Gus Van Sant’s PROMISED LAND, Written By & Starring Matt Damon And John Krasinski, To Begin Theatrical Run December 28th, 2012

PROMISED LAND, Focus Features’ contemporary drama from two-time Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant, will be released in exclusive engagements in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, December 28th, 2012, prior to an expansion in January 2013. The film’s original screenplay was written by John Krasinski and Matt Damon, based on a story by Dave Eggers. Participant Media co-financed the movie, for which Focus holds worldwide rights.

Participant’s Jeff Skoll (The Help) and Jonathan King (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) executive-produced PROMISED LAND with Mr. Van Sant and Ron Schmidt (Won’t Back Down). Mr. Damon and Mr. Krasinski produced the movie with Chris Moore. Mr. Moore co-produced Good Will Hunting, which brought its stars and co-writers, Mr. Damon and Ben Affleck, the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Mr. Van Sant earned his first Oscar nomination for directing Good Will Hunting; his second came for directing Focus’Milk, which won two Academy Awards. Mr. Krasinski previously starred for Focus in Away We Go, which was co-written by Mr. Eggers. Mr. Damon previously starred for Participant in Contagion.

In addition to Mr. Damon and Mr. Krasinski, the cast of PROMISED LAND includes Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married), Academy Award nominee Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild), Scoot McNairy (of this October’s Killing Them Softly), Titus Welliver (The Town), and, in her fourth film for Focus, Academy Award winner Frances McDormand.

Mr. Damon plays Steve Butler, a corporate salesman who arrives in a rural town with his sales partner, Sue Thomason (Ms. McDormand). With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company’s offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Mr. Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (Mr. Krasinski) who counters Steve both personally and professionally.