"This kid somehow knew where the joke was."

Apr 03, 2025

Happy Thursday, friends.

Since we of learned of Val Kilmer’s death yesterday, we’ve been spending a few last moments with Iceman. If you’d like to join us:

“He made us laugh… this kid somehow knew where the joke was.” David Zucker reflects on casting Kilmer in his first breakout role.
He was a ‘joy to know.’ Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Mann, Josh Brolin, and more remember the actor.
Cocky, trippy, steely, wry. Appreciating the many onscreen moods of Val Kilmer.
“A flair for making outsized characters feel human.” Kilmer’s 10 greatest performances.

Let’s dive in to the other outsized characters you’ve been creating this week.

Roll of Honor

Premieres, Awards, and More. Say hi to featured Portrait members on the Portrait app.

Bloody Love Letters and Bollywood Love Stories

Freaky Tales. “Freaky Tales gives us a host of underdogs to root for, along with a bloody, fun, very ‘80s time on the weirder side of Oakland, California” (TheWrap). Craig MacLellan, Sound Effects Editor; Jac Fitzgerald, Cinematographer; Scott Kinzey, Sound Mixer; David Weintraub, Victor Moyers, EPs; Ron Yuan, Second Unit Director; Erica Villanueva, Hair Stylist; Rian Johnson, Visual Effects Supervisor; Keri Shewmaker, Set Dresser; Jamie Mayne, Prop Buyer; Anya Zebroski, Set Costumer; Leah Solis, Supervising Producer; Janea Martin, Hair Department Head. In theaters Friday.
A Nice Indian Boy. “Delights in defying expectations, even as it follows a traditional love story structure” (IndieWire). Ian Hultquist, Musician: Guitar;
Amanda Verhagen, Line Producer; Raashi Kulkarni, Composer; Matt Drake, Supervising Sound Editor; Liz Bischof, Production Designer; Stephanie Kaznocha, Editor; Daniel Bekerman, Executive Producer. In theaters Friday.

Creative Teams Having Too Much Fun

The Luckiest Man in America. “A delightfully sleazy ensemble thriller that goes down easy in 90 minutes” (IndieWire). Juan Manuel Betancourt, Visual Effects Supervisor; Constanza Muñoz, Co-Producer; Diego Garcia, Art Director; Divya Shahani, Damiano Tucci, Juan Pablo Solano, EPs; Laura D'Augello, Production Accountant; Sebastian Hernandez, Editor. In theaters Friday.
Wake Up. "“No one can doubt the dedication to their craft and the undisguised glee this team takes in their approach to making genre movies that demand to be experienced in a cinema” (AWFJ.com). Arnau Bataller, Composer. In theaters Friday.

Now Streaming: True Stories Worth a Second Look

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer. “[Director Liz] Garbus felt a responsibility to tell the story of all the victims, the loved ones they left behind — and the grossly mishandled investigation” (Variety). Gil Talmi, Composer. Netflix.
Girl You Know It’s True. Telling the story behind the Milli Vanilli scandal, “Viewers who press play with intent to scoff may be surprised with how genuinely caught up they become” (NYT). Mathilde Snodgrass, Casting Director. Peacock.

On the ground at CinemaCon: Whats the future of moviegoing?
(In Vegas for CinemaCon? Let others know in the Portrait app.)
- AMC CEO says three of six major studios agree 45-day window needed.
- Four industry experts debate Hollywood’s moviegoing crisis.
Sundance Reactions
- What will a Sundance in Boulder, CO, be like?
- At least one Sundance doc sold for millions. But the director still thinks docs are in big trouble. Portrait members Kathleen Lingo and Geeta Gandbhir discuss the state of the market.

Full Frame Documentary Festival kicks off today. Portrait is proud to be the official industry platform for the fest! On the app:
- Check out the 161 Portrait members with projects in the app
- Keep track of the in-app industry schedule all week long
ReelAbilities kicks off today. See who else is attending in the Portrait app.
Ron Howard’s TIFF thriller ‘Eden’ acquired by Vertical for summer release. Matt Villa, Editor.

See more funding, deadlines, and jobs in the Portrait app

April 7th: Short Film Budgeting Workshop from Portrait member and Emmy-nominated producer Carolina Groppa.
April 21st-23: Doc NYC Spring Conference
April 24th: New Platforms, New Potential: Meet the CEOs Behind Direct Distribution with Portrait members Jon Reiss, Christie Marchese, Scott Glasserman, and Iddo Patt

Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.

Creative Capital Award (4/3 deadline)
PBS Ignite Filmmakers (4/6 deadline)
The Bay List (4/8 deadline)
The Writers Lab (4/8 deadline)
AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop (4/10 deadline)
Anonymous Was A Woman Grant (4/15 deadline)
Vimeo Short Film Grant (4/18 deadline)
PBS Origins Grant (4/18 deadline)
Working Films Docs in Action Grant (4/21 deadline)
Paramount Directing Initiative (4/25 deadline)
Chicken & Egg(celerator) Lab (4/29 deadline)
Collective Eye Works in Progress Grant (4/30 deadline)

Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.