PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST A

 PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST
A riveting story chronicling one of cycling’s most flamboyant
icons - in theatres beginning July 2014
SpectiCast, in association with New Black Films and Goldcrest Films International, is proud
to announce that it will distribute PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST to
theatres in North America and South America beginning in July 9, 2014. The film explores the
startling truth behind one man’s remarkable descent from being among the finest athletes on
earth, to his tragic end in a sport riven by intrigue.
Marco Pantani was a hero to millions - the savior of cycling following the doping scandals that
threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years after winning both the Tour de
France and Giro d’Italia, Pantani, at just 34 years of age, died alone in a cheap Italian hotel
room on Valentines Day in 2004.
SpectiCast is a US-based distribution company, specializing in the distribution of Event Cinema
and Alternative Content to theaters worldwide. Past projects have included the worldwide
release of Lamb of God’s AS THE PALACES BURN, THE ROLLING STONES: HYDE PARK
LIVE, SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER and the 2014 MYFRENCHFILMFESTIVAL. “PANTANI
is a fantastic addition to SpectiCast’s Event Cinema line-up and we are thrilled to partner with
New Black Films to make this film available to our worldwide network,” said Mark Rupp,
President and COO of SpectiCast.
James Erskine, the film's director and producer said, "I'm excited to be working with an
innovative company like SpectiCast to bring the film to audiences across the Americas. While
making the film we've received massive interest from the US, Canada and Latin America and
are delighted to be able to present the film to these audiences to coincide with the 2014 Tour de
France."
PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST will premiere on the SpectiCast network
in North and South America beginning July 2014.
This follows the successful theatrical release in the UK with Soda Pictures, Italy with GA&A and
Australia with Madman Entertainment.
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ABOUT PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST
In 1998 Marco Pantani, the most flamboyant and popular cyclist of his era, won both the Tour
de France and Giro d’Italia – a titanic feat of physical and mental endurance that no rider has
repeated since. He was a hero to millions – the saviour of cycling following the doping scandals
which threatened to destroy the sport. However, less than six years later, aged just 34, he died
alone, in a cheap Italian hotel room.
Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist explores the startling truth behind one man’s
remarkable descent from being amongst the finest athletes on earth to his tragic end in a sport
riven by intrigue.
Combining scintillating race archive with contemporary news footage, stylised reconstructions,
and interviews with Pantani’s friends, family, colleagues, and rivals, including Sir Bradley
Wiggins, Evgeni Berzin and Greg LeMond.
The story of the greatest climber of his generation; man versus mountain, athlete versus the
system, Marco Pantani versus himself.
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REVIEWS FOR PANTANI: THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF A CYCLIST
“Essential watching, even for anyone who can’t stand the sport.” 4 stars – Paul Bradshaw, Total
Film
“Pantani's ebullience and delight in his own talent always come through - he still
commands the sort of respect Lance Armstrong (who appears here now and again, at
his most hubristic) can only dream of.” – 3 stars – Antonia Quirke, Financial Times
“The wheels of fate spin mercilessly… The film is a gripping portrayal of human
endeavour and pain” – 4 stars – Jason Solomons, the Mail on Sunday
“It makes a persuasive case for its subject and makes us understand why, before his fall
from grace, he was so adored by every rung of Italian society – 4 stars – Geoffrey
McNab, Independent.
“Pantani’s is perhaps the greatest cycing story every told.” – Ned Boulting.
ABOUT NEW BLACK FILMS
Innovative and groundbreaking, New Black Films is one of the world’s premium sports theatrical
producers and has extensive experience of bringing sporting stories to the big screen.
Based in London, England, New Black Films was founded by filmmakers James Erskine and
Victoria Gregory in 2009. Its passion is to make documentaries and feature films that break
down boundaries between genres and that enhance the cinematic experience to reach the
widest possible audience.
James Erskine is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose work as a writer / director / producer
includes “From The Ashes,” “One Night In Turin,” “Vanishing of the Bees,” “Oil Storm,” an award
– winning TV movie for FX; and “EMR,” a theatrically released independent feature, and winner
of several film festivals including Raindance. In addition to this James has also directed several
episodes of popular BBC drama “Robin Hood”, “Torchwood”, among others.
Last year he
helmed “American Masters Billie Jean King” and “The Battle of the Sexes” and his next film is
the dramatic comedy “Shooting for Socrates” starring John Hannah.
Victoria’s last theatrical documentary project before joining New Black Films was with Working
Title Films on the BAFTA award winning “Senna,” having previously co-produced the Oscar-
winning “Man on Wire.” A career at the BBC in production management included among others:
BAFTA winning “The Secret Policeman,” factual drama series “Space Race,” and “Dunkirk,”
prior to which Victoria had also worked on the award winning feature film “Last Resort.” Victoria
has carved herself a niche maximizing the value of documentary and drama-documentary
features.
www.newblackfilms.com
ABOUT SPECTICAST
SpectiCast is the fastest growing event cinema marketing and distribution company in the world,
providing specialty film programs, cultural arts events, contemporary music programs and other
alternative content to both theatrical and non-theatrical venues around the globe.
They provide content rights holders with turnkey access to theatrical and all downstream digital
platforms including DVD, VOD and TV. They have distributed programs from some of the
world’s most prestigious cultural arts organizations including the Opera de Paris, The Salzburg
Festival, The Paris Opera Ballet, the Mariinsky Theatre, the British Museum, and the
Philadelphia Orchestra.
Their fast growing slate of alternative content and, “event cinema,” includes classic and modern
music events from best-selling artists including Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Led
Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Lamb of God, Pat Metheny, Andre Rieu, and Jimi Hendrix, world-class
theater events including GREAT EXPECTATIONS from London’s Vaudeville Theatre, Stephen
Sondheim’s COMPANY and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES,
THE TEMPEST and CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA from The Strafford Festival, and PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA from The Royal Albert Hall, as well as educational content like POMPEII
FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
SpectiCast has distributed hundreds of individual programs to over 2,000 theaters in 47
countries on six continents.
SpectiCast is a privately owned and operated firm based in Philadelphia, PA. SpectiCast also
maintains offices in Pittsburgh, PA and London, England.
www.specticast.com