Devolver Digital Films to Release
King of Herrings
A Feature-Length Tragic Comedy
By Eddie Jemison & Sean Richardson
Following Complex Characters Behaving Badly
Digital VOD Release – January 20, 2015

Little Fish Eats Little Fish

LOS ANGELES, CA – December 16, 2014 – Devolver Digital Films is proud to announce the digital VOD release of the award-winning new tragic comedy, King of Herrings. Co-Directed by Eddie Jemison and Sean Richardson, the gritty black and white feature film is a nuanced character study that explores the relationships between a delusional group of societal leftovers in a Woody Allen meets David Mamet pocket of New Orleans, as they drink, play cards, and ultimately clash over a strange and beautiful woman. The film’s digital VOD release is scheduled for January 20, 2015 via iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo on Demand, VHX, Gumroad, Google Play, YouTube Rentals, and others. For additional information, please visit http://www.kingofherrings.com and http://www.devolverdigital.com/films/view/king-of-herrings.

King of Herrings features a strong ensemble cast of film and TV veterans, with roots and common bonds in Louisiana, who’ve worked together for over 25 years, including: Jemison (Ocean’s 11, HBO’s Hung, Bruce Almighty), Joe Chrest (21 Jump Street, Aviator, RED, The Ring), David Jensen (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Looper, Ocean’s 11), Wayne Pere (Galaxy Quest, Pirates of Silicon Valley, Ocean’s 13), John Mese (Weeds, From the Earth to the Moon, Schizopolis), and Carl Palmer (Dallas Buyer’s Club, The Pelican Brief).

“While most of the characters in the film are flawed people, there is a sense of humanity to all of them – you have sympathy for each character at some point in the film,” says Richardson, “They are human, perhaps exaggerated versions of people you know, or maybe even yourself.”

Scene from King of Herrings
left-to-right: “Ditch” (Eddie Jemison) and “Gat” (David Jenson)

King of Herrings (Comedy-Drama, 2014, 82 min.) –
An offbeat look at four layabouts from New Orleans, who dream big in a small change world of cards, women, and endless cups of coffee. Their passionate blundering, like their rants, can be at once funny, poignant, ridiculous, and heartbreaking. “Ditch,” their self appointed king, is an irascible son-of-a-bitch with a Napoleon complex, and his pals love him for it. Until one day he pushes the self-tenured “Professor” too far. A game of threats, posturing, and sexual ploys lead them down a dark but comic road in this exploration of what it is to be a man today. Filmed in black and white, this richly textured character study could be the bastard child of Woody Allen and Tom Waits, brought to life by an ensemble of real-life character actors who have known each other and worked together for over 25 years. The cast features Eddie Jemison, Joe Chrest, David Jensen, John Mese, Wayne Pere, Laura Lamson, Andrea Frankle, and Carl Palmer.

“The trigger in the film is a fight over the paltry sum of nine dollars… but it’s not the nine dollars that matter, it’s what the nine dollars represent,” says Jemison, “Respect. That is what these people fight for, because – like all of us, who, in the end, really have nothing – respect is the ultimate currency.”

Awards –
• Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature – New Orleans Film Festival
• Breakthrough Filmmakers Award – Phoenix Film Festival

The film was also featured in the Louisville Festival of Film, RxSM Festival in Austin, Rainier Film Festival, Dances With Films, and Waterfront Film Festival.

Eddie Jemison, Producer, Co-Director, Actor, Screenwriter –
Born in New Orleans, Jemison acted in his first film, Schizopolis, opposite Steven Soderbergh. Since then, he’s acted in Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, Ocean’s 13, the Sundance favorite Waitress, The Punisher, Bruce Almighty, Bob Funk, Nancy Drew, and as a regular on HBO’s Hung. Jemison stars in Coffee, Kill Boss, which premiered at The Austin Film Festival. King of Herrings is his first directing effort and a kind of homecoming.

Sean Richardson, Producer, Co-Director, Cinematographer, Editor –
While a student at Louisiana State University, Sean Richardson began working in the film industry, climbing the ranks from grip to camera operator to directing his own films. His diverse experience as producer, writer, director, cinematographer, and editor for a variety of genres has contributed to his unique improvisational filmmaking style. Working in the now busy film and TV market in Louisiana, Richardson has not only directed his own films, including Whore, Monday, and GoodbyeHello, he has also worked on such prestigious shows as American Horror Story and Poor You as well as popular commercials for IBM and Capital One.

Devolver Digital –
Based in Austin, Texas, Devolver Digital distributes independent video games and guides indie filmmakers through digital distribution and film promotion. Devolver Digital’s outspoken passion for independent games, developers, and fans has earned the company no minor measure of game industry notoriety. With its expansion into film, which was announced at South by Southwest 2013, the company applies that same fiercely creative devotion and digital content expertise to support and celebrate indie filmmakers and projects. Co-Founder and Partner Mike Wilson says his own experience as a filmmaker seeking distribution led him and his partners to expand Devolver Digital into film. That experience has guided the company’s focus on “hand-crafted” strategic partnership and personal attention in distributing the titles on the label to a full range of digital and cable VOD platforms.

Links –
• Film’s Devolver Page – http://www.devolverdigital.com/films/view/king-of-herrings
• Official Site – http://www.kingofherrings.com
• Trailer – http://vimeo.com/108057128
• IMDb – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2010950
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KingOfHerrings

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For more information, photos, a screener, or to schedule an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201, lynn@greengalactic.com.

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QUOTES

“King of Herrings exists on a very specific wavelength. One that I happen to like.”

– Steven Soderbergh

“Startling… A mini-masterpiece… King of Herrings sits in the room, long after the final frame.”

– Sheila O’Malley, The Sheila Variations

“King of Herrings is a perfect jazz riff of a film (funny, urgent, frantic, mournful), something Arthur Penn and John Cassavetes both would find a promising gem.”

– James Grissom, Author, Follies of God (Knopf, forthcoming)

“A triumph of ensemble acting. Rough, full, and adult… The performances are fresh and nuanced, like an ensemble at a great theatre.”

– Bears Fonte, AM/FM Magazine

“Whip smart comedy, King of Herrings is a Woody Allen-worthy scrum for taboo crushes and unearned respect… a black and white indie gem.”

– Jeff Roedel, 225 Magazine

“Grittier than David Mamet, more polished than John Cassavetes, but still retaining all the best qualities of both… it presents vulgarity in an artful way with deeply realized characters who cut each other (and us) down to the bone.”

– Mark Schwab, Diamond In The Rough Films

“King of Herrings is MASTERFUL! A funny, unique slice of life that moves the soul. With acting to KILL and BRILLIANT writing. It’s the BEST MOVIE I’ve seen in a long, long time.”

– Champ Clark, People Magazine staff writer

“Dynamic… threatening… beautiful movie!”

– Dave Razowksy, A.D.D. Comedy Podcast

“ …An entertaining, artsy ride into grittiness. From Shakespearean dialogue and themes to a cinematography style that many are comparing to that of John Cassavetes…”

– Heather Hoch, Phoenix New Times