ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Due to the overwhelming demand for tickets to the premiere screening of CYRUS, the Michigan Theater announced that it will screen BILAL’S STAND, another Official Selection at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, on Sunday, January 31 at 6:00 pm. The screening of CYRUS, part of a groundbreaking initiative called Sundance Film Festival USA, is sold out.
"We are delighted to present BILAL'S STAND," said Michigan Theater Executive Director Russ Collins. "It is a magical film that eloquently illustrates the Michigan Theater's commitment to excellence in independent filmmaking all year round."
Directed by Michigan native and UM graduate Sultan Sharrief, BILAL’S STAND is about an upright black Muslim teen who works at his family’s taxi stand in Detroit. “The Stand,” as they affectionately call it, has been the family’s social and financial hub for the past 60 years, and Bilal is in line to carry the torch. But Bilal, who burns the midnight oil to keep up both the family business and his grades, develops a secret life designed to enable him to attend the University of Michigan. When his two lives collide, Bilal is forced to decide between keeping The Stand alive - and living the only life he has ever known - or taking a shot at social mobility.
Based on a true story, BILAL’S STAND radiates warmth, humor, and originality. Sultan Sharrief’s debut feature is a freshly crafted film filled with heart and authenticity that transports audiences to a world rarely seen on-screen and heralds the arrival of its filmmaker as a new voice in American independent cinema. For more information on the movie, visit www.bilalsstand.com.
Tickets are priced at $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors and US veterans, and $10 for Michigan Theater members. Advanced tickets are available at www.ticketweb.com. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Email dwaller@michtheater.org
The concept behind Sundance Film Festival U.S.A. is to ignite dialogue as people across the country engage in a collective film experience. It is an extension, really, of the work we have done for decades: supporting the independent voice, bringing artists to the table and inserting art more and more into the social context of how we live,” said Robert Redford, Sundance Institute President and Founder of the Sundance Film Festival. “We hope by speaking with artists about their work and experiencing the Festival as it is happening, audiences will be inspired to share opinions, discuss the key issues of our day and reflect on the role art plays in social change.”
About the Sundance Film Festival
Presenting dramatic and documentary feature-length films from emerging and established artists, innovative short films, filmmaker forums and panels, live music performances ranging from solo acts to film composer events, cutting-edge media installations, and engaging community and student programs, the Sundance Film Festival brings together the most original storytellers of our time.
Supported by the non-profit Sundance Institute, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Trouble the Water, and Central Station and, through its New Frontier initiative, has brought to audiences the cinematic works of media artists including Isaac Julian, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney. The Presenting Sponsors for the 2010 Festival are Entertainment Weekly, HP, Honda and Sundance Channel. www.sundance.org/festival
About the Michigan Theater
The Michigan Theater is Ann Arbor’s not-for-profit historic center for fine film and performing arts. Saved in 1979 by a group of concerned citizens, the Theater has gone on to win numerous awards for its restoration, its programming and its role in the community, including the Outstanding Historic Theatre Award from the League of Historic American Theatres. It is located in downtown Ann Arbor at 603 East Liberty Street, across the street from Borders Books and Music. Regular movie prices are $9.00, $7.00 for students, seniors and US veterans, $6.50 for Michigan Theater members, $6.00 for all Wednesday screenings. Please visit the theater’s website at http://michtheater.org. The 24-hour information line is (734) 668-TIME.
