Winter Solstice Publ..

‘Winter Solstice’
Publicity Materials
“Winter Solstice” is an intense drama about a young widower named Jim
Winters, who is raising two teenage sons in the emotional aftermath of
their mother’s death. As he struggles to come to terms with his older
son’s decision to leave home and his younger son’s self-destructive
behavior, Jim finds himself increasingly attracted to his new neighbor.
The cast of “Winter Solstice” is led by Anthony LaPaglia, who won a Golden
Globe Award in 2004 for his lead role on the CBS television series
“Without A Trace.” The co-stars are Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber and Emmy
Award-winning actress Allison Janney. Other featured actors include Ron
Livingston, Brendan Sexton, and Michelle Monaghan.
“Winter Solstice” is the debut feature film by writer/director Josh
Sternfeld. Josh previously wrote and directed the short film “Balloons,
Streamers” which screened at both the Sundance Film Festival and the New
York Film Festival and was later sold to the Sundance Channel.
Electronic press materials can be found at http://www.soundpictures.com/tribeca/press.htm
Talent
Anthony LaPaglia – Jim Winters
Anthony LaPaglia is one of the most soughtafter and versatile talents in Hollywood.
He received critical acclaim for his portrayal
of Leon Zat in “Lantana.” Other notable
appearances include “Summer of Sam,” “The
House of Mirth” and “The Salton Sea.”
Anthony has won a Golden Globe for his lead
role in CBS’s “Without a Trace” and an Emmy
for his portrayal of Daphne’s brother in NBC’s
“Frasier.” His stage credits include Arthur
Miller’s “A View From The Bridge” (which won
him the 1998 Tony Award for Best Performance
by a Leading Actor in a Play,) “Northeast
Local” and “The Rose Tattoo.”
Anthony lives in Los Angeles with his wife,
actress Gia Carides, and their daughter.
Aaron Stanford – Gabe Winters
A graduate of Rutgers University and the
London Academy of Theater, Aaron Stanford is
one of the hottest young talents working in
Hollywood today.
Aaron can currently be seen in David Mamet’s
“Spartan” and recently played the role of Pyro
in the blockbuster feature “X2: X-Men United.”
His breakthrough role as Oscar Grubman in
“Tadpole” received critical acclaim at the
2002 Sundance Film Festival and a Golden
Satellite nomination. He was also featured in
Woody Allen’s “Hollywood Ending,” and Spike
Lee’s “25th Hour.”
Aaron’s stage credits include “Equus” and
“Death of a Salesman.” He has also played a
recurring role on the popular NBC show “Third
Watch.”
Mark Webber – Pete Winters
Raised in the slums of North Philadelphia,
Mark Webber is an outspoken advocate in the
battle against poverty and homelessness.
In 1998 he made his feature film debut in
“Edge City” and has since built an impressive
résumé with roles in “Jesus’ Son,” “Boiler
Room,” Todd Solondz’s “Storytelling” and Woody
Allen’s “Hollywood Ending.”
Mark’s performance in Disney’s “Snow Day”
garnered a 2000 YoungStar nomination for Best
Young Actor/Performance in a Motion Picture
Comedy.
His stage performances include “Henry V.”
“Waiting For Godot,” David Mamet’s “American
Buffalo” and Neil LaBute’s “The Distance From
Here.”
Alison Janney – Molly Ripken
Educated at Kenyon College, Ohio and the Royal
Academy of Dramatic Arts, London, Allison
Janney has built an impressive career spanning
film, television and theater.
Her feature roles include such diverse work as
“The Ice Storm,” “Private Parts,” “Primary
Colors,” “American Beauty” and “The Hours.”
Allison is perhaps best known for her lead
role as C.J. Cregg in NBC’s highly-acclaimed
“The West Wing,” for which she has won three
Emmy Awards.
On the stage, her credits include “A View From
The Bridge” which brought her a Tony Award
nomination, and “Present Laughter” for which
she received the Outer Critics Circle Award
for Outstanding Featured Actress.
Ron Livingston – Mr. Bricker
Raised in Iowa, Ron Livingston attended Yale
University where he earned his BA in Theater
Studies and English Literature.
Ron played the lead role opposite Jennifer
Aniston in the cult classic “Office Space.”
