Spike Lee's RED HOOK SUMMER Set for Theatrical Release, 8/10

40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks announced today that the company will undertake its first independent distribution effort with founder Spike Lee's Brooklyn coming-of-age story, RED HOOK SUMMER. 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks will partner with New York-based Variance Films for the theatrical release, which will begin August 10th, 2012 in New York City theaters, expanding to the top 30 markets throughout the month of August.

"From my very first joint back in 1986, SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, I have been an independent filmmaker, and even today I still am," said Spike Lee. "I'm elated to join forces with Variance Films for the independent distribution of my new joint RED HOOK SUMMER. We look forward to getting this film into the marketplace, where we believe 100 percent that there is a starving audience for American independent films like RED HOOK SUMMER."

"Variance's sole mission is to ensure filmmakers retain their rights and their power," said Dylan Marchetti, founder of Variance Films, "and I can't think of a filmmaker that would make better use of both than Spike Lee. Spike is truly one of the godfathers of independent filmmaking, and RED HOOK SUMMER is an entertaining, yet thoughtful, film that says something we think needs to be said. We couldn't be more excited to work with Spike and his team to ensure that audiences across the country will be experiencing this fantastic film with their friends and family."

The latest in Spike Lee's Chronicles of Brooklyn (which also include SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, DO THE RIGHT THING, CROOKLYN, CLOCKERS, and HE GOT GAME), RED HOOK SUMMER tells the story of Flik Royale, a sullen young boy from middle-class Atlanta who has come to spend the summer with his deeply religious grandfather, Bishop Enoch Rouse, in the housing projects of Red Hook. Having never met before, things quickly get off on the wrong foot as Bishop Enoch relentlessly attempts to convert Flik into a follower of Jesus Christ. Between his grandfather's constant preaching and the culture shock of inner-city life, Flik's summer appears to be a total disaster--until he meets Chazz Morningstar, a pretty girl his age, who shows Flik the brighter side of Brooklyn. Through her love and the love of his grandfather, Flik begins to realize that the world is a lot bigger, and perhaps a lot better, than he'd ever imagined.

The deal was brokered by Dylan Marchetti of Variance Films with CAA and Robert Strent of Grubman, Indrusky & Hireon on behalf of 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.

For more information, visit www.redhooksummer.com.

40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks is the Production Company of Spike Lee. Founded in 1986 in his childhood neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York, it has produced feature films, documentaries, commercials, music videos and short films. 40 Acres has been a training ground for young unknown black talent, both in front of and behind the camera, who have gone on to make their mark in Hollywood today.

Founded in 2008 in Brooklyn, Variance Films is a New York City-based theatrical distributor whose sole mission is to bring the best in independent cinema to theaters across the continent, while allowing filmmakers to retain all rights to their work. Founded in 2008 by Dylan Marchetti, Variance distributes films using innovative release strategies that focus on collaborative, filmmaker-centric grassroots marketing to drive audiences to theaters. Recent Variance Films releases include John Sayles' Philippine-American War epic AMIGO, José Padilha's ELITE SQUAD: THE ENEMY WITHIN (Brazil's official submission for the 2011 Academy Awards™), Damien Chazelle's jazz musical GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH, and the highest-grossing film of all time in China, Jiang Wen's hilariously dark action-comedy LET THE BULLETS FLY. For more information, visit www.variancefilms.com.

Pictured: Tony Lysaith as Chazz Morningstar, Clarke Peters as Bishop Enoch Rouse, and JuLes Brown as Flik Royale in a scene from Spike Lee's RED HOOK SUMMER.

Photo credit: Winter Coleman, courtesy 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.