‘Dark Awakening’ Premieres at the Cannes Film Market

Horror Film ‘Dark Awakening’ From Executive Producer of ‘The Ring’ Premieres at the Cannes Film Market This Month

MIAMI, FL–(Marketwired – May 13, 2014) –  Café Oscuro Films, in collaboration with Atlantic & Pacific Pictures, are pleased to announce the premiere of their most ambitious project to date, “Dark Awakening” (previously titled Nevermore) at the Cannes Film Market next May 18.

From the executive producer of “The Ring” (Michele Weisler), “Dark Awakening is a horror-thriller film that takes place in Cedar Rock Falls, a small fictional town in North Carolina where a man (James), his wife (Jennifer) and 7 year-old son (Danny) decide to move temporarily after the death of James’ mother. Soon, the family begins to experience strange episodes of frightening apparitions in the house, including those of dead children.

The film is co-written and directed by renowned director and special effects’ artist Dean C. Jones. Emmy Award winner, Mr. Jones has been actively involved in productions such as “Poltergeist,” “Poltergeist II,” “Star Trek,” “X-Men First Class” and “Pirates of theCaribbean,” among several others.

Legend of the genre and three-time Golden Globe nominee actor, Lance Henriksen, acts in the film as Father Donovan. Best known for his roles in ‘Alien’ and FOX’s “Millennium,” Mr. Henriksen is the perfect complement to a talented cast that includes Jason Cook (Days of our Lives and General Hospital) and Valerie Azlynn (Sullivan & Son and The Big Bang Theory), as well as model and Olympic medalist Lauren Sesselmann and little actor William Pifer in the role of Danny; both making their feature-film acting debut.

Filming of “Dark Awakening” took place in the Alamance County in the State of North Carolina for an entire month, giving the opportunity to many local residents to be cast in supporting roles throughout the movie.

Recently, the marketing team released the film’s official trailer and teaser, as well as the first promotional posters with amazing feedback from fans all around the world on the film’s social channels.

With Cannes just around the corner, Colombian-born Executive Producer for “Dark Awakening” Liliana Kligman (Café Oscuro Films) said:

“Filming Dark Awakening was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire career. I had a lifetime dream that started at College, became a great idea a couple of years ago in Bogota, Colombia and then materialized as a production company in the US. Being able to work on such large and ambitious project as ‘Dark Awakening’ and then see it come to Cannes is just phenomenal. Hand in hand with our partners and co-producers, and the entire collaborative team, keeping our focus and working very hard every day, today, we are very proud of the final product and very confident Cannes will open a lot of doors not only for the film but for other projects in the pipeline.”

Hand in hand with Hollywood producer Robbie Little and his company The Little Film Company (Dark Awakening’s official sales agent), Café Oscuro Films and Atlantic & Pacific Pictures hope to secure a larger distribution deal as the movie shows at the Cannes Film Market, held in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival, one of the highest profile film showcases in the world.

After closing a distribution deal, hopefully for as many territories as possible, “Dark Awakening” is expected to come to theaters for audiences to enjoy a world-class independent horror film that will leave viewers wanting more.

To follow all that goes with Dark Awakening” from today to its theatrical release, follow the film’s official social channels:

Facebook Like Page – Dark Awakening
http://facebook.com/DarkAwakeningMovie

Twitter Profile – Dark Awakening
http://Twitter.com/Dark_Awakening

Instagram – Dark Awakening
http://instagram.com/DarkAwakeningMovie

YouTube – Dark Awakening
http://youtube.com/DarkAwakeningMovie

Café Oscuro Films
http://www.cafeoscurofilms.com

Unleash Your Inner Athlete With New “FIT AS A PRO”

Unleash Your Inner Athlete With New “FIT AS A PRO” Workout DVDs From Olympic Medalist Lauren Sesselmann

From Yahoo!