Other notable performances include “Swingers,”
“Ink” and “The Low Life.” He recently appeared
in Spike Jonze’s “Adaptation” and Wayne
Kramer’s critically-acclaimed black comedy
“The Cooler.”
Ron’s television work includes the role of
Assistant D.A. Alan Lowe in the Emmy-winning
drama “The Practice” and Captain Lewis Nixon
in HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” for which he was
nominated for a Golden Globe. He was recently
featured in a romantic arc on HBO’s “Sex and
the City.”
Brendan Sexton III – Robbie
Trained at the Cyd Mitchie Theater, Virginia
and The Neighborhood Playhouse, New York,
Brendan Sexton III has appeared in numerous
award-winning features.
The Staten Island native first came to
attention for his role as Brandon McCarthy in
“Welcome To The Dollhouse,” which won the
Grand Jury Prize at the 1996 Sundance Film
Festival. Brendan also received an Independent
Spirit Award nomination for Breakthrough
Appearance for his performance.
Brendan followed up with a starring role in
Morgan J. Freeman’s “Hurricane Streets” which
won the 1997 Sundance Audience, Directing and
Cinematography Awards. He has also had
featured roles in “Boys Don’t Cry,”
“Session 9” and “Black Hawk Down.”
Michelle Monaghan – Stacey
Michelle Monaghan is one of Hollywood’s most
in-demand actresses. She has a starring role
in Shane Black’s upcoming directorial debut
“Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang.” She will also appear
with Keanu Reeves in “Constantine,” Brad Pitt
in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and Matt Damon in “The
Bourne Supremacy.”
Michelle made her feature debut in “Perfume,”
which was nominated for an Independent Spirit
Award. She followed up with roles in
“Unfaithful” with Richard Gere and Diane Lane,
“It Runs In The Family” with Michael and Kirk
Douglas.
On television, Michelle has appeared on NBC’s
“Law & Order: SVU” in addition to recurring
roles on “Young Americans” and David E.
Kelley’s Emmy-winning “Boston Public.”
Josh Sternfeld – Writer/Director
A 1998 graduate of New York University's
Graduate Film Program at Tisch School of the
Arts, Josh Sternfeld won immediate acclaim for
his work. His first short film, "Balloons,
Streamers" premiered at the 1997 New York Film
Festival and subsequently screened at the 1998
Sundance Festival. Broadcast rights were later
sold to Canal+ in Europe and Showtime
Networks/Sundance Channel in the U.S.
After completing his second short, "Colin's
Date," Josh worked as an assistant editor for
Steeplechase Films, a documentary production
company. While at Steeplechase Films he worked
on Ric Burns' Emmy-winning series "New York: A
Documentary Film."
“Winter Solstice” marks Josh’s feature writing
and directing debut.
Production Team
Sound Pictures – Production Company
Sound Pictures NYC, Inc. is a New York-based motion picture production
company formed in 2002 by John Limotte and Doug Bernheim, co-producers of
the upcoming feature film “The Assassination of Richard Nixon” starring
Academy Award Winner Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Don Cheadle.
John M. Limotte – Producer, co-founder of Sound Pictures
Prior to starting Sound Pictures, John Limotte was a senior executive at
Independent Pictures, a motion picture production and distribution company
formed by New Line Cinema and producer Cary Woods. Before that, John was
an entertainment attorney with the New York law firm of Epstein,
Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein, LLP, where he served as production
counsel on numerous films.
Doug Bernheim – Producer, co-founder of Sound Pictures
In addition to producing films with Sound Pictures, Doug Bernheim is a
film and television music supervisor. Previously, Doug was an
entertainment attorney with the New York law firm of Epstein, Levinsohn,
Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein, LLP, where he specialized in music industry
transactions.
George Paaswell – Co-producer
George Paaswell has been part of the production team on more than fifteen
feature films, in addition to television programs and short films. His
expertise lies in physical production and film-making in the Northeastern
U.S.
Press
April 24, 2003
Trio warms to tyro Sternfeld’s ‘Winter’ –
Limotte, Bernheim will produce indie pic
By DAVID ROONEY
Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford and Allison
Janney will star for first-time writer-director Josh Sternfeld in “Winter
Solstice,” which starts shooting April 28 in locations around New York.
Indie feature will be produced by former Independent Pictures exec John
Limotte and film and TV music supervisor Doug Bernheim through their
recently-launched, New York-based company Sound Pictures. LaPaglia and
entertainment lawyer Jodi Peikoff will serve as exec producers.
