TRAILER DEBUT: Netflix Debuts Trailer + Key Art for SHIRKERS

SHIRKERS

Launches Globally on Netflix on October 26 and in Limited Theatrical Release

Directed By | Sandi Tan

Produced By  | Jessica, Levin, Maya Rudolph, Sandi Tan

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SYNOPSIS | Shirkers was a Singapore-made 1992 cult classic from teenage friends Sandi Tan, Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique —or it would have been, had the 16mm footage not been stolen by their enigmatic American collaborator Georges Cardona. More than two decades after Cardona disappeared, Tan, now a novelist in L.A., returns to the country of her youth and to the memories of a man who both enabled and thwarted her dreams. Magically, too, she returns to the film itself, revived in a way she never could have imagined.

Directed, written and produced by Sandi Tan, SHIRKERS debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival where Tan won the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award. The film was produced by Jessica Levin and Maya Rudolph, co-edited by Lucas Celler and Kimberley Hassett, photographed by Iris Ng, with an original score by Ishai Adar.

Recovery Boys, Mercury 13 and Shirkers to Premiere at the 2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

Recovery Boys, Mercury 13 and Shirkers to Premiere at the

2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

Hollywood, Calif., March 20, 2018 - Netflix announces three documentary features premiering at the 2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (April 26-May 6, 2018 in Toronto, ON-Canada).

Netflix Original Documentary Features

Mercury 13 - International Premiere - (Netflix Launch: April 20, 2018)

Mercury 13 is a remarkable story of the women who were tested for spaceflight in 1961 before their dreams were dashed in being the first to make the trip beyond Earth. NASA’s ‘man in space’ program, dubbed ‘Project Mercury’ began in 1958. The men chosen - all military test pilots - became known as The Mercury 7. But away from the glare of the media, behind firmly closed doors, female pilots were also screened. Thirteen of them passed and, in some cases, performed better than the men. They were called the Mercury 13 and had the ‘right stuff’ but were, unfortunately, the wrong gender. Underneath the obsession of the space race that gripped America, the women were aviation pioneers who emerged thirsty for a new frontier, but whose time would have to wait. The film tells the definitive story of thirteen truly remarkable women who reached for the stars but were ahead of their time.  A Netflix original documentary directed by David Sington (The Fear of 13) and Heather Walsh.

Recovery Boys - World Premiere

In the heart of America's opioid epidemic, four men attempt to reinvent their lives and mend broken relationships after years of drug abuse. Recovery Boys, from Academy Award nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Heroin(e)), is an intimate look at the strength, brotherhood, and courage that it takes to overcome addiction and lays bare the internal conflict of recovery. In an effort to break the cycle of generational addiction and trauma, the young men let go of painful pasts as they live in the present, and build a new community in a farming-based rehab. After rehab, they experience life's trials and tribulations sober, but struggle to find their place and purpose in an often unforgiving society. In today’s world, where shocking statistics about the opioid crisis make headlines daily, Recovery Boys gives a deeply personal look into the unseen lives of those working toward transformation.

Shirkers - Canadian Premiere

An inspired labor of love for zine-making teens Sandi Tan, Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique, Shirkers was a Singapore-made 1992 cult classic—or it would have been, had the 16mm footage not been stolen by their enigmatic American collaborator Georges Cardona, who disappeared. More than two decades later, Tan, now a novelist in L.A., returns to the country of her youth and to the memories of a man who both enabled and thwarted her dreams. Magically, too, she returns to the film itself, revived in a way she never could have imagined.

Shirkers is written, directed, produced and co-edited by Sandi Tan. The film was produced by Jessica Levin and Maya Rudolph, co-edited by Lucas Celler and Kimberley Hassett, photographed by Iris Ng, with an original score by Ishai Adar.

Netflix Announces Lineup at SFFILM 2018

Netflix Announces Films, Documentaries and Doc Shorts at SFFILM 2018:

Feature Films Kodachrome, Alex Strangelove and Manhunt;  Original Documentary Features Mercury 13 and Shirkers; Original Documentary Short End Game

All titles will launch globally on Netflix in 2018

Hollywood, Calif., March 14, 2018 - Netflix announces five features and one short premiering at SFFILM 2018 (April 4-17 in San Francisco, CA).

Netflix Films

Kodachrome - U.S. Premiere -  (Netflix Launch: April 20, 2018)

Matt Ryder (Sudeikis) is convinced to drive his estranged and dying father Benjamin Ryder (Harris) cross country to deliver four old rolls of Kodachrome film to the last lab in the world that can develop them before it shuts down for good. Along with Ben’s nurse Zooey (Olsen), the three navigate a world changing from analog to digital while trying to put the past behind them.

Starring Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis and Elizabeth Olsen, Kodachrome is directed by Mark Raso and written by Jonathan Tropper. Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson, Jonathan Tropper, Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Leon Clarence serve as producers.

netflix.com/kodachrome

Manhunt - U.S. Premiere - (Netflix Launch: May 4, 2018)

From one of world cinema's true masters comes this pulse-pounding action-thriller about a man wanted for a crime he did not commit, and the sinister conspiracy behind his persecution.

