Bzzzline.com interviews Drew Daywalt and Marichelle Daywalt at BleedFest

Bzzzline.com comes through for BleedFest Film Festival Group filmmakers yet again with this wonderful article on BleedFest Award Winners Drew Daywalt (April 2011 Partnership Award)and Marichelle Daywalt (MOCKINGBIRD, THE MANY DOORS OF ALBERT WHALE).

Great interviews with the unstoppable husband/wife team on our red carpet, and it's all just in time to celebrate Drew's amazing directorial debut on MTV comedy-horror series sensation DEATH VALLEY!

Thanks so much Alisha Rayne and Bzzzline Team! We love you and all you do for our Bleeders! Congrats Daywalts!

New review of The Commune from Horrorphilia

We'll be doing a podcast with them soon, too!

Review link.

It's hard for a rapper BITCH, too...

The FAR EAST MOVEMENT is the first ever Asian American group to break into the Billboard Top 100, but surprise surprise it's their female guest vocalist who didn't get announced on their recent awesome performance on The George Lopez show. It never fails to amaze me how race always trumps gender, and how sexist people who've fought for race rights can still be without even noticing.

I can't get enough of this song LIKE A G6, but it's Dev who makes it. Lopez will remember her the next time she stars on his show because she's going to blow up big...

If you're here cuz you're a BITCH...

Welcome! Good to meet lovers of horror and women!

I feel so happy and grateful to be featured in lovely Hannah Neurotica's BITCH magazine piece on lady horror directors. And check out my good friends The Soska Sisters for their awesome blogpost about BITCH and Hannah!

Awwww...ANOTHER awesome interview about THE COMMUNE!

Thanks for the kind words, Brian!

ROGUE CINEMA Interviews:
An Interview with Elisabeth Fies - By Brian Morton
Posted on Saturday, August 01, 2009 @ 00:50:23

"For a long time, when you mentioned the term ‘indie movie’ people had one thought in their mind, a young guy, with a camcorder, in the backyard, making some kind of dumb-ass zombie movie. Well, those days are gone! Now-a-days, indie filmmakers are enlightened, thoughtful filmmakers, attempting to make not just scary or gory movies, but giving us little pieces of art that main-stream Hollywood can’t (or won’t) touch. One of the filmmakers out there doing her best is Elisabeth Fies, who gave us The Commune (that I reviewed last month, check out my review of The Commune here). Elisabeth is the kind of filmmaker who thinks before she acts and isn’t afraid to take her time to get it right…as you can see in The Commune. So, I couldn’t help but want to catch up with her and find out a bit more about this up and coming filmmaker."
...continue


To catch you up from Brian Morton's review last month:

"The Commune is an interesting indictment of religion and how easily something that seems benign, even gentle, can turn evil and malevolent! The story is great, the acting is strong and Fies has put together an amazing movie."

My interview with Brian Kirst of the Horror Society

This interview was so much fun! Thanks, Brian!!

The Commune - Rogue Cinema review!

Thanks to Brian Morton for his Awesome review!

Another radio interview for THE COMMUNE

I was interviewed on blogradio! Episode 6/15/09 "The Hair & Horror Show" by Worst Show On The Web.

I'm on from 79:00 to the end of the episode and twenty minutes on into the greenroom!
We discuss "The Commune", but spend most of the time on Chauntal Lewis and her Believe and Become foundation.

Thanks to the gracious and talented hosts, Angeleno Kurtis Bedford and Santa Rosan Harry Duke! It was a pleasure, guys! Chauntal Lewis and I appreciate your generousity!

me me me, blah blah blah

So the one thing that's been missing forever now from our press kit and website is my Director's Statement. Which is a bad thing not to have, because reporters want to hear from the director. They want to know the director cared, and wasn't just for hire.

But I haven't been able to bring myself to do it. Partly because it felt waaaay egotastic, and partly because it would literally be easier for me to write you a 70 page thesis on THE COMMUNE.

I'm not kidding. You've noticed how verbose I am, oui? Well...I have notebooks full of what and why and how things were done on THE COMMUNE. It's all purposeful, so how am I supposed to distill that down to one PR page and tell you I'm awesome so write about my movie?

Well apparently that's what sisters are for. Brenda woke up at 6 am yesterday and tossed this genius out like a true Fies. I filled in some details, but the majority is all her expert listening of me.


