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Community Corner

Sundance Hit LITTLE BIRDS Plus Q&A With Writer/Director Elgin James

"Not since 'Thelma and Louise' have we seen a buddy film that has such well rounded, refreshing strong minded independent female characters." - BEN LYONS, EXTRA
“A touching and distinctive achievement.” - OWEN GLEIBERMAN, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
"An assured debut...vividly captures the excitement of rule-breaking adolescent adventure." - JOHN DEFORE, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“Temple's performance proves she is destined for onscreen greatness.” - KATHRYN RATHBUN, BULLETT
"A strong, heartfelt debut." - NICOLAS BELL, IONCINEMA
"Panabaker exudes a kind of unspoiled freshness that is imminently appealing." - BETSY SHARKEY, LOS ANGELES TIMES
"A powerful coming of age film with dynamic young actresses." - SHANEE EDWARDS, SHEKNOWS
“Juno Temple is destined for stardom.” - MICHAEL DUNAWAY, PASTE MAGAZINE
“Striking.” - TY BURR, BOSTON.COM

Fifteen-year-old Lily (Juno Temple) and her best friend Alison (Kay Panabaker) live on the shores of the Salton Sea among rundown trailers parks, rotting household items, drained pools and decaying streets. What was once an oasis for the wealthy and famous has become a near ghost town, leaving its residents fighting for breath in the deep end. Lily feels eternally claustrophobic and rebellious, living with her manic, single mother (Leslie Mann), clinging to hope for something more exciting than visits with her young and already washed up Aunt (Kate Bosworth).

When they meet a few visiting street kids, the girls' bond is finally tested and Lily convinces Alison to follow the boys back to Los Angeles. Not intimidated by the journey ahead, Lily is hopelessly drawn to one of the boys and the freedoms of their lifestyle. But in the big city, Lily and Alison quickly fall into the boys' world of scams and petty crime. Lily is determined to stay and make it work, while Alison is overwhelmed and eager to return home. When an idea is hatched to use Lily as bait for men with money to steal, things quickly escalate to a life-changing moment. Lily must decide how far she will go to grow up and Alison must decide how far she will go to protect Lily. WEBSITE: http://littlebirdsmovie.com TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OoL_iO0wvc

About Writer/Director, Elgin James
Elgin James' first screenplay, "Little Birds," was accepted into both the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and the Sundance Directors Lab. In 2009, James was awarded a Time Fellowship Grant as well as an Annenberg Feature Film Fellow Grant. He was recently named as one of Ioncinema.com's "American New Wave 25," in addition to being selected as one of Variety's 2011 "Directors to Watch." "Little Birds" marks his feature film directorial debut.

Homeless as a teenager, James was a fixture in Boston's hardcore punk scene, founding a national street gang that targeted neo-Nazi skinheads and robbed drug dealers to give the money to charity. After years in that lifestyle, James renounced violence and relocated to Los Angeles.

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