Tag: Jerry Weintraub

Check Out The Brand New Trailer for RED ARMY

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From Oscar nominated and Emmy award-winning filmmakers Werner Herzog, Jerry Weintraub, and Liam Satre-Meloy, RED ARMY is a feature documentary about the Soviet Union and the most successful dynasty in sports history: the Red Army hockey team. Told from the perspective of its captain Slava Fetisov, the story portrays his transformation from national hero to political enemy.

Watch the new trailer below.

From the USSR to Russia, the film examines how sport mirrors social and cultural movements and parallels the rise and fall of the Red Army team with the Soviet Union. Red Army is about how an incredibly oppressive system produced one of the greatest teams in history.

From director Gabe Polsky (THE MOTEL LIFE), RED ARMY is an inspiring story about the Cold War played out on the ice rink, and a man who stood up to a powerful system and paved the way for change for generations of Russians.

The film screened at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, Telluride and Toronto and Sony Pictures Classics will release RED ARMY in early 2015.

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Viachaslav Fetisov – aka Slava Fetisov – is among the Soviet Union’s most-decorated athletes, and is considered one the best hockey players of all time. He was the long-time captain of the Soviet Union’s Red Army team, won seven world championships, two Olympic gold medals, and three Stanley Cups. He was a two-time NHL All Star and played for the USSR First All-Star Team nine times. He was one of six players voted onto to the International Ice Hockey  Federation’s Centennial All-Star Team and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.

In the 1980s, Fetisov was instrumental in breaking the barrier that prevented Soviets from playing abroad. He was the first Soviet citizen to be granted a visa that allowed him to play hockey in the west. Fetisov’s efforts paved the way for thousands of Soviet and European players to play hockey in America.

After retiring as a player, Fetisov embarked on a political and executive career. He is currently a member of the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, and was instrumental in bringing the XXII Olympic Winter Games to Sochi, Russia. Fetisov is president of the professional Russian hockey Club HC CSKA Moscow, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kontinental Hockey League, and chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency Athletes Committee. He was also Minister of Sport in Russia from 2002 to 2008.

Photos – Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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Matt Damon & Michael Douglas To Star In Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace Biopic BEHIND THE CANDELABRA For HBO

HBO’s press release: 

ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER STEVEN SODERBERGH AND
PRODUCER JERRY WEINTRAUB BRING
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNERS MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND MATT DAMON
TO HBO FOR HBO FILMS’ BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

STEVEN SODERBERGH DIRECTS FROM A SCRIPT BY RICHARD LAGRAVENESE; 
JERRY WEINTRAUB EXECUTIVE PRODUCES;
GREGORY JACOBS, SUSAN EKINS PRODUCE

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 11, 2011 – Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (“Contagion,” “Traffic,” “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen”) and Emmy® Award-winning producer Jerry Weintraub (“Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “The Karate Kid” series, HBO’s Emmy®-nominated “His Way”) will bring the film BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, starring Academy Award® winners Michael Douglas (“Wall Street,” “Traffic,” “Solitary Man”) and Matt Damon (“Contagion,” “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “Invictus”) to HBO Films, it was announced today by Len Amato, president, HBO Films.

Executive produced by Weintraub and produced by Gregory Jacobs (“Contagion,” “The Informant!”) and Susan Ekins (“Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “The Karate Kid” series), BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at the tempestuous relationship between legendary entertainer Liberace and Scott Thorson, his younger live-in lover. Directed by Soderbergh from a script by Oscar® nominee Richard LaGravenese (“Water for Elephants,” “The Fisher King”), the film stars Douglas as Liberace and Damon as Thorson.

“This is a story that’s going to surprise a lot of people,” said Amato. “It’s funny, heartbreaking and always fascinating, and we are delighted that Jerry and Steven brought the film to HBO. With Steven at the helm, directing such accomplished actors as Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, this is a dream project for us.”

Says Weintraub, “I’ve wanted to make a film about Liberace for a very long time, and after the amazing experience I had with HBO on ‘His Way,’ I knew that they were absolutely the right place for this movie. I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson.

I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson. Putting these two fine actors in the creative hands of Steven Soderbergh – it doesn’t get better than that!”

“From the inception of this project, we’ve had two priorities: getting it right creatively, and getting as many people as possible to see it,” says Soderbergh. “HBO’s fearless approach to original programming and their unparalleled ability to pull in viewers make them the perfect fit for us. Apart from my hair growing back, I couldn’t be happier.”

“Richard Plepler and I developed an enormous respect and affection for Jerry when we worked with him on his HBO documentary, and we hoped that it would be the beginning of a long and productive relationship,” says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “We are extremely excited that he is returning to HBO with this riveting film and sensational array of talent.”

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA will start production in summer 2012, with locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Tara Grace, vice president, development and production, HBO Films, will serve as production executive on the project.