitmen. Thirty years later, both are caught in an endless familial cycle of revenge and destruction. With Matthias Schoenaerts, Joel Kinnaman, Maika Monroe, Paul Schneider, Nicholas Crovetti, Ryan Phillippe.

The Stand-In, directed by Jamie Babbitt, written by Sam Bain. Produced by Tom McNulty, Caddy Vanasirikul, Ember Truesdell, Chris Miller, Brian O’Shea (USA) – World Premiere. Drew Barrymore stars in this comedy about a Hollywood actress who trades places with her enthusiastic stand-in so that she can take a break from the public eye. With Drew Barrymore, Michael Zegen, TJ Miler, Holland Taylor, Charlie Barnett, Ellie Kemper, Andrew Rannells, Lena Dunham.

Stardust, directed by Gabriel Range, written by Christopher Bell, Gabriel Range. Produced by Paul Van Carter, Nick Taussig, Matt Code. (UK) – World Premiere. In 1971, David Bowie embarked on a transformative road trip through America with struggling publicist Rob Oberman. Stardust provides an intimate glimpse into the moments that inspired Bowie to reinvent himself in order to truly become himself: his iconic celestial alter-ego Ziggy Stardust. With Johnny Flynn, Jena Malone, Marc Maron.

The Trip to Greece, directed and written by Michael Winterbottom. Produced by Melissa Parmenter. (UK, Greece) – World Premiere. Back for their fourth cinematic travelogue, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan head out together on a Greek excursion inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey—and, naturally, fueled by sharp-witted banter and the best Werner Herzog impressions imaginable. With Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon. An IFC Films release.

th of Yusuf Hawkins’ death exploded into a social movement, exposing racial prejudices that continue to plague us today. With Al Sharpton, Amir Hawkins, Diane Hawkins, Freddy Hawkins, Mayor David Dinkins. An HBO

[jo]

variety.com/2020/film/news/tribeca-film-festival-2020-lineup-pete-davidson-hugh-jackman-1203522220/

HOME Film News
March 3, 2020 8:00AM PT
Hugh Jackman, Pete Davidson Movies to Screen at Tribeca Film Festival

Rebecca Rubin
News Editor, Online


Tribeca Film Festival announced its 2020 lineup, a slate of 115 movies that includes offerings from Hugh Jackman, Pete Davidson and Chrissy Teigen.
The 2020 festival — which runs in Manhattan from April 15 through April 26 — has selections from 124 filmmakers representing 33 countries.
High-profile screenings include the U.S. premiere of “Bad Education” starring Jackman; the New York premiere of Judd Apatow’s comedy “The King of Staten Island” with Davidson; Elisabeth Moss in “Shirley;” and “Call Your Mother” featuring Bridget Everett, Tig Notaro and Awkwafina. “Fries,” a documentary from Teigen and Malcolm Gladwell, will have its world premiere at the festival.

Other non-fiction films debuting include “Citizen Penn,” a look at Sean Penn’s relief work in Haiti, and “Don’t Try to Understand: A Year in the Life of Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons,” featuring inside access to the life of the famous rapper. Laverne Cox-produced film “Disclosure,” an exploration of transgender representation in the media will also premiere, as will John Legend’s documentary “With Drawn Arms,” about gold medal sprinter and civil rights activist Tommie Smith.


As previously announced, “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” will open the festival on April 15. The premiere will take place at the Beacon Theatre with live performances from Willie Nelson and Nile Rodgers.

“This year’s festival embraces the unique power of film to bring people together — whether that’s literally the communal experience of watching a film in a packed theater, or the more intangible way a great film can make you empathize with a stranger’s struggle,” festival director Cara Cusumano said in a statement. “In an election year where we will go to the polls to make big decisions about our future together, these films are an opportunity for connection and understanding.”
The competition includes 10 U.S. narratives, 10 international narratives and 12 documentary competition features.

Additionally, the lineup has 16 spotlight narratives, 20 spotlight documentaries, 17 viewpoints, 5 midnight and 13 movie plus selections.

