The BloodList, an annual ranking of the best genre film scripts and TV pilots, is rebooting its talent discovery program with some heavyweight partners.

Village Roadshow Pictures and Brillstein Entertainment will now oversee submissions for the list’s Fresh Blood section, emphasizing diversity and inclusion. Both features and series will be considered, and the companies will select a script to develop and produce from the list. Jillian Apfelbaum and Tristen Tuckfield will oversee for Village Roadshow Pictures.

Created in 2009 by literary manager and Brillstein producer Kailey Marsh, the upcoming 13th installment of the list will feature a selection of horror, thriller, dark comedy, sci-fi, psychological drama and dark fantasy projects. Previous BloodList entries include “The Autopsy of Jane Doe,” “Black Swan,” “The Shallows,” “Warm Bodies” and “His House.”

Village Roadshow is currently in negotiations to develop “Little India” by Raj Balu, which was a selection from 2020 Fresh Blood competition. The film follows an immigrant jeweler in financial ruin who summons the powers of Hindu black magic to terrifying effect. Christian Taylor of Taylor Lane Productions will produce. Balu is represented by Nick Leicht at Elixir Entertainment and Bradley Garrett at Cohen & Gardner.

Film Mode sells ‘Dreamkatcher’ to Europe, Asia (exclusive)

LA-based Film Mode Entertainment has closed key territories here on its Radha Mitchell horror film Dreamkatcher, led by deals in Europe and Asia.

Metropolitan has picked up the film for France, World Pictures for CIS, Eagle Films for Middle East, Long Shong for Taiwan, and Storm Pictures Korea for South Korea.

Kerry Harris’ feature directorial debut has also gone in the Philippines (Pioneer Films), Benelux (Dutch Filmworks), Indonesia (Rapi Films), Benelux (Dutch Filmworks), Vietnam (Mockingbird), Turkey (Ela Film) and pan-Asian pay-TV (Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific Limited).

Lin Shaye from the Insidious franchise, Henry Thomas and Finlay Wojtak-Hissong round out the cast on the story of a Manhattan therapist on holiday with her boyfriend and his son, who is haunted by nightmares of his dead mother. An encounter with a mysterious stranger in the woods sets off a chain of terrifying events.

Harris co-wrote the screenplay with Dan V. Shea.

Christian Taylor of Taylor Lane Productions produced with Orian Williams, Annie Stewart and Harris. Executive producers are Film Mode’s Clay Epstein, Shaye, Gina Rugolo and Mitchell.

‘Dreamkatcher’: Lin Shaye, Radha Mitchell & Henry Thomas Star In U.S. Horror-Thriller; Screen Media & Film Mode Rep Sales

EXCLUSIVE: Lin Shaye (Insidious), Radha Mitchell (The Romanoffs) and Henry Thomas (The Haunting Of Hill House) lead cast in U.S. horror-thriller Dreamkatcher.

The film, currently shooting, follows a Manhattan therapist (Mitchell) who travels upstate with her boyfriend (Thomas) and his orphaned son who is tormented by nightmares of his dead mother. When the husband is forced to return to the city, the therapist remains with the boy and they encounter a mysterious neighbor (Shaye) in the woods.

Finlay Wojtak-Hissong (The Banana Split Movie) plays the son. Jules Willcox (Under The Silver Lake) and Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring) round out the supporting roles.

The movie marks the feature debut of Kerry Harris from a script by Dan V. Shea, based on a story by Harris and Shea. Producers are Christian Taylor of Taylor Lane Productions (Measure Of A Man), Orian Williams (Control), Annie Stewart (Leaving Las Vegas) and Harris. Executive producers are Film Mode Entertainment’s Clay Epstein, Mitchell, Shaye, and Gina Rugolo.

Pic is being sold internationally by Screen Media in partnership with Film Mode Entertainment. The filmmakers are eyeing a series of films based on the premise.

Producer Taylor said, “Dreamkatcher is a grounded horror-thriller that explores themes of science vs the supernatural and I’m thrilled to be working with Kerry and this incredible cast”.

Measure of a Man in competition at Rome Film Fest’s Alice Nella Citta

The event, geared toward younger audiences, will present 36 new films in its 18th edition.

The Rome Film Fest’s independent sidebar, Alice nella Citta, will kick off with a pre-opening event in Milan featuring Johnny English Strikes Again. Star Rowan Atkinson will be present at the event on Sunday and also meet with film school students in the city.

Alice nella Citta is the annual festival’s special section geared toward younger audiences.

As usual, the Young/Adult competition will feature a jury of 27 members from around Italy between the ages of 14 and 18.

In the competition this year are: Amelie van Elmbt’s The Elephant and the Butterfly, produced by the Dardenne brothers and executive produced by Martin Scorsese; Joshua Leonard’s Behold My Heart, featuring Charlie Plummer and Marisa Tomei; the international premiere of Peter Hedges’ Ben Is Back, starring Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts; Jim Loach’s Measure of a Man, toplined by Judy Greer, Donald Sutherland and Luke Wilson; Ludovic Bernard’s entry In Your Hands, starring Kristin Scott-Thomas, Lambert Wilson and Jules Benchetrit; Salima Glamine and Dimitri Linder's For a Happy Life; Broken Mirrors by Imri Matalon and Aviad Givon; James Gardner's Jellyfish; and Carly Stone's The New Romantic featuring Jessica Barden. Two Italian films, Laura Luchetti’s Fiore Gemelloand Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman’s Butterfly, complete the lineup.