Directed by John Woo, Manhunt stars Masaharu Fukuyama, Zhang Hanyu, Qi Wei and Ha Ji-won. The film was produced by Gordon Chan and Chan Hing-Kai.

netflix.com/manhunt

Alex Strangelove  - World Premiere - (Netflix Launch: July 20, 2018)

Alex Strangelove tells the story of Alex Truelove, a well-rounded high school senior with a wonderful girlfriend Claire and a bright future ahead of him – and with plans to achieve his last teenage milestone by losing his virginity. But things get complicated when he meets Elliot, a handsome and charming gay kid from the other side of town, who unwittingly sends Alex on a rollercoaster journey of sexual identity, kicking off a hilarious and moving exploration of love, sex and friendship in our liberated and confusing modern times.

Written and Directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins, Wilson), Alex Strangelove stars Daniel Doheny, Madeline Weinstein and Antonio Marziale. The film was produced by Ben Stiller, Nicky Weinstock, and Jared Ian Goldman.

netflix.com/alexstrangelove

Netflix Original Documentary Features

Mercury 13 - World Premiere - (Netflix Launch: April 20, 2018)

Mercury 13 is a remarkable story of the women who were tested for spaceflight in 1961 before their dreams were dashed in being the first to make the trip beyond Earth. NASA’s ‘man in space’ program, dubbed ‘Project Mercury’ began in 1958. The men chosen - all military test pilots - became known as The Mercury 7. But away from the glare of the media, behind firmly closed doors, female pilots were also screened. Thirteen of them passed and, in some cases, performed better than the men. They were called The Mercury 13 and had the ‘right stuff’ but were, unfortunately, the wrong gender. Underneath the obsession of the space race that gripped America, the Mercury 13 women were aviation pioneers who emerged thirsty for a new frontier, but whose time would have to wait. The film tells the definitive story of thirteen truly remarkable women who reached for the stars but were ahead of their time.  A Netflix original documentary directed by David Sington (The Fear of 13) and Heather Walsh.

Shirkers - San Francisco Premiere - (Netflix Launch: 2018)

An inspired labor of love for zine-making teens Sandi Tan, Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique, Shirkers was a Singapore-made 1992 cult classic—or it would have been, had the 16mm footage not been stolen by their enigmatic American collaborator Georges Cardona, who disappeared. More than two decades later, Tan, now a novelist in L.A., returns to the country of her youth and to the memories of a man who both enabled and thwarted her dreams. Magically, too, she returns to the film itself, revived in a way she never could have imagined.

Shirkers is written, directed, produced and co-edited by Sandi Tan. The film was produced by Jessica Levin and Maya Rudolph.

Netflix Original Documentary Short

End Game - San Francisco Premiere - (Netflix Launch: May 4, 2018)

Directed by Academy Award winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, End Game is an intimate vérité style documentary short that follows visionary medical practitioners who are working on the cutting edge of life and death -- and dedicated to changing our thinking about both.

netflix.com/endgame

NETFLIX ACQUIRES SUNDANCE AWARD-WINNER SHIRKERS AND DOCUMENTARY SHORT ZION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NETFLIX ACQUIRES SUNDANCE AWARD-WINNER SHIRKERS AND DOCUMENTARY SHORT ZION

Shirkers is a creative personal odyssey across two decades and two countries in search of answers to the mystery behind a stolen film.

Zion is a portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler who overcomes obstacles to become a fierce competitor and community inspiration.

Los Angeles, CA (February 28, 2018) -- Netflix announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights to Sandi Tan’s creative odyssey Shirkers, which had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where Tan won the Directing Award in World Cinema Documentary. The film screened to great acclaim and will next be shown at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri on Friday, March 2.  Adding to its robust slate of documentary shorts, Netflix also acquired Zion, a ten-minute film directed by Floyd Russ about a young wrestler who was born without legs and finds acceptance and community within the world of wrestling.

An inspired labor of love for zine-making teens Sandi Tan, Jasmine Ng and Sophie Siddique, Shirkers was a Singapore-made 1992 cult classic—or it would have been, had the 16mm footage not been stolen by their enigmatic American collaborator Georges Cardona, who disappeared. More than two decades later, Tan, now a novelist in L.A., returns to the country of her youth and to the memories of a man who both enabled and thwarted her dreams. Magically, too, she returns to the film itself, revived in a way she never could have imagined.

"I've always dreamed of sharing my stranger-than-fiction film Shirkers with the widest audience possible, so am thrilled for Netflix to help tell this story to new generations of iconoclastic, creative people around the world. I hope the true story of my youthful misadventures will inspire people to turn their crazy dreams into reality,” said Tan.

“Shirkers speaks to a part of us that rarely get expressed—that bold spirit of making your own art regardless of the challenges,” Netflix VP of Original Documentary Programming Lisa Nishimura added. “Sandi Tan has an exquisite, hypnotic story to tell, one that stretches from teenage rebellion to a kind of personal homecoming that all audiences can relate to.”

Zion is a gripping portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler born without legs who grew up in foster care. Clark began wrestling in second grade against his able-bodied peers. The physical challenge became a therapeutic outlet and gave him a sense of family. Moving from foster home to foster home, wrestling became the only constant thing in his childhood.

Both films will launch globally on Netflix later this year.

About Netflix

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