Washington Square Films
{{Short description|American production and management company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Washington Square Films
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| type = Private
| industry = Film, theater
| predecessor =
| founded = 1995
| founder = Joshua Blum
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| hq_location_city = New York City
| hq_location_country = United States
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| website = {{URL|https://wsfilms.com/}}
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Washington Square Films (WSF) is an American production and management company based in New York City and Los Angeles. It was founded in 1995 by Joshua Blum.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/exec/joshua-blum-ii/|title=Joshua Blum|date=December 17, 2013}}
History
The company's debut project was United States of Poetry,{{Cite web|url=https://itvs.org/films/united-states-of-poetry/|title=The United States of Poetry | ITVS|website=itvs.org}} a five-part series for PBS, created and produced by Joshua Blum and Bob Holman and directed by Mark Pellington. The program featured sixty poets performing in stylized poetry videos, including Paul Beatty, Joseph Brodsky, Jimmy Carter, Sandra Cisneros, Leonard Cohen, Rita Dove, Allen Ginsberg, Czesław Miłosz, Lou Reed, Johnny Depp, and Amiri Baraka. The series was accompanied by a book of the same name published by Abrams Books{{Cite web|url=https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/united-states-of-poetry_9780810939271/|title=United States of Poetry|first1=Joshua|last1=Blum|first2=Bob|last2=Holman|first3=Mark|last3=Pellington|via=www.abramsbooks.com}}{{Dead link|date=February 2025}} and a soundtrack album from Mercury Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/listing/?Narrator=Allen+Ginsberg,+Paul+Beatty,+Matt+Cook,+Ruth+Forman,+et+al|title=AudioFile, Discover the World of Audiobooks|website=AudioFile Magazine}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9818715-Various-The-United-States-Of-Poetry|title=The United States Of Poetry (1996, CD) - Discogs}}
The USOP also produced a live touring component, which was booked and managed by Kathleen Russo and Mary Shimkin. In 1996, Russo and Shimkin joined Washington Square Films to book and manage performers and spoken word acts, naming the division Washington Square Arts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/6227/kathleen-russo-shaping-spaldings-stories/|title=Kathleen Russo: Shaping Spalding's Stories|website=Broadway.com}} The roster included Spalding Gray, Eric Bogosian, Danny Hoch, David Sedaris, Sandra Bernhard, and many others. The company discontinued booking from its host of services in 2010. In 1998, manager Katherine Atkinson{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/exec/kathy-atkinson/|title=Katherine Atkinson|date=December 17, 2013}} joined the division and built a roster of then unknown talent including Kerry Washington,{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/kerry-washington-legal-drama-reasonable-doubt-onyx-collective-hulu-1235023704/|title=Kerry Washington, Larry Wilmore-Produced Legal Drama Moves to Onyx Collective on Hulu for Development|first=Joe|last=Otterson|date=July 20, 2021}} Dulé Hill,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/the-wonder-years-dule-hill-abc-reboot-pilot-laura-kariuki-cast-1234717661/|title=‘The Wonder Years’: Dulé Hill To Star In ABC Reboot Pilot; Laura Kariuki Also Cast|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=March 18, 2021}} Sarita Choudhury,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/sarita-choudhury-the-colony-drama-hbo-max-stray-dolls-duo-based-on-film-1235000822/|title=Sarita Choudhury To Star In ‘The Colony’ Drama In Works At HBO Max From ‘Stray Dolls’ Duo Based On Their Film|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=April 12, 2022}} Victor Rasuk,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/reasonable-doubt-victor-rasuk-christopher-cassarino-brooke-lyons-eugene-byrd-onyx-collectives-hulu-series-1234994988/|title=‘Reasonable Doubt’: Victor Rasuk, Christopher Cassarino, Brooke Lyons, Eugene Byrd Join Onyx Collective’s Hulu Series|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=April 6, 2022}} Adepero Oduye,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/ava-duvernay-central-park-five-joshua-cast-jackson-christopher-jackson-adepero-oduye-netflix-1202451841/|title=Ava DuVernay’s ‘Central Park Five’ Adds Joshua Jackson, ‘Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson, Adepero Oduye & More|first=Dominic|last=Patten|date=August 24, 2018}} Alex Désert,{{Cite web|url=https://press.amazonstudios.com/us/en/cast/alex-desert/1372|title=Alex Désert|website=press.amazonstudios.com}} and others, all who are still represented by Atkinson and Washington Square Films.
