Thursday, December 18, 2008

Blog Release: Calling Home Burgh Diaspora

From 1905 Productions:

1905 Productions' "My Tale of Two Cities," the Surprise Hit of the Season, is Back in Theaters; DVD Now Available for the Holidays

Just in time for the holidays, "My Tale of Two Cities," a "heartfelt and funny valentine to Pittsburgh," is back for families and friends to celebrate the season and their hometown. After opening the Three Rivers Film Festival, selling out a red carpet screening at the Byham Theater, and the sale of 1000 DVDs in less than two weeks, My Tale of Two Cities, will be playing at The Oaks Theater at 5 p.m. from Friday Dec. 19-Dec. 23rd as the DVD is now available for the holidays.

“The Little Movie That Could”

Just in time for the holidays, 1905 Productions' "My Tale of Two Cities," a "heartfelt and funny valentine to Pittsburgh," is back for families and friends to come together and celebrate the season and their hometown. After opening the Three Rivers Film Festival, selling out more than 1200 seats at a red carpet screening at the Byham Theater, a weeklong run at the Penn Hills Cinemas, and the sale of 1000 DVDs in less than two weeks, "My Tale of Two Cities, will be playing at The Oaks Theater at 5 p.m. from Friday December 19-Tuesday December 23rd. These screenings will be kicked off with a Special Guest Appearance on Friday December 19th when Mr. McFeely of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" (actor David Newell) will be there to talk about the film and sign DVDs.

Part of the proceeds from these screenings will benefit the Steeltown Entertainment Project's "Youth and Media" Initiative being done with Holy Family Institute.

"My Tale of Two Cities" is a feel-good "comeback" story starring the city of Pittsburgh and some of the its favorite neighbors, including Franco Harris, Teresa Heinz Kerry, the late Mayor Bob O’ Connor, former Treasury Secretary Paul O’ Neill, “Mr. McFeely” of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “Mrs.” Joanne Rogers, and many others.

Meanwhile, the movie has defied traditionally convention, and actually sold briskly while the film is in theaters, as the the DVD has become a popular “Pittsburgh” gift for the holidays.

For those who can't make it to the theater, the DVD is now available in stores and online at www.mytaleoftwocities.com, by phone at WQED at 1-800-274-1307. Those ordering online or by phone should order by Dec. 19th to have the DVD delivered by Christmas.

The DVD is also available at The Pleasant Present in Squirrel Hill, Kards Unlimited in Shadyside, The PG Store, Dreaming Ant in Oakland and Bloomfield, The Heinz History Center, Heidioptics in Downtown Pittsburgh, La Vita restaurant in Greensburg, and the Sewickley Public Library.

After opening the Three Rivers Film Festival to a packed house, at a screening Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Charlie Humphrey called "a filmmakers’ dream," "My Tale of Two Cities," played at The Byham to over 1200 people, who laughed, cried, and gave the film a standing ovation. Audiences responded to the inspiring and uplifting story of this city, as told through the voice of St. Elmo's Fire screenwriter Carl Kurlander, who ended up on The Oprah Winfrey Show for acting out the fantasy of many a Pittsburgh expatriate and coming back to his hometown. But as Kurlander proves in a heartfelt and humorous way, coming home is not as easy as it may sound. Just as Kurlander and his wife Natalie told Oprah how happy they were raising their daughter in Pittsburgh, the city lost its favorite neighbor and was declared "financially distressed."

"My Tale of Two Cities" tells the story of coming home and of one of America's great cities reinventing itself for a new age. In the film, Kurlander tosses a football with Franco Harris, goes shopping in The Strip with Teresa Heinz Kerry, has breakfast at Ritter’s Diner with Paul O’ Neill, asking them and many other Pittsburgh neighbors (including Kurlander’s old gym teacher and the girl who inspired the movie St. Elmo’s Fire) how this city─ which built America with its steel, conquered polio, and invented everything from Aluminum to the Big Mac─ can once again become "The City of Champions." Franco Harris, who has a crowd-pleasing scene in the film with his son F. Dok Harris (one of a new generation of Pittsburgh repatriates dedicated to improving their hometown), has said that he feels this film could help with the city's comeback. In fact, to entice friends and family to consider all the merits of Pittsburgh, Franco has already purchased 15 DVDS himself as gifts.

But Franco’s not the only one sending the DVD to friends and family. “Pittsburghers are buying this DVD as a Christmas gift for friends and family around the country. And we’re already receiving requests to screen it in places as far away as New York, Florida, and California,” says Kurlander. “If this keeps up, maybe people will realize what I’ve found out: When it comes to Pittsburghers and the city they love, ‘it’s never too late to come back.’”

Visit www.mytaleoftwocities.com for clips from the movie and more information. For more information on Steeltown Entertainment Project and its “Youth & Media Initiative,” please visit: www.steeltown.org

"My Tale of Two Cities" was produced by 1905 Productions, a Pittsburgh-based production company.

Contact:
1905 Productions,
Stephanie Dangel, Producer
“My Tale of Two Cities”
412-622-1325
mytaleoftwocities@gmail.com

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