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Warner Independent Pictures

Warner Independent Pictures
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Warner Independent Pictures was the specialty division of film studio Warner Bros. Entertainment. Established in August 2003, its first release was 2004's Before Sunset. The division financed, produced, acquired and distributed feature films largely budgeted under $20 million.

The use of independent in its name is not literal, as it is a division of Warner Bros., itself a division of media conglomerate Time Warner. Mark Gill was the division's first President. After a controversial departure, Gill was replaced by former Warner Bros. production executive Polly Cohen served as President of this division until fall 2008 when the company was officially shut down. While well-versed in big-budget motion picture production, it was widely believed Ms. Cohen did not have strong enough backgrounds in independent film, or in the marketing/publicity aspects of film distribution to hold that role. This led to a lackluster slate and output, after a successful initial run under Gill.

In February 2008, Warner Bros. announced that it would merge New Line Cinema into the parent studio. New Line's "independent" group Picturehouse was expected to be merged into Warner Independent as part of this process. On May 8, 2008, however, it was announced that both of these specialty divisions would be shut down. In 2013, Picturehouse was relaunched under separate ownership.

Best films

Monster House
Monster House
(2006) March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins
(2005) A Very Long Engagement
A Very Long Engagement
(2004) Good Night, and Good Luck.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
(2005) In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah
(2007) A Mighty Wind
A Mighty Wind
(2003)
See more : Wikipedia

Filmography of Warner Independent Pictures (38 films)

Display filmography as list

Production

In the Land of Women
In the Land of Women (2007)
, 1h37
Directed by Jon Kasdan
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Romance
Actors Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, Meg Ryan, Makenzie Vega, Olympia Dukakis, Elena Anaya

Carter Webb (Adam Brody) is a young, soft-core porn writer living in Los Angeles whose young, starlet girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya) breaks up with him. Carter pleads with her to stay, but she leaves.
In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
, 2h4
Directed by Paul Haggis
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Historical, Crime
Themes Political films
Actors Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Frances Fisher, Wayne Duvall

The film tells the story of military police veteran Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) and their search for their son Mike (Jonathan Tucker). A soldier recently returned from Iraq, Mike has suddenly gone missing. Deerfield's investigation is aided by a police detective (Charlize Theron), who becomes personally involved in the case.
The Painted Veil
The Painted Veil (2006)
, 2h6
Directed by John Curran
Origin Chine
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about viral outbreaks
Actors Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Diana Rigg, Edward Norton, Toby Jones, Anthony Wong

On a brief trip back to London, earnest, bookish bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) is dazzled by Kitty Garstin (Naomi Watts), a vivacious and vain London socialite. He proposes; she accepts ("only to get as far away from [her] mother as possible"), and the couple honeymoon in Venice. They travel on to Walter's medical post in Shanghai, where he is stationed in a government lab studying infectious diseases. They find themselves ill-suited, with Kitty much more interested in parties and the social life of the British expatriates.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
, 1h33
Directed by George Clooney
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Biography, Documentary, Historical
Themes Films about writers, Films about journalists, Politique, Films about television, Political films
Actors David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Grant Heslov, Frank Langella

Set in 1953, during the early days of television broadcast journalism. Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) and his dedicated staff — headed by his co-producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney) and reporter Joseph Wershba (Robert Downey, Jr.) in the CBS newsroom—defy corporate and sponsorship pressures, and discredit the tactics used by Joseph McCarthy during his crusade to root out Communist elements within the government.
The Jacket
The Jacket (2005)
, 1h43
Directed by John Maybury
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Horror
Themes Medical-themed films, Psychologie, Time travel films, Films set in the future, Films about psychiatry, Films about disabilities, Alternate history films, Films set in psychiatric hospitals
Actors Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly Lynch, Brad Renfro

After miraculously recovering from a bullet wound to the head, Gulf War veteran Jack Starks (Adrien Brody) returns to Vermont in 1992, suffering from periods of amnesia. While walking, he sees a young girl, Jackie (Laura Marano), and her alcoholic mother (Kelly Lynch) in despair beside their broken-down truck. Starks and Jackie quickly form a certain affinity; she asks him to give her his dogtags and he does so. He gets the truck started for them and continues on his way. Shortly after, a man driving along the same highway gives Jack a ride and they get pulled over by a policeman. The scene changes: Starks is found lying on the deserted roadside near the dead policeman, with a slug from the policeman's gun in his body. The murder weapon is on the ground nearby. Although he testifies there was someone else at the scene, he is not believed because of his amnesia. Starks is found not guilty by reason of insanity and is incarcerated in a mental institution.
Everything Is Illuminated
Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
, 1h46
Directed by Liev Schreiber
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Adventure
Themes Films about religion, Transport films, Political films, Films about Jews and Judaism, Road movies
Actors Elijah Wood, Eugene Hütz, Laryssa Lauret, Jan Pavel Filipenský

Jonathan Foer, (Elijah Wood) a young American Jew, goes on a quest to find the woman, Augustina, sister of Lista (Laryssa Lauret), who saved his grandfather during the Holocaust in a small Ukrainian town called Trachimbrod that was wiped off the map when the Nazis liquidated Eastern European shtetls. His guides are a cranky, anti-semitic grandfather (Boris Leskin); his deranged Border collie named Sammy Davis Jr. Jr.; and his over-enthusiastic grandson, Alex (Eugene Hutz), whose fractured command of English, passion for American pop culture, and constant chatter threaten to make the worst of every situation. The guides are not very knowledgeable about the subject of finding Jews, and usually just attempt to scam them by taking them on long journeys, however after hearing about Jonathan's compelling story, they decide they actually want to help him. After traveling through much of rural Ukraine they eventually find Augustina's sister, who leads them to where Augustina was killed by Nazi soldiers after her father refused to spit on the Torah. The grandfather kills himself after it was revealed he was Jewish and managed to survive the war himself. His suicide was portrayed as more of a relief than a tragedy. Jonathan returns home after saying farewell to his new friend Alex.
Before Sunset
Before Sunset (2004)
, 1h20
Directed by Richard Linklater
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romantic drama, Romance
Actors Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Louise Lemoine Torrès, Albert Delpy, Marie Pillet

