"Sideways" Production News

Principal photography began today in Central California on Alexander Payne's "Sideways." The film stars Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh in a comedy about two men on a wayward wine-tasting trip in the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara, California. The movie was written by the multiple award-winning team of director Payne and Jim Taylor, based on Rex Pickett's upcoming novel.

"Sideways" tells the story of Miles (Giamatti), a failed novelist, and his soon-to-be married friend Jack (Church), a washed-up actor. To salute the remains of their youth, the two men take one last road trip in the week before Jack's wedding. Miles is a serious wine enthusiast determined to educate his friend on the region's beloved Pinot Noir wines before the week is out. Jack indulges his best friend's passion for Pinot but is mainly interested in living his last week of bachelorhood to the hilt. Trouble ensues with wine and women - played by Madsen and Oh - and the duo come to some profound realizations as they come to terms with maturity.

Payne and Taylor won a Golden Globe in 2003 for the screenplay of "About Schmidt." They also share an Independent Spirit Award, a Writers Guild of America Award and an Academy Award nomination for the adapted screenplay of "Election," for which Payne also won a Best Directing Independent Spirit Award. Payne's directorial and screenwriting debut was the Laura Dern-starrer "Citizen Ruth," which won the Sundance Jury Prize in 1996.

"Sideways" will be produced by Michael London ("Thirteen," "House of Sand and Fog"), with George Parra, a seasoned assistant director on such films as "Legally Blonde 2" and "About Schmidt," as co-producer. The director of photography is Phedon Papamichael ("Moonlight Mile," "Identity"). The editor is Kevin Tent and the production designer is Jane Stewart, both of whom worked with Payne on "About Schmidt," "Election" and "Citizen Ruth." Executive Vice President of Production Claudia Lewis and Vice President of Production Josh Deighton will oversee the project for Fox Searchlight.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a filmmaker-oriented company that focuses on distinctive films helmed by world-class auteurs and exciting newcomers. It has its own marketing, distribution and publicity operations, and its films are distributed internationally by Twentieth Century Fox. Fox Searchlight Pictures is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.