A Lonely Place for Dying

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A Lonely Place for Dying
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJustin Eugene Evans
Screenplay byJustin Eugene Evans
Produced byJustin Eugene Evans
Brent Daniels
StarringRoss Marquand
Michael Wincott
Michael Scovotti
James Cromwell
Brad Culver
Mike Peebler
Luis Robledo
Jason R. Moore
CinematographyNick Bongianni
Edited byBrad Stoddard
Music byBrent Daniels
Production
company
Distributed byHumble Magi
LPD, LLC
Release dates
  • December 3, 2008 (2008-12-03) (Santa Fe Film Festival[1])
  • September 7, 2012 (2012-09-07) (United States)
[2]
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$200,000 USD[3]

A Lonely Place for Dying is a 2012[4] American independent drama-thriller film directed by Justin Eugene Evans and produced by James Cromwell. Starring Ross Marquand, Michael Wincott, Michael Scovotti and James Cromwell, the film is set in 1972 during the Cold War. The film's score was composed by Brent Daniels.

Plot[edit]

In 1972, an abandoned Mexican prison sits alone in the dusty Chihuahua desert. KGB mole Nikolai Dzerzhinsky waits for his contact from The Washington Post. Dzerzhinsky holds explosive evidence against the CIA; information he will trade for asylum in the United States. Special Agent Robert Harper must obtain this evidence and kill Dzerzhinsky or risk the end of his CIA career. As the two men hunt each other, they discover that the sins from their past destined them for this deadly confrontation.

Cast[edit]

  • Ross Marquand as KGB Officer Nikolai Dzerzhinsky
  • Michael Scovotti as CIA Agent Robert Harper
  • Michael Wincott as CIA Project Manager Anthony Greenglass
  • James Cromwell as Washington Post Editor-In-Chief Howard Simons
  • Brad Culver as Special Forces Captain Robert "Bob" Altman
  • Mike Peebler as Special Forces First Lieutenant George Roy Hill
  • Luis Robledo as Special Forces Staff Sergeant Solares
  • Jason R. Moore as Special Forces Staff Sergeant William "Bill" Friedkin
  • Stephen Jules Rubin as Special Forces Buck Sergeant Konigsberg

Release[edit]

"A Lonely Place For Dying" held an unannounced sneak preview at the 2008 Santa Fe Film Festival. Despite being an out-of-competition rough-cut screening with no visual effects, music, sound mix or color grade, it was nominated for three awards and won the Heineken Red Star Award.[5]

The first 22 minutes of the motion picture was released on VODO in July 2011. It was downloaded over one million times and became the best-seeded movie Torrent in the world for several weeks.[6] "A Lonely Place For Dying" screened at its final three festivals and concluded its two-and-a-half-year-long festival run, while "part one" of the film dominated Bittorrent.[6]

After nearly three years on the festival circuit, "A Lonely Place For Dying" received a limited theatrical release on approximately 19 screens throughout the United States. It debuted on September 7, 2012 at the Al Ringling Theatre in Baraboo, Wisconsin[4] and concluded its run on November 4 of the same year in several theaters in Portland, Oregon. The film played in theaters across Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, Ohio, Oregon and Washington.[7]

In February, 2013, it was released on iTunes and Amazon.[8] On May 31, 2013, the filmmakers held a charity screening of "A Lonely Place for Dying" at Justin Eugene Evans' high school in Clackamas, Oregon. All proceeds went to Clackamas High School's speech and drama departments.[9]

Accolades[edit]

"A Lonely Place for Dying" was an official selection of 46 film festivals where it was nominated for 53 awards and won 29 including 18 as best picture.[8][10] The film began its festival run at the 2008 Santa Fe Film Festival and concluded its run as the Opening Night film for the 2011 Oaxaca Film. Fest[11] Below is a partial list of the film's awards.

