Shanghai Street Films is pleased to share that JASMINE, the new psychological thriller starring BYRON MANN (THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS), JASON TOBIN (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT), Hong Kong Oscar-Winner EUGENIA YUAN (MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, REVENGE OF THE GREEN DRAGONS and starring in the upcoming CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: THE GREEN LEGEND), GRACE HUANG (THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS) and SARAH LIAN has been announced as an official selection of the 2015 Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF). The riveting psychological thriller is the directorial debut of Dax Phelan and will make its US premiere at DIFF on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 9:45PM at the Angelika 4 with director and cast in tow. An encore screening takes place the very next Thursday at 7:15PM at the Angelika 8.
JASMINE is currently making her world premiere at the 2015 Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) to a sold-out crowd on March 25, 2015 in the Grand Cinema. Due to popular demand, HKIFF programmers created a slot for an encore screening of JASMINE the very next evening, which sold out in twenty-four hours.
“We are beyond thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive welcome JASMINE is receiving both at home and abroad,” said producer Stratton Leopold, whose long list of credits include MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, THE WOLFMAN and THE SUM OF ALL FEARS.
“From the very beginning, we wanted to tell a story that would truly cross over, utilizing some of the best talent Hollywood and China/Hong Kong have to offer and bridging the gap between East and West. JASMINE is a prime example of a film that is ahead of the curve in terms of where the film industry is headed and brings us one step closer toward paving the way for a long-term, mutually successful relationship between the US and Chinese entertainment industries.
JASMINE is a prime example of a film that is ahead of the curve on the path to where the industry is headed. With movies like JASMINE, we are steps closer to paving the way to a long-term, mutually successful relationship between the US and Chinese entertainment industries with commercially viable independent films as well as big studio blockbusters.”
JASMINE is a gripping and chilling psychological thriller about a man, Leonard To (Tobin), still struggling to come to terms with his grief nearly a year after his wife’s unsolved murder. Hoping to move on with his life, Leonard reconnects with Grace (Yuan), a woman from his past, and his outlook begins to brighten. But, when a visit to the site of his wife’s murder leads him to a mysterious interloper (Mann) he believes is her killer, Leonard decides to take justice into his own hands and things take a startling turn toward the unexpected.
“I’m thrilled and honored that JASMINE will have her US premiere at the Dallas International Film Festival,” said Phelan. “JASMINE is a film that pulls off that rare feat of offering wide commercial appeal while remaining true to its artistic integrity,” said director Dax Phelan. “I’ve always wanted to tell a deceptively complex story that begins with a small spark and slowly grows into a raging inferno while rewarding first-time audiences and repeat viewers alike. I’m so grateful to my incredibly talented cast and crew who helped make it a reality. I can’t wait for audiences around the world to see it.”
Phelan recently teamed up with Academy Award-nominee Oren Moverman to executive produce Anja Marquardt’s SHE’S LOST CONTROL, which won the CICAE award, the top prize in The Forum section at the 2014 Berlinale, has played to sold-out audiences at SXSW and New Directors/New Films, and was nominated for two Film Independent Spirit Awards: Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay. Phelan was previously the Creative Executive for veteran Hollywood producer Mace Neufeld at Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment on such projects as THE GENERAL’S DAUGHTER and THE SUM OF ALL FEARS.
The story of JASMINE was conceived by Phelan and Tobin who are also producers on the film along with veteran studio producer Stratton Leopold (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3). The screenplay was written by Phelan.
JASMINE is a powerful passion project that speaks to anyone who has ever loved and anyone who has ever suffered,” said actor and producer JASON TOBIN. “The result is a touching, chilling, and mind-blowing feature film that will creep into the hearts and minds of moviegoers worldwide and stay there. This isn’t one of those films you forget about five minutes after you’ve left the theater.”