”Colin Fitz Lives!” as Sundance Selects Acquires Robert Bella’s Acclaimed Black Comedy for Nationwide Distribution

Newly Re-Mastered Film Premieres on Video-on-Demand Beginning August 4th

All-Star Ensemble Cast Includes William H. Macy, Martha Plimpton, Matt McGrath, John C. McGinley and Mary McCormack

New York, NY (July 12, 2010) – Sundance Selects, a national video-on-demand platform for independent film in the documentary and world cinema categories, announced today that it has acquired rights to Colin Fitz Lives! A black comedy directed by Robert Bella, Colin Fitz Lives! previously premiered to critical and audience acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition. It also played at festivals around the world including the Austin Film Festival, where it received the top prize for Best Feature Film as well as praise from Ain’t It Cool News’ Harry Knowles who dubbed it "a cult hit." The Sundance Selects acquisition has brand new never-before-seen footage and newly discovered Colin Fitz musical recordings. Colin Fitz Lives! will be released nationwide on video-on-demand in more than 40 million homes beginning August 4th.

A charming, biting, and absurdist comedy inspired by American’s obsession with fame, rock ’n’ roll and celebrity deaths, Colin Fitz Lives! centers on two eccentric security guards hired to guard the grave of a dead rock legend, the eponymous Colin Fitz. Echoing the canny madness of This Is Spinal Tap! and the deadpan worldview of Clerks, the film explores dead rock star mythology and post-modern romance, making a case for friendship in a world-gone-mad. The film’s ensemble cast includes stage and screen luminaries including William H. Macy (The Cooler), Martha Plimpton ("How to Make It In America"), Matt McGrath (The Notorious Bette Page), John C. McGinley ("Scrubs") and Mary McCormack ("The West Wing"). Colin Fitz Lives! was written by Tom Morrissey with original music by Colin Fitz, Jason Downs and Matthew Puckett.

Sundance Selects acquisition executive Arianna Bocco brokered the deal with filmmaker Robert Bella, who recently re-worked the film after buying back the rights from his investors.

Colin Fitz Lives! will be available on the on-demand platform of major cable operators, including Time Warner, Comcast, Cox and Cablevision. In addition, the world premiere of the re-mastered cut will take place on Thursday, July 15th in San Francisco as the closing night film of the 2010 LOL-SF Film Festival, a celebration of film comedies. The Los Angeles Premiere of the film will be hosted by the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre on Thursday, August 5th.

Robert Bella said, "I am delighted that Colin Fitz Lives! is finally having a proper nationwide release, and that both fans and new audiences have an opportunity to discover the film in this newly re-mastered version. I hope audiences across the country have as much fun watching it as we did making it. This movie is dedicated to all those who helped, to all those who dream and to all those who know that now and forever – Colin Fitz Lives!"

"We are thrilled to be presenting this fantastic cult favorite, and to be working with a passionate and talented director like Robert and his terrific cast," said President of Sundance Selects Jonathan Sehring.

To find Sundance Selects on your cable provider, follow the below guides:

Comcast: Ch. 1 >> Same Day as in Theaters >> Sundance Selects

Cox: Ch. 1 >> Movies on Demand >> Sundance Selects

Cablevision: Movies on Demand >> Independent Films >> Sundance Selects

Time Warner: Movies on Demand >> IFC in Theaters

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Robert Bella is an award-winning filmmaker who has written, produced and directed numerous independent films, including: Colin Fitz Lives!, Revengers, Inc. and Night Windows. He is currently developing a mob comedy with Alexi Hawley (ABC’s "Castle"), and a horror film trilogy based on his short film Road Kill: A Day in the Life of Henry David Road, which had its World Premiere at the Palm Springs International Shortfest. Robert is also a Founding Member of the Atlantic Theater Company (ATC) alongside David Mamet, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, and others. He is also Master Acting Teacher for ATC and an acclaimed theater director.

ABOUT SUNDANCE SELECTS
Sundance Selects is a national platform for independent films and documentaries, most of which have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Other notable Sundance Selects releases include Josh & Benny Safdie’s acclaimed Daddy Longlegs; Spike Lee’s hit movie musical Passing Strange The Movie; Alexis Dos Santos’s drama Unmade Beds; Academy Award-winner Adam Elliot’s animated film Mary and Max; Chris Wiatt’s documentary A Complete History of My Sexual Failures; Kief Davidson’s acclaimed documentary Kassim the Dream and Tom Thurman’s documentary Nick Nolte: No Exit.