Company News: Page (1) of 1 - 09/13/12

Directorial Debut of Jim Akin: "After the Triumph of Your Birth" Feature Film World Premiere, Digital & DVD Release

(September 13, 2012)

Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shootist Films (http://shootistfilms.com)
presents the World Premiere of the independent film "After
the Triumph of Your Birth," the directorial debut of
musician/record producer Jim Akin, featuring
Maria McKee. The feature-length film is a
surreal, dark-humored portrait of the outsider; a poetic and
philosophical music-driven celebration of uncertainty. The
World Premiere will take place on Thursday, September 13, 2012 at
7:30 p.m., at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana
Avenue) in Santa Monica, California, as part of the
American Cinematheque's ongoing film series.
McKee, Akin and cast members will perform in a live concert
immediately following the screening.

The film will be available worldwide for download on Friday,
September 14^th, streaming on demand
from ShootistFilms.com, MariaMcKee.org and the
film's fan page ("After the Triumph of Your Birth")
on Facebook.

On Tuesday, September 18^th, the DVD and Blu-ray Disc
will be available via Film Baby and
Amazon.com. (Product can also be ordered via
the Shootist Films and Maria McKee websites.)

The film's soundtrack is also available now via iTunes,
CD Baby, and its affiliate distributors.

The main character, "Eli Willits," is played by
Tom Dunne, who plays drums and percussion on the
film's score. Dunne has played together with Akin in bands
for several years. Versatile vocalist, songwriter and live
performance artist Maria McKee (Lone Justice, "Pulp
Fiction" Soundtrack) has recorded and toured together with
Jim Akin, and together they have released several acclaimed albums.
Multi-talented Tessa Ferrer
("Eva") can trace the roots of her powerful
singing and acting style back to her grandparents who were the
beloved Rosemary Clooney and Jose
Ferrer.

Writer/director and L.A. native Jim Akin made "After the Triumph
of Your Birth" with a crew of zero, for a total of $550.00, running
3 cameras and capturing sound before doing all editing and post in
his home studio. The film also marks the feature film debut of
acclaimed singer/songwriter Maria McKee who plays the role of
"Millicent," and also co-wrote the score with
husband, Akin.

Akins says, "Every day, I simultaneously try to wake up and go
to sleep. This film, I think, discusses the transition
between those two states."

At age 40, and "half-way to the infinite dirt nap," Eli Willits
embarks on a seven-day, 100-mile philosophical quest--from the
barren emotional state of the high desert to the hypothetical
promise of the ocean. Using a forgotten Los Angeles as a
backdrop, four story lines converge in a tone poem that explores
intent, expectation and the crossover between desperation and
tenderness. Midway through the journey, a six-inch tall
female asks the questions: "Who are we? What are we doing?"
A five-inch tall female with wings provides an
answer.

Akin adds, "I think this film is for the scratch and dent crowd.
We tell ourselves that next year the pain will subside with a
new discovery, conquest, love. Time passes, and maybe we'll
just numb ourselves, chase an obsession, harden our heart, drink
more. We are told that love is all we need. But where
is it? What is it?"

Through a series of dream-like vignettes--and a variety of
musical numbers--the film asks questions about the uncertainty of
life: from faith, love and happiness to broken dreams and death.
A reoccurring character, "The Answer Man"
(Rob Zabrecky) appears with declarations, such as:
"Love is a vortex of need, dancing behind a dazzling smokescreen of
death."

Film critic Larry Thomas writes, "From the
first frame (director Jim Akin) lures you into a unique world of
rapturous and inventive widescreen imagery. It's not too far afoot
to say that some of his images (he also shot and edited) rival
Terrence Malick on a tighter budget, and there is
a similar sense of stillness and wonder at the heart of this
film…Lots of influences flood the mind while watching 'After the
Triumph of Your Birth.' The films of Wim Wenders,
David Lynch, Robert Altman, Paul Thomas Anderson and
Jacques Demy; the L.A. skid-row poetics of
Charles Bukowski, the dust of John
Fante, the sun-baked noirs of Southern California and the
photographs of the Southern pictorialist William
Eggleston."

About Jim Akin

Jim Akin was born in Laguna Beach, California. Jim's
father raced motorcycles for a living and his mother was a
substitute teacher. In the summer of his junior year in high
school, Jim was asked to join a neighborhood garage/surf band.
That day he bought a bass guitar from a pawn shop in Santa
Ana for $50, and rehearsed with the band the same evening.
Dropping out of school, music and photography were all that
mattered. To survive, Jim worked in a shipyard. Years
passed and then money and music came together. Jim wrote,
toured, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered albums until 2010,
when a series of breakthroughs in technology allowed for a shift in
creative expression. For the feature-length film, "After the
Triumph of Your Birth," Jim was the director, cinematographer,
sound recordist and production department. In post, he served
as editor, mixing and mastering final sound/picture and co-created
the soundtrack and score. Jim currently resides in Los
Angeles with his wife, Maria McKee.

"After the Triumph of Your Birth" Trailer

CONTACT: Heather Burgett, 310.633.4801 heather@theburgettgroup.com

Page: 1

Related Keywords: ENTERTAINMENT, MOVIES, MUSICBroadcast, Streaming, Digital, Camera/Film, Blu-ray/HD DVD, Internet Media, Film, Music, Entertainment,