MIAMI, FL–(Marketwired – Mar 19, 2014) – Professional soccer star Lauren Sesselmann firmly believes, “Everyone is an athlete in their own way.” Her own athletic training has

taken her to the 2012 Olympics and gained her professional status. Now she wants to share her favorite workouts with anyone looking to up their own fitness game and get into their best shape possible. Her “Fit as a Pro: Five 10-Minute Full Body Workouts for Small Spaces” and “Fit as a Pro: Five 10-Minute Full Body Workouts” DVDs are available now on www.amazon.com and on www.FitAsAPro.com from Café Oscuro Films, LLC for $19.98 each. They are appropriate for all fitness levels. More information is available from @fitasapro and on Facebook at Fit As A Pro.

Sesselmann knows first-hand that professional athletes have challenges finding the time between traveling, practice and games to train effectively. When they’re on the road, often a hot
el room workout is the only option. Sesselmann credits these take-with-you-anywhere 10-minute routines for getting her more functionally fit than she’s ever been before. She knows they will help others whether they’re training for an event, going for a smaller size or simply trying to get through the day with more energy and strength. Leaner legs, a firmer butt and flatter abs will also result from consistent use.

“Fit as a Pro: Five10-Minute Full Body Workouts for Small Spaces” is designed to work just about anywhere — a bedroom, hotel room; many moves are even cubicle-friendly. The options include two equipment-free total body workouts, a barre-inspired chair workout, a pillow workout, a boot camp-style cardio circuit plus the warm up and cool down.

“Fit as a Pro: Five 10-Minute Full Body Workouts” includes a full body workout that may be done with nothing more than a water bottle. The other menu options are a cardio and agility workout (a jump rope is optional), jumping, abs and towel circuits plus warm up and cool down. The Pilates-inspired ab workout is done on the floor and works the core from every angle. The towel circuit involves challenging gliding moves done with washcloths on a bare floor.

Both DVDs may be played one segment at a time or all the way through. Sesselmann worked with fitness expert, presenter and fourth degree black belt Guillermo Gomez to make the workouts accessible and effective for all fitness levels.

Lauren Sesselmann has worked with team trainers and personal trainers throughout her athletic career. Her “Fit As a Pro” DVDs reflect the training she has created to be in her best personal shape ever. It was the training that took her, as part of the Canadian Women’s Soccer Team, to their gold medal win at the 2011 Pan American Games and bronze medal in the Summer, 2012 Olympics. Once a fan of heavy weights, squatting 300 pounds, Sesselmann credits these moves with giving her the speed, agility, strength and flexibility to excel on the field and off. This is the same training she’s doing to prepare for the 2015 World Cup. Lauren is expected to join the National Women’s Soccer League’s new Houston Dash for their debut season this spring.

Café Oscuro Films, LLC is an independent film production company with offices in Miami and Los Angeles. They believe in innovative, inspiring and quality film production based on the talents of individuals who believe in cinema as the best form of expression of their professional ability and passion. The “Fit As a Pro” series is their first production in the fitness genre. Their thriller, “Nevermore,” is slated for theatrical release later this year and will co-star “Fit As a Pro’s” Lauren Sesselmann.

How to survive or not in a horror movie (based on cliches)

1.  Stay away from the basement, attic, closet or wherever the weird noise is coming from… You aren’t more brave if you go towards the danger, you are stupid.

2. Shower with your eyes open, cause the moment you close them to wash your hair, the killer will randomly show up in your bathroom.

3. Never ever ask questions, such as hello? Who are you? The killer or supernatural being won’t answer them and you are just wasting precious time

4. Never open your front door and leave it open while you go 1 mile away from it to see who is out there… chances are whoever is will always sneak behind your back into your home.