“First comes the story, then empathy, then comes change. When you change the narrator, you empower different voices to show audiences new worlds through their eyes,” Tribeca Enterprises chief content officer and program adviser Paula Weinstein said. “We are privileged to have so many new and rich worlds brought to life by visionary storytellers. We hope audiences leave the festival deeply touched, moved, and entertained.”
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SPOTLIGHT NARRATIVE

Bad Education, directed by Cory Finley, written by Mike Makowsky. Produced by Fred Berger, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Oren Moverman, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Mike Makowsky. (USA) – US Premiere.

In the wake of an impending embezzlement scandal, a charismatic superintendent struggles to maintain order to keep his high school district prosperous in this energetic dark comedy based on an outrageous true story. With Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Geraldine Viswanathan and Ray Romano. An HBO Films release.

[jo]

Deadline.com and The Hollywood Reporter also report the US premiere of BAD EDUCATION --

deadline.com/2020/03/tribeca-sets-feature-lineup-1202873177/

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sean-penn-drew-barrymore-spongebob-films-tribeca-2020-lineup-1282301

[jo]

Guess what - many of Hugh Jackman fans have been to Tribeca

Tribeca
Neighborhood in New York City, New York
Description
Tribeca is a hip area known for its old industrial buildings, many now turned into residential loft space. Cobblestone streets are lined with trendy boutiques and restaurants. Historic commercial buildings include the red-brick New York Mercantile Exchange edifice, from 1884. Weekends are quiet, though Washington Market Park and Hudson River Park draw families. The Tribeca Film Festival takes place here every spring.

Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal St) -- is also the home of

Laughing Man Coffee
Duane St

[jo]

Found the important info!

Tickets!


www.tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets


Do read through - there is even a RUSH provision.


Jo

[jo]

I wonder why HBO decided to release the movie at the Tribeca Film Festival? Maybe it will be screened on the same night ( April 25) as the HBO TV release...or maybe even earlier? Festival ends on April 26.

If there are festival reviews ( preferably published before the HBO screening date of April 25), maybe they are hoping it will increase the awareness quotient for the movie?

Presumably any festival screening does not affect its chances for an EMMY?

Jo

[jo]

More publicity --

people.com/movies/pete-davidson-hugh-jackman-and-elisabeth-moss-head-to-2020-tribeca-film-festival/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag

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The 2020 Tribeca Film Festival Tuesday unveiled its feature film lineup for its 19th edition running April 15-26 in NYC.

The fest, presented by AT&T, said it is continuing its tradition of championing the discovery of emerging voices and celebrating new work from established talent. This year it’s showcasing comedic, music-centered, political and socially-conscious films from diverse storytellers who use art to inspire positive change and community restoration.

The above explains why BAD EDUCATION is part of the Tribeca Film Festival. In view of this, we might even see more publicity attached to the USA premiere of the movie, whose distribution rights are owned by the media giant to which AT&T is a major owner.





www.theverge.com/2019/3/4/18250075/att-restructures-warnermedia-hbo-turner-streaming

HBO and Turner networks have combined to form WarnerMedia Entertainment
By Chris Welch@chriswelch Mar 4, 2019, 3:35pm EST


This morning, fresh off of a court victory that sealed its acquisition of Time Warner Inc. once and for all, AT&T announced wide-reaching changes to the structure of that company, now known as WarnerMedia. Robert Greenblatt, a former chairman at NBC Entertainment, has been brought on to run WarnerMedia Entertainment, a brand-new unit that folds Home Box Office, Inc. and Turner Broadcasting into one entity. Greenblatt will oversee HBO, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Equally as important, he’s also been tasked with heading up WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer business and the upcoming streaming service that AT&T hopes will prove a worthy foe to Netflix and kick off a new era of distribution for its robust breadth of content.

