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Mama Simba Films Presents In association with LITTLE STUDIO FILMS Stealing Roses Press Kit This material is also available online at www.StealingRoses.com Contact for Sales: Other Contact: Alexia Melocchi, Producer Megan Clare Johnson, Producer/Writer/Director Little Studio Films Mama Simba Films Phone: 310-288-6640 Phone: 503- 804-6983 [email protected] [email protected] Stealing Roses Press Kit Copyright © 2012 Stealing Roses Film LLC Page 1 of 25 Running Time: 96 mins Tag Line: Love makes a thief of any man. Genre: Comedy-Drama Rating: In Process of being rated Short Synopsis: Terrified at the prospect of losing his seriously ill wife, a man plans a bank robbery to pay for her medical treatments with help from his eccentric friends - while his son, a cop, tries to stop him. Key Crew Key Cast List Producer, Director, Writer: Megan Clare Johnson Walter John Heard (Home Alone, Big, Sopranos) Producer: Alexia Melocchi Rose Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley) Executive Producer: Alexandra Yacovlef Johnny Mark Famiglietti (Terminator 3) Associate Producer: John Heard Sally Josie Davis (Charles in Charge) Associate Producer: Cindy Williams Mr. Lowell Bruce Davison (X-Men) Co-Producer & Line Producer: John Milton Branton Gerry Al Sapienza (Sopranos) Director of Photography: Armand Gazarian Al Jude Ciccolella (Sin City) Production Designer: Gladys Rodriquez Charlie Vic Polizos (Prizzi’s Honor) Wardrobe Designer: Amber Wrigley Marco James Gleason (American Dreamz) Editor: Darlene Haussmann Mrs. Russell Hélène Cardona (Chocolat) Music By: Karen Eden, Joey Stelio Savante (Ugly Betty) Gavin Wahl-Stephens, Ginny Agnes Olech (Rules of Engagement) and Jude Ciccollela Stealing Roses Press Kit Copyright © 2012 Stealing Roses Film LLC Page 2 of 25 Stealing Roses Love makes a thief of any man. Film Synopsis Walter (JOHN HEARD), a middle-aged man, down on his luck with no money, feels his back is against a wall with few options when his wife, Rose (CINDY WILLIAMS), develops throat cancer. Without adequate funds for medical treatments- too poor for health insurance, too young for Medicare and too “rich” for Medicaid- Walter resorts to drastic measures and decides to rob a bank. Walter steadily prepares for the big heist as he goes through his checklist for the bank robbery - getaway car, masks, guns – and casing the bank with an unfortunate run-in with the Bank Manager (BRUCE DAVISON). When he and Rose get fired from their only house cleaning client (HELENE CARDONA) - Rose decides to become Walter’s partner and "wingman" in the bank robbery. Walter’s son, Johnny (MARK FAMIGLIETTI), a cop, moves back in with Walter and Rose to keep an eye on his suspicious father. The strained father-son relationship gets tested and reevaluated by Johnny as he struggles to come to terms with his father’s determination and as he learns his own lessons in love when he falls for SALLY (JOSIE DAVIS). When Rose turns out to be too ill to partake in the robbery – Walter enlists his eccentric friends (AL SAPIENZA, JUDE CICCOLLELA, VIC POLIZOS and JAMES GLEASON) to help. Walter, Rose and Johnny all struggle in down-to-earth and comical ways as they all come to their own conclusions on what the final decision needs to be in their difficult situation. Stealing Roses Press Kit Copyright © 2012 Stealing Roses Film LLC Page 3 of 25 Stealing Roses Love makes a thief of any man. About the Production Stealing Roses is a love story about the lengths a man will go through to save his wife – a comedy of desperation with a crazed-filled bank robbery - all framed within the catalyst of a health care crisis. Walter, Rose and their son, Johnny, all struggle in down-to-earth and comical ways and then come to their own conclusions on what the final decision needs to be in their difficult situation. Once Megan Clare Johnson’s Stealing Roses screenplay received film festival contest accolades and the touching story began attracting the attention of renowned actors – she started putting the production into motion. Megan decided this would be her feature film directorial debut and formed her production company, Mama Simba Films, to produce the film in association with Alexia Melocchi of Little Studio Films. Veteran actors John Heard and Cindy Williams were drawn to the comedy- drama script and cast quickly as lead characters Walter and Rose – they also came aboard as Associate Producers. John Heard enlisted his friends to join the film as his bank robbery co-conspirators –actors Jude Ciccollela, Vic Polizos and James Gleason. Mark Famiglietti and Josie Davis enthusiastically were cast along with Oscar-nominated actor Bruce Davison -- and