SAN JOSE, CA, February 06, 2012 (Press-News.org) Craigslist, the go-to website for finding jobs, housing and deals, offered an unexpected opportunity for LA director Ryan Sage and Chicago writer Dale Zawada to realize their dream of making a movie. "Worth the Weight," the story of one man's quest to find love while on the challenging journey of major weight loss, will have its World Premiere at San Jose's Cinequest film festival Friday, March 2nd, capping off a year long production that began with a short post on Craigslist and culminating with the writer and director meeting in person for the first time at the festival.
"I can't say I was expecting to sell my first script on Craigslist," said Zawada. "But my goal was always to get my script into the hands of some talented and passionate filmmakers and this just seemed like the right opportunity."
Sage, a promo writer/producer for ABC's hit show "Modern Family," who has directed many award-winning shorts, commercials and TV pilots, was looking to take on the challenge of a feature length film. Unfortunately, he lacked the right script. Sifting through dozens of responses from his Craigslist post, Sage discovered "Worth the Weight" submitted by Chicago-based stand up comic Zawada and knew he had found something special.
"What I loved was the story felt very real to me and it was peppered with these really funny moments," said Sage. "It really captured the ups and downs and realization by the main characters that people are defined by more than just their size. Their hopes, their outlook on life and the way they see themselves are just as important. It's an inspiring message that I think will resonate for people, with or without weight issues."
"Worth the Weight" depicts the hard road of weight loss coupled with a journey to find love - a story many can relate to. Steering clear of the standard transformation formula seen on many current television shows such as "Biggest Loser," the hero finds acceptance - and love - in unexpected places.
Another reality for Sage was the need to make this film on a tight budget. Shooting on weekends allowed cast and crew to keep their day jobs and also gave lead actors Robbie Kaller and Jillian Leigh more time to delve into their characters. Zawada would also use this time to hone the script from Chicago after getting notes on production from the weekend's prior shoot.
"I really think the extra work we put in paid off," said Sage. "The actors give some truly breakout performances with amazing subtlety and nuance. I wouldn't be surprised if they were both household names within ten years."
The festival will have additional special meaning for both Sage and producer, Kristina Denton. Denton was born and raised in San Jose, and graduated from San Jose State University in 2007. Sage spent five years studying film at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and spent every summer growing up at his grandparent's house in nearby Santa Rosa.
"This is really special for both Kristina and I and we can't think of a better festival to premiere at," said Sage. "It's basically a homecoming, only without the tiara. Although I'm packing mine just in case."
"Worth the Weight" Cinequest Screenings:
Friday, March 2nd - 9:45pm (WORLD PREMIERE) - San Jose Repertory Theatre
Sunday, March 4th - 4:00pm - Camera 12, San Jose, CA
Wednesday, March 7th - 11:45am - Camera 12, San Jose, CA
If you'd like more information, a screener or to schedule any interviews, please call Ryan Sage at 818-613-9024 or email hello@ryansage.com
"Worth the Weight" Official Site - www.worththeweightthemovie.com
Ryan Sage's Official Site - http://ryansage.com
Downloadable Images and Trailer
Craigslist Buy Lands Director at Cinequest
From a script bought off Craigslist for $500, "Worth The Weight" premieres at Cinequest March 2.
2012-02-06
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
The Container Store to Open Six New Locations in 2012, Including Firsts in Las Vegas and Long Island; Test ATHOME Program
2012-02-06
The Container Store, the nation's originator and leading retailer of storage and organization products, today announced it will open six locations in 2012, making this the largest real estate growth year in the company's history and bringing the company's store count to 59 by year's end. The new stores will generate more than 400 jobs with additional job growth planned across other areas of the retailer's business.
The new stores will be located in Arlington, TX., Las Vegas, El Segundo, Calif., Peabody, MA., and Westbury, NY, with a sixth location still being finalized. ...
Birth after cancer treatment with removal and storage of ovary
2012-01-30
For the first time in Germany, a woman has given birth to a child after removal and preservation of tissue from one of her ovaries. This course of action was necessary to avoid infertility owing to chemo- and radiotherapy. Andreas Müller and his colleagues report the case in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2012; 109[1-2]: 8-13).
The majority of young female patients who need radio- or chemotherapy for treatment of a tumor express concerns about fertility. The retransplantation of frozen (cryopreserved) ovarian tissue is an experimental ...
New therapeutic target to combat liver cancer discovered
2012-01-30
Researchers at CIC Biogune, the Cooperative Centre for Research into Biosciences and led by Dr. Maria Luz Martinez Chantar, have found a strong relationship between high levels of Hu antigen R (HuR) protein and the malignancy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, through a novel molecular process in the investigation of this pathology and known as neddylation. The project provides new opportunities for making advances in the quest for personalised therapeutic applications in the treatment for Hepatocarcinoma.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the cause of most liver cancers, the ...
Study: Diabetes affects hearing loss, especially in women
2012-01-30
DETROIT – Having diabetes may cause women to experience a greater degree of hearing loss as they age, especially if the metabolic disorder is not well controlled with medication, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Women between the ages of 60 and 75 with well-controlled diabetes had better hearing than women with poorly controlled diabetes, with similar hearing levels to those of non-diabetic women of the same age.
The study also shows significantly worse hearing in all women younger than 60 with diabetes, even if it is well controlled.
Men, ...
