Produced by: Mary Aloe & Stuart Townshend Directed by: Stuart Townshend Key Cast: Martin Henderson, Andre Benjamin, Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez, Ray Liotta
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.battleinseattlemovie.com
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Teaser
Seattle, 1999: The World Trade Organization is
holding an international conference. Hundreds
of thousands gather in what is supposed to be a
peaceful protest, until a few radicals catapult
them into violence and chaos. The Seattle
mayor declares a State of Emergency, the
police are waging guerilla warfare, and good-
natured citizens pay the ultimate penalty.
Filmmaker & Funding
Filmmaker Stuart Townshend hails from Ireland and attended the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin. While he has worked for many years as an actor, both in America and Europe, Battle in Seattle marks his directorial debut. Coincidentally, he also wrote and co-produced the film. He did all the research for it and funded the film himself, with help from girlfriend Charlize Theron.
Festivals & Distribution
Traveling across the international festival circuit allowed for the film to reach a wide variety of audiences. In America it played in South By Southwest, AFI Dallas International, Cleveland International, Seattle International, Maryland, Sarasota Film Festival and Florida Film Festival. Small domestic festivals for niche audiences also screened it, including DC Labor Film Fest, Woodstock Film Festival, and IMPACT Film Fest. Abroad, it was viewed in Canada’s Toronto and Vancouver InternationalFilm Festivals, as well as Spain’s FICMA Film Festival.
Once the festivals premiered the film, it was distributed through Redwood Palms Pictures. There was limited release in the USA, but wide release in Canada, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic and Singapore. It was released solely on DVD in the Netherlands, Turkey and Finland. Now, over 6 months later, all theater screenings have come to a halt, but distribution continues with DVD sales worldwide.
Critical Reviews
Battle in Seattle was widely reviewed, but not always critically acclaimed. The exhilarating recount of such controversy found many viewers hungry for more. Townshend’s biased approach and convenient storylines, however, left others with a bad taste in their mouths.
Owen Gleiberman, of Entertainment Weekly, gave one of the highest grades for the film: “A-“. Many Oscar-bait films have scored lower.
( http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20228550,00.html ).
Conversely, Variety’s Dennis Harvey claims that, while the docu-drama was “credibly staged for the most part”, the “screenplay is more problematic, as the human dramas imposed on nonfiction backdrop” can be “contrived” with “flatfooted dialogue” (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934682.html?categoryid=2850&cs=1 )
Roger Ebert, in his review for the Chicago Sun Times, offers a more mixed review. He notes high points, such as Woody Harrelson’s emotional arc being “convincing and effective,” then immediately follows with an emphatic “but”. He mentions “an unnecessary romantic attraction” between two lead characters, and how one TV reporter always happens to be at each new action scene. The film is fine, but not fantastic. Ebert even suggests other films the audience may like better.
(http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/REVIEWS/809250301/1023 )
Press Release
Various press releases were submitted about the film and/or subsequent discussions with the filmmaker. These usually pertained to a festival screening. On August 28, 2008, there was a special press release by the Woodstock Film Festival. It announced a sneak preview benefit screening of the film at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY, followed by a Q&A session with Townshend. This was unique because it marked “the first collaboration between the two film organizations.” The founder of the Burns Center, Stephen Hays, assisted the theatrical release of the film by “funding the prints and advertising campaign of Battle in Seattle” in the New York and metropolitan area. (http://www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/press/releases/2008_08_battle2.html )
Impact on Audiences
Viewers, like the critics, have mixed feelings about the film. The UK Rotten Tomatoes members give it a 52% rating. The group consensus says that while Battle in Seattle is “well intentioned and passionate,” it ultimately “draws stronger political assertions than it does strong characters.” (http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/battle_in_seattle/ )
Domestic Gross: $223,537
International Gross: approx $650,000
DVD Sales to date: unlisted
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