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NEXT WAVE FILMS SELECTS ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE, CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S "FOLLOWING"

SANTA MONICA, CA September 4, 1998 ‚ The Independent Film Channel's Next Wave Films today announced that the company has selected its second film, and first international feature, the British film "Following", from hundreds of films submitted by filmmakers around the world. Next Wave Films is providing finishing funds and other support while serving as a producer's rep for the film.

Marking Christopher Nolan's directorial debut, "Following" is a psychological thriller about a writer who becomes obsessed with following strangers. "Following" will be screened next week in the Discovery Program at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Written, directed, and shot by Nolan, the film stars Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, and Lucy Russell. "Following" was produced by Emma Thomas, Theobald, and Nolan. The original score is by David Julyan. Before making "Following," Nolan wrote and directed several short films, including "Larceny", which screened at the Cambridge Short Film Festival.

Peter Broderick, president of Next Wave Films, said: "'Following' is a remarkable debut. Chris turned an intriguing idea into a smart script, and executed it with style. Emma, Jeremy, and the rest of their committed team enabled Chris to get his distinctive vision on the screen."

Said Thomas and Nolan: "We are really pleased to be working with Next Wave Films. We are excited by their unique and specialized approach which we feel will allow our film to be seen as widely as possible."

A company of IFC Films, Next Wave Films was created last year to help exceptionally talented new filmmakers launch their careers. It focuses on outstanding, low budget English language features. For each film receiving finishing funds, Next Wave Films provides assistance during post-production, helps the filmmaker implement a film festival strategy, and serves as a producer's rep. Broderick and the staff of Next Wave Films have screened over 400 films from the U.S., Canada, England, Scotland, and Australia.

Joe Carnahan's "Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane" was the first film selected by Next Wave Films. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January and was shown at the Berlin and Edinburgh film festivals. It will be screened as the opening night film at this year's Independent Feature Film Market in New York on September 18, and then will be shown at the Boston, Mill Valley, Denver, and Hamptons film festivals. Lions Gate Films will release "Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane" in the United States later this fall.

An international network of advisors helps Next Wave Films identify outstanding new directors from the U.S. and abroad. They include directors Kevin Smith, John Sayles, Robert Rodriguez, Carl Franklin, Steven Soderbergh, Terrence Malick, and Victor Nunez from the U.S., as well as George Miller (Australia), Stephen Frears (England), Neil Jordan (Ireland), Peter Jackson (New Zealand), and Atom Egoyan, Mina Shum, and Lynne Stopkewich (Canada).

IFC Films' IFC Productions and Next Wave Films are two of the Bravo Networks companies which also include Bravo, The Film and Arts Network; Bravo International; The Independent Film Channel; and World Cinema.

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