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Dream Horse Sundance Review – Jan 25, 2020

“The Movie’s Got Spirit and Finishes Strong”

by Tim Grierson | Screen Daily | January 25, 2020

Toni Collette is a sure thing in Dream Horse, a thoroughly predictable but ultimately winning underdog sports movie. Based on the true story of a group of down-on-their-luck Welsh villagers who pool their assets to sponsor a racehorse, the movie goes a long way on the strength of the Oscar-nominated actress’s emotional performance as an unfulfilled wife and mother who decides to bet on herself. Director Euros Lyn overdoes the feel-good trappings, but it’s hard to deny the genuine sentiment that the movie stirs up.

This Sundance premiere will appeal to general audiences who just want a little uplift from their movies when it opens in the UK on April 17 and in the US in May. Collette fans will be pleased as well, and horse lovers should be charmed by the title character’s soulful eyes and knack for coming up big during the story’s most critical moments.

Set in the economically depressed Welsh community of Cefn Fforest, Dream Horse stars Collette as Jan Vokes, who works at a co-op and a bar to make ends meet. (Her husband Brian, played by Owen Teale, is out of work because of crippling arthritis.) With their kids grown, Jan (who’s always adored animals) is having trouble coping as an empty-nester — which partly explains her interest in supporting a racehorse, which might be a financial windfall and, more importantly, a way to add meaning to what she feels is a pretty humdrum life.

This real-life tale was previously the subject of the 2015 Sundance documentary Dark Horse, and there’s no mystery to why the material would lend itself to a likeable feature film. Recalling indie hits such as The Full Monty, Dream Horse is principally a salute to small-town characters who take a chance, in the process finding personal satisfaction. The movie’s target audience will want to believe that these downtrodden people can beat the odds, and Dream Horse does nothing to upset those expectations.

Continue reading Dream Horse Sundance Review – Jan 25, 2020

Categories Dream Horse Sundance Film Festival Trailer Video

Dream Horse Video Clip – Jan 24, 2020

Trial Run

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | January 24, 2020

It’s finally here – the first clip of Dream Horse was released today by Bleecker Street. You can also view Dream Horse photos in our Gallery here and here. To view the official movie poster and trailer, click here. Dream Horse opens in the UK on April 17, 2020 and in the USA on May 1, 2020. Check your local listings!

The film tells the true story of Jan Vokes, (Academy Award® nominee Toni Collette) a Welsh cleaner and bartender, who decides to breed and rear a race horse. One night, a chance encounter with an arrogant customer, Howard Davies (Damian Lewis), a former racehorse syndicate leader, inspires her to take on a new challenge. She persuades her neighbors and friends to contribute financially to the scheme. The group’s unlikely investment plan pays off as the horse rises through the ranks and puts them in a race for the national championship.

Continue reading Dream Horse Video Clip – Jan 24, 2020

Categories Dream Horse Screenings Sundance Film Festival

Damian Scheduled to Attend Sundance Film Festival – Jan 18, 2020

Here Are 50 Celebrities Going to the 2020 Sundance Film Festival

by Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune | January 18, 2020

L to R: Damian Lewis, Alex Jordan and Owen Teale (Dream Horse Cast)

Many celebrities will be visiting Park City, to promote themselves, their pet causes and their movies playing at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and its upstart rival, Slamdance.

Here’s a list of 50 celebrities confirmed to be coming to Park City — along with the titles fans would recognize them from, the reason they’re in town (the film and its category), and (where available) their Twitter and Instagram handles.

Damian Lewis • “Homeland,” “Billions” • “Dream Horse” (Premieres)

Toni Collette • “Knives Out,” “Hereditary” • “Dream Horse” (Premieres)

Hillary Clinton • Former secretary of state, N.Y. senator • “Hillary” (Special Events) • T: @HillaryClinton / IG: @hillaryclinton

Rachel Brosnahan • “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” • “Ironbark” (Premieres) • T: @RachelBros / IG: @rachelbrosnahan

Glenn Close • “The Wife,” “Air Force One” • “Four Good Days” (Premieres) • IG: @glennclose

Tim Daly • “Madam Secretary,” “Wings” • The Creative Coalition president • T: @TimmyDaly / IG: @timmydaly

Ethan Hawke • “First Reformed,” “Training Day” • “Tesla” (Premieres), U.S. Dramatic competition juror • IG: @ethanhawke

Sienna Miller • “American Sniper,” “21 Bridges” • “Wander Darkly” (U.S. Dramatic)

Lin-Manuel Miranda • “Hamilton,” “Mary Poppins Returns” • “We Are Freestyle Love Supreme,” “Siempre, Luis” (both Special Events) • T: @Lin_Manuel

Margaret Qualley • “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” “Death Stranding” • “Wake Up” (short film, private event) • IG: @margaretqualley

Read the rest of the original article at The Salt Lake Tribune

Categories Dream Horse Premiere

Dream Horse Set for Sundance World Premiere – Dec 4, 2019

2020 Sundance Film Festival

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | December 4, 2019

The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the showcase of new independent feature films selected across all categories for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. A total of 118 feature films in all!