Films and theater
Washington Square Films has worked with and produced films for Steven Soderbergh,{{Cite web|url=https://www.spaldinggray.com/Fine.html|title=spaldinggray.com | And Everything is Going Fine|website=www.spaldinggray.com}} Abel Ferrara,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/projectionist-review-1204306/|title=‘The Projectionist’: Film Review | Tribeca 2019|first=Todd|last=McCarthy|date=April 28, 2019}} and Sally Potter.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/the-roads-not-taken-review-1203515627/|title=‘The Roads Not Taken’: Film Review|first=Peter|last=Debruge|date=February 26, 2020}} The company is perhaps best known for supporting and producing the early work of filmmakers including J. C. Chandor,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/01/sundance-a24-acquiring-j-c-chandor-helmed-a-most-violent-year-with-oscar-isaac-and-jessica-chastain-669314/|title=Sundance: A24 Acquiring J.C. Chandor-Helmed ‘A Most Violent Year’ With Oscar Isaac And Jessica Chastain|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=January 22, 2014}} Kelly Reichardt,{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/old-joy-1200518018/|title=Old Joy|first=Scott|last=Foundas|date=March 1, 2006}} Alex Ross Perry, and others.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/exclusive-spirit-nominee-alex-ross-perry-discusses-new-hbo-project-the-traditions-his-next-feature-and-life-after-the-color-wheel-40789/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Spirit Nominee Alex Ross Perry Discusses New HBO Project ‘The Traditions,’ His Next Feature and Life After ‘The Color Wheel’|first=Eric|last=Kohn|date=February 20, 2013}}
The company's projects have been nominated for two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards (winning one), sixteen Independent Spirit Awards (winning three), three Golden Globes (winning one), and one Peabody Award (won).{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/about/awards/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007210827/http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/about/awards/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 7, 2015|title=Awards and Accolades}} The company has had fourteen films premiere at Sundance and others at every major film festival including Cannes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/all-is-lost/|title=ALL IS LOST|date=May 22, 2013|website=Festival de Cannes}} Berlin,{{Cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/2017/programme/201714036.html|title=Golden Exits - Forum 2017|website=www.berlinale.de}} Toronto,http://collection.tiff.net/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=388202;type=701 Tribeca,{{Cite web|url=https://presskitchen.com/tribeca-film-2022/,%20https://presskitchen.com/tribeca-film-2022/|title=Films by Washington Square Film Talent and Mr. Bronx Showcase in Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2022 - Press Kitchen|date=June 13, 2022}} and New York.{{Cite web|url=https://presskitchen.com/washington-square-films-directors-writers-and-actors-take-sundance-2016-by-storm/,%20https://presskitchen.com/washington-square-films-directors-writers-and-actors-take-sundance-2016-by-storm/|title=Washington Square Films Directors, Writers and Actors Take Sundance|date=January 25, 2016}} In 2024, Washington Square Films served as the NY production company for Pedro Almodóvar's first US production and first English-language feature film The Room Next Door. WSF's Joshua Blum and Han West served as Executive Producers in New York.{{Cite web |title='The Room Next Door' Premieres at 81st Venice Film Festival {{!}} LBBOnline |url=https://lbbonline.com/news/the-room-next-door-premieres-at-81st-venice-film-festival |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=lbbonline.com |language=en}}
In 2023, Washington Square Films produced a live musical based on the 1972 Jamaican film The Harder They Come,{{Cite web|url=https://lbbonline.com/news/carmelo-anthony-and-asani-swan-join-washington-square-films-produced-musical-the-harder-they-come-as-eps|title=Carmelo Anthony and Asani Swan Join Washington Square Films-Produced Musical 'The Harder They Come' as EPs | LBBOnline|website=lbbonline.com}} with music by Jimmy Cliff and a book and additional songs by Suzan-Lori Parks. The show was developed by Blum and Bruce Miller, and its executive producers included Carmelo Anthony and Asani Swann.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/legit/news/carmelo-anthony-asani-swann-harder-they-come-musical-producer-1235574417/|title=Carmelo Anthony, Asani Swann Join Musical ‘The Harder They Come’ as Executive Producers (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Brent|last=Lang|date=April 5, 2023}} It premiered in New York at The Public Theater and was nominated for nine Off-Broadway Awards and won the Outer Critics award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.{{Cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/some-like-it-hot-dominates-2023-outer-critics-circle-awards-see-the-full-list-of-winners|title=Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners | Playbill}} On September 3, 2024, Stratford East announced that a stage adaptation of The Harder They Come will be a part of their 140th anniversary season lineup with a book and additional new songs by Suzan-Lori Parks. Blum and Miller return as producers and Matthew Xia is set to direct. The musical will run from September 13, 2025 to October 25, 2025.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-03 |title=Stratford East announces new season including The Harder They Come musical |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/stratford-east-announces-new-season-including-the-harder-they-come-musical_1627406/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |language=en-US}}
Filmography
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://wsfilms.com/}}