My Struggle to Write Honestly About a Test of Manhood

When I was 14, I lied about my age to get a job maintaining the grounds of a nasty old man’s Hudson Valley estate. Older boys who wanted the job hassled me. By the end of that painful and exhilarating summer more than six decades ago, I had lost some 40 pounds and determined that the experience would be my first novel, a Hemingway-esque Farewell to Fat.

But it took 25 years to write the young adult book “One Fat Summer,” and it wasn’t my first novel because of the emotions evoked by bullies, girls and being fat. It was too hard to be open and honest and still feel manly.

Rereading it recently for the first time in many years, after screening “Measure of a Man,” the movie version due out this month, I still loved most of it but was struck by how certain I sounded back then about things I’m no longer so sure about. I was surprised to find that my attitudes have moved closer to the sensibilities of the film, which I had no hand in.

‘Measure of a Man’: In Bicentennial summer, a teen aims for some independence

Ah, that one summer when everything changed.

Hollywood loves Summertime Coming-of-Age Movies (SCOAM). From “Summer of ’42” to “Stand by Me,” from “Now and Then” to “The Kids Are All Right,” from “Dirty Dancing” to “Call Me By Your Name,” from “Crooklyn” to “The Way Way Back,” the SCOAM is a wonderful platform for comedy-dramas where we can identify with the insecurities, restlessness, dreams, romantic triumphs (and setbacks) and madcap adventures of the lead characters, even if their backgrounds are far different from ours.

“Measure of a Man” is just such a film. It’s a sweet and knowing and lovely and funny story, but occasionally the spell of warm nostalgia is broken by painful moments of family heartbreak and cruel bullying.

This is a movie that has us caring about the main characters from the get-go, and that’s a tribute to the direction of Jim Loach, the screenplay by David Scearce (adapting the popular and acclaimed young adult novel “One Fat Summer” by the great Robert Lipsyte), and the terrific cast of talented young actors and likable veterans.

Fine cast, strong script propel nostalgic coming-of-age tale 'Measure of a Man'

While it might not bring much that's new to the coming-of-age playbook, British filmmaker Jim Loach's sensitively-observed dramedy, "Measure of a Man," offers decisive proof that fresh and different is overrated when you've got a strong cast, a beautifully written script and fittingly measured direction.

It may be the summer of 1976, but it's business as usual for the Marks family, who is again spending it at their vacation home on New Jersey's Rumson Lake, much to the agony of overweight 14-year-old Bobby (an absolutely terrific Blake Cooper), who faces yet another year of being bullied by the resentful townies who don't take kindly to "summer people."

Not keen on facing the prospect of camp but anxious to get away from his bickering parents (Judy Greer and Luke Wilson), Bobby finds work maintaining the grounds of an expansive estate belonging to the imperious Dr. Kahn (Donald Sutherland), who proves to be a stern taskmaster and, ultimately, a fatherly mentor.

Based on Robert Lipsyte's loosely autobiographical "One Fat Summer," the screenplay by David Scearce ("A Single Man") updates the novel's 1950's setting to the U.S. bicentennial with keenly nostalgic results, accentuated by affectionate period touches and a soulful '70s score that's completely in tune with young Cooper's adroitly connected performance.

‘Measure of a Man’ is a funny, wise movie about bullying that speaks to kids and grown-ups alike

Rating: 3.5 stars

Like the sweetly self-conscious protagonist of the movie “Measure of a Man” — 14-year-old Bobby Marks, who worries about his weight while trying to navigate a summer filled with bullying and life lessons — there is a lot to love in this gently funny and wise little movie. Based on Robert Lipsyte’s semi-autobiographical 1977 young-adult novel “One Fat Summer,” the film will speak most directly to teens who, like its hero and wryly self-aware narrator, might be concerned about their physical appearance. At the same time, its story, which also deals tangentially with class tensions, religious bigotry, ethnic prejudice and homophobia, has as much to say to those kids’ parents and grandparents, who should find the film’s message as uplifting — and its unassuming central character as charming — as young people do.

Sundance: Great Point Media Launching U.S. Theatrical Distribution Arm

In a pre-Sundance Film Festival move, UK-based media fund manager Great Point Media is launching a US theatrical distribution arm with plans to release eight to 12 titles per year.

The company unveiled the plans Friday, saying that it has already assembled a full slate for 2018, with $10 million in P&A committed to date. The first release will come in March with “Submission,” writer-director Richard Levine’s adaptation of Francine Prose’s novel “Blue Angel,” starring Stanley Tucci and Kyra Sedgwick. It will open in New York on March 2 and will expand to multiple major markets on March 9.

Great Point Media’s distribution slate includes: Judy Greer’s directorial debut, “A Happening of Monumental Proportions,” starring Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, Katie Holmes, and Common; “Measure of a Man,” a coming-of-age story directed by Jim Loach and starring Blake Cooper, Donald Sutherland, Luke Wilson, and Judy Greer; and Andrew Dosunmu’s drama “Where Is Kyra?” starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kiefer Sutherland.