Hope for Film

From the Frontline of the Independent Cinema Revolutions

“A relentlessly useful insider’s guide to independent film” by the producer of The Ice Storm, Happiness, and The Laramie Project (Kirkus Reviews).

In this “must-read” (Cultural Weekly) tell-all, one of the industry’s most passionate producers captures the rebellious punk spirit of the indie film boom in 1990s New York, its collapse decades later, and its current regeneration. Ted Hope, whose films have garnered 12 Oscar nominations, draws from his own personal experiences in launching the careers of Ang Lee, Hal Hartley, Todd Solondz, Michel Gondry, Edward Burns, and Nicole Holofcener, and working with such mavericks as John Waters, Todd Haynes, and Claire Denis.

Whether negotiating final cuts or clashing with high-powered agents on behalf of his clients, Hope offers behind-the-scenes stories from the wild, often heated world of low-budget cinema—where art and commerce collide. As mediator between these two opposing interests, Hope shares his unique perspective on making movies while keeping one’s integrity. Against a backdrop of seismic changes in the indie-film industry, from corporate co-option to the rise of social media, Hope for Film is “filled with tidbits of earned wisdom and stories from the proverbial trenches,” providing not only an entertaining ride through the ups and downs of the business of art-house movies over the last 25 years, but also hope for its future (SF Weekly).