"'Collateral' is the perfect film to open this year's Urbanworld. Not only because of the explosion of talent both in front of and behind the camera. But, because this picture illustrates what the term 'urban' truly represents in 2004," explained festival founder Stacy Spikes. "'Urban' is about sensibility, not just ethnicity. Michael Mann captures the essence of this ideal through his breathtaking images of Los Angeles and the diverse populations that make our cities thrive."
In Dreamworks Pictures' "Collateral," Jamie Foxx is Max, a man who has lived the mundane life of a cab driver for 12 years. The faces have come and gone from his rearview mirror, people and places he's long since forgotten ... until tonight. Vincent, portrayed by Tom Cruise, is a contract killer. Tonight, he has arrived in LA ... and five bodies are supposed to fall. Circumstances cause Vincent to hijack Max's taxicab, and Max becomes collateral -- an expendable person in the wrong place at the wrong time. Through the night, Vincent forces Max to drive him to each assigned destination. And as the LAPD and FBI race to intercept them, Max and Vincent's survival becomes dependent on each other in ways neither would have imagined.
"Collateral," opening nationwide August 6, is a co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, produced by Michael Mann and Julie Richardson from a screenplay by Stuart Beattie. Frank Darabont, Chuck Russell, Rob Fried and Peter Giuliano served as executive producers.
Urbanworld, the largest internationally competitive festival of its kind, will be held from August 4 - 8, 2004 in New York City. The festival was launched in August 1997 with 35 films, by founder Stacy Spikes, a former executive at Miramax and October Films. HBO continues support as the founding sponsor. Spike TV is on board as a new Official Sponsor of the Festival. The advisory board includes Debbie Allen, Charles Burnett, Michelle Byrd, Julie Dash, Kenneth "Babyface" and Tracey Edmonds, Giancarlo Esposito, Carl Franklin, Danny Glover, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Rosie Perez, John Pierson, Wesley Snipes, Nick Wechsler, and Laura Ziskin. Spikes serves as Chairman Emeritus. Gabrielle Glore and Maria Weaver-Watson are executive producers.
The five-day festival includes feature, documentary and short film screenings, as well as panel discussions, a live staged reading and the celebrated Actor's Spotlight, with previous honorees including Samuel L. Jackson, Billy Dee Williams, Vondie Curtis Hall and Rosie Perez.
Past festival features have included box office and award-winning hits: "The Fighting Temptations," "Drumline," "Rush Hour 2," "O," "The Original Kings of Comedy," "The Best Man," "Soul Food," "Hoodlum," "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," "Blue Streak," and more.
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