“This change will provide the company with the agility and flexibility needed to build WarnerMedia’s brands across a variety of evolving distribution models with a more coordinated approach to the company’s original programming,” WarnerMedia announced in a press release. In the company’s view, it’s breaking down walls and a siloed way of doing things that had stretched on for too long.



This is AT&T’s biggest flex of power yet

But it’s also the biggest flex of power AT&T has shown since its $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner was finalized. The US Department of Justice ended its quest to reverse that merger last week after a panel of judges sided with AT&T, concluding that the DOJ failed to demonstrate how it would stifle competition. US President Donald Trump had reportedly wanted the deal blocked, as well. With that obstacle now out of the way, AT&T is free to reshape storied media brands and shuffle management to such a degree that some of the very people who built those brands are leaving.

Today’s shake-up comes days after HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler announced he would be stepping down from the network of which he had become the public face. Plepler gave the green light to hits like Game of Thrones and Veep, and was widely respected across the entertainment industry for his stewardship of HBO and its prestigious originals. But after 27 years, Plepler decided to bow out, with reports pointing to HBO’s reduced freedom and autonomy under WarnerMedia as the culprit. David Levy, Turner Broadcasting’s president, announced his exit last week as well after a similarly long tenure with the company. Their departures make it easier for AT&T to focus on consolidation.


With Netflix constantly churning out too many original shows and movies for viewers to even keep track of, WarnerMedia wants HBO to ramp things up. Last June, WarnerMedia boss John Stankey made headlines (and reportedly frustrated some HBO workers) by pressuring employees to increase output substantially. “We need hours a day. It’s not hours a week, and it’s not hours a month,” he said. “We need hours a day. You are competing with devices that sit in people’s hands that capture their attention every 15 minutes.”



The new WarnerMedia

Under AT&T’s new organizational changes, WarnerMedia’s networks, live programming, and content production businesses are now consolidated as follows:
WarnerMedia Entertainment: HBO, TBS, TNT, truTV, and direct-to-consumer streaming services. Led by Robert Greenblatt.
WarnerMedia News and Sports: CNN, Bleacher Report, HLN, Turner Sports, and AT&T regional sports networks (RSNs). Led by Jeff Zucker.
Warner Bros. Global Kids and Young Adults: Adult Swim, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Otter Media, Turner Classic Movies, and “all activities around licensed consumer products.” Led by Kevin Tsujihara.



AT&T might also push HBO to create shorter, bite-sized content intended for those same mobile devices. CEO Randall Stephenson has suggested more curation for mobile might be necessary, saying “in a mobile environment, a 60-minute episode might not be the best experience. Maybe you want a 20-minute episode.” (This isn’t a new idea or even AT&T’s idea; back when HBO first announced HBO Now, it said that shorter-form programming might be a good fit for the service.)

HBO is already a hugely successful business and produces billions in profit each year, but it’s “not enough,” Stankey said in June. Still, he acknowledged that the network risks taking a hit to its reputation if quality takes a dive in the name of quantity. “You’ve earned the dynamic amongst your customer base that when you put a new piece of content out there, people will try it, just because they trust you’re going to be putting something in front of them that they might like,” Stankey said at the June town hall. “We now need to figure out how to expand the aperture of it without losing the quality.”

To that end, HBO plans 150 hours of original programming this year — a 50 percent jump from 2018. That’s enough to warrant airing some shows on Monday evenings since there’s no room on HBO’s signature Sunday slate. Casey Bloys, the network’s president of programming, told Variety “there’s no difference in type or quality of programming we’re doing” and “all of this programming is programming that we would’ve done two years ago, five years ago.” In other words, he’s saying it’s still content that’s worthy of HBO.

AT&T is also taking the scalpel to other Turner properties. Turner Sports will now fall under WarnerMedia News and Sports — to be led by Jeff Zucker, who is expanding his duties beyond helming CNN — and Turner’s Adult Swim and Cartoon Network are being integrated with Warner Bros.’ newly created Global Kids and Young Adults segment.