ABOUT ELISABETH FIES

Already an associate producer on Indie Spirit-awarded CONVENTIONEERS, tyro writer/director Elisabeth Fies has finally arrived with her acclaimed psychological thriller THE COMMUNE. Nobody loves watching movies more than Elisabeth. But, her years of education have trained her to see things others may not. From her undergraduate days examining pornography with Supreme Court expert witness Professor Neil Malamuth at UCLA, to her Graduate work at New School University in New York where she mastered in Media Studies, Elisabeth refined her intention of making responsible media with a message.

Returning to UCLA to complete her post Graduate Screenwriting Certificate provided the last piece of the puzzle for Elisabeth Fies to really understand the key elements required to make a good movie, which she feels are: structure, tone and purpose. “When any of these are faulty, it’s easy to lose your audience. I made it my mission to control the tone in THE COMMUNE.”

To date, Elisabeth has seen over five thousand movies and is ranked as #6 movie reviewer for NetFlix. While many movies have made an impact on her, her favorite movie remains a tie from twenty years ago. Elisabeth adores TERMINATOR 2 for its expert use of blockbuster storytelling to imbue a message of peace and feminism. But after viewing the emotionally raw SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, she was inspired as she knew filmmaking would be the vehicle she would use to share her viewpoint with others. Elisabeth claims the three movies that directly influenced the making of THE COMMUNE were THE WICKER MAN, CHINATOWN, and DON'T LOOK NOW. After watching THE WICKER MAN, Elisabeth knew it was time to return to the 1970s thriller/horror masters to make a movie that subverted audiences' subconscious knowledge of genre mores, and like DON'T LOOK NOW make them care deeply about the characters whose pain they are watching.

Going home to the familiar surroundings of Sonoma County to film her feature was a comfort, and provided amazing locations never seen before on the big screen. Elisabeth is quick to point out that while Isis Oasis Sanctuary was a place she visited on more than one occasion while growing up, it is polar opposite to the type of commune depicted in her movie. It’s more of a wildlife sanctuary and the owner, Loreon Vigne, has been there since Fies’s childhood visits. They very graciously accommodated the cast and crew for 12 of their 18-day shoot schedule.

There were times in her Bohemian childhood that Fies remembers feeling like she was “the only grown up in the room” and recalls when she was encouraged to wrap a growling Ocelot around her neck, which she thought better of and didn’t understand what part of “angry cat” the adults outside the wild animal's cage did not see. It is that uneasiness that she used as a cornerstone throughout THE COMMUNE. “I find narcissism and lack of boundaries very dangerous and frightening.”

Contrary to making a statement about organized religion, Elisabeth guides her audience to consider the inherent dangers of blindly following cult leaders by depicting how truly disposable individual members may become. In addition, Fies tackles the topic of genetic cloning and megalomaniac's desire for eternal life through offspring. These are relevant, sensational topics both nationally (the Texas cult “Yearning for Zion Ranch”) as well as internationally (the “House of Horror” in Austria). At the world premiere Q & A for THE COMMUNE, Elisabeth remarked to a cheering crowd “I'm not against organized religion, I'm against hypocrisy. If you say you're about love and crystals, be about love and crystals. Don't hoard all the money and eff little girls.”

THE COMMUNE utilizes the archetypal trinity Virgin, Mother, Crone in the three female leads. It has a heavy undertone of mythology to showcase its message, from the naming of characters to the background images in each scene. Elisabeth’s goal is to expose taboo topics that have existed for thousands of years, crossing over cultural lines, coming at the expense of women and ultimately civilized societies. She also depicts the three different reactions women have to incest, as well as giving all three generations of women a sex and dance scene to express their varying sexuality.

In prepping to lead a male crew, Elisabeth incorporated several command styles, including THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, and brilliant military strategist Colonel Van Riper's IN COMMAND AND OUT OF CONTROL. She also received advice from boundary-breaking studio film director and master of horror Katt Shea. Many of the crew had never before worked for a “lady director”, and are anxious to be on Elisabeth's next film. "This time I got naked in front of the crew when I couldn't find an actress who would do nudity. Next time I'm buying us all platoon tattoos."

Upcoming projects include executive producing the horror anthology I HATE LA (going into production in July 2009) and raising the money for PISTOLERAS, her multiple-award-winning and beloved blockbuster screenplay about a clique of outsider teenage girls who are sold into a Mexican sex slavery ring and fight back to free all the children.

You SOOO have plans Friday June 5th....

