Presents AMERICAN HEIST A Film by Sarik Andreasyan Distribution Publicity Bonne Smith Star PR 1352 Dundas St. West Tel: 416-488-4436 Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6J 1Y2 Fax: 416-488-8438 Tel: 416-516-9775 Fax: 416-516-0651 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.mongrelmedia.com @MongrelMedia MongrelMedia AMERICAN HEIST Synopsis JAMES (Hayden Christensen) owes his life to his older brother, FRANKIE (Adrien Brody) after he took the rap and landed in prison. However, now Frankie is out and James' guilt sets in while James is simultaneously trying to revive his relationship with EMILY (Jordana Brewster). With promises of a new future and money, they turn to Frankie’s underworld connections, SUGAR (Akon) and RAY (Tory Kittles), in the hopes that one last job would be the answer to change both their lives. ABOUT THE CAST AND FILMMAKERS Sarik Andreasyan (Director): Born in 1984 in Yerevan, Armenia, by the age of 29 Sarik Andreasyan has become one of the top-3 highest grossing Russian directors according to Variety Russia. At 23, Andreasyan directed the successful remake of the Russian cult classic "Office Romance" and the widely beloved box office hit "Moms", making him one of the most talented and profitable directors in his country. The sequel to "Moms" - "Happy New Year, Moms!" sees Sarik working with the ensemble cast studded with the legend himself - monsieur Alan Delon. In 2013, along with the establishment of Glacier Films, the American chapter of Sarik's career began. That summer, his creative collaboration with the incredible talents of Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen resulted in the highly-anticipated action drama "American Heist". Sarik and the creative minds at Glacier Films produced 3 more films within their first year – one of which was a Sundance hit - "Cooties" starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson. CAST ADRIEN BRODY Adrien won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of real-life Holocaust survivor Wladislaw Szpilman in Roman Polanski's THE PIANIST. He is to date the youngest person to have received the Oscar in that category. His performance also earned him Best Actor honors from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics, and nominations for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA Awards. He was also bestowed with the Cesar Award, France's equivalent of the Oscar - the only non-French citizen to do so. In 2013, Brody filmed AMERICAN HEIST, Wes Anderson’s GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, Paul Haggis’s THIRD PERSON, which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, and the History Channel miniseries HOUDINI NIGHTS. Brody was born and raised in New York City, where he studied drama at LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He first came to prominence when he played a leading role in Steven Soderbergh's KING OF THE HILL and for starring performances in two features for director Eric Bross: TEN BENNY AND RESTAURANT. The latter earned Brody an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He has worked with some of the most prominent film directors in the industry: Roman Polanski (THE PIANIST); Peter Jackson (KING KONG); Ken Loach (BREAD AND ROSES); Wes Anderson (THE DARJEELING LIMITED); Barry Levinson (LIBERTY HEIGHTS); Spike Lee (SUMMER OF SAM); Xiaogang Feng (REMEMBERING 1942); Tony Kaye (DETACHMENT); and Woody Allen (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS). Some other films in his filmography include: HARRISON’S FLOWERS; LOVE THE HARD WAY; THE JACKET; HOLLYWOODLAND; CADILLAC RECORDS; THE BROTHERS BLOOM; SPLICE; and PREDATORS. Hayden Christensen Hayden most recently wrapped production on Nick Powell’s OUTCAST, in which he stars opposite Nicolas Cage, and AMERICAN HEIST, in which he stars alongside Adrien Brody. HEIST will be premiering at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. Previously, Hayden starred as ‘Anakin Skywalker’ in STAR WARS EPISODE II-ATTACK OF THE CLONES and STAR WARS: EPISODE III-REVENGE OF THE SITH for director George Lucas, and starred in the sci-fi thriller JUMPER directed by Doug Liman. Other film credits include THE VANISHING ON SEVENTH STREET, TAKERS, SHATTERED GLASS, AWAKE and his breakout role in LIFE AS A HOUSE (which earned him the National Board of Review’s award for ‘Breakthrough Performance’, as well as a Golden Globe and SAG nomination). Hayden is also an executive at Glacier Films, and is executive producing COOTIES, AMERICAN HEIST, and LADY OF CSEJTE for Glacier. Jordana Brewster Jordana Brewster's talent, beauty and natural screen presence have etched her a permanent place in Hollywood in both film and television. An integral part and original cast member of the FAST & FURIOUS franchise at Universal, FAST 6 smashed box office records last summer to make it Universal's biggest franchise of all time. Coming off of the red hot release of FAST 6, Jordana completed shooting both NORTH OF HELL alongside Kathrine Heigl and Patrick Wilson as well as AMERICAN HEIST with Hayden Christensen and Adrien Brody, premiering at Toronto International Film Festival this year. Jordana is also currently starring in the hit remake of the iconic TV series DALLAS as the role of ‘Elena Ramos.’ The third season of DALLAS is currently airing on TNT. Some of Brewster's past credits include small screen roles on TNT's DARK BLUE and NBC's CHUCK, the lead role in the 2007 ABC pilot MR. AND MRS. SMITH, the starring role opposite James Franco in ANNAPOLIS for Disney and a role in NEARING GRACE, an indie film adapted from Scott Sommer's novel NEARING GRACE, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in July 2005. Brewster also stared in THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE prequel, directed by Jonathan Liebesman for New Line, and was seen in the Sundance hit D.E.B.S., based on Angela Robinson's comedy short, which was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films in March 2005. Brewster was cast as Mia in THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS for director Rob Cohen in 2001 and as Delilah in the science-fiction thriller THE FACULTY, for director Robert Rodriguez and Miramax's Dimension Films in 1998. Brewster also starred alongside Cameron Diaz, Blythe Danner and Christopher Eccleston in THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS for director Adam Brooks, which premiered at Sundance 2001. She received critical praise for her work in the highly rated NBC miniseries, THE SIXTIES. Brewster sharpened her acting skills on the daytime drama AS THE WORLD TURNS, where she divided her time between high school and her role as Nikki Munson on the Emmy-winning series. She took some time off after THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS to attend Yale University, graduating in 2003 with a degree in English. She has lived in Brazil, England and New York and currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and her new born baby. AKON Akon is a three-time Grammy nominated R&B and hip hop recording artist, songwriter, producer and actor. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first single from his debut album Trouble. He is the first solo artist to hold both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. Akon has had four songs certified as triple platinum, three songs certified as double platinum, more than ten songs certified as single platinum and more than ten songs certified as gold in digital sales. His fourth studio album is set to be released in September of this year. On the film side, he recently wrapped AMERICAN HEIST alongside Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen. He can also be seen with Kim Basinger, Vivica A. Fox, and Anne Heche in the film BLACK NOVEMBER, which he also executive produced as well as in the Sony feature SPARKLE starring Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston. TORY KITTLES Tory Kittles was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for his work on STEEL MAGNOLIAS opposite Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, and Alfre Woodard. He made his feature film debut opposite Colin Farrell in TIGERLAND for director Joel Schumacher. He also appeared in THE SAPPHIRES for director Wayne Blair, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Other films include Jim Sheridan's GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’ opposite Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, Kimberly Peirce's STOP-LOSS, Lee Tamahori's NEXT, Spike Lee's MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA and Antoine Fuqua's OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN. He will once again appear opposite Queen Latifah in HBO Films’ BESSIE along with Mo’Nique, Khandi Alexander, and Charles S. Dutton. On television, he played rival gang leader “Laroy Wayne” in SONS OF ANARCHY and has appeared on HOUSE M.D. and CSI: MIAMI. He most recently played “Detective Thomas Papania” in the acclaimed HBO anthology series TRUE DETECTIVE opposite Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and Michelle Monaghan. He currently stars in the BBC America series INTRUDERS. Credits: VOLTAGE PICTURES presents a GLACIER FILMS production in association with MAPLE LEAF CAPITAL, LLC, PRIMERIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT and NGN PRODUCTIONS. STARRING HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN ADRIEN BRODY JORDANA BREWSTER TORY KITTLES ALIAUNE “AKON” THIAM DOMINIKA POSSERÉN JANELLE SCUDERI Score Produced by ARTASHES ANDREASYAN Original Music Tracks by AKON Costume Designer LIZ STAUB Edited by KIRILL KOZLOV KIRAN PALLEGADDA Production Designer JAMES A. GELARDEN Director of Photography ANTONIO CALVACHE ASC, AEC Co-Producer WHITNEY BROWN Executive Producers MICHAEL WEXLER GEORGE CASTROUNIS HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN ADRIEN BRODY ALIAUNE “AKON” THIAM JOJO RYDER ARCADIY GOLUBOVICH JACK NASSER JOSEPH NASSER Produced by TOVE CHRISTENSEN GEORGY MALKOV SARIK ANDREASYAN GEVOND ANDREASYAN VLADIMIR POLIAKOV Written by RAUL INGLIS Directed by SARIK ANDREASYAN CAST James Kelly HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN Frankie Kelly ADRIEN BRODY Emily JORDANA BREWSTER Sugar ALIAUNE “AKON” THIAM Ray TORY KITTLES Spoonie LUIS DA SILVA JR. Auto Shop Boss LANCE E.