Developed at the Sundance Institute’s 2001 Screenwriter’s Lab, the script
centers on a widower in his mid-40s raising two sons, and the family’s
attempt to come to grips when the eldest son leaves home.
The drama will star Mark Webber (“Storytelling,” “People I Know”) and Ron
Livingston (“Sex and the City”).
NYU alum
A graduate of NYU’s Graduate Film Program at the Tisch School of Arts,
Sternfeld’s short film “Balloons, Streamers” played at the Sundance and
New York Film Festivals and was acquired by the Sundance Channel.
Tony and Emmy winner LaPaglia starts in the Jerry Bruckheimer/CBS drama
“Without a Trace.” His feature credits include “The Guys,” “Analyze That,”
“The House of Mirth” and “Lantana,” for which he won the Australian Film
Institute’s best actor award.
Stanford starred in “Tadpole” and appears in Fox’s “X2: X-Men United,”
which opens May 2.
In addition to her three-time Emmy-winning role on “The West Ring,”
Janney’s feature work includes “The Hours,” “American Beauty” and “Nurse
Betty.”
May 26, 2003
Home Alone
Emmy winner Anthony LaPaglia (The House of
Mirth, Summer of Sam), Aaron Stanford (the
Oedipal adolescent in Tadpole), Ron Livingston
(Office Space), and The West Wing’s Allison Janney are shooting the indie
film Winter Solstice in locations around the New York metro area this
month, Writer-director Josh Sternfeld is making his feature debut on the
film, which centers on the turmoil a widower faces when his eldest son
leaves home. Newly launched indie company Sound Pictures produces.
May 21, 2003
Stars shine in Glen Ridge
Home is scene for ‘sweet movie’ – Town stands to
gain $8,000 in shooting of low-budget film
By PHILLIP READ
The Volvo wagon, U-Haul trailer in tow, was backed into the driveway,
exposing its newly smashed right front.
“A mishap on the way here this morning,” John Limotte, one of the
producers of the feature film “Winter Solstice,” said yesterday of the
automobile prop that had fallen off a flatbed truck en route to the film
set outside a colonial on Glen Ridge’s Woodland Avenue.
“It just kind of rolled off,” Limotte said. “Now, all of a sudden the main
character has a beat-up car.” And a new wrinkle.
“That’s a new thing added to my character. She’s a bad driver,” said
Allison Janney, a.k.a. C.J. Cregg of TV’s “The West Wing.” “She’s having a
bad day.”
Just blocks from where Julia Roberts graced a porch for “Mona Lisa Smile”
last fall, the stars again descended on Glen Ridge for this film drama
about a suburban widower, played by Anthony LaPaglia (a.k.a. agent Jack
Malone of “Without a Trace”) who must confront his older son’s decision to
leave home and his younger son’s self-destructive behavior.
The “oldest son” wasn’t in yesterday’s scene, however, Aaron Stanford, who
played the mutant Pyro in “X2: X-Men United” is to be in one at the Dairy
Queen in Oradell later in the week, a day after the film-makers wrap up a
shot at Krauszer’s in Bloomfield.
The 22-day production is in its final stretch, and producer Limotte and
crew were thinking ahead, looking at an itinerary for next week’s wrap
party at Fuel at Phoebe’s in New York.
Continued...
But under a bright sun yesterday – and the nevertheless obligatory camera
lights – LaPaglia and his “romantic interest,” played by Janney, filmed
the scene of their first encounter. He, the helpful widower, wheeled over
a hand truck to assist Molly, played by Janney, on her move-in day.
The “backgrounders” – boys on skateboards imported from New York – did
their thing on Woodland Avenue, part of the scene’s backdrop.
Just moments before, Janney – on a cell phone call to London – stood at
Woodland and Douglas, dressed in blue jeans and untucked pink- and whitelined short-sleeved shirt covering a blue blouse.
She had just emerged from a Tudor-style house two doors down from
yesterday’s shoot, the Douglas Road home of Robert and Stacey Fishman and
their school-age children, Tyler and Evan.
“They just knocked on the door,” Stacey Fishman said of how their basement
became a wardrobe and makeup studio and two of their bedrooms places for
the stars to get a rest between scenes.