Nine years before, Jesse and Céline had met and had a brief encounter in Vienna. Jesse's new novel, This Time, was inspired by that night, and becomes a bestseller. He does a book tour in Europe, including Paris. He does a reading at the noted bookstore, Shakespeare and Company. Flashbacks express elements of his time with Céline in Vienna. Three journalists attend the reading to interview Jesse: one is convinced the book's main characters meet again, another that they do not, and a third who wants them to but is doubtful that will occur. As Jesse speaks with the audience, his eyes wander and he sees Céline there, smiling at him.
Around the Bend
Around the Bend (2004)
, 1h22
Directed by Jordan Roberts
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Transport films, Films about automobiles, Road movies
Actors Christopher Walken, Josh Lucas, David Eigenberg, Michael Caine, Jonah Bobo, Glenne Headly

Henry Lair, un archéologue qui considère sa famille comme sa tribu, a élevé son petit-fils Jason durant toute l'enfance de celui-ci car la mère de Jason est morte quand il était bébé alors que Turner, son père, musicien et petit truand à ses heures, a disparu dans la nature. Des années plus tard, alors que Jason a lui-même un fils, Zach, Turner fait sa réapparition. Henry organise à l'insu de tous un voyage en famille pour renouer les liens entre Turner et Jason.
Criminal
Criminal (2004)
, 1h27
Directed by Gregory Jacobs
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Mob film, Action, Crime
Themes Gangster films
Actors John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maeve Quinlan, Peter Mullan, Deborah Van Valkenburgh

Richard Gaddis is a small time crook with a penchant for con games. To hook marks, he acts like a well-to-do businessman, dressing like one and driving a Mercedes-Benz S500, believing that one must look like a professional in order to be a successful conman.

Distribution

Funny Games
Funny Games (2008)
, 1h51
Directed by Michael Haneke
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Themes Jeu, Medical-themed films, Serial killer films, Films about psychiatry
Actors Tim Roth, Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, Devon Gearhart, Siobhan Fallon Hogan

George and Ann Farber, their son Georgie, and their dog arrive at their lake house. Their next-door neighbour, Fred, is seen with two young men, Peter and Paul, who seem to be friends or relatives. They find Fred reacting somewhat awkwardly. Fred and Paul come over to help put the boat into the lake. Lucky, the dog, keeps barking at Paul, but George ignores it. After Fred and Paul leave, George and Georgie stay outside by the lake, tending to their boat. Georgie asks his father why Fred was behaving so strangely.
Towelhead
Towelhead (2008)
, 2h4
Directed by Alan Ball
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Black comedy
Themes Films about families, Films about sexuality
Actors Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello, Peter Macdissi, Summer Bishil, Carrie Preston

Set in 1990 amidst the Kuwait War of 1990-91, Towelhead tells the coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old Lebanese American girl named Jasira (Summer Bishil). She first lives with her mother in Syracuse, New York, but when her mother's live-in boyfriend helps Jasira shave her pubic hair, her mother sends Jasira to live with her old-fashioned and domineering Lebanese father Rifat (Peter Macdissi) in suburban Houston, Texas. Jasira is alienated from her father: he is strict, does not allow her to use tampons, and prefers spending time with his new girlfriend, Thena; yet she experiences a sexual awakening there, sparked in part by the adult magazines she finds when baby-sitting the next-door neighbor boy Zack Vuoso (Chase Ellison), son of Travis Vuoso (Aaron Eckhart). While Jasira is home alone one night, Mr. Vuoso comes over to retrieve one of his magazines and he ends up raping her. She befriends a classmate, Thomas Bradley (Eugene Jones), eventually becoming sexually active with him. Mr. Vuoso becomes jealous of Jasira's relationship with Thomas and, pretending he has to go to Iraq the next morning, he rapes Jasira. When Rifat finds one of Mr. Vuoso's adult magazines at his house, he beats Jasira, and she seeks refuge at the home of Melina (Toni Collette) and her husband, Gil, neighbors that were aware of Mr. Vuoso's inappropriate behavior from the beginning. Eventually, Jasira reveals that she was raped by Mr. Vuoso, and he is arrested.
In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
, 2h4
Directed by Paul Haggis
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Historical, Crime
Themes Political films
Actors Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, Frances Fisher, Wayne Duvall

The film tells the story of military police veteran Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) and their search for their son Mike (Jonathan Tucker). A soldier recently returned from Iraq, Mike has suddenly gone missing. Deerfield's investigation is aided by a police detective (Charlize Theron), who becomes personally involved in the case.
The 11th Hour
The 11th Hour (2007)
, 1h32
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Documentary, Crime
Themes Environmental films, Documentary films about environmental issues, Disaster films
Actors Leonardo DiCaprio

With contributions from over 50 politicians, scientists, and environmental activists, including former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, physicist Stephen Hawking, Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, and journalist Armand Betscher, Paul Hawken, the film documents the grave problems facing the planet's life systems. Global warming, deforestation, mass species extinction, and depletion of the oceans' habitats are all addressed. The film's premise is that the future of humanity is in jeopardy.