DAILY NEWS: First Run to Release Atypical Gay Film; Diller's Deal Done
by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE
First Run Finds Troche's Overlooked Bedrooms
The second feature from Rose Troche (Go Fish) has been acquired for theatrical distribution by First Run Features. The film, Bedrooms and Hallways, was considered a hit at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. First Run VP Marc Mauceri told indieWIRE yesterday that the company will take the film into theaters in late August, initially opening the movie in four cities and then expanding from there.
The delay in Bedrooms finding a theatrical distributor given its reception in Toronto was surprising, even to Mauceri. "We would have guessed that a larger distributor would have stepped in and taken the film," he explained, "Usually a film like this unfortunately goes to other bigger distributors -- we're happy that it slipped through the cracks."
Set in England, Bedrooms is the story of a gay man who, frustrated over being unable to find a boyfriend, joins a new age therapy group and has an affair with a straight group member. Reporting on the movie during the Toronto festival last fall, indieWIRE's Anthony Kaufman called the movie, "a British comic romp with a cast of eccentric characters and startlingly campy production design," continuing, and seemingly anticipating the challenges that the film would face in finding a theatrical home, Kaufman added, "Troche and her producers at Pandora have a tough marketing sale -- the film is not exactly a 'gay film' and its conclusion has been construed by some as embracing heterosexuality over homosexuality. "
"Its a challenge because its not a stereotypical gay film," explained Mauceri, "Its not a lot of hunks having sex -- its going to be harder to appeal to that crowd that is interested in the 'hot gay love story.'" Continuing he offered, "Some of the gay and lesbian customers will probably think that this is a bit too out there -- Rose is interested challenging people's perceptions of sexuality."
The film's release date is timed, in part, to its participation in a few gay & lesbian film festivals. Notably, the movie will open the New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival tomorrow (Thursday) night.
[Anthony Kaufman contributed to this article]
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