The streaming service is WarnerMedia’s most important bet

There’s a lot riding on the direct-to-consumer service. In an interview with Variety today, Greenblatt made clear that AT&T has high expectations. “They are looking at the unique set of assets that they have and want to bring them together in a streaming service,” he said. “They want to be aggressive in this new world order. He wants me to pull it all together.” The “he” refers to Stankey, a longtime AT&T executive who is the driving force behind all this restructuring.

When pressed for more details on the service, Greenblatt went on to say:
It’s really early days. I don’t have a great and comprehensive answer for you yet. I would just say that the goal here is to put all of these assets that this company has — from the movie studio to HBO and Turner and the vast library — and build a platform that is robust and a great value to the consumer. There’ s a million questions to answer about where we’re already selling content now, should we continue to do that, how exclusive should we be? There are a million questions that have to be answered. We all need to roll up our sleeves as one company to pull that together.

WarnerMedia aims to launch the service in beta by the end of 2019, with Greenblatt acknowledging “the longer you wait, the harder it will be.” He’s right: by then, Disney will have shown off its Disney+ service to investors, if not the public. Apple is also rumored to be preparing its video service for a debut sometime over the next couple months.

As is, AT&T already operates DirecTV Now, an internet TV service positioned as a cable alternative, plus a smaller bundle of channels packaged into a service that the company calls WatchTV. The latter is offered for free to customers on select AT&T unlimited data plans. But eventually, the new WarnerMedia service could be an even more powerful draw for wireless customers — and help prevent existing subscribers from switching.

According to The Wall Street Journal, this tighter operating structure will result in “significant” layoffs. Greenblatt tried to get across that any job reductions won't hamper WarnerMedia’s creative efforts, but there will no doubt be redundancies with all of those networks now linked closer together in the name of greater efficiency and streamlined operations. AT&T has over $170 billion in debt, but has suggested it will be able to pay off a good chunk of that with its usual profits, by cutting costs, and by offloading assets like WarnerMedia’s 10 percent stake in Hulu.

“At a time when we must shift our investment focus to develop more content for specific and demanding audiences on emerging platforms, we can’t sustain a model where we invest one dollar more than necessary in the administrative aspects of running our business,” Stankey said in a staff memo addressing the restructuring.

Now it figures why BAD EDUCATION was given a very competitive bid by HBO at the Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF is also a film market. HBO was able to view what could be original programming of topnotch quality ( based on reviews and audience reactions) and bid for one of the, if not the, most attractive offerings at the festival.
*It had strong creative talent behind it
*The theme could have appealing resonance with the public, as it was a public scandal.
*It had 2 leading actors, Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney...and a TV star Ray Romano as main attractions.
*It was produced as an indie movie and distribution rights were up for grabs for the right price.

They gave an aggressive bid to be sure to pick up the distribution rights ( rumored to be in the $ 17.5 to $ 20 million range). This could be a crown jewel in the new original programming to help launch a stronger HBO … and eventually a well-curated and strong streaming service (HBO-MAX). So, the directive to make an aggressive move towards pushing for a stronger HBO with more pronounced original quality programming was the offshoot of the internal restructuring and reorganization of the media giant!

The Tribeca Film Festival, a major festival for indies and other types of films ( not as well-known as the big ones...but draws a major slice of viewing audiences, with the name Robert De Niro as founder...and seen as a key New York cultural mecca attraction) is sponsored by AT&T! What better way to highlight the new attractions of the media giant ( WARNER MEDIA) than to have personal participation from one its own crown jewels, HBO, with a movie which has a track record of praise and audience appeal ( via the popular TIFF) and lucky to be headlined by major movie stars! Hmm... it could even be a splashy premiere for BAD EDUCATION or at least covered by strong publicity!

This all makes sense to me now!

Of course the casualty is its inability of the well-acclaimed movie to participate in the past Oscar competition...but if their target is for HBO to highlight its revised and better programming with a safe bet like BAD EDUCATION...and maybe even become another safe EMMY bet, then this is all part of a well-devised effort to put the spotlight on Warner Media!

We'll see...


Jo