New Film From Oscar Winner Ernest Thompson Uses Crowdfunding and Traditional Film Investment

A new independent feature film is about to be made in the beautiful, yet rarely used for feature film production, state of New Hampshire. PARALLEL AMERICA, written by Ernest Thompson, Oscar® & Golden Globe® winner for his screenplay of On Golden Pond, Ernest will also direct and star in the film. The cast includes Gordon Clapp (Emmy® winner, NYPD Blue & Tony® Award nominee, Glengarry Glen Ross), critically acclaimed actress Lisa Bostnar, actor/singer John Davidson and theatre legend Alvin Epstein (originated the role of Lucky on Broadway in Waiting for Godot).

In the spirit of its Made-In-New-Hampshire theme and patriotic message, PARALLEL AMERICA will be financed primarily by donor contributions. A recently launched GoFundMe campaign invites film aficionados and true believers to support the cause and become part of the Movement. Anyone putting money into PARALLEL AMERICA (www.gofundme.com/parallel-america-the-movie) will receive Reward Perks that include streaming access to the finished film, cast-signed posters & DVDs, on-location training, dinner with Ernest Thompson or Gordon Clapp, and for a $25,000 donation, a Producer credit. The film production will also employ traditional film investment to supplement the crowdfunding.

PARALLEL AMERICA is the story of three college friends who started a Movement. Half a century later, one is the mayor of Portsmouth, NH, and running for Congress, and the other two see one last opportunity to effect change in our turbulent times. 60s radicals may have failed in storming the castle walls, but what if there were someone already on the inside who could be encouraged to do the right thing? What if unwelcome ghosts from his past appeared to make sure that happens? And what if there were a beautiful woman, married to the candidate but with still-conflicted feelings for her college sweetheart, the mastermind behind the Movement?

Writer-director Ernest Thompson comments on PARALLEL AMERICA, "A GoFundMe campaign perfectly reflects my community approach to filmmaking. I love creating grassroots movies in my home state and giving everyone involved a sense of ownership and pride in a story aching to be told, urgent and provocative. PARALLEL AMERICA is a movie for our times and for anyone feeling as if he or she is living in a different America than the one dominating the news."

The PARALLEL AMERICA production team has been conducting auditions throughout the state of New Hampshire ever the past several weeks. The production starts this fall and the film will be ready for festival competition in early 2019.

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