ADDICT NAMED HAL, a love letter to the community of recovery, on VOD October 11!
FREESTYLE DIGITAL MEDIA ACQUIRES
“ADDICT NAMED HAL” FOR OCTOBER RELEASE
Drug Recovery-Themed Dramatic Ensemble Sets Digital Debut for
North American VOD Platforms on October 11, 2022
Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, has acquired North American VOD rights to the drug recovery-themed dramatic ensemble ADDICT NAMED HAL. ADDICT NAMED HAL will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet and satellite platforms on October 11, 2022 through Freestyle Digital Media.
ADDICT NAMED HAL tells the story of a young woman named Amy who is furious at her mother for sending her to a halfway house for doing what she thinks every college kid does – get drunk at parties. But after totaling two cars and endangering her friend’s life, something has to change. In spite of her apprehension, Amy quickly bonds with the other residents – especially Hal, a heroin addict returning to the house from jail. Amy decides to give recovery a try and enjoys her new sense of community – from silly fights to heartfelt reconciliations, along with overdoses and visits from the police. But soon enough, Amy must face the reality that her drinking won’t just disappear, and she may have a bigger problem than she thought. But now, her addiction doesn’t just jeopardize her – it puts everyone in the house in danger. A film exploring the everyday struggles, joys, and horrors of getting clean.
The award-winning ADDICT NAMED HAL premiered at the 2021 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and screened at the Austin Film Festival and Dances with Films amongst others. The Austin Chronicle called ADDICT NAMED HAL, “genuine and endearing…a bittersweet journey that’s anchored in raw emotion.”
Written and directed by Lane Michael Stanley, ADDICT NAMED HAL was produced by Lowell Blank, Thane Swigart, and Lane Michael Stanley. The ensemble cast of ADDICT NAMED HAL features Ray A. Roberts II (‘Hal’), Natalie L’Amoreaux (‘Amy’), Donato De Luca (‘Rich’), and Daniela Vidaurre (‘Tony’).
Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the deal to acquire ADDICT NAMED HAL through producer Lowell Blank of Secretly Famous Productions and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films.
“ADDICT NAMED HAL is a love letter to the community of recovery that saved my life when I first got sober after my fiancé died suddenly from a heart attack,” said filmmaker Lane Michael Stanley. “I now have six years sober, and can’t wait to share this urgent story with audiences through our wonderful partner, Freestyle Digital Media.”
“I first read Lane Michael Stanley’s play ADDICT NAMED HAL, and knew it was well-suited for adaptation to film,” said producer Lowell Blank. “Making the movie has been a labor of love and having Freestyle Digital Media behind its release is a dream come true.”
Writer/director Lane Michael Stanley (ADDICT NAMED HAL) and producer Lowell Blank formed Secretly Famous Productions to tell character-driven stories that bring the margins to the center. We produce films that spotlight stories with fresh perspectives, giving insights into new worlds and experiences. Our films play with genre, representation, and character, while drawing communities together. We are now working on our second feature T, a narrative film shot incrementally over the lead actor’s first year on Testosterone therapy. We are also currently filming our documentary QUENTIN BLUE, which tells the story of three men who formed a band in 2014 while serving life sentences in San Quentin State Prison, then re-formed the band in 2020 when they were paroled to the same sober home in Compton, CA. Other projects in development include BACHELOR COLORADO, a transgender Western, THE OUTSIDE, a crime thriller exploring restorative justice themes, and WHO’S GONNA LOVE YOU!, about finding untraditional family in 1990’s Silicon Valley. Lane’s award-winning plays have appeared on stages across the country, including RAIN FALLS SPECIAL ON ME, about a group of homeless folks living on the streets of Austin, TX. For more information, please visit: https://www.secretlyfamousprod.com