Of the showcase of premieres, Dream Horse starring Damian Lewis and Toni Collette, is among some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year and will receive it’s world premiere at the festival. The film has already been purchased by Bleecker Street, according to Indiewire.

The festival hosts screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, from January 23–February 2, 2020. The Sundance Film Festival is Sundance Institute’s flagship public program, widely regarded as the largest American independent film festival and attended by more than 120,000 people and 1,300 accredited press, and powered by more than 2,000 volunteers last year.

Here are the dates you can see the premiere of Dream Horse at the festival:

Continue reading Dream Horse Set for Sundance World Premiere – Dec 4, 2019

Categories Announcement Dream Horse Print Media

Dream Horse Gets Worldwide Release – Oct 31, 2019

Sony Makes Multi-Territory Bet on Dream Horse

by Leo Barraclough | Variety | October 31, 2019

“Dream Horse,” starring Toni Collette and Damian Lewis, has been sold around the world by Cornerstone Films, including a multi-territory deal with Sony. The story of a winning racehorse from BAFTA-winning director Euros Lyn also stars Owen Teale, Joanna Page and Karl Johnson.

Cornerstone has closed deals with Welt Kino (Germany), Impuls (Switzerland), Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures Inc. (Japan) and Terry Steiner (Airlines). As previously announced, Bleecker Street and Topic Studios have jointly acquired the U.S. rights, and Warner Bros. is distributing in the U.K. The Sony deal – inked with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions – includes rest of world, excluding Canada, Italy and France.

In the film, Jan Vokes (Collette), a cleaner and bartender, recruits her initially reluctant husband, Brian (Teale), and local accountant Howard Davies (Lewis) to help her bring together a syndicate of local people to breed a foal, which they name Dream Alliance. On the racetrack, he proves himself to be more than a match for the multi-million-pound racehorses he comes up against. But more than this, Dream begins to alter the lives of everyone in the syndicate, not least Jan’s.

“Dream Horse” is described by Cornerstone as “a classic story of triumph against adversity, and a tale of how a woman strives to make her dream a reality in a place where hope is thin on the ground.”

Continue reading Dream Horse Gets Worldwide Release – Oct 31, 2019

Categories Dream Horse Print Media

Bleeker Street Buys U.S. Rights to Dream Horse – May 13, 2019

Cannes: Dream Horse Will Ride Into the U.S. Market

by Andreas Wiseman | Deadline | May 13, 2019

EXCLUSIVE: And they’re off at the 2019 Cannes Film Market where Bleecker Street and Topic Studios have jointly acquired the U.S rights to Toni Collette and Damian Lewis film Dream Horse, produced by American Animals and Three Identical Strangers outfit Raw.

Currently in production in Wales, this is the true story of Jan Vokes (Hereditary star Collette), a cleaner and bartender, who decides on a whim to breed and rear a race horse in her village. She eventually persuades her neighbors to invest in her crazy scheme, and together they name the new foal ‘Dream Alliance’.  With little experience but a lot a heart, the collective of townspeople follow ‘Dream’ as he rises through the ranks against all the odds, ultimately pitting all of them against the racing elite in a nail-biting race for the national championship. Billions star Lewis plays Howard Davies, the local accountant Volkes persuades to join her in running the racing syndicate.

Continue reading Bleeker Street Buys U.S. Rights to Dream Horse – May 13, 2019

Categories Behind the Scenes Dream Horse Print Media

The Inspiring Story of a Welsh Racehorse – March 16, 2019

Dream Horse: The True Rags-to-Riches Story of Dream Alliance

by Kathryn Williams | Wales Online | March 15, 2019

The champion racehorse horse Dream Alliance

We reported earlier that Damian would be staring in the upcoming film Dream Horse here. If you don’t know the story of South Wales champion racehorse Dream Alliance already, you should.

It’s an inspiring tale and now it’s being given the big screen treatment starring Homeland and Billions-star, Damian Lewis, and Hereditary and Muriel’s Wedding actress, Toni Collette.

Named Dream Horse, the film will shoot on location in Wales this spring and will also be directed by Welsh filmmaker Euros Lyn, famed for TV drama gold like Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Kiri.

Dream Horse will share the story of Dream Alliance who was bred and owned by a group of friends from a Cefn Fforest workingmen’s club.

From raising the steed on a slag heap in the Caerphilly borough to winning the Welsh Grand National – and slicing a tendon and undergoing stem cell therapy in between – it focuses on the true rags-to-riches story of Dream Alliance, who owners include Jan Vokes, her husband Brian and tax advisor Howard Davies.

Collette is due to play Jan Vokes, who along with her fellow syndicate members paid in £10 per week for the horse’s training, and Lewis will play Howard Davies.

Continue reading The Inspiring Story of a Welsh Racehorse – March 16, 2019