Photo Credit: Variety
Park Pictures Features‘ Infinitely Polar Bear, which premiered to a passionate standing ovation at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition and was picked up for US distribution by Sony Pictures Classics, has won recognition at the 2016 Golden Globes. Esteemed actor Mark Ruffalo picked up a Best Actor in a Motion Picture nomination, Comedy, for his turn as a loving father raising two girls despite challenges he faces due to being bi-polar.
The actor also starred in the film Spotlight, which won multiple 2016 Golden Globe nominations including Best Director for director Tom McCarthy, who is represented for commercials by Park Pictures, as well as Best Screenplay. Last year, Ruffalo was nominated for two Golden Globes for The Normal Heart and Fox Catcher.
With Park Pictures Features’ debut film Robot & Frank a Sundance award winner in 2012, the studio’s feature division has produced five films, all of which have won selection for Sundance Film Festival, including the upcoming Other People, co-produced with Adam and Naomi Scott’s Gettin’ Rad”, which has been chosen as the film to open Sundance 2016.
Infinitely Polar Bear was the feature directorial debut for screenwriter Maya Forbes. Produced and executive produced by Park’s Sam Bisbee and Jackie Kelman Bisbee, respectively, the critically acclaimed feature stars Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana, and is set in the 70s. The hilarious yet intensely touching film follows a manic-depressive father trying to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two spirited daughters, who don’t make the overwhelming task any easier. The film is based on Maya Forbes’ colorful upbringing and also features her own daughter playing a young Maya.
Paper Street Films co-produced the film alongside Park Pictures Features in association with J.J. Abrams’ powerhouse, Bad Robot. The film was also produced by Forbes’ husband Wally Wolodarsky, Benji Kohn, Bingo Gubelmann and Galt Niederhoffer, and its other executive producers include Abrams, Brian Burk and Austin Stark.
Infinitely Polar Bear won rave reviews at the 2014 festival, along with another Park Pictures feature, IFC Films-bought God’s Pocket, written and directed by John Slattery of Mad Men fame, who is now directing commercials through Park Pictures. God’s Pocket stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks and John Turturro.
Infinitely Polar Bear stars Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana.
Photo Credit: Seacia Pavao
Infinitely Polar Bear director Forbes was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Directors to Watch. The film received critical accolades, including glowing reviews from Variety, Screen International and Time Out New York to name a few. Raves Variety, “Mark Ruffalo gives one of his most appealing performances in writer-director Maya Forbes’ irresistible feature debut.” Click HERE to read Variety’s full review. Screen International says of the touching, autobiographical film, “Much like its protagonist, Infinitely Polar Bear wavers between joyous hijinks and disturbing breakdowns, and the more you spend time with it, the more it grows on you.” /Film also champions the film and its makers, “With Mark Ruffalo moonlighting as a superhero these days, it’s easy to forget he’s one of the best actors currently working. Infinitely Polar Bear, written and directed by newcomer Maya Forbes, not only serves as a reminder of Ruffalo’s chops, it’s arguably his finest performance to date.”
Maya Forbes has worked consistently as a screenwriter and producer with several studio-produced features under her belt including Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Monsters vs. Aliens and The Rocker.
About Park Pictures
Founded in 1998 by Executive Producer Jacqueline Kelman Bisbee and acclaimed filmmaker/cinematographer Lance Acord, Bicoastal/London-based Park Pictures has an auspicious track record of discovering and mentoring new talent in both the commercial and film spheres, and infusing all projects with big screen production values. Park Pictures has forged strong partnerships with agencies, studios and clients worldwide by engaging all members of its team in creative problem solving.
Park Pictures has earned the highest accolades for their international work, including an Oscar, an Emmy, and 18 Cannes Lions. Lance Acord has earned three DGA nominations for his commercial work and newly-signed directing duo The Mercadantes received a 2015 DGA nomination. Known for their story-driven film work, Park Pictures has been selected for Creativity’s “Production Company A-List” for nearly ten consecutive years. In 2015, co-founder Jacqueline Kelman Bisbee was selected for the 2015 Cannes Lions Film Craft jury and Advertising Age’s prestigious ‘Women to Watch’ honor.
Park Pictures’ feature division, headed by Producer Sam Bisbee, Jacqueline Kelman Bisbee and Lance Acord, has produced five features, all of which were selected for the Sundance Film Festival. In 2010, Park Pictures won an Academy Award for the company’s first narrative film, live-action short “The New Tenants,” starring Vincent D’Onofrio.