John Hamburg comedy 'I Love You, Man' starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel to open 2009 SXSW Film Festival

Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on December 15, 2008 - 10:25pm

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I just received the following press release.

John Hamburg Comedy “I Love You, Man” Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel to Open 2009 SXSW Film Festival

AUSTIN, Texas (December 15, 2008) — The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced today that the DreamWorks Pictures film “I Love You, Man” will be the 2009 Opening Night film. The De Line Pictures comedy, co-written and directed by John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet The Parents,” “Meet The Fockers,” and “Zoolander”) stars Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones. The film centers on a man who, upon getting engaged, realizes he has no close male friends and must find someone to be the Best Man at his wedding. The South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival runs March 13 – 21, 2009 in Austin, Texas.

“I Love You, Man”

“We are thrilled to have ‘I Love You, Man’ kick off the 2009 festival. The film is the perfect representation of the kind of smart and unconventional humor that SXSW audiences flock to,” said Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson, “and we are happy to welcome back SXSW Alumni Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.” Rudd appeared in three films at the 2007 Festival (“Knocked Up,” “The Ten” and “Diggers”) and Segel attended in 2008 with “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” In true SXSW synergy where film, music and new media intersect, Rashida Jones’ father, legendary music producer Quincy Jones, will serve as Keynote speaker for the SXSW Music 2009. 2008 SXSW Opening Night film “21” opened theatrically to $24.1 million following its highly successful debut at the festival.

“I Love You, Man” follows Peter Klaven (Rudd), a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, (Jones), discovers that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man, so he embarks on a series of bizarre and awkward “man-dates,” before meeting Sydney Fife (Segel). But the closer the two men get, the more Peter’s relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancée and his newfound “bro,” in a story that comically explores what it truly means to be a “friend.” The film opens wide on March 20th, 2009.

DreamWorks Pictures Presents A De Line Pictures Bernard Gayle Productions Montecito Pictures Company Production A John Hamburg Movie “I Love You, Man” starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. The film is directed by John Hamburg. Screenplay by John Hamburg and Larry Levin. Story by Larry Levin. The producers are Donald De Line and John Hamburg. The executive producers are Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock, Jeffrey Clifford, Andrew Haas and Bill Johnson. The director of photography is Larry Sher. The production designer is Andrew Laws. The film is edited by William Kerr. The costume designer is Leesa Evans. The music is by Theodore Shapiro. The film is distributed through DreamWorks/Paramount Distribution. This film has not yet been rated.

Previously announced panelists for the 2009 SXSW Film Conference & Festival include acclaimed writer/directors Todd Haynes and Richard Linklater in conversation together, longtime Stanley Kubrick producer Jan Harlan, as well as a rare appearance by Col Needham, Vice President of IMDb.com Service Limited. The complete festival lineup will be announced in early February 2009.

SXSW offers a uniquely creative space for filmmakers, film fans, and even cinephiles to partake in the big and small picture discussions about filmmaking today. The Conference hosts a five-day adventure in the latest filmmaking trends and new technology, featuring Conversations with film icons, intimate mini-meetings and one-on-one mentor sessions with industry veterans. The internationally-acclaimed, nine-day Festival boasts some of the most wide-ranging programming of any US event of its kind, from provocative documentaries to subversive Hollywood comedies, with a special focus on emerging talents. Learn more at http://www.sxsw.com/film.

SXSW Film Conference and Festival is sponsored by Miller Lite, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), The Austin Chronicle, Fuze Beverage and Zone Perfect.

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46-image 'I Love You, Man' slideshow

Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on February 25, 2009 - 1:21pm.

We’ve just published a 46-image slideshow with the official press images for “I Love You, Man”. Check them out here!

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Seth Rogen Returns to SXSW Film Festival With 'Observe & Report'

Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on January 13, 2009 - 11:10am.

In addition, I just received the following press release about the 2009 SXSW Film Festival.

