Killer Films and Before The Door Pictures Team on IMPERIAL PALACE

Los Angeles, CA (November 2, 2011) – Killer Films and Before The Door Pictures are teaming up to produce IMPERIAL PALACE, a love-story written and to be directed by Victor Quinaz, as his sophomore effort. Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler are producing with Before The Door’s Zachary Quinto, Neal Dodson, and Corey Moosa. The project is currently out to talent and is scheduled to start shooting in spring 2012.

IMPERIAL PALACE takes place six hours after Hurricane Katrina hits the gulf, and centers on the jaded manager of a Biloxi casino who must juggle the chaos that arises when FEMA sets up headquarters at his establishment bringing with it an old flame and an ensuing love triangle.

Quinto commented, “Christine Vachon is a mentor to us, and we feel very lucky to work with her and Killer on this project. We’re thrilled to take the momentum of Margin Call and our experience working with Victor on his first film to move into a second feature with him. He’s a truly original talent, and IMPERIAL PALACE is a perfect example of his unique, commercial voice.”

Vachon commented, “Killer is very excited to be working on this great project. It’s a thrill to be in business with Victor, Zachary and Neal. Quinaz has written the rare kind of film that puts its finger directly on the pulse of today’s America. The country experiences these tragedies, be they man-made or (in this case) levied by nature, which bring out both the best in communities and the worst in our government. Imperial Palace is a compelling story about the people who are caught in-between the human response of empathy and the social reaction of bureaucracy in the aftermath of such a tragedy.”

Before The Door Pictures’ financial thriller MARGIN CALL was released by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate this past weekend to rave reviews by nearly every major film critic. The film, which was directed by JC Chandor, stars Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci. It premiered at Sundance, played the Berlinale, and opened New Directors/New Films at MoMA this past spring.

BTD recently collaborated with Quinaz on his debut feature: an UNTITLED ENSEMBLE COMEDY that Quinaz directed and co-wrote with Anne Martemucci and Philip Quinaz. Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin and Richard Brown produced with BTD. They are currently in post-production on the project and plan for a festival premiere in 2012.

Quinaz is represented by Chad Hamilton/Anonymous Content.

ABOUT KILLER FILMS

The indie powerhouse, Killer Films, was founded by American movie producers, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler in 1995. The company has produced a number of the most acclaimed American independent films over the past two decades including FAR FROM HEAVEN (nominated for four Academy Awards), BOYS DON’T CRY (Academy Award winner), ONE HOUR PHOTO, KIDS, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, HAPPINESS, VELVET GOLDMINE, SAFE, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL, CAMP, SWOON and I’M NOT THERE (Academy Award nominated) Most recently, Killer Films executive produced Todd Haynes’ five episode HBO mini-series “Mildred Pierce,” starting Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce and have just wrapped production on Ramin Bahrani’s new film starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron.

Killer’s movies have received multiple awards and nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Emmy Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Independent Spirit Awards On the occasion of Killer’s 10th anniversary in 2005, the company was feted with a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. For her work on FAR FROM HEAVEN, Vachon was honored by the New York Film Critics Circle, and received the Producer of the Year Award from the National Board of Review.

ABOUT BTD

Before The Door Pictures was founded by Carnegie Mellon alumni and old friends Zachary Quinto, Neal Dodson, and Corey Moosa. The company recently completed principal photography on the company’s psychological thriller THE BANSHEE CHAPTER starring Ted Levine (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS), Katia Winter (ARENA, LEVEL PLAYING FIELD), and Michael McMillian (TRUE BLOOD). Interactive and transmedia director Blair Erickson wrote the screenplay and made his feature directorial debut on the project. In addition to MARGIN CALL, Quinto is also in theatres in WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER with Anna Faris. He is currently shooting Ryan Murphy’s AMERICAN HORROR STORY on FX, and is preparing to shoot the sequel to J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK, starting in January. Dodson has an hour-long scripted series in development at TNT starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and created by Shaun Cassidy. BTD’s graphic novels published with Archaia, LUCID and MR. MURDER IS DEAD, were released at San Diego Comic-Con, and are both widely available. BTD is also prepping a larger follow-up feature film with Chandor for the winter. There are additional projects in their television, film, comic book, and new media slate awaiting announcement later in 2011