Movie filmed in

Freehold still

seeks U.S. deal

By dave benjamin

Staff Writer

It’s not easy to break into the film market in this country, so Grownups has gone off to, where else? Europe.

"Grownups was part of the Cannes Market at the Cannes Film Festival this past spring where its foreign distribution company Curb Entertainment has sold [it] for theatrical release in the following countries: Australia, Italy, South Africa, India, Greece, Thailand and Israel," said Doug Finelli, the director, producer and writer who collaborated with writer and co-producer Mitch Galane to film the independent film in the Freehold area in the summer of 2000. "We are currently in the final stages of negotiating a distribution agreement with a U.S. distributor, ZenPix, who will be responsible for all U.S. sales."

Finelli said he expects that within the next 12 months, Grownups should be coming to a few pay cable channels as well as to local video stores.

"Mitch and I would still like to hold a private screening for the people of Freehold, but we need a theater to [hopefully] volunteer the time and a projectionist," Finelli said. "It would be great if it could happen within the next few weeks before some of the kids who worked on the crew would have to leave for the fall [college] semester."

Three summers ago, cast and crew came to western Monmouth County as Grownups was filmed in Freehold Town-ship, Freehold Borough and Manalapan. The film is a contemporary romantic comedy about the anxieties of reaching and entering the "30s" age group and accepting adulthood. The story centers on a suburban foursome who come to terms with their complacent lives in Freehold.

The film stars John Stamos, Daniel London, Meredith Salenger and Tara Westwood.

"It’s a piece of Mitch, a piece of me, my wife and a good friend of ours," said Finelli. "It’s like four different stories of the lead characters and the stuff they’re dealing with as they reach their 30s."