Cinedigm Acquires North American Rights to the Inspirational Dramedy Miss Arizona
Writer-Director Autumn McAlpin Makes Her Feature-Length Debut with this Johanna Braddy-Starring Ensemble Drama
LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Female empowerment, friendship and inclusion are front and center in MISS ARIZONA, a potent dramedy for the times. Following festival play, where it captured the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2018 Bentonville Film Festival, the drama was acquired by Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) for U.S. and Canadian distribution. Melody Fowler, Vice-President of Acquisitions, completed the deal on behalf of Cinedigm.
Rose Raynes (Johanna Braddy) was crowned Miss Arizona - 15 years ago. Now a bored housewife trapped in a less-than-ideal marriage, Rose accepts an invitation to teach a life skills class at a women’s shelter. Digging out the relics of her pageant queen past, Rose attempts to share her platform speech with a room of four disinterested women dodging abusive exes. But when trouble shows up at the shelter, what the women really need is for Rose’s shiny SUV to get them out of Dodge. The five embark on a wild all-night adventure through L.A.’s darkest streets and wildest drag club as the women fight to survive, and in so doing, discover what they need most.
Writer-director-producer Autumn McAlpin follows up the Danny Glover vehicle Waffle Street (which she co-wrote and produced) with MISS ARIZONA, her feature-length debut. Propelled by the Women’s March in fall 2016, McAlpin wrote the script quickly, saying, “At a time that strong women’s voices are needed, I’m eager to contribute to the conversation with the hope that Miss Arizona will empower those who need it most.” McAlpin is joined by DeAnna Cooper, award-winning producer and film industry veteran with over twenty years under her belt. McAlpin and Cooper worked together to assemble a cast and crew that were over 70% women and/or people of color as well as putting together an impressive all-female soundtrack with hits by musicians including P!nk, Lorde, Shania Twain, Donna Summer, MILCK, Kacey Musgraves and more, all of whom loved the pro-women message of the film.
Joining Quantico’s Johanna Braddy (“unReal,” “Greek”), the talented ensemble cast includes Robyn Lively (“Gortimer Gibbons,” Teen Witch), Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (“Nashville,” Fletch), Otmara Marrero (Crackle’s “Startup”) and Shoniqua Shandai (“I am the Night,” “People Just Do Nothing”). Steve Guttenberg (Lez Bomb, “Ballers”), Missi Pyle (Ma, Nobody’s Fool) as well as Willam and Ginger Minj of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star in supporting roles.
“With humor, emotion and attitude to spare, MISS ARIZONA shines an important light on social issues and aims to give a voice to women and other marginalized groups,” said Fowler. “Featuring a vibrant ensemble of actresses and stellar direction from Autumn, the film delivers a rousing message of female empowerment, friendship and inclusion that’s both fun and inspiring for audiences.”
MISS ARIZONA was produced by DeAnna Cooper and McAlpin, co-produced by Michelle Lang, John Davidson and Mike Angus, and executive producer Michael McAlpin.
ABOUT CINEDIGM
Cinedigm powers custom content solutions to the world's largest retail, media and technology companies. The global company provides premium feature films and series to digital platforms including Netflix, Amazon, Xumo, Roku, Vizio, Dish/Sling, Apple, and Google plus cable/satellite providers including Comcast, Dish Network and DirectTV in addition to major retailers including Wal-Mart and Target. Leveraging Cinedigm's unique capabilities, content and technology, the company has emerged as a leader in the fast-growing digital-first channel business, with seven networks under management that reach hundreds of millions of devices while also providing premium content and service expertise to the entire digital-first ecosystem. With reciprocal distribution partnerships in both the United States and China, Cinedigm's growing stable of platforms has unprecedented availability in the two largest markets in the world.
For additional information, please contact:
Michael Krause
Foundry Communications
(212) 586-7967
