Washington Square Films

Last updated
Washington Square Films
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm, theater
Founded1995
FounderJoshua Blum
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Website wsfilms.com

Washington Square Films (WSF) is an American production and management company based in New York City and Los Angeles. It was founded in 1995 by Joshua Blum. [1]

Contents

History

The company's debut project was United States of Poetry, [2] a five-part series for PBS, created and produced by Joshua Blum and Bob Holman and directed by Mark Pellington. The program featured sixty poets performing in stylized poetry videos, including Paul Beatty, Joseph Brodsky, Jimmy Carter, Sandra Cisneros, Leonard Cohen, Rita Dove, Allen Ginsberg, Czesław Miłosz, Lou Reed, Johnny Depp, and Amiri Baraka. The series was accompanied by a book of the same name published by Abrams Books [3] and a soundtrack album from Mercury Records. [4] [5]

The USOP also produced a live touring component, which was booked and managed by Kathleen Russo and Mary Shimkin. In 1996, Russo and Shimkin joined Washington Square Films to book and manage performers and spoken word acts, naming the division Washington Square Arts. [6] The roster included Spalding Gray, Eric Bogosian, Danny Hoch, David Sedaris, Sandra Bernhard, and many others. The company discontinued booking from its host of services in 2010. In 1998, manager Katherine Atkinson [7] joined the division and built a roster of then unknown talent including Kerry Washington, [8] Dulé Hill, [9] Sarita Choudhury, [10] Victor Rasuk, [11] Adepero Oduye, [12] Alex Désert, [13] and others, all who are still represented by Atkinson and Washington Square Films.

Films and theater

Washington Square Films has worked with and produced films for Steven Soderbergh, [14] Abel Ferrara, [15] and Sally Potter. [16] The company is perhaps best known for supporting and producing the early work of filmmakers including J. C. Chandor, [17] Kelly Reichardt, [18] Alex Ross Perry, and others. [19] The company's projects have been nominated for two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards (winning one), sixteen Independent Spirit Awards (winning three), three Golden Globes (winning one), and one Peabody Award (won). [20] The company has had fourteen films premiere at Sundance and others at every major film festival including Cannes, [21] Berlin, [22] Toronto, [23] Tribeca, [24] and New York. [25]


In 2023, Washington Square Films produced a live musical based on the 1972 Jamaican film The Harder They Come , [26] with music by Jimmy Cliff and a book and additional songs by Suzan-Lori Parks. The show was developed by Blum and Bruce Miller, and its executive producers included Carmelo Anthony and Asani Swann. [27] It premiered in New York at The Public Theater and was nominated for nine Off-Broadway Awards and won the Outer Critics award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. [28]

Collaborations

Washington Square Films has also collaborated with Apple, Pepsi, Ford, Samsung, Anheuser-Busch, and many others. The division is run by managing director Jonathan Schwartz [29] and EP/EVP of Production Han West, who also manages production in the Film and Television divisions. [30]

Filmography

Washington Square Films selected features
YearTitleDirectorDistributor
1995United States of Poetry Mark Pellington PBS/ITVS
2006 Old Joy Kelly Reichardt Kino International, The Criterion Collection
2007 Adrift in Manhattan Alfredo Rodriguez de Villa Screen Media Films
2008 Wendy and Lucy Kelly Reichardt Oscilloscope Laboratories
2011 Margin Call J. C. Chandor Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions
2013 All Is Lost J. C. Chandor Lionsgate
BluebirdLance Edmunds Factory 25
2014 A Most Violent Year J. C. Chandor A24
Listen Up Philip Alex Ross Perry Tribeca Film
2015 Queen of Earth Alex Ross Perry IFC Films
2016 My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea Dash Shaw GKIDS, Shout! Factory
2017 Crown Heights Matt Ruskin IFC Films, Amazon Studios
Golden Exits Alex Ross Perry Vertical Entertainment
Permanent Colette Burson Magnolia Pictures
Thirst Street Nathan Silver Samuel Goldwyn Films
11:55 Ari Issler, Ben Snyder Gravitas Ventures
2018 Most Likely to Murder Dan Gregor Lionsgate
2019 The Sound of Silence Michael Tyburski IFC Films
The Projectionist Abel Ferrara Kino Lorber
2020 The Roads Not Taken Sally Potter Bleecker Street Media
Save Yourselves! Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor WilsonBleecker Street Media
2021 Cryptozoo Dash Shaw Magnolia Pictures

