Electric Entertainment acquires exclusive North American distribution rights to feature film Long December

Electric Entertainment, the Los Angeles based production and distribution company, has acquired the exclusive North American distribution rights to the full-length feature film “Long December.”  Written and directed by Thomas Torrey (“Fare,” “Minor Premise”), “Long December” received wide critical acclaim during its film festival circuit, including a win of the One in A Million Award for Narrative at the 2024 Sun Valley Film Festival. The deal gives Electric all digital, non-theatrical, home video and broadcast rights in the US and Canada. The announcement was made today by Dean Devlin, CEO of Electric Entertainment. 

“Long December” is a character-driven drama following a struggling artist pursuing his dream of music during one December month. In the spirit of singer/songwriter musicals like Once and A Star is Born, and embracing the melancholy of the holidays in America, “Long December” is a story about music, dreams, and the heavy hopes we all carry.  It stars Stephen Williams, of the band Jude Moses, and platinum-selling songwriter and music artist John Mark McMillan, both making their film acting debuts. The film co-stars Charley Koontz (“Community,” “The Boys”), Emily Althaus (“Orange is the New Black,” “Handmaid’s Tale”), and Maximiliano Hernandez (“Avengers: Endgame,” “Sicario”). 

Steve Saltman, Head of Domestic Sales at Electric Entertainment comments, 'We’re thrilled to partner with Visit Films once again, having recently acquired ‘Year of the Fox’ from them earlier this year. ‘Long December’ is a poignant film that resonates with anyone who has had to decide between pursuing their dreams or fulfilling their responsibilities. With its authentic character portrayals and glimmers of hope sprinkled throughout, we’re glad to be able to offer this film to audiences everywhere just in time for the holidays'.

Ryan Kampe, President of Visit Films, continues, 'Long December is such a smart film about following our hopes and dreams. It teaches us about the small moments that impact our lives and potentially lead us down new paths.  Thomas has crafted a film that, I hope, with Electric’s place in the market and expertise will reach audiences this holiday season and beyond'.

Filmmaker Thomas Torrey says, 'Long December is a personal film about the tension between searching for the big break and being content with the blessings in front of us. It’s a tension that I live with often and is shared by every artist that I know. Making this film and crafting the songs of its soundtrack was a rich experience of an incredible community of filmmakers and musicians. I can’t wait for this film to be finally shared with the world, and I’m grateful to Electric for their partnership',

The Film Yap hails “Long December” as “an achingly honest look at the creator life as a never-was singer faces a watershed moment and tries to reconcile what it means to chase your dream…or give up on it,” and  The Independent Critic lauds Stephen Williams’s performance, writing that he is “ideally cast to capture both the melancholic spirit and hopeful determination of a musician who isn’t so much hoping to become a household name as he is simply hoping to provide for his family'  

In addition to Stephen Williams and John Mark McMillan, the film features live on-camera performances from other noteworthy Americana music artists including Sarah DeShields and Drake Margolnick.

The deal was negotiated by Ben Kim, VP of Development & Acquisitions, and Addie Booth, Coordinator of International Sales & Acquisitions, at Electric Entertainment with Ryan Kampe, President of Visit Films.

Long December was a joint production by Bad Theology Pictures (“Minor Premise”) and Caravan (“Mississippi River Styx”) in association with Witchcraft Motion Picture Company (“Blood for Dust”). 

 

LC