Sundance Lab Finalist Launches Indiegogo Campaign

San Francisco, CA, December 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- With recognition from the prestigious Sundance Screenwriting Lab and development support from the San Francisco Film Society, filmmaker Matt Szymanowski’s The Purple Onion is bound for wide recognition and critical praise. Set in San Francisco and named after the recently closed historic San Francisco comedy club, this tragicomic story was first drafted while at the MacDowell Artist’s Colony shortly after participation at the Berlinale Talent Campus. As the film moves into pre-production, the acclaimed team, including executive producer Andrew Trapani (The Haunting in Connecticut) will utilize crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise the primary capital.

With the Bay Area comedy scene as its backdrop, The Purple Onion follows hapless, amateur comedian Johnny Lee at his dead-end job as a restaurant dishwasher as he attempts to move up to serving. Clashing to no end with his now live-in mother, who suddenly moves in after losing her house to foreclosure, and at his wits end, the comedian is prepared to leave everything behind. When his mother finds solace in a lonely and oddball neighbor, the comedian realizes he’s pushed away the one person who cares the most; the sad clown must reevaluate his priorities and stand-up for what actually matters before he loses everything.

The cast stars Edwin Li (Sketchfest, Las Vegas Comedy Festival) and Golden Rooster Award nominee Kechun Li (Who’s the Third Party, Dam Street), with executive producing by Andrew Trapani (The Haunting in Connecticut) written and directed by Matt Szymanowski (History of Solitude, Slovakia) with cinematography by Bartosz Nalazek (War Horse, Lincoln) and musical score by Los Angeles Balkan gypsy band, The Petrojvic Blasting Company.

The film title, The Purple Onion, refers to one of the oldest venues for comedy in North America, located in San Francisco since 1952. The club showcased some of the most important American comedians from the early days of stand up comedy, including Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen and Phyllis Diller.

IndieGoGo Campaign Sunday Nov. 11th – Sunday Jan. 6th

Executive Producer Andrew Trapani

Andrew Trapani, of Nine/8 Entertainment, is an entertainment producer who has worked on numerous high profile video game, television and film projects including The Haunting in Connecticut, Tamara and the forthcoming Wallace. Prior to Nine/8, Andrew was a founding partner at Integrated Films & Management where he spearheaded the management for the screenwriters of such films as Live Free or Die Hard, The Core, Deep Blue Sea and Enemy of the State. Additionally, Andrew managed the creator of the hit franchise Final Destination.

Writer/Producer/Director Matt Szymanowski

Matt Szymanowski is an acclaimed filmmaker whose work in film, television and video production includes producing content for CBS’ award-winning CHOW.com, media agency MKSHFT’s clients Toyota, Gizmodo and HTC, the documentary Nine Days That Changed the World and various local music videos.

His short film, History of Solitude, played at international festivals in Poland, France, Albania and at the San Francisco International, in addition to winning the Jury Award in Paris at The European Independent Film Festival.