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References

  1. ↑ "Joshua Blum". December 17, 2013.
  2. ↑ "The United States of Poetry | ITVS". itvs.org.
  3. ↑ Blum, Joshua; Holman, Bob; Pellington, Mark. "United States of Poetry" – via www.abramsbooks.com.
  4. ↑ "AudioFile, Discover the World of Audiobooks". AudioFile Magazine.
  5. ↑ "The United States Of Poetry (1996, CD) - Discogs".
  6. ↑ "Kathleen Russo: Shaping Spalding's Stories". Broadway.com.
  7. ↑ "Katherine Atkinson". December 17, 2013.
  8. ↑ Otterson, Joe (July 20, 2021). "Kerry Washington, Larry Wilmore-Produced Legal Drama Moves to Onyx Collective on Hulu for Development".
  9. ↑ Petski, Denise (March 18, 2021). "'The Wonder Years': Dulé Hill To Star In ABC Reboot Pilot; Laura Kariuki Also Cast".
  10. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 12, 2022). "Sarita Choudhury To Star In 'The Colony' Drama In Works At HBO Max From 'Stray Dolls' Duo Based On Their Film".
  11. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 6, 2022). "'Reasonable Doubt': Victor Rasuk, Christopher Cassarino, Brooke Lyons, Eugene Byrd Join Onyx Collective's Hulu Series".
  12. ↑ Patten, Dominic (August 24, 2018). "Ava DuVernay's 'Central Park Five' Adds Joshua Jackson, 'Hamilton's Christopher Jackson, Adepero Oduye & More".
  13. ↑ "Alex Désert". press.amazonstudios.com.
  14. ↑ "spaldinggray.com | And Everything is Going Fine". www.spaldinggray.com.
  15. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (April 28, 2019). "'The Projectionist': Film Review | Tribeca 2019".
  16. ↑ Debruge, Peter (February 26, 2020). "'The Roads Not Taken': Film Review".
  17. ↑ Jr, Mike Fleming (January 22, 2014). "Sundance: A24 Acquiring J.C. Chandor-Helmed 'A Most Violent Year' With Oscar Isaac And Jessica Chastain".
  18. ↑ Foundas, Scott (March 1, 2006). "Old Joy".
  19. ↑ Kohn, Eric (February 20, 2013). "EXCLUSIVE: Spirit Nominee Alex Ross Perry Discusses New HBO Project 'The Traditions,' His Next Feature and Life After 'The Color Wheel'".
  20. ↑ "Awards and Accolades | PBS".
  21. ↑ "ALL IS LOST". Festival de Cannes. May 22, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Golden Exits - Forum 2017". www.berlinale.de.
  23. ↑ http://collection.tiff.net/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=388202;type=701
  24. ↑ "Films by Washington Square Film Talent and Mr. Bronx Showcase in Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2022 - Press Kitchen". June 13, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Washington Square Films Directors, Writers and Actors Take Sundance". January 25, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Carmelo Anthony and Asani Swan Join Washington Square Films-Produced Musical 'The Harder They Come' as EPs | LBBOnline". lbbonline.com.
  27. ↑ Lang, Brent (April 5, 2023). "Carmelo Anthony, Asani Swann Join Musical 'The Harder They Come' as Executive Producers (EXCLUSIVE)".
  28. ↑ "Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners | Playbill".
  29. ↑ "Jonathan Schwartz". December 29, 2017.
  30. ↑ Grobar, Matt (September 18, 2023). "André Holland, Kate Mara, Zazie Beetz & Stephen McKinley Henderson Set For 'The Dutchman' As Andre Gaines' Adaptation Of Amiri Baraka Play Lands IA".
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