SXSW 2013: Adam Rifkin’s all too real REALITY SHOW to premiere at SXSW

SXSW 2013: Adam Rifkin’s all too real REALITY SHOW to premiere at SXSW

The always engaging South by Southwest Film Festival starts this Friday, and this looks to be another great year for wierd, wonderful, and wacky movies. This week we’ll be featuring some of the things going on you might want to take note of, all leading up to our annual mid-festival coverage. You can also check out our Twitter account for what’s going on around us while we’re there… we’ll tell you if you’re missing anything epic. Today’s feature is about writer/director/actor Adam Rifkin’s new project called REALITY SHOW, which is premiering at SXSW 2013. Check out the full press release below, and look for it in person on March 8 at 9:30pm at the Alamo Ritz (more showtimes listed below in the graphic).

sxsw2013-realityshow

ADAM RIFKIN’S ALL TOO REAL “REALITY SHOW” TO PREMIER AT SXSW

REALITY SHOW, the satirical new drama by Writer/Director/Actor Adam Rifkin Detroit Rock CityThe Dark Backward,LOOK) will have its world premiere at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 9:30 p.m. at The Alamo Drafthouse – The Ritz 1 & 2.

REALITY SHOW is a dark look into the amoral world of reality television and is an indictment of a medium that we are all equal parts fascinated and repulsed by.  The film’s journey to the big screen shares a unique kinship with few other motion pictures.

Though originally conceived as a movie, REALITY SHOW first found itself a life in the form an acclaimed television series that aired on Showtime in late 2012.  After its successful run, Rifkin, never giving up on his initial vision, took it upon himself to re-edit all 10 episodes into a 90 minute film.

“The feature and the series turned out quite differently from one another,” Rifkin said,” more so than I ever could have anticipated.  The series is very much an overt comedy where the feature ended up being a dark and sinister drama.  They’re two completely different entities.  I’m beyond elated that our world premier is going to be in Austin at South by Southwest!”

Though the idea of cutting footage from a series into a movie is rare, there is precedent.  Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander had first been a Swedish mini-series, the comedy The Trip starring Steve Coogan was first a British sit-com and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive was repurposed from an unaired pilot.

In addition to writing, directing and starring in REALITY SHOW, Rifkin also shared producer duties with his managers,Jared Hoffman and Chris Pollock of Generate as well as Lati Grobman and Christa Campbell of Campbell Grobman Films.

REALITY SHOW follows the exploits of reality television show producer Micky Wagner (Rifkin) and his amoral attempt to re-invent the reality genre.  Fed up with how staged and phony all reality shows are, Mickey’s revolutionary idea is to pick an average American family and put them under all encompassing surveillance…without their knowledge.  He’s convinced that if they are unaware that cameras are following their every move, the natural drama of life that unfolds will be far more compelling than anything a team of Hollywood writers could manufacture.  Unfortunately Mickey soon realizes that the family he picked is boring.  In a desperate attempt to salvage the show and keep the network happy, Mickey begins to interfere.  By introducing obstacles and conflict into the family’s life, Mickey quickly finds that betraying his original conceit and messing with his subjects makes for a far more fascinating show.  Unfortunately for the family, they have no idea why they are suddenly besieged with so much bad luck.  As the show gets better, the family starts to disintegrate and their lives begin to spiral downward.  Mickey rationalizes that all will be ok in the end, for once the episodes begin airing, fame will heal all the wounds.

Rifkin’s eclectic career ranges from broad family comedies to cult classics to dark and gritty urban dramas. He’s an A-list screenwriter with such tent poles to his credit as Mousehunt, and Underdog.  He also wrote, produced and directed the critically acclaimed and award winning LOOK, which also spawned a series of the same name that aired on Showtime.

In addition to Rifkin, the show stars Chicago actor and musician, Scott Anderson, two-time daytime Emmy nominee for her portrayal of Emily Stewart on As the World Turns Kelly Menighan Hensley, and up and comer Monika Tilling.

REALITY SHOW will have its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 9:30p.m. at The Alamo Ritz with 3 additional screenings during the festival.  The film was produced by Jared Hoffman, Chris Pollack, Adam Rifkin, Lati Grobman and Christa Campbell of Campbell Grobman Films

Trailer, press kit, and further information can be found at the film’s website www.RealityShowTheFilm.com. Facebook page is www.facebook.com/realityshowthefilm and twitter is www.twitter.com/RealityShowFilm

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.