Come Saturday, Janney said, she’d be en route to Rome.
Yesterday’s filming in itself, she said, was a bit of a break from her
usual role fielding questions in the fictional pressroom of TV’s West
Wing.
“This is a sweet movie, a beautiful movie,” she said of “Winter Solstice.”
“It’s just about relationships.”
“Ordinary people,” said producer Limotte.
Among the ordinary people during the unordinary day in Glen Ridge
yesterday was Mary Hanan, whose home of five years was being filmed for
yesterday’s scene. She had introduced herself to Janney that morning.
Her family’s house had been “discovered” by Jim Price, the location
manager whose job it was to scout places for the film and who was the
Hanans’ contact after a flier appeared in their mailbox asking them if
they’d be interested in letting out their home for the shoot.
“We were also looking for a porch in case it rains,” Price said. And it
wasn’t strictly for aesthetics.
“Yeah, a limited budget,” Limotte said. “Let’s say, less than $2 million.”
The independent production, written and directed by Josh Sternfeld, is
already destined to recoup some of those costs. “Yes, of course,” Hanan
said when asked about seeing the release in 2004. “Got to see how the
house and the yard look.”
Continued...
On the film’s expense sheet are a bunch of daily $500 permit fees, as well
as various rental and application fees, being funneled to Glen Ridge,
which stands to gain more than $8,000 from this film alone.
Premiere Caterers of Clifton, the outfit whose truck carried the slogans
“serving the motion picture and television industry” and “experience the
difference,” was gathering some income of its own.
David Zimmerman, the film-set chef, has been on the job for weeks, most
recently at the shooting of another scene on Glen Ridge’s Lincoln Street.
He’s only, as he put it, “exchanged pleasantries” with the stars during
the performers’ 30-minute meal breaks at his stove-filled caterer vehicle.
He had also met the young Stanford, who played a mutant whose flamethrowing fingers could readily be ignited by a butane lighter in the film
“X2: X-Men United.”
“I think he was jealous,” Zimmerman said of Stanford, “because we use
butane.”
Credits
Jim Winters
Gabe Winters
Pete Winters
Molly Ripken
Stacey
Robbie
Mr. Bricker
Steve
Bill Brennan
Tim
Chris Bender
Mrs. Burton
History Teacher
Bob
Math Teacher
Andrew
Pete's Friend #1
Pete's Friend #2
Stunt Coordinator
Unit Production Manager
First AD
Second AD
Production Coordinator
Set Decorator
Unit Manager
Production Accountant
Camera Operator
First Assistant Camera
Second Assistant Camera
Loader
Stills Photographer
Sound Mixer
Boom Operator
Additional Boom Operator
Gaffer
Best Boy Electric
Company Electrics
Key Grip
Best Boy Grip
3rd Grip
Prop Master
Assistant Prop Master
Leadman
Anthony LaPaglia
Aaron Stanford
Mark Webber
Allison Janney
Michelle Monaghan
Brendan Sexton
Ron Livingston
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Frank Wood
Kel O'Neill
Thomas Sadoski
Kathleen Kelly
Welker White
Jason Fuchs
Dana Segal
Lars Engstrom
Rocco Rosiano
Tim Dowlin
Tim Gallin
George Paaswell
Amanda Slater
Alfonso Trinidad
Anita Sum
Lisa Kent
Hakim Quest
Tom Wallin
Bill Trautvetter
Ron Travisano
Milly Itzhak
Ethan Borsuk
Larry Riley
Brian Miksis
Dan Wesson
Karl Wasserman
Bobby Sciretta
Michael Brennan
John Mitchell
Nate Scaglione
Don Cerrone
Wesley Battle
Martin L. Jones
Dylan Sheridan
Roxy Toporowych
Marc Newman
Set Dresser
On-Set Dresser
Charge Scenic
Scenic Artists
Makeup Artist
Key Hairstylist
Wardrobe Supervisor
Wardrobe Assistant
Wardrobe Intern
Assistant Editor
Sound Supervisor &
Re-Recording Engineer
Sound Designer
Dialogue Editor
Foley Artist
Dolby Technician
Audio Post Facility
Technicolor Coordinator
Film Processing and Printing
Color Timer
Video Dailies
Dailies Advisor
Office Guru
Location Manager
Assistant Location Manager
Locations Assistant
2nd 2nd Assistant Director
Transportation Captain
Office Production Assistant
Key Set Production Assistant
First Team Production Assistant
Set Production Assistants
Unit Production Assistants
Assistant to the Producers
Art Department Production Assistant
Legal services provided by:
Extras Casting
Caterers
Donna Paul
Tom LaVecchia
Michele Mayas
Chrissy Skubish
Anjie Dufresne
Jim Geyer
Heidi Kulow
Brian Sherratt
Erika Goyzueta
Heather Patton
Aimee Schlectman
Tina Pacheco
Tom Efinger
Nicholas Montgomery
Craig Spencer
Leslie Bloome
Steve Smith
Dig It Audio
Joey Violante
Technicolor New York
Don Ciana
Post Production Playground
Eitan Hakami
Liza Case
Jimmy Price
Lauren Fritz
Kat Donohue
Mike Walker
Kevin Flynn
Jon Bernier
Julio Pabon
Stephen Jensen
Bruno Michaels
Brian Goetz
Matt Dowd
Jeff Robinson
Jonah Oskow
Eric Johnson
Aton Roberts
Michael Masarof
Corey Roberts
Marco Henry
Alvaro Cuello
Jodi Peikoff Law Office P.C.
