Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires U.S. Rights to Esai Morales’ Romantic Drama “Art of Love”

Esai Morales’ latest Art is heading to U.S. theaters…

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Art of Love, the romantic drama starring the 59-year-old Puerto Rican actor.Esai Morales, Art of LoveFrom writer-director Betty Kaplan, the film also stars Kunjue Li.

Art of Love will be released in domestic theaters and on digital on July 22.

The film was originally titled Simone, which is the name of the 2013 Eduardo Lalo novel on which it is based.

Set in Puerto Rico, the plot centers on a mysterious, erotic and haunting love story of a writer-professor at a leading university and an aspiring student from the immigrant Chinese community.

Caterina Murino, Joanna Cassidy Braulio Castillo, Zoribel Fonalledas, Bruno Irizarry, Eli Cay, Mélanie Ramos and Aris Mejias also star in the film, which was released in Puerto Rico last fall.

Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires Ilse Salas’ “Plaza Catedral”

Ilse Salas’ acclaimed project has a new distributor…

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired Plaza Catedral, starring the 40-year-old Mexican actress.

Ilse Salas, Plaza Catedral, The Oscar-shortlisted film, which hails from writer-director Abner Benaim, is looking to represent Panama at the 94th Academy Awards, in the category of Best International Feature.

Samuel Goldwyn Films’ release plan has not yet been disclosed.

The drama centers on Alicia (Salas), a woman who had a perfect life before her 6-year-old son died in a tragic accident. Plagued by grief, she becomes estranged from society – until one night a street-smart 13-year-old boy named Chief (Fernando Xavier de Casta) arrives at her door bleeding from a gunshot wound, and begs her to let him inside.

Plaza Catedral made its world premiere at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, where it won the awards for both Best Actress and Best Actor. The film then went on to win the Audience Award for Best Film at the International Film Festival of Panama.

Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires Domestic Rights to Victoria Justice’s “Summer Night”

It should be a great Summer for Victoria Justice 

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the domestic rights to Joseph Cross’ feature directorial debut Summer Night, starring the 25-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer.

Victoria Justice

Summer Night follows a group of young best friends confronted with a series of fast-approaching life decisions during the course of the night that will either leave them stuck in the comfort of adolescence or catapult them into adulthood.

In addition to Justice, the film also stars Ellar Coltrane, Ian NelsonAnaleigh Tipton Callan McAuliffeElla HuntHayden SzetoBill Milner, Lana CondorElena Kampouris, Khris Davis,Melina Vidler and Justin Chatwin.

“We were drawn to the talented young cast as we journey with them through a night of drama, music, romance and hanging with your friends. We’re excited to be able to bring Joseph’s vision to audiences,” says Miles Fineburgof Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Cross says, “We are thrilled to partner with Samuel Goldwyn Films to bring Summer Night to audiences across the country. Their enthusiasm for our movie was unmatched, which convinced us that they were the ideal partner for the release. We are looking forward to our continued relationship with their
team.”

Samuel Goldwyn Films will release Summer Night next spring.

Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires North American Rights to Lopez’s “Lila and Eve”

Jennifer Lopez is a Goldwyn girl… of sorts.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the North American distribution rights to the 45-year-old Puerto Rican singer-actress and American Idol judge’s latest film Lila and Eve.

Jennifer Lopez

The Charles Stone III-directed drama, which co-stars Viola Davis, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Davis plays a grief stricken mother who, in the aftermath of her son’s drive by shooting murder, bonds with a woman (Lopez) who lost her daughter. Fed up with the futility of the justice system, they become vigilantes who go on a killing spree, working through the chain of drug dealers who killed the young man.

Shea Whigham, Julius Tennon, Chris Chalk and Andre Royo also star.

The film will be released later this year.

Machado Starring in Lifetime Film’s “The Last of Robin Hood”

Justina Machado hasn’t heard the last of Robin Hood

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican actress has a role in Lifetime Film’s The Last of Robin Hood, which was recently acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for U.S. distribution.

Justina Machado

The Kevin Kline-starrer was co-written and co-directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

The biopic focuses on the final years of Errol Flynn’s life (Kline), as well as his May-December romance with starlet Beverly Aadland (Dakota Fanning), and the role of Aadland’s mother (Susan Sarandon) had in encouraging the relationship.

The Last Of Robin Hood captures a very unique aspect of Hollywood and celebrity,” Samuel Goldwyn Films SVP Peter Goldwyn said in announcing the pickup.

“The film takes place in 1959, but it might as well be 2014. You have an aging superstar struggling to maintain his fame, a starlet chasing her big break, a manipulative ‘stage’ mother, and the public’s timeless curiosity, almost obsession with, ‘celebrity.’ The non-stop, sensational tabloid coverage of Errol Flynn’s life and relationship mirrors exactly the kind of coverage this story would receive in Hollywood 55 years later.”

The Last of Robin Hood also stars Bryan Batt, Max Casella, Jason Davis, Matt Kane, Patrick St. Esprit and Ric Reitz.

Samuel Goldwyn Films is planning a fall theatrical release for the biopic.

Lifetime network-affiliated Lifetime Films was launched as a division of A+E Studios in June 2013 and develops, produces and acquires female-focused indie movies. Robin Hood was its first project. It since has partnered with Viola DavisJulius Tennon’s JuVee Prods. and Sara Risher’s ChickFlicks to produce Lila And Eve, starring Davis and Jennifer Lopez.

Machado’s previous credts include Welcome to the Family, The Fosters, Private Practice, Switched at Birth and Desperate Housewives.

Argentina Submits Puenzo’s “The German Doctor” in Oscars Foreign Language Film Race

Lucía Puenzo latest film isn’t just heading to the United States… It could also earn her an Oscar nomination.

Argentina has chosen the 39-year-old Argentinian author and director’s film The German Doctor as its submission for the Best Foreign Language Film race for the upcoming Academy Awards competition.

The German Doctor

Puenzo‘s drama, called Wakolda in her native Argentina, is based on her own novel about the search for notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, who hid in South America.

The thriller focuses on an Argentinian family that unwittingly puts their daughter under the care of the monster.

The German Doctor, which screened in the Un Certain Regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival, was recently acquired for U.S. distribution by Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Argentina last won the Foreign Language Oscar in 2009 with The Secret In Their Eyes, which was directed by Juan José Campanella whose 3D animated pic Foosball is currently the top grossing local film in Argentina.

Samuel Goldwyn Films to Release Puenzo’s “The German Doctor” in the U.S.

Lucía Puenzo will be thrilling U.S. audiences in the near future…

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the 39-year-old Argentinian author and director’s latest film The German Doctor.

Screen Shot 2013-09-27 at 12.42.11 AM

Puenzo’s thriller was nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival under the Argentinian title Wakolda.

The film is based on Puenzo’s novel about the search for notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, who hid in South America.

Starring Natalia Oreiro and Diego Peretti, the film is based on the true story of an Argentinian family that unwittingly puts their daughter under the care of the monster.

Samuel Goldwyn Films will release the film in the spring.