Archive for April, 2009

Total Media Group recently unveiled its originally produced 60-minute documentary, “Life is a Banquet” , the story of Academy Award winning Hollywood legend, Rosalind Russell.

Sassy, classy and brassy, the raven-haired Russell entranced audiences as a no-nonsense newspaper reporter in 1940’s “His Girl Friday” (with leading man Cary Grant), and in the Broadway production and the film of “Auntie Mame”, making the title character her signature role.

“Life is a Banquet” uses rare home movie footage, clips from her 30 year career and interviews with various colleagues friends and luminaries to tell the story of this gifted star and generous philanthropist. The film is narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Kathleen Turner, and features interviews with Tom Brokaw, Tina Sinatra, Haley Mills, famed designer James Galanos and a host of others.

The film’s world premiere will be at the Stony Brook Film Festival (New York) in July, 2009, followed by the Rhode Island International Film Festival in August, 2009. The national broadcast premier will be on PBS in the fall of 2009.

On October 8, a gala screening benefiting the Rosalind Russell Center for Arthritis Research will be held in San Francisco. Kathleen Turner will be on hand to speak at the benefit. The center was founded by Ms. Russell in the 1970s.

The film was produced entirely by Total Media Group. Jonathon Gruber produced and directed for TMG. Executive Producer was Aldo Panattoni. Offline Editor, Atticus-Culver Reese. Online Smoke Editor, Toshi Onuki.

Funding for the project was provided by the Bob and Connie Lurie Foundation.