Rookie Female Director Talks About Hurdling Challenges

Posted Tuesday 03 May 2011

We love coverage about young female filmmakers doing it against the odds. So here's a recent Thomson on Hollywood post about rookie director Massey Tadjedin, whose new feature Last Night was recently released as a high-profile test of new indie distributor-on-the-block Tribeca Films' video-on-demand model.
Screening April 25 at the Tribeca Film Festival following its Toronto Fest debut, the movie was released on VOD on April 20, opening night of the Fest, and will open theatrically in limited situations on May 6.

The movie is a poster child for the challenges facing indie movies today. Financed by Gaumont, which raised production funds through foreign sales, Last Night was first acquired by Miramax Films, which parent Disney then put up for sale. After a long delay, the new owners are finally releasing the film by partnering with Tribeca. "It was a test in patience," admits Massy Tadjedin , who started out as an assistant to CAA agent Karen Sage, writing screenplays on the side, including straight-to-video Leo and Warner Independent's The Jacket. Tadjedin befriended Brit star Keira Knightley during production, and jumped into directing by bringing her onto the European-flavored relationship drama Last Night, along with cinematographer Peter Deming. "There's so much to learn," Tadjedin says. "Doing it is the only way."
Check out the full article here.