5. Don’t even bother searching for a knife.. no competition against a chainsaw

6. Never beg a supernatural being to ‘go away and leave you alone’ 99% of the time they don’t give a fuck about what you want and will eventually come back to get you later on or in the sequel

7. Don’t watch a tape that warns you that you will die in seven days if you do

8. Don’t text and drive, or even look at your phone, chances are ghosts or whatever,  will end up randomly appearing on the road, and because you don’t want to ‘run over someone who/that  is already dead’ you try to go around them and end up having a terrible car accident (wait… this totally sounds familiar…. 😉 )

9. Curiosity is never a good trait to have… ever!! How come characters have names such as Grace, Faith, Hope, but never Curiosity?? I just want to name the serial killer Curiosity, so that could be the lame joke throughout the film…’Curiosity  is going to kill you…’

10. Never believe when someone says ‘I am not the killer…’ 99% of the time, they are…

By: Liliana Kligman

Film Production Company Cafe Oscuro Films from Colombian-born movie producer…

From left to right: Starr Jones (Producer) Liliana Kligman (Executive Producer) and Dean C. Jones (Director) on Nevermore's last day of filming in Alamance, NC.

Café Oscuro Films, in collaboration with Atlantic & Pacific Pictures, are pleased to have finished the production phase of their most ambitious project to date, the horror-thriller film titled Nevermore.

Nevermore is a horror-thriller film that takes place in Cedar Rock Falls, a small fictional town in North Carolina where a man (James), his wife (Jennifer) and 7 year-old son (Danny) decide to move temporarily after the death of James’ mother. Soon, the family begins to experience strange and frightening episodes of paranormal activity in the house, as they discover ghostly apparitions of children.

The film is co-written and directed by renowned director and special effects’ artist Dean C. Jones. Winner of two Emmys, Mr.Jones has been actively involved in productions such as “Poltergist” “Poltergist II” “Star Trek,”X-Men First Class” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”, among several others.

Legend of the genre and three-time Golden Globe nominee actor, Lance Henriksen, acts in the film as Father Donovan. Best known for his roles in ‘Alien’ and FOX’s ‘Millenium’, Mr.Henriksen is the perfect complement to a talented cast that includes Jason Cook (Day of our Lives and General Hospital) and Valerie Azlynn (Sullivan & Son and The Big Bang Theory), as well as model and Olympic medalist Lauren Sesselmann and little actor William Pifer in the role of Danny; both making their feature-film acting debut.

Filming of Nevermore took place in the Alamance County in the State of North Carolina for an entire month, giving the opportunity to many local residents to be cast in supporting roles throughout the movie.

Executive Producer for Nevermore, Liliana Kligman (Café Oscuro Films) said:

“Filming Nevermore was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire career. I had a lifetime dream that started at College, became a great idea a couple of years ago in Bogota, Colombia and then materialized as a production company in the US.  Being able to work on such large and ambitious projects as Nevermore, and then see them become a reality is just phenomenal. Hand in hand with our partners and co-producers, and the entire collaborative team, keeping our focus and working very hard every day, today, we have completed an important stage of a project in which we have put all our expectations on”

After finding and closing a distribution deal in the forthcoming months, Nevermore is expected to come to theaters in the second semester of 2014 for audiences all over to enjoy a world-class independent horror film that will leave viewers wanting more. To follow all that goes with Nevermore from today to its premiere, follow Café Oscuro Films’ and Nevermore’s social networks and visit Café Oscuro Films’ official website:

Café Oscuro Films
http://www.cafeoscurofilms.com

Facebook Like Page – Café Oscuro Films
http://Facebook.com /CaféOscuroFilms

Twitter Profile – Café Oscuro Films
http://Twitter.com/CafeOscuroFilms

Twitter Profile – Nevermore
http://Twitter.com/NevermoreFilm

Young or old, dreams can come true

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life for a typical 6-year-old is sweet and simple, consisting of coloring pictures, playing with toys, going to school and the occasional episode of “Berenstain Bears.”

But William Pifer of Elon is no typical 6-year-old. For the past several months, he has been spending six to eight hours a day on the set of supernatural horror/suspense thriller “Nevermore.”

Rubbing shoulders with stars like movie actor Lance Henriksen (the “Alien” films), soap opera actor Jason Cook (“Days of Our Lives”) and TV actress Valerie Azlynn (“iCarly”), William is showing the world the definition of prodigy.
William’s mother, Allison, heard about the auditions for “Nevermore” from a neighbor. It was William’s first audition, and he nailed it.

