Oregon Based Star-Studded Film Premiers at Sundance

James Franco and Brad Pitt are the forces behind the Oregon based film, "True Story."

Park City, January 24th, 2014. Executive producer Brad Pitt and actor James Franco were at the premiere of “True Story” during the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Franco plays Christian Longo, who killed his wife and three children on the Oregon coast in 2001 and fled to Mexico, where he said he was Michael Finkel, a reporter for The New York Times.

Jonah Hill stars as Michael Finkel, the disgraced New York Times reporter who meets accused killer Christian Longo (James Franco), who has been living abroad under Finkel’s name. Directed by Rupert Goold, who co-wrote with David Kajganich, adapting Finkel’s memoir. Executive producers include Brad Pitt.

Here’s a bit more about the film from its studio: When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) meets accused killer Christian Longo (James Franco) – who has taken on Finkel’s identity – his investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat-and-mouse. Based on actual events, Finkel’s relentless pursuit of Longo’s true story encompasses murder, love, deceit and redemption. Rupert Goold’s first feature pits Jonah Hill against James Franco in a psychological cat-and-mouse game obscured by many “truths.” As the two calculating men share their stories in private, their similarities become clear while their motivations are less so. David Kajganich scripts Finkel’s memoir into a subtle portrait of an unlikely friendship. “True Story” will be theaters starting on April 10th.

Here’s a trailer for the film:

“True Story” is one of dozens of films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City.

With over 46,000 attendees in 2014, the Sundance Film Festival is one of the largest independent film festivals in the United States.The festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers.

Sundance includes competitive categories for American and international dramatic and documentary films, both feature-length films and short films, and a group of out-of-competition sections, including NEXT, New Frontier, Spotlight, and Park City At Midnight.

John Cooper, director of programming for the Sundance Film Festival, leads Robert Redford, founder of the Sundance Institute, to the podium before the premiere of the documentary film “What Happened, Miss Simone?”

The 2015 Sundance Film Festival is scheduled through February 1, 2015.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.