we were off and running. Stealing Roses was shot in Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. The film opens with Walter robbing the city rose garden since he is too poor to afford roses for his wife. The film is supposedly set in Portland and the rose garden is a key setting in the film so melding Portland’s International Test Rose Garden and the Los Angeles Exposition Park Rose Garden was essential. The theme of roses is also instilled in the film’s marketing campaign “We Steal Roses” as fans will be asked to share their love and health care stories regarding their friends and families on our film website. Megan’s background as a writer and health care consultant led her to write this story of love and economic uncertainty that exists both locally and globally -- with a comedic twist. Stealing Roses Press Kit Copyright © 2012 Stealing Roses Film LLC Page 4 of 25 Press for Stealing Roses LA Examiner Article by Chaney Ojinnaka: “Stealing Roses: An Interview with Megan Clare Johnson, John Heard & Cindy Williams” http://www.examiner.com/indie-movie-in-los-angeles/stealing-roses-an-interview-with-megan-johnson-john-heard-cindy-williams Below are article excerpts: Chaney: What does the title, Stealing Roses mean? Megan Clare Johnson: Every few nights, Walter would visit the city Rose Garden and steal roses for his wife - it’s her favorite flower. It’s the one thing he could provide for her, hence the name. Chaney: What inspired you to create the movie? Megan Clare Johnson: Every writer works with what they connect with and when you begin writing a screenplay, that’s where you start. I really wanted to write a love story, and so I chose a couple aged in their early sixties. I wondered what it would be like being married for 35 years to a loved one, and if that person falls critically ill, what they would do without any money. I usually write family stories and comedy. I thought about where and how these characters would come from and develop. Alexia Melocchi (Producer ) believes that Hollywood needs to make more movies about long-term couples. "Socially I believe that it was a great opportunity to start a dialogue on the state of health care in America.” Cindy Williams: It was fortunate that I was working with John because I felt like I had known him all my life for some strange reason. He was like a bad brother. There was kind of an in-built history. He is just such a consummate actor that he plays that part with the right amount of comedy, drama and eccentricity. It's just so easy as an actor to relate to him on all the levels that I needed to feel like we have been married for that length of time. It was all in the script as well, the intimacy, the closeness, the familiarity. Chaney: What inspired you to do the movie considering you both have played in so many other mainstream films - Cindy notably Laverne and Shirley and John notably Home Alone. After all, it’s a healthcare movie, there’s some politics involved. Can you talk a little bit more about that? John Heard: There’s some similarity with the caring dad role in Home Alone’s Peter McCallister. Besides, I think one of the things that gets overlooked is health care and the insurance industry that has ruined the relationship between doctor and patient. You know when I was a kid, my mother didn’t need health insurance to take me to the doctor and the simplicity of the film speaks to a certain class of people. Walter has owned a shoe store, is trying to work every day of his life but he is still poor. Cindy Williams: It’s unacceptable that everyone doesn’t have health care insurance because until its happened to you or a loved one, you just don’t know where to turn. So many people have fallen through the cracks. The film describes the perfect character, in the middle class just across the board because it’s a struggle that everybody is fighting. Chaney: Why did you choose John and Cindy for the role? Megan Clare Johnson: When we found out we had some actors, Alexia and I started meeting with everybody in LA. I remember when I met Cindy, I felt like I knew Cindy for years. I always wanted John in the film. Sometimes you know the chemistry will be right. Right away we knew. We even got John’s friends (Vic Polizos, Jude Ciccolella, James Gleason) involve – the guys who helped him rob the bank. Stealing Roses Press Kit Copyright © 2012 Stealing Roses Film LLC Page 5 of 25 The Good Men Project Article by Murat Oztaski “Man-to-Man With John Heard” http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/man-to-man-with-john-heard/ Below are article excerpts: Alexia Melocchi, Stealing RosesProducer: “We don’t really see lasting relationships in movies today,” said producer Alexia Melocchi.