PRESS RELEASE: HAUSSMAN’S ‘THE AUDITION’ TO SCREEN AT LONDON LIFT-OFF

HAUSSMAN’S THE AUDITION MOVES ON TO LONDON LIFT-OFF

Los Angeles – November 21, 2013 – Person Films director Michael Haussman today announced his newest short film The Audition is confirmed to screen at the third and fourth film festivals since its premiere. The Audition world premiered in September during the 70th annual Venice International Film Festival. This film’s public screenings thus far span the globe; premiering in Italy, then closely followed by a U.S. premiere in Los Angeles. Next up is 2013 London Lift-Off, held November 30.

This film is Haussman’s second short to premiere at an international festival. It is also his second film to premiere at a prestigious festival this year (his documentary Unsinkable Henry Morgan premiered at Sundance). Haussman’s first short scooped the first prize at the Berlin, Houston and Aspen Film Festivals. The Audition has received significant attention not only due to Haussman but also because it stars two famous Italian actors – Valeria Solarino and Marco Bocci – in addition to being shot at historic Cinecittá Studios in Rome. Haussman calls The Audition his “ode to acting” and considers the film to be a romantic homage to Cinecittá Studios.

“I set out with the question: Is it possible for two actors to become so wrapped up emotionally in their role that the feelings become real? This is the premise,” Haussman told Italian press.

Haussman says that Cinecittá Studios’ iconic status and surreal sets were integral to the spell created by the film. In his words the film is intended to “leave us asking the questions:  Did these two people know each other from the past? Will they have a story in the future? Or was it all just very good acting?”

The Audition was selected to close the “Identity” program during the 2013 L.A. Shorts Film Festival, and was one of few films selected for the Orizzonti Competition category at the Venice Festival. VanityFair.it called the film an “intense black and white.”

The Audition is written and directed by Michael Haussman. A feature interview with Haussman appears in the current issue of SHOTS Magazine.

Cecile Leroy and Rebecca Skinner produced the film for Person Films.