Portland, OR – May 29, 2012 – Sold out screenings on May 20th made Cell Count the most attended film at the Fantaspoa Fantastic Film Festival in Porto Alegre Brazil.
Writer / Director Todd E. Freeman was at the festival for 10 days and said, “this experience changed my outlook on the worldwide filmmaking community as well as the excitement about Cell Count in International markets.” He went on to say, “Porto Alegre and the Fantaspoa Film Festival welcomed me and our movie with open and excited arms. Joao and Nicolas, the film festival organizers, are not only providing a place to celebrate films but also celebrating the people that make them.”
Joao Fleck and Nicolas Tonsho, Directors of the Fantaspoa Film Festival, say that “Cell Count is a film that has a strong potential to please a large audience. Those seeking pure entertainment will get their fix and those looking for a film to reflect upon will be satisfied watching it as well. All in all, the suspense, the twists, its powerful visuals along with it’s simple universal story make it unique and effecting. We look forward to seeing Cell Count be appreciated by a large, and well deserved, audience.”
Director Todd E. Freeman was also able to spend a lot of time with filmmakers around the world including Alex Chandon (Inbred) Nick Gaglia (Altered States of Plaine) John Penny (Shadows) Casey Walker (A Little Bit Zombie) Yam Laranas (The Road) Tomasz Thomson (Snowman’s Land) as well as special honorees David Schmoeller (Puppet Master) and Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator).
“I can’t fully explain how much I learned from all of the other filmmakers from around the world. The stories about production, distribution, and festivals gave me a whole new understanding of the world view of genre based films. These filmmakers were open and honest and willing to also help put me in touch with some very influential people within the festival and distribution communities.” Todd continued, “I really am forever in their debt for helping me get my footing within a whole new community of international filmmakers.”
In the week prior and in the week since the World Premiere Cell Count has received 8 advance reviews from genre websites from around the world. Here is what people are saying:
ALMAS OSCURAS REVIEW (BARCELONA, SPAIN)
“Cell Count is a shattering psychological thriller with some touches of drama that constantly navigates between terror and visceral pure science fiction. The pace is perfectly measured in each scene, and the atmosphere is heightened by the precise choral work of the actors. It all leads to an end that will not leave anyone indifferent, a turn of events that is an extra bonus for lovers of great thrillers, because undoubtedly Cell Count is a tribute to the movie buff traditionally marginalized by the specific genres of cinema. Todd understands that on the other side of the screen are intelligent beings -the public- and the only mission of the movie is to honestly satisfy those viewers who are not afraid to become emotionally involved with a work of fiction.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
HORROR CULT FILMS REVIEW (ENGLAND)
“Todd E. Freeman, the director of Cell Count, has created a masterful movie. I’m not aware of his budget but the film is expertly filmed with beautiful shots of the sterile, clinical facility in which the patients reside. “
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
MORE HORROR REVIEW (USA)
“Every now and again a film comes along and reminds me why I love movies in general, and our genre in particular. It’s the surprises, those out of left field moments that if you got hit with them anywhere else you’d be pissed. Here, in our little corner of the movie world, it’s those batshit crazy bits that keep us coming back time and again. In movies, when you get that beauty of a surprise, you’re not pissed, you’re not angry, you’re in luck, and if that surprise really gets you off guard, then you’re in heaven.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
SCARED STIFF REVIEW (USA)
“From beginning to end, the movie captures the audience’s attention. It is a great true horror movie, reminiscent of 28 Days Later and Cabin Fever. The movie goes by quickly, and refreshingly leaves few unanswered questions. Nearing the end as the group bands together attempting to stop those alive from dying at the hands of the mad doctor’s expirement.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
KILLER FILM REVIEW (USA)
“Writer/director Todd E. Freeman works well in the sometimes unfriendly restrictions of low budget filmmaking, and crafts a twisted vision of science gone horribly wrong in the tradition of early David Cronenberg.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
28 DAYS LATER ANALYSIS (USA)
“At times, this movie moves like a twisted wray version of Ridley Scott’sAlien, but minus all the dirt and grime. During other times, this movie acts like a rallying cry to unite humanity to fight to the ravaging nature of any disease. But, eventually, this mysterious virus will spread.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
HORROR NEWS REVIEW (USA)
“The beauty [of Cell Count} is you are trying to constantly figure out where its all going and what surprises await. I think we assume that Brandt [Christopher Toyne} is twisted early on just on impression alone…….however to what means, what side effects, and what gain is he really up to? Director Todd E. Freeman plays on this viewer misdirection by seeding a bunch of isolated circumstances that demand more attention.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
AIN’T IT COOL NEWS REVIEW (USA)
“Writer/director Todd E. Freeman has concocted a horror film that will make you quiver on a cellular level, taking the desperation one feels when confronting an illness, teasing it with hope, then driving a hard steel-toed boot down on all expectation.”
READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE.
“We’ve been so lucky to have received so many good reviews so early on in the film festival life of Cell Count,” Freeman said. “We are looking forward to more screenings in the upcoming months as well as International Distribution by the fourth quarter of this year. We can’t wait for people to see the movie and judge for themselves. The fans of the film so far have been kind with their words and actions. Just signing posters and giving away t-shirts at the festival was such a great experience. Can’t wait to give away more in the upcoming months as well as meet as many genre fans as possible. What an amazing community of film nerds… just like me!”
Cell Count was the third of three feature films shot in 2011 from Wooden Frame Productions that utilized the Oregon state iOPIF rebate program which provides rebates of 20% of goods and services and 10% of Oregon labor for films produced by Oregon filmmakers who spend a minimum of $75,000 but not more than $750,000 on their project. (The other two features are Todd’s brother Jason’s film The Weather Outside and an adaptation of their father Dale Freeman’s book Wake Before I Die, which Jason and Todd Co-Directed. They will both be at festivals and distributed worldwide in 2012.) Over 50 cast and crew for the film were residents of Oregon. “This incentive is why we are able to make feature films in the state that we love. Oregon has diverse actors, locations, and crew abilities and without this incentive we would have to consider making movies in another state… and that is a truly horrendous thing to have to ponder. I am where I want to be and doing what I want to do with the people I want to do it with.” Todd said.
He continued, “Our budget, almost entirely, was spent in the state of Oregon. From produce and supplies, to equipment rentals and sales, lodging, payroll, locations, and the list goes on and on. We are Oregon filmmakers… not filmmakers who happen to live in Oregon. We make our budgeted movies here and we contribute to the local economy through providing jobs as well as purchasing goods through all local merchants. We constantly have the conversation “Can we buy this locally instead of just ordering it online.” This is our home and our workplace. We need to protect it and nurture it since we plan on doing this here for many years to come.”
Stay up to date with Cell Count screenings on their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/CellCount. Check out the poster and trailer on the Polluted Pictures website at: www.pollutedpictures.com