Seth Rogen Returns to SXSW Film Festival With Jody Hill’s ‘Observe & Report’

Austin, Texas — January 12, 2008 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced today additional titles and guest speakers for this year’s Festival, March 13 – 21, 2009 in Austin, Texas. Among the new titles unveiled is the Warner Bros. Pictures release “Observe and Report,” which will premiere in the Centerpiece slot on Monday, March 16th.

Written and directed by Jody Hill (“Foot Fist Way”), “Observe and Report” is a dark comedy starring Seth Rogen (“Pineapple Express,” “Knocked Up”) as Ronnie Barnhardt, a deluded, self-important head of mall security who squares off in a turf war against the local cops. Opening wide on April 10, 2009, the film also stars Anna Faris, Michael Peña and Ray Liotta, and was produced by Donald De Line and executive produced by Andrew Haas, Marty Ewing, Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni under the Legendary Pictures banner. Rogen previously attended the 2007 Festival with the world premiere of “Knocked Up,” which went on to gross nearly $150 million in its domestic release.

New panelists added to the SXSW Film Conference (March 14 – 17) include filmmakers Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight,” “Thirteen”), Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City,” “Spy Kids”) and Mike Judge (“Office Space,” “King of the Hill”), SXSW alum and Mumblecore pioneer Joe Swanberg (“Nights and Weekends, “Hannah Takes the Stairs”) and Mark Woollen, the award-winning creator of many memorable trailers (“Milk,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”).

Long known as a banner destination for compelling documentary films, the lineup for the 2009 SXSW Film Conference & Festival will include:

“Objectified” – From acclaimed SXSW alum Gary Hustwit (“Helvetica”) comes a new film that documents the creative processes of some of the world’s most influential industrial designers, and looks at how the things they make impact our lives. What can we learn about who we are, and who we want to be, from the objects with which we surround ourselves?

“New World Order” – Directed by SXSW alum Andrew Neel, this documentary about conspiracy theorists is a behind the scenes look at the underground anti-globalist movement. The film chronicles celebrity radio host and underground cult hero Alex Jones, (of “Waking Life” and “A Scanner Darkly”), and other conspiracy theorists on their ceaseless quests to expose the ‘massive global conspiracy’ that they believe threatens the future of humanity.

“Winnebago Man” – Jack Rebney is the most famous man you’ve never heard of – after cursing his way through a Winnebago sales video, Rebney’s outtakes became an underground sensation and an online phenomenon seen by millions. Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer climbs to the top of a mountain and goes deep into the woods to find the recluse who unwittingly became an Internet superstar.

“RiP: A Remix Manifesto” – Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. Gaylor’s documentary features artists like Girl Talk, who employ mash-up techniques, mixing samples of existing music into new songs. Interviews with additional artists, lawmakers, companies and consumers are interspersed with animation, archive footage and collages.

The SXSW Film Festival will open on March 13th with a screening of “I Love You, Man,” directed by John Hamburg and starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones. Previously announced panelists for the 2009 SXSW Film Conference & Festival include acclaimed writer/directors Todd Haynes and Richard Linklater in conversation together, longtime Stanley Kubrick producer Jan Harlan, as well as a rare appearance by Col Needham, Vice President of IMDb.com Service Limited. The complete festival lineup will be announced in early February 2009.

South By Southwest Film Conference & Festival SXSW offers a uniquely creative space for filmmakers, film fans, and even cinephiles to partake in the big and small picture discussions about filmmaking today. The Conference hosts a five-day adventure in the latest filmmaking trends and new technology, featuring Conversations with film icons, intimate mini-meetings and one-on-one mentor sessions with industry veterans. The internationally-acclaimed, nine-day Festival boasts some of the most wide-ranging programming of any US event of its kind, from provocative documentaries to subversive Hollywood comedies, with a special focus on emerging talents. Learn more at http://www.sxsw.com/film.

SXSW Film Conference and Festival is sponsored by Miller Lite, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), The Austin Chronicle, Fuze Beverage and ZonePerfect.