By a cool twist of fate, good friend and luminous actor Brea Grant ALSO has a feature making its World Premiere at Dances With FIlms film festival...in the 9:30 time slot right before ours!!!! How FREAKING COOL is THAT??!!!!

Her movie is CORPSE RUN, written and directed by John-Michael Thomas. Though it sounds like a horror movie (we should switch titles!), it actually looks like a twenty-something BIG CHILL...Check out the trailer and a scene from it here at their site.

So now you have to come out for a double feature!!!!


Looks like Brea was reaaaally hurting there, being the only chick in a shoot filled with yummy men...

I am soooo tired...

I wish I had a clone or three!!! Grrr...

We have a brand spankin' new THE COMMUNE MOVIE
Facebook page!!
Join Us. Wahahahahahah....

FREE PRIZE!!! Who wants to play?

Our new 11x17 poster to hang in windows around town:

WANT ONE?!?

Feeling competitive? Get those winning juices going...

We need our premiere tickets to
SELL OUT THIS WEEK.

WHAT THIS WILL PROVIDE:
As the fastest-selling movie, Dances With Films will add another screening of THE COMMUNE to their festival...which in turn means twice the odds of winning Best Audience Award, getting agents for everyone, higher calibre distribution deal so that all of you can finally rent it at Blockbuster, Netflix, etc!!!!!

SEE how you can save us and be our heroes???!!!

AND you can help even if you live out of town!!!

Anyone who buys 2 tickets this week to the world premiere will receive an autographed poster (by at least me, but we should be able to wrangle everyone that night!) We would soooo appreciate it!

IF YOU LIVE OUT OF TOWN OR FALL ASLEEP BY 9 PM...

Don't cry! You can still play!

Buy two tickets as a donation!

We'll use YOUR TIX as comps for distribution companies, agents, VIPs...and you'll get a a signed poster in the mail! I'll even pick up the postage for free!

Tickets are only $10 each.

So only twenty bucks says you're going to be here at the wildest LA party, or receiving a big fat thank you in the mail from me!!!

WORLD PREMIERE
June 5 @11:45 pm
Laemmle Sunset 5

PAYPAL the 20 bucks to brendafies (at) aol You can also sign in through our EVITE or FACEBOOK page!


LOVE YOU!!!!

Another poster - this one is going to press tomorrow!

New poster

Okee dokey smokeys!

No more QT hush-hush time...here's the scoop, sugars!

THE COMMUNE feature film will make its world premier at the prestigious DANCES WITH FILMS film festival. Opening night.

From our acceptance notification:

"It will screen in the very coveted position of Friday, June 5th at Midnight!"

...!


They like us! They really really like us!



You ready to party Rocky Horror-style? Better start napping now, fogies...then pop a Red Bull and head to the 'mune. It's going to be INSANE.


Info about DWF...on the record.

DANCES WITH FILMS
FILM FESTIVAL
Los Angeles, California - USA
June 5 to 11, 2009

The Hollywood Reporter raves that the DWF is "the defiant fest of Raw Talent."

"Here you will find more genuinely encouraging vital signs from the American independent movement than could be detected in all of Park City this last January."
- LA Weekly

Simply put, DANCES WITH FILMS (DWF) is one of the last, best film festivals dedicated to introducing unknown works to the film industry. Located in the heart of Hollywood, DWF provides a rare opportunity to fully engage critics, film professionals and audiences. And while other festivals depend on stars to attract audiences, DWF films are handpicked in strict accordance to quality, and quality alone.

This defiant code of independence has earned DWF solid respect and street credibility through its eleven years of existence. Consequently, an impressive array of distribution companies as well as film and television development departments cover DWF each year to see what's new and different, and who is truly going places in the indie world.

DWF offers Canon HD cameras and other prizes, including cash awards of up to $9,000 USD. Still, the 900 filmmakers who have taken part in the Festival since its inception insist that the best prize is to be a DWF alum. Film artists like Will Scheffer and Mark Olsen (HBO'S "Big Love") have premiered at DWF, and actors like Kathryn Morris ("Cold Case"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights"), and director John Putch ("Ugly Betty", "Scrubs") have all started out with DWF films.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
No Politics. No Stars. No Sh*t.

