Award-winning family film PINOCCHIO and social media inspired thriller SPREE set for Irish cinema releases in August
Wildcard Distribution and Vertigo Releasing are delighted to announce the Irish theatrical release for two titles in August – Matteo Garrone’s award-winning fantasy-film PINOCCHIO and the thriller SPREE starring Stranger Things actor Joe Keery. Both films will open in Irish cinemas on Friday 14th August.
PINOCCHIO tells the tale of an old woodcarver named Gepetto (Roberto Benigni) who creates a puppet, which then magically comes to life. Gepetto names him Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi) and brings him up as his son. Pinocchio however finds it hard to be good and is easily led astray. He ends up stumbling from one misadventure to another – whether in the belly of a giant fish, in the Land of Toys or in the Field of Miracles. It is up to his loyal friend the Fairy (Marine Vacth) to help him see that his dream of becoming a real boy is only possible if he finally changes his ways.
Working with co-writer Massimo Ceccherini, Garrone offers a fresh perspective on the beloved classic, returning to the authentic roots of the Pinocchio story to create something never seen before. The film was produced by Garrone, Academy Award winner Jeremy Thomas, Jean and Anne-Laure Labadie and Paolo del Brocco, and stars Academy Award-winning actor Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) as Geppetto, Marine Vacth (L’Amant double) as the Fairy, and newcomer Federico Ielapi as Pinocchio.
Academy Award winner Mark Coulier (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Iron Lady) brings the characters to life through visionary character design and prosthetic make-up, and the beautiful visual effects were created by the team at One Of Us (Aladdin, The Revenant, The Crown). The original score was written by Academy Award-winning composer Dario Marianelli (Paddington 2, The Darkest Hour, Atonement).
PINOCCHIO screened at Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year to widespread acclaim.
Starring Joe Keery (Stranger Things) and Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live) with David Arquette and Mischa Barton, SPREE is a dark, social media inspired thriller about a rideshare driver so desperate for fame and attention that he’ll stop at nothing to go viral.
23-year-old Kurt Kunkle plans to livestream a rampage, as a shortcut to infamy. Coining his evil scheme “#thelesson” he installs a set of cameras in his car and begins streaming his rides. Kurt picks up passengers, only to dispense with them for the pleasure of his viewers… oh wait, he doesn’t have any! Wildly miscalculating the presumed popularity that would come from his lethal scheme, Kurt desperately ups the stakes and tries to make sure his horrific non-event transforms into a viral sensation. In the middle of all this madness, Jessie Adams, a stand-up comedian with her own viral agenda, crosses Kurt’s path and becomes our only hope to put a stop to his misguided carnage.
SPREE, directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko (Wobble Palace) had its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
PINOCCHIO and SPREE open in cinemas only on August 14th.