“When I went to the audition they loved me,” William innocently boasts. “My neighbor Tammy told my Mommy about it and I said I wanted to do it. When it was my turn, they had me read lines. One part they had me scream like I was on fire. That was fun.”
Without any training, William’s natural talent impressed Dan Kelly, the film’s casting director, and William was given a starring role as Danny Thomas, a 7-year-old boy playing with his imaginary friends who turn out to be not so imaginary.

“Nevermore” is written and directed by Dean C. Jones, an Alamance County native and Hollywood makeup artist. He and his brother, Starr Jones, producer of “Nevermore,” have worked as Hollywood makeup artists for more than 30 years. Their filmography includes movies like “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the recently released “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” among many others. They are also the creators of the Original Hollywood Horror Show in Snow Camp.

The two brothers are passionate about their local roots — that’s why the majority of “Nevermore” was filmed in Alamance County, including the Graham Soda Shop, Holly Hill Mall in Burlington, and Rich & Thompson funeral home in Graham.

The film centers on the Thomas family, picking up the pieces after the death of Mr. Thomas’ mother. They move to a family estate in the fictional town of Cedar Rock Falls, where William’s character Danny starts to meet his seven supernatural playmates.
Even with such a full filming schedule, William loved his time on set.

“It was the easiest work and I had fun. I had school every day, too. I didn’t like that part, but Mommy said I had to do it.”

William, a student at Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary School, was tutored for at least three hours every day. His tutor was in constant contact with his teacher back at the elementary school, so William’s transition back into class was seamless.

“Everyone was great to work with.” William’s mother, Allison, said. He found Lance Henriksen to be very laidback and had a special bond with his director.
“Dean Jones was wonderful. William loved him. He said he wanted to do more movies with Dean,” Allison said.

William wants to continue to act, eventually pursuing a career in film. He and his family and are grateful for the experience.
“My husband and I are thrilled and feel very blessed that our son got to have this experience with some amazing people,” Allison said.
Filming ended on March 6. The film is set to be released sometime in 2014.

Elisa Abele is a student at Alamance Community College and an intern in the Accent department. 

Source: http://www.thetimesnews.com/lifestyles/lifestyles-home/young-or-old-dreams-can-come-true-1.118741

Hollywood Reporter: Lance Henriksen Starring in Supernatural Thriller Nevermore

The “Alien” actor joins Jason Cook and Valerie Azlynn in the cast.

Genre icon Lance Henriksen is starring in Nevermore, a supernatural horror thriller written and being directed by Dean C. Jones.

Jason Cook, a mainstay of the soap operas General Hospitaland Days of Our Lives, and Valerie Azlynn, who has appeared on shows like Castle, also are starring in the movie, shooing in Graham, N.C.

The movie centers on a couple who experience paranormal activity involving dead children when they move to an estate in Massachusetts.

Henriksen will play a parish priest whom the couple turn to, but the move is a mistake because the priest already knows all about resurrected children.

Albert Dickerson, Michele Weisler and Starr Jones are producing, while Liliana Kligman is executive producing in association with Café Oscure Films and Atlantic & Pacific Pictures.

Henriksen is perhaps best known for his work in the classic Alien quadrilogy and starring in Fox TV’s Millennium (which garnered him three Golden Globe nominations in the television drama category). He is voicing a character in Disney HD’s Tron: Uprising and has several films in the can, including Needlestick, Caretaker and Champion.

Henriksen is repped by APA and Henriksen Talent Management.

Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lance-henriksen-starring-supernatural-thriller-424920

Thriller Nevermore currently shooting in Alamance County


ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. – A movie thriller focusing on ghosts and the supernatural is currently being shot in Alamance County.

“Nevermore” is in about its third week of being filmed in Graham after shooting started on February 7. Crews shot a car crash on Elm Street and Marshall in downtown Graham on Sunday.

The film takes place in the fictional town of Cedar Rock Falls, North Carolina. It focuses on a man who decided to move his wife and 7-year-old to the family’s estate home.

