ABC Studios’ When We Rise To Have Worldwide Premiere at RomaFictionFest
Rome, 2 December 2016 – In the year where it celebrates its 10th Anniversary, RomaFictionFest is pleased to announce it will host the worldwide premiere of Part 1 of ABC Studios’ epic mini-series When We Rise, in the presence of its Academy Award®-winning creator and writer, Dustin Lance Black.
RomaFictionFest is the Italian event dedicated to television shows, produced for TV and OTT platforms, and the number one event in Europe entirely dedicated to TV Series and International scripted drama, RomaFictionFest is a unique Festival in the panorama of audio-visual events, an international touchstone for audiences, field pros, national and international talents alike.
The 10th edition will take place in Rome, from 7 to 11 December in the very heart of Rome: it is promoted by Lazio Region in collaboration with Italian Producers Association (APT) and it is produced by Cinema Foundation for Rome.
“We are very proud to screen at our Festival such an extraordinary project as When We Rise Giuseppe Piccioni, Artistic Director of the 10th edition of RomaFictionFest states. “It’s very important for us to showcase Dustin Lance Black’s talent in telling a story of such magnitude and relevance that we are sure will resonate in modern television audiences.”
“We would really like to thank Disney Media Distribution and ABC Studios for their long-standing support” state Marco Spagnoli and Gaia Tridente, International Programming Directors. “Since our very first edition, they always supported our work in showcasing some of their most visionary and innovative projects such as When We Rise.”
When We Rise chronicles the real-life personal and political struggles, set-backs and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once unfathomable successes of today. Starring in the mini-series event are Guy Pearce(Memento) as LGBT activist Cleve Jones, Mary-Louise Parker (Angels in America) as women’s rights leader Roma Guy and Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under) as her wife, social justice activist Diane. Also starring are Austin McKenzie as Younger Cleve Jones, Emily Skeggs as Younger Roma Guy, Jonathan Majors as Younger Ken Jones, and Fiona Dourif as Younger Diane.
The mini-series is executive produced by Black (“Milk”), Laurence Mark (“Dreamgirls”), Bruce Cohen (“Milk”) and Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”). Van Sant directs the two-hour premiere of the eight episode mini-series event. “When We Rise” is from ABC Studios and distributed by Disney Media Distribution.