Solondz news and links and stuff...

From Fortissimo Films:


FORTISSIMO SELLS SOLONDZ HAPPY RETURN


Fortissimo Films has boarded the as-yet-untitled new film from Todd Solondz, a companion piece to his earlier break-through piece Happiness, and will commence pre-sales immediately in Cannes.

The film, known as The New Todd Solondz Film, will be produced by Ted Hope (21 Grams), Mike Ryan and Derrick Tseng (Chasing Amy) with Fortissimo Films’ co-chairmen Michael J Werner and Wouter Barendrecht serving as executive producers.

“My new movie is a kind of sequel to - or riff on - Happiness and to some extent Welcome To The Dollhouse,” said Solondz.

“Many of the characters from these movies unexpectedly beckoned to me, and so I have explored new ways of developing and enlarging their stories, with the intent to recast them from a fresh perspective.”

Fortissimo has been expanding its involvement in English-language filmmaking in the US with titles such as John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus, screening here in official selection, and The Night Listener starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette.

The fast-growing company is also handling high-profile English-language titles from the UK, including Snow Cake and Nina’s Heavenly Delights, and Australia such as Look Both Ways and Suburban Mayhem both also screening in official selection here at Cannes.

The company has also recently secured a string of sales to the US market including the sale of Seven Swords to The Weinstein Company, Candy to THINKFilm and Invisible Waves to Palm Pictures

Screendaily | By Liz Shackleton in Cannes | 21 May 2006


-What?: Did you know that Todd Solondz appeared in both As Good as it Gets (1997)as a man on the bus AND in Married to the Mob (1998)as a reporter?



-Here is a good interview with Solondz by Walter Chaw of Film Freak Central.



-Here is a nice collection of quotes by Solondz about his life and work.



-Here is a nice summary of Solondz's films and discussion about his work.



-You can find interesting production notes for Welcome to the Dollhouse here.



-So everyone has a myspace page, even Dawn Weiners.



-Really?: What would he be doing if he wasn't making movies? Todd Solondz applied for the Peace Corps a couple of years ago and was denied.



-Belle and Sebastian did the soundtrack for Storytelling. You can download a free track off the album here.




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