The family starts to experience strange paranormal occurrences. The house is haunted by the ghostly apparitions of seven dead children.

Producer Starr Jones said the movie was actually written to depict a town in Alamance County. He said North Carolina has many great resources and shooting locations for a movie.

“We always like being in our hometown and we’ve actually put a production company together to shoot movies here in North Carolina,” he said.

The movie stars former “Days of Our Lives” actor Jason Cook and “Aliens” co-star Lance Henriksen.

Elon native William Pifer said he is having a blast in his first film as Cook’s son.

“He sees ghosts and he’s going around the room playing with them,” he said of his role.

The movie seems to be exciting for Graham residents. It is expected to be released sometime next year.

“I grew up in the Graham area and it’s really interesting that they’re filming a movie here,” said Graham resident Jane Mciver.

Source: http://myfox8.com/2013/02/24/thriller-nevermore-currently-shooting-in-alamance-county/

Horror Film Set At Local Home In Graham

Graham, NC — A film company is using a local community as the setting for a new horror film set to come out soon.

Cafe Oscuro Films LLC and Atlantic & Pacific Pictures LLC announced casting for their new film “Nevermore” in January. The movie is a supernatural, horror, suspense thriller that takes place in the fictional town of Cedar Rock Falls, NC.

Well, Cedar Rock Falls is actually Graham, and the group is using a local man’s home for the house in the movie.


Cafe Oscuro Films LLC and Atlantic & Pacific Pictures LLC

Source: http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/269585/327/Horror-Film-Set-At-Local-Home-In-Graham

Cast, crew hope depth, suspense make film successful

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE — The town is picturesque and the people are friendly enough, but something is wrong inside the house at 4377 N.C. 62 South.

The Thomas family has come home to Cedar Rock Falls and — like a Norman Rockwell painting on a bad acid trip — things are getting truly strange. In the set-up for “Nevermore,” set for a 2014 release, all the children have vanished and left behind some dark secrets.

“Their little boy starts seeing ‘pretend’ friends. It just goes downhill from there,” executive producer Liliana Kligman, of Café Oscuro Films said, grinning.

“Nevermore” aims for the supernatural sweet spot between popcorn-spilling thrills and character-driven suspense. The 50-member cast and crew will continue filming in the house for the next 10 days and in various Alamance County locations through March 6.

The movie stars Lance Henriksen, best known for roles in “Aliens” and the TV series “Millennium,” actress Valerie Azlynn, of “Tropic Thunder,” and Jason Cook of “Days of Our Lives.” Lauren Sesselmann, a member of Canada’s 2012 Olympic Medal-winning women’s soccer team, also plays a key role.

Local actors fill out the remaining cast, said writer and director Dean C. Jones and producer Starr Jones.

The Joneses are Graham natives who founded Snow Camp’s Original Hollywood Horror Show. They’ve spent 30 years in makeup and effects in Hollywood but recently moved toward making their own films.

They wanted to shoot in Alamance County to help the local economy and to prove North Carolina has what it takes to make successful films, they said. Local ties helped secure shooting space inside Holly Hill Mall, Graham Soda Shop and other local businesses.

“It’s kind of amazing to Dean and me,” Starr Jones said. “We came from a small town like this and ended up working in L.A. on big films. It’s good to come back, to pay back the hands up we got.”The setup inside the village home is impressive. It’s currently for sale and was “pristine” when they found it, Starr Jones said.

By Saturday, crews covered all the walls with photos, framed artwork and religious implements. In the basement, they were aging the brick walls with paint and building props and set pieces. A dirt floor will be added next week.

Most of Saturday’s filming was on the ground floor. The crew blocked several dialogue-heavy scenes between Henriksen’s character, “Father Donovan,” and Azlynn’s “Jennifer Thomas.”

Henriksen plays a concerned priest who “gets caught up … and tries to help this family but just ends up making it worse,” he said. The character’s responsibility and depth make for an interesting role, he said.

“To play a priest is a dangerous role for an actor. They spend a lifetime studying for it,” Henriksen said. “I was in a Catholic orphanage at 5 years old … I have appreciation for that level of discipline. It wasn’t too hard to realize that self as a grown man.”