Award Date of Ceremony Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref
Santa Fe Film Festival December 7, 2008 Heineken Red Star Award Justin Eugene Evans Won [1]
Eugene International Film Festival October 10, 2010 Best Action Narrative Justin Eugene Evans Won [12]
Somewhat North of Boston (S.N.O.B.) Film Festival November 10, 2010 Best Action Film Justin Eugene Evans Won [13]
Park City Film Music Festival June 10, 2010 Silver Medal for Excellence In Original Music Brent Daniels Won [14]
Wild Rose Independent Film Festival November 6, 2010 Best Visual Effects Marc Leonard & Daniel Broadway Won [15]
Best Cinematography (Certificate of Distinctive Achievement) Justin Eugene Evans Won [15]
Best Makeup and Hair Catherine Doughty Nominated [15]
Best Music Brent Daniels Nominated [16]
Best Editing Brad Stoddard Nominated [16]
Best Lighting Design Justin Eugene Evans Nominated [16]
Best Ensemble The Cast of ALPFD Nominated [16]
Best Actor Ross Marquand Nominated [16]
Best Director - Feature Film Justin Eugene Evans Nominated [16]
Best Feature Film Justin Eugene Evans Nominated [16]
Maverick Movie Awards 2010 Best Cinematography Justin Eugene Evans Nominated [17]
Best Actor Ross Marquand Nominated [17]
Best Supporting Actor Michael Wincott Nominated [17]
Best Production Design Justin Eugene Evans, Jan Shane & Catherine Doughty Nominated [17]
Best Special Effects Daniel Broadway, Marc Leonard & Mystic Arts Nominated [17]
Best Special Effects Make-Up Catherine Doughty Nominated [17]
Best Stunts Rick Kingi & Kurly Tlapayawa Won [17]
The Precious James Cromwell Nominated [17]
Beloit International Film Festival February 19, 2011 Best Screenplay Justin Eugene Evans Won [18]
Best Feature Justin Eugene Evans Won [19]
Indie Spirit Film Festival April 17, 2011 Director's Choice Award Justin Eugene Evans Won [20]
Van Wert International Film Festival July 10, 2011 Grand Prix Justin Eugene Evans Won [21]
Outstanding Direction Justin Eugene Evans Won [21]
Outstanding Actor Ross Marquand Won [21]
Outstanding Film Editing Brad Stoddard Won [21]
Burbank International Film Festival September 21, 2011 Best Feature Film Justin Eugene Evans Won
Best Picture Justin Eugene Evans Won [22]
Oaxaca FilmFest November 12, 2011 Opening Night Film Justin Eugene Evans Won [23]

Reception[edit]

A Lonely Place for Dying was met with almost universal praise. Justine Browning of Huffington Post said "A Lonely Place for Dying (currently available on iTunes) is a powerful independent thriller from a promising new director Justin Eugene Evans."[24] Andrew L. Urban of Urban Cinefile said "Executed with skill, the film uses its primary element - the abandoned Mexican prison - to terrific effect...excellent design and music, with terrific camerawork, complete what is arguably a better movie than many which get a theatrical release."[25] Jesse Veverka of the Clyde Fitch Report refers to the film's director as an "independent narrative film prodigy."[26] Charles Monroe Kane of WPT's "Director's Cut" said "A Lonely Place For Dying is an absolutely fantastic film!"[27]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Santa Fe Film Festival". www.imdb.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  2. ^ Spychalla, Craig. "SPY GAMES: A Wisconsin filmmaker has created a Cold War spy drama that's making a theatrical debut in Baraboo". www.maverwiscnews.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  3. ^ Thomas, Rob (12 February 2013). "Wisconsin director's action thriller "A Lonely Place for Dying" banned in Russia". madisonmovie.org. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Spychalla, Craig. "SPY GAMES: A Wisconsin filmmaker has created a Cold War spy drama that's making a theatrical debut in Baraboo". www.wiscnews.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  5. ^ "Heineken Red Star Award 2008 Santa Fe Film Festival". www.ifc.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Maxwell, Andy "Enigmax". "A Lonely Place For Dying A Smash-Hit On Bittorrent". www.torrentfreak.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  7. ^ Week, Willamette. "A Lonely Place For Dying". www.wweek.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Veverka, Jesse. "Focus on Filmmakers: Justin Eugene Evans". www.clydefitchreport.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  9. ^ Kavanagh, Vickie (27 May 2013). "Clackamas County and Southwest Portland events". www.oregonlive.com. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  10. ^ Kreul, James (5 September 2012). "Secret of success: An Interview with Wisconsin filmmaker Justin Eugene Evans". www.isthmus.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  11. ^ "Oaxaca FilmFest Updates 2011 Schedule". 1888pressrelease.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  12. ^ "Eugene Film Fest". Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  13. ^ "Halfway to SNOB presents a festival encore". Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  14. ^ "2011 Award Winners". Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  15. ^ a b c "Winners Announced for 2010 Wild Rose Independent Film Festival as Iowa Film Showcase Continues" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "2010 WRIFF NOMINEES" (PDF). Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h "2010 Maverick Movie Awards". Archived from the original on March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  18. ^ "A Lonely Place for Dying - Best Screenplay - BIFFY Award Winner 2011". YouTube. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  19. ^ "A Lonely Place for Dying - Best Feature - BIFFY Award Winner 2011". YouTube. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  20. ^ "Past Festivals". Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  21. ^ a b c d "VWIFF hands out filmmaking awards". Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  22. ^ "Nominations for the 2011 Burbank International Film Festival". Facebook. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  23. ^ "Oaxaca FilmFest Updates 2011 Schedule". 1888pressrelease.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  24. ^ Browning, Justine (15 February 2013). "Interview With A Lonely Place for Dying Director Justin Eugene Evans". www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  25. ^ Urban, Andrew. "A Lonely Place For Dying: Digital". urbancinefile.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  26. ^ Veverka, Jesse. "Focus on Filmmakers: Justin Eugene Evans". clydefitchreport.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  27. ^ Kane, Charles Monroe. "Justin Eugene Evans, "A Lonely Place for Dying"". www.video.wpt.org. Retrieved February 19, 2015.

External links[edit]