Jennifer Silver, Esq.
Agata Zak
Amerifilm
Meredith Jacobson Marciano
Premiere Caterers, Inc.
Chef
Assistant Chef
Craft Service
Payroll services provided by
Script Clearance
Insurance provided by
Title Design by
Main and End Titles by
Negative Cutter
Lighting, Grip and Camera
Equipment
Music Recorded at
Music Produced and Performed by
“THE ROOKIE YEAR”
“Written by Myk Porter, Matt Traxler,
“John Sayre and Jared Jolley
“Performed by Brandston
“Published by
“Bookhouse Boys Music (SESAC)
“Courtesy of Deep Elm Records, Inc.
“By arrangement with Crusty Old Timer, Inc.
David Zimmerman
Hunter Marshall
David Dreishspoon
Diego Pina
Entertainment Partners
Joan Pearce & Associates
D.R. Reiff & Associates
Jimmy Zelinger
Pacific Title
World Cinevision
Stan & Patricia Sztaba
Camera Service Center
12th Street Studios, NYC
John Leventhal
“LION’S MANE”
“Written by Sam Beam
“Performed by Iron and Wine
“Published by Sam Beam (BMI)
“Courtesy of
“Sub Pop Records
Thanks to:
Michelle Satter and The Sundance Institute
Anne Hubbell and Kodak
Joey Violante, Ray Chung
and Technicolor
Charlie Tammara, Hardwick Johnson,
Glen Vanderlinden and CSC
Eitan Hakami and
Post Production Playground
John Fundus, Chaim Kantor
and The East Coast Council of the I.A.T.S.E.
Thomas O'Donnell Jr.
and Teamsters Local 817
The Screen Actors Guild
The New York City Mayor's Office
of Film, Theater and Broadcasting
The New Jersey State Film Commission
The Borough of Glen Ridge, NJ
D'Angelo Farms
Marc and Arleen Sternfeld
Jon Sternfeld
Bill Reilly
Boris Frumin
David Irving
Carol Dysinger
Donjiro Ban
Christine Verdi
Milo Addica
Sean DeCoster
Jean and Joseph Sternfeld
John and Carmen Limotte
Marc Limotte
Susie Flax
Katharine Morgan
Elizabeth and Hazel
Nantze Spring Water
Crissy Brosig and Victory Records
Shawn Rogers and SubPop Records
Fred Feldman and Triple Crown Records
Ari Martin and Nettwerk Management
Greg Hunt and DC Shoes
Daryl Berg and Crusty Old Timer, Inc.
Deep Elm Records
Contact Information
Producers
John Limotte
Doug Bernheim
Sound Pictures
1790 Broadway
10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 388-0024
Fax: (888) 459-7957
Email: [email protected]
Sales and Marketing Contact
Steven Raphael
Tel: (917) 287-1679
Email: [email protected]
Publicity Contact
Jeanne Berney
Brook Travis
P&F Communications/The Berney Group
210 E 86th Street, Suite 203
New York, NY 10028
Tel: (212) 861-2100
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Electronic press materials can be found at http://www.soundpictures.com/tribeca/press.htm