The press and public love the Festival, as do the filmmakers who have attended and benefited from the energy and connections that result. DWF alums - and "Big Love" creators - Mark Olsen and Will Scheffer give seriously high praise: "DWF manages to keep its focus on heart and soul while still putting small films on the map." And writer/filmmakers Steve Coulter and Dee Wagner - part of Tyler Perry's wildly successful team - gratefully declare that "Not only was DancesWithFilms the hands-down coolest festival we went to, but simply put, it launched our film. It definitely upped our pedigree in the industry and opened many doors for us. We signed a deal to distribute our short, ETIQUETTE MAN, as a direct result of the screening at the Festival."


A HUGE thanks to everyone for your continued support...we couldn't have done it without you!!!!

See you June 5th on the bigscreen!!!!

I need your help!

Vote time!!

Theoretically, which 100-word synopsis would make you see THE COMMUNE at a very prestigious film festival? Just hypothetically.

And though festival audiences normally skew errudite, do you think the word "feminist" would be off-putting?

Thank you for your opinions!!!


1: A new cult classic. When teen Jenny is forced to spend the summer at her dad's boring, quirky commune, she hopes to entertain herself by dating the cute boy next door. Instead, she uncovers a disturbing agenda and finds herself isolated and afraid in a new age nightmare. In a world of adults gone mad, what is happening at the commune? Horror Society raves THE COMMUNE “recalls the golden age of 1970’s filmmaking.” LA Talk Radio exclaims "This film is a WILD psychological thriller with a surprise ending that you will NEVER forget!!!! Be sure to see this one!"

2. A new cult classic. Fies deftly blends the tragic with the outrageous, painting her feminist debut with a bloody, psycho-sexual brush. Haunting imagery and symbolism underscore the horror of entrapment and familial dysfunction as virginal teen Jenny finds herself isolated on a sinister commune. With the help of gorgeous Puck, can she confront the evil agenda of her guru-father? The bastard child of THE WICKER MAN and Greek tragedy, THE COMMUNE is a heady mix of myth and mystery with a wild ending you will never forget. “Recalls the golden age of 1970’s filmmaking.” - Horror Society

3. The bastard child of THE WICKER MAN and Greek tragedy, THE COMMUNE is a heady mix of myth and mystery, featuring a young virgin who finds herself isolated in a remote commune of religious "family" members with a sinister agenda to ensure their supernatural survival. Fies deftly blends the tragic with the outrageous, painting her feminist picture with a bloody, psycho-sexual brush. Haunting imagery and symbolism underscore the horror of entrapment and familial dysfunction as Jenny confronts the evil that is her father and his new family. Keep watching as its sordid tale unfolds.

4. This psychological thriller is a new cult classic. Fies deftly blends the tragic with the outrageous, painting her feminist debut with a bloody, psycho-sexual brush. Haunting imagery and symbolism underscore the horror of entrapment and familial dysfunction as virginal teen Jenny finds herself isolated on a sinister commune with adults gone mad. Can she confront the evil agenda of her guru- father and his followers with the help of gorgeous Puck? The bastard child of THE WICKER MAN and Greek tragedy, THE COMMUNE is a heady mix of myth and mystery with a wild ending you will never forget.

The Commune Blurb

"Classic storytelling of a difficult and important subject; told with grace, class, and intelligence."
- Michael Conley, President, Conley Communications

Mo' blurbage

Oh I heart that cutie Brea Grant. Check it out!

"THE COMMUNE takes hold of you in the first few minutes with its jaw-dropping opening and then refuses to let you go. Chauntal Lewis has definitely made a fan out of me with her strong yet vulnerable performance. This movie does not disappoint for any horror fans who are looking for an entertaining plot, engaging style and a good scare. I expect to see much more from Lis Fies after this one."
- Brea Grant, actor HEROES, HALLOWEEN 2 (and comic writer!)

Wheeee! Another great blurb!

"Fresh and frightening. Loved it. Superb directing; really right on. Jenny and Puck had great chemistry. A cult film: innovative and wonderfully complex.
- Tasha Hardy, producer, STAR TREK: NEW VOYAGES "World Enough and Time" winner TV Guide Award, Hugo nomination

The Horror Society reviews THE COMMUNE!

Ohhh here's another gooood one, from Brian Kirst. We love people who love THE COMMUNE!

Hard to beat being compared to Lana Turner, right? I told Chauntal her beauty and fantastic comic timing reminded me of Ms. Platinum Blonde herself, Jean Harlow. But an "angelic Lana Turner" from a professional reviewer in Chicago?? DAMN, girl!!!