System to deliver organ transplant drug -- without harmful side effects
2012-01-30
A new system for delivering a drug to organ transplant patients, which could avoid the risk of harmful side effects, is being developed by scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
The drug, cyclosporine (CsA), is widely used in transplant operations and helps prevent the patient's body rejecting the organ but it can cause adverse drug reactions, of which the most serious problems are kidney and liver damage, in the doses which are currently administered in the long term.
The gap between a safe, effective dose of the treatment and a toxic dose is extremely ...
Muscling in on MS
2012-01-30
Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease, causes periodic attacks of neurologic symptoms such as limb weakness and mobility defects. And while MS patients' walking abilities and muscle strength are examined on a regular basis, doctors have yet to determine when the lower limb muscles begin to deteriorate. That's important because with earlier identification of mobility problems, doctors would be able to implement early intervention programs that could make all the difference for those with MS.
Now, Dr. Alon Kalron and his fellow researchers from Tel Aviv ...
Cosmology in a Petri dish
2012-01-30
Scientists have found that micron-size particles which are trapped at fluid interfaces exhibit a collective dynamic that is subject to seemingly unrelated governing laws. These laws show a smooth transitioning from long-ranged cosmological-style gravitational attraction down to short-range attractive and repulsive forces. The study by Johannes Bleibel from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and his colleagues has just been published in the journal EPJ E¹ .
The authors used so-called colloidal particles that are larger than molecules ...
ASH opposes mandatory sickle cell trait screening for athletics, recommends training interventions
2012-01-30
(WASHINGTON, January 26, 2012) – The American Society of Hematology (ASH), the world's largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders, today issued a policy statement opposing mandatory screening of athletes for sickle cell trait as a prerequisite to athletic participation and urging athletics programs to adopt universal preventive interventions in their training programs to protect athletes from exertion-related illness and death. ASH's position is in direct contrast to a policy enacted in 2010 by the National Collegiate Athletic ...
Mutated Kras spins a molecular loop that launches pancreatic cancer
2012-01-30
HOUSTON — Scientists have connected two signature characteristics of pancreatic cancer, identifying a self-perpetuating "vicious cycle" of molecular activity and a new potential target for drugs to treat one of the most lehal forms of cancer.
The research, reported in the journal Cancer Cell and led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, connected the molecular dots between:
Mutated versions of Kras, a gene that acts as a molecular on-off switch but gets stuck in the "on" position when mutated.
Heightened activity of a protein complex called ...
Survey suggests family history of psychiatric disorders shapes intellectual interests
2012-01-30
A hallmark of the individual is the cultivation of personal interests, but for some people, their intellectual pursuits might actually be genetically predetermined. Survey results published by Princeton University researchers in the journal PLoS ONE suggest that a family history of psychiatric conditions such as autism and depression could influence the subjects a person finds engaging.
Although preliminary, the findings provide a new look at the oft-studied link between psychiatric conditions and aptitude in the arts or sciences. While previous studies have explored ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
EMBARGOED MEDIA RELEASE: Breathlessness increases long-term mortality risk, Malawi study finds
Permeable inspection of pharmaceuticals goes in-line
Warming rivers in Alaska threaten Chinook salmon populations and Indigenous food security
New multi-disciplinary approach sheds light on the role of mitochondrial DNA mutations in cancer
Worms reveal just how cramped cells really are
Alzheimer’s disease digital resources lacking for Latinos, Hispanics in Los Angeles years after COVID-19, study finds
Chronic disease deaths decline globally, but progress is slowing
The Lancet: Chronic disease deaths decline globally, but progress is slowing
The Lancet: Parent-focused programs insufficient to prevent obesity in toddlers, finds meta-analysis; authors call for a re-think of childhood obesity prevention approaches
Study sheds light on hurdles faced in transforming NHS healthcare with AI
Astrocytic “brake” that blocks spinal cord repair identified
As farm jobs decline, food industry work holds steady
Kennesaw State researcher aiming to move AI beyond the cloud
Revolutionizing impedance flow cytometry with adjustable microchannel height
Treating opioid addiction in jails improves treatment engagement, reduces overdose deaths and reincarceration
Can’t sleep? Insomnia associated with accelerated brain aging
Study links teacher turnover to higher rates of student suspensions, disciplinary referrals
How harmful bacteria hijack crops
Crowded conditions muddle frogs’ mating choices
A new way to guide light, undeterred
Researchers uncover how COVID-19 may linger in cancer patients and affect treatment outcomes
Tiny metal figurines from Sardinia's Nuragic civilization in around 1,000 BC reveal extensive ancient Mediterranean metal trading networks
Natural microfibers may degrade differently to synthetic materials under simulated sunlight exposure in freshwater and seawater conditions, with implications for how such pollutants affect aquatic lif
Indian new mums report better postpartum wellbeing when their own mum acts as their primary support - while women whose mother-in-law is the primary caregiver instead report significantly lower overal
Young adult intelligence and education are correlated with socioeconomic status in midlife
Traditional and “existential” wellness vary significantly between US regions
Smartwatches detect early signs of PTSD among those watching coverage of the Oct 7 attacks in Israel
The pandemic may have influenced the trainability of dogs, as reported by their owners
The withdrawal of U.S. funding for tuberculosis could lead to up to 2.2 million additional deaths between 2025 and 2030 inclusive
A ‘universal’ therapy against the seasonal flu? Antibody cocktail targets virus weak spot
[Press-News.org] Craigslist Buy Lands Director at CinequestFrom a script bought off Craigslist for $500, "Worth The Weight" premieres at Cinequest March 2.