Paul Dano in For Ellen.
As part of the ongoing series of teasers for this fall’s Woodstock Film Festival (WFF), Upstate Films in Woodstock will screen a new indie movie this Saturday afternoon titled For Ellen: a film that “has been on our radar for awhile now,” according to WFF co-founder/ executive director Meira Blaustein. Its writer/director, So Yong Kim, is a part-time Hudson Valley resident.
For Ellen stars Paul Dano, an up-and-coming young actor who made his Broadway debut at age 12 alongside George C. Scott and Charles Durning in a revival of Inherit the Wind. Dano went on to win a bunch of awards at age 17 for his movie debut as Howie Blitzer in L.I.E. in 2001. He got nominated for a bunch more for his 2006 performance as Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine and for a Supporting Actor BAFTA the following year for his dual role as evil twins Paul and Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood. Rolling Stone magazine named Dano to its 2007 Hot List as “Daniel Day-Lewis + Billy Crudup × Johnny Depp.”
“Dano is brilliant, and Kim has an amazing way of getting the audience involved in more than just the story,” says Blaustein. “When you see this film, you somehow become a part of the fabric by investing your own emotions.” Jena Malone (Donnie Darko, The Hunger Games) and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite, Blades of Glory) co-star in this drama in which financially strapped aspiring rock star Joby Taylor (Dano) is faced with a decision to forfeit all custody of his 6-year-old daughter in order to facilitate the sale of the former home of his broken family. Dano, director Kim and producer Jen Gatien will all be on hand for the 3 p.m. screening and participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience afterwards. For Ellen will be released in theaters beginning September 5 at New York’s Film Forum. Advance tickets to this Saturday’s Hudson Valley premiere are available online at ulsterpub.staging.wpenginefilmfestival.com/fundraising/forellen.php for $15; if not sold out, tickets sold at the door will cost $20.
So Yong Kim’s For Ellen will be screened at Upstate Films in Woodstock this Saturday, August 18 at 3 p.m. as part of the runup to the 2012 Woodstock Film Festival. A question-and-answer session with the director, producer Jen Gatien and star Paul Dano will follow. Tickets cost $15 in advance at ulsterpub.staging.wpenginefilmfestival.com/fundraising/forellen.php, $20 at the door.