Azlynn plays the wife of a big city district attorney with a haunted past and the mother of a young son — played by William Pifer of Elon — with some troubling new friends. She compared the role to watching someone unravel.

“It’s about realizing that there’s something else other than what you thought possible,” she said.

Dean Jones said his script and vision look up to the stylish, classic films of Alfred Hitchcock, Elia Kazan and Billy Wilder. He hopes the thought and effort behind “Nevermore” will come through for audiences.

“Things aren’t always what they seem. People don’t show you who they really are,” Dean Jones said. “It’s a horror movie, but there’s a lot of dialogue and it’s character-driven. We want to give it depth and make it interesting.”

Source: http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/top-news/cast-crew-hope-depth-suspense-make-film-successful-1.96841

‘Valley Of The Muses’ Sizzle Reel: From the producer’s Perspective

http://vimeo.com/54971375

By Liliana Kligman – Producer of ‘Valley Of The Muses’ Sizzle Reel

Liliana Kligman

Liliana Kligman

The “Valley of the Muses” sizzle reel/demo was thought out as a way to show the kind of high production value we can achieve on limited resources and the essence of what the story is about. The script for this feature lenght film is still in the development stage. The sizzle reel was shot in 5 days with a limited budget in North Carolina. The planning took longer than expected, and production was a bit chaotic, as we were very ambitious on carrying out such a complex demo. It was also a race against time, as we had to get it done before October 31st, in order to  present it at the American Film Market in Los Angeles, where we achieved some interest from agents. Those 5 days were one of the most fantastic experiences I have had in my professional career. Even during some production days we decided to miss out on lunch because we wanted to get some scenes done before we started losing daylight, and everyone was willing to pull through and work. This experience can’t be described in a few words, it was passion at its purest form; the drive, and the adrenaline rush I felt was so much that I only slept about 7 hours in total during those 5 days.

Having the chance to work with such amazing and hard-working people was a truly incredible experience. Mr. Bill Moseley, (check him out in the upcoming LionsGate movie ‘Texas Chainsaw 3D’) was a tremendous figure to have in this sizzle reel, and the rest of the actors were also fantastic, including newcomer, Bronze-Olympic medalist at the London 2012 Olympics, Lauren Sesselmann. Yes, pro-soccer players can also act, the industry is not only reserved for ex-NFL and ex-NBA players getting their shot at this industry.

Dean C. Jones is a truly inspiring up-and-coming director and producer (Atlantic & Pacific Pictures), and so is his brother Starr Jones. Together they have one of the biggest haunted house attraction in the USA (for which they created all the make-up effects for), The Original Hollywood Horror Show in Snow Camp, NC. We shot the sizzle reel during the highest time of the year for this attraction, and therefore we had the honor of working with some of the phenomenal actors and actresses from the show, as well as the crew. It was an inspiring experience, as I got to see the amount of support there is when people come together to do something they truly love. Can’t mention all the people that I’m very happy I got to meet and worked with, because then this blog would be about ten pages long, but I’m very grateful to have had the chance to meet them and work closely with them and I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I have never been involved with such respectful, hard-working, lovable, passionate, kind and fascinating people in my life, and Cafe Oscuro Films certainly looks forward to work with all of them again in the very near future. If you haven’t checked out The Original Hollywood Horror Show, you must do so next Halloween! It will scare the socks out of you… it certainly did for me…. I almost even lose a shoe.

Produced By: Liliana Kligman
Directed By: Dean C. Jones
Director of Photography: Jeff Stepp
Camera: Jeff Stepp and Brett Bortle
Editor: Sherwood Jones
Based on the script “Valley of the Muses” by Lucas Torres and David A. Mazzarri

Cast:
Bill Moseley
Lauren Sesselmann
Gil Newsom
Krystal Harlow
Agostina Fusari
Mellianne Norwood
Lawrence Alvis
Lynette Rimmer
Whitney Collazo
David Jernigan