Re-Opening mockumentary is a must see! Aaron Anastasi & his wife enjoyed it last night. #Comedy #PandemicHumor #Mockumentary
March 19, 2022
It was only a matter of time before someone came out with a comedy mocking everything we've all gone through with the pandemic and Re-Opening kills it!
If you can read this, you have better eyes than me, but suffice it to say, some comedy and film heavyweights were involved in creating this gem of a film. You may recognize the directors' Chris Guerra from The Groundlings Main Company and Matthew John Koppin.
Official synopsis: "RE-OPENING is a fully-improvised lockdown mockumentary following the cast and crew of a struggling theater (All Voice IS Theater) in Pigeon Valley, Tennessee. They attempt to prepare the theater to reopen to the public after months of lockdown, encountering setbacks along the way."
This was an 6 month, 18 day shoot and Kelsey Cooke co-wrote it along with Chris & Matthew and she also produced it. But wait, there's more! She also stars in it!
Here's some of the cast on the red carpet last night. This was a huge ensemble cast and so many talented people participated who aren't reflected in this picture.
L-R Casey Hime as the nerdy Bryce, Amanda Lehan-Canto as the mean stage manager with a heart of gold, Chris Kleckner as the sentimental CDC code enforcer, Karen Maruyama as the hilarious tour guide, Kelsey Cooke as the shy single mom who shines, Chris Guerra as the emotional play director and Matthew John Koppin, the filmmaker.
That's only a smattering of the talented people who make this film so hysterical. Here's the trailer where you can see everyone involved...
If you want to look back at the past two years of the pandemic, laugh at all the hoops we all jumped through, and see some very funny people in action, then you will enjoy this film!
Actor Aaron Anastasi and his lovely wife Martha attended the screening last night at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills and we met a lot of the cast prior which was very fun. I posted more pix on my Facebook page here.
In the Q & A afterwards, the filmmakers shared that the people in TN were very gracious to work with and one guy allowed them to use his theater for free because he had once taken a class at the Groundlings.
They actually shot in the Groundlings theater too while it was being renovated and also in the Burbank Historical Society Museum.
So many venues were able to upgrade their facilities including the Fine Arts Theater and it looks stunning now. Here's Aaron and Martha again against the plush red theater backdrop. Her look was a huge hit.
If you want to see Re-Opening yourself, you can catch it next week streaming at the Malibu Film Festival which states, "Malibu Film Foundation is proud to present the 22nd annual Malibu Film Festival virtual edition March 20-27. All access pass is only $4.99.
WATCH and VOTE on your favorite Malibu Film Festival official selections available on our streaming partner XOLO (http://www.xolo.org). Proceeds benefit the XOLO sanctuary of Los Angeles, a permanent home animals in need."
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