LOS ANGELES – August 27, 2008 - here! Films, the theatrical distribution and worldwide sales division of here! Networks, has acquired North American distribution rights to “The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela,” a new film from Icelandic filmmaker Olaf de Fleur. Regent Releasing will distribute the film in select cities this Fall starting with New York and Los Angeles on September 26th.
The film has won multiple awards including the Teddy Award for “Best Feature” at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival, Best International Feature and Showtime Vanguard Awards at the New York LGBT Film Festival and Jury Prize for Special Contributions to Contemporary Cinema at the Cinema City Film Festival. The film has played many LGBT film festivals and was an official entry at the 2008 SXSW and Los Angeles Film Festivals. “Queen Raquela” was written and directed by Olaf de Fleur and produced by Stefan Schaefer, Arleen Cuevas, Olaf De Fleur and Helgi Sverrisson.
“We are thrilled to be working with such an innovative, emerging talent like Olaf de Fleur,” said Mark Reinhart, West Coast General Manager and EVP, Distribution and Acquisitions, Regent. “’Queen Raquela’ is refreshing and inspirational in both content and form and we are excited to bring this festival favorite to a broad U.S. audience this fall.”
Raquela is a transsexual “ladyboy” from the Philippines who dreams of escaping her poor neighborhood in Cebu City for a fairy tale life in Paris. In order to make her dreams come true, she turns from street prostitution toward the more lucrative business - Internet porn. Her success as a porn star brings her new friends, including another ladyboy in Iceland, Valerie, and Michael, the owner of the website Raquela works for. Valerie helps Raquela get as far as Iceland. From there, Michael offers to rendezvous with Raquela in Paris.
"In thinking about North American distributors, here! Films was always at the top of our list,” said producer Stefan Schaefer. “They take on great titles and work tirelessly to release them on numerous platforms. We're very excited to be working collaboratively with the here!/Regent team in getting this film out to a wide audience," he added.
Olaf de Fleur was born in a small village in Iceland called Budardaluer and studied physics in Reykjavik. Since then he has participated in numerous film projects, including both feature and documentary films forming his own independent production company, Poppoli Pictures. Headed by de Fleur as director and producer, the team created Blindsker, which won the Best Documentary in the Icelandic Film Awards 2004 and Africa United, which won the same prize in 2005. Olaf de Fleur was nominated as the best Icelandic Filmmaker in 2005 and 2006 at cultural DV (newspaper) Awards and Best Director in 2005 at the Icelandic Film Awards. He was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2002 and 2003. He won the Berlin Film Festival Best Queer Film Award, the “Teddy,” for The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela.
The acquisition of “The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela” was negotiated by Mark Reinhart, West Coast General Manager & Executive Vice President Distribution and Acquisitions for Regent and Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films and Stefan Schaefer from Cicala Filmworks on behalf of Olaf de Fleur. Sister company Regent Releasing will handle the film’s theatrical release during the Fall of 2008.
For more information, please visit http://www.queenraquela.com.
About here! Films
here! Films is the theatrical distribution and worldwide sales division of here!, America’s premium gay television network, established in 2002 by Regent Entertainment co-founders Paul Colichman and Stephen P. Jarchow. here! Films’ North American theatrical distribution is handled by its sister company, Regent Releasing.
Notable releases from here! Films include the award-winning here! Original Film “Shelter,” a heartwarming story of a young man’s growth into a true, intimate relationship; “Beautiful Boxer,” the true story of Thailand's famed transgender kickboxer Nong Toom; “Nina’s Heavenly Delights,” a surprising story of two young women, gourmet cooking and romance and “HellBent,” the shocking and provocative gay terror film from the co-creator of “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Other high quality gay-themed entertainment from around the world includes films such as “Summer Storm,” (Germany), “Queens,” (Spain) “Looking for Cheyenne” (France) and “No Regret” (Korea). Recent acquisitions include “Cthulhu,” “Breakfast with Scot,” and “Antarctica.”
For more information, please visit http://heretv.com/AFilmsPage.php.
About Regent Releasing
Regent Releasing was founded by acclaimed film producers Paul Colichman and Stephen P. Jarchow as a division of Los Angeles-based Regent Entertainment, a 21st century independent, multi-platformed studio which utilizes its affiliates, including Regent Studios, Regent Releasing, here! Networks and Regent Media, to finance, produce and distribute award-winning and profitable theatrical and television content.
As one of the premiere independent distribution companies worldwide, Regent Releasing has provided its discerning audience with a wide array of powerful and thought-provoking films. Notable titles include the Academy Award-winning “Gods and Monsters” starring Sir Ian McKellen and Brendan Frasier; Sundance Film Festival Award winner "Stephanie Daley," a gripping social drama starring Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn and Timothy Hutton; the multiple award-winning "Aurora Borealis," starring Donald Sutherland, Joshua Jackson, Juliette Lewis and Louise Fletcher; "ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway," an entertaining look behind Broadway’s curtain during one of its most prolific musical years from three-time Tony-winning Broadway producer Dori Berinstein; the powerful documentary "The Hunting of the President," based on the book concerning the right-wing agenda to destroy Bill Clinton; "Callas Forever," a stunning fictionalized account of the last days of opera singer Maria Callas and her relationship with manager Larry Kelly, starring Fanny Ardant, Jeremy Irons and Joan Plowright; “The Hottie & the Nottie,” a romantic comedy starring Paris Hilton, Joel David Moore and Christine Lakin and “Kabluey,” the award-winning breakout indie favorite starring Lisa Kudrow and Christine Taylor.
For more information, please visit http://www.regentreleasing.com.
