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HBO Films will theatrically release its latest movie "American Splendor" in North America under its own label in association with New Line Cinema's specialized distribution arm Fine Line Features, it was announced today by Colin Callender, president, HBO Films. Written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, produced by Ted Hope, and starring Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis, "American Splendor" took home the Grand Jury Prize at the recent Sundance Film Festival. This marks HBO's second foray into theatrical distribution, following the highly successful "Real Women Have Curves," currently in release (boxoffice gross to date: $5.8 million) and poised for home video and DVD release, as well as international theatrical distribution.

"We're very proud that HBO Films was able to help Shari and Robert realize their vision of 'American Splendor.' It's an extraordinary directorial debut," said Callender. "It was very exciting to see the reception it received at Sundance from audiences and critics alike. We're delighted to be in business with Bob Shaye, Michael Lynne, Mark Ordesky, Russell Schwartz and the entire New Line and Fine Line team. They share our passion for Harvey Pekar's story; and we look forward to working together with them to bring 'American Splendor' to the big screen."

"'American Splendor' is brilliant, exciting, genre-bending filmmaking," says Mark Ordesky, president of Fine Line Features. "HBO is on the leading edge of ground-breaking independent cinema, and we are excited to help bring that vision to a wide audience."

"American Splendor" immerses you in the life and worldview of Harvey Pekar: file clerk, working-class intellectual, obsessive compulsive collector, and creator of the seminal autobiographical comic book series "American Splendor." For over two decades, the pages of "American Splendor" have documented the mundane tribulations, random experiences and cultural enthusiasms that make up Pekar's day-to-day existence in his native Cleveland, Ohio. "American Splendor" is the true saga of a working-class everyman who found love, family and a creative voice through comic books. Like its namesake comic, "American Splendor" focuses on the large and small moments in the life of its prickly hero, and offers not one, but several illustrations of Harvey Pekar: the Harvey of the main narrative, portrayed by Paul Giamatti; a 2D animated Harvey; and the real Harvey, past (via archival footage) and present. The result is an inventive film that captures Pekar's voice in all its simple, honest, and cantankerous human scope.

Acclaimed filmmakers Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini ("Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasens") bring Pekar's story to the screen in their first narrative feature. HBO Films presents "American Splendor," written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini and produced by Ted Hope of This is that corporation (sic), and marks the last film produced under the Good Machine banner. The film stars Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, James Urbaniak, Judah Friedlander and Madylin Sweeten and features Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, Toby Radloff and Danielle Batone. The associate producer is Julia King; director of photography is Terry Stacey; production designer is Thérèse DePrez, and the editor Robert Pulcini. The film's costume designer is Michael Wilkinson, and the composer is Mark Suozzo, music supervisor is Linda Cohen, line producer is Christine Kunewa Walker, with casting by Ann Goulder.

SOURCE: Fine Line Features