It has been selected as the opening night film and will kick off 5 days of films in the downtown area. We hope all our LA friends can join us there – Bill’s family and Kevin Booth will join us for the Q&A afterwards.

http://www.dffla.com

So, American opened on 11 screens last Friday to great attendances and a packed Q&A event at Curzon Soho – thanks to all the Shooters who joined us, it was a very special night with great support from the wonderful Sheffield Doc Fest, who presented the event as part of their DocDays tour. The Q&A was by our friend Hussain, and we also managed to get in a lovely phone call with Steve Hicks.

Also present was Charles Brand, Bill’s exec producer and the man very responsible for bringing Bill to the UK, who gave some wonderful insight into what Bill was like in England, and the TV show they greenlit just before Bill died. The Curzon bar was filled till closing time with friends and many wonderful stories…

We are delighted to be holding over in 7 screens, plus opening in 5 more (Bradford, Leicester, Manchester, Liverpool and Norwich) today!

The totals currently in mean we are the 19th most successful documentary theatrical release of the last two years, and we are opening in more cities the next two weeks, so looks like it could go higher than that.

Over the weekend, we did Q&A’s at the lovely Everyman cinema on Sat and then the Ritzy Brixton on Sunday, and the best thing for us is always those people who come up to us after the screening with a slightly wide eyed look and say “How can I not have heard of this guy before?” This is why we made the film in many ways, to reach people who had maybe not had a chance until now to discover Bill.

Kermode in Cannes

The next day, Mark Kermode who we spoke with on Friday does his BBC News 24 round up live from the Croisette about films out this week, and from maybe 8 or 9 possible choices, reviews Robin Hood, Lebanon and American (“one of the best films around, if you get the chance to see it you must!” Heres Mark’s report from Cannes;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8683796.stm

(PS. Extra from the 5 Live podcast on Friday. At the end, Simon Mayo asks what is their Movie of the Week and Mark answers “American’ – Simon hesitates and asks if he didnt mean Robin Hood? Nope says Mark. Its great, check it out:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/fivelive/kermode/kermode_20100514-1626a.mp3

More updates to follow…

American The Bill Hicks Story opens in Bradford, Leicester, Manchester, Norwich and Liverpool tonight, and is still playing at several West End venues and in Scotland and Ireland – do check it out of you get the chance!

http://www.americanthemovie.com

8.40am RADIO4 TODAY programme - SIMON PEGG will be talking about Bill/the film with Nick Doody.

12 NOON Bill Hicks Official ‘NO WORK HOUR”
“Why dont YOU pretend I’m working?”

Close your spreadsheets, and remember a man who’s aim was to “enlighten people to think for themselves” by pretending to work. Share your memories, thoughts, quotes of Bill via twitter (hashtag “#noworkhour”), Facebook, blogs etc.
At 12, we’ll send you the exclusive “No Work Hour” clip link we’d like you to share and repost during the hour.

2.15pm RADIO 5 LIVE - Simon Mayo/Mark Kermode/us
Mark won’t there in the studio, he’s in Cannes, but he will be coming down the wire!

Opening weekend Q&A’s:
Curzon Soho – tonight, 6.15pm (SOLD OUT)
Screen on The Green – Sat May 15th 7.15pm
Ritzy Brixton – Sun May 16th 5pm.

Showing from TODAY Friday May 14th at these cinemas:
LONDON Curzon Soho
LONDON Greenwich Picturehouse
LONDON Odeon Covent Garden
LONDON Ritzy Brixton
LONDON Screen on the Green
BRISTOL Cube
BRISTOL Orpheus
CARDIFF Chapter
EDINBURGH Cameo
GLASGOW Film Theatre
MANCHESTER Printworks/Odeon
NEWCASTLE Tyneside FT
DUBLIN IFI
DUBLIN Screen D’Olier

Please come and support Bill and the film! See you at the movies…

okay so its less than a week to go until the UK release May 14th!

We’ve got a new trailer up – the BLACKBAND version! Check it out – its got swearing in!

Also check out the UK press today (Sat) – articles and interviews about the film in:
The Telegraph – Arts Review – Andy Fyfe feature on Bill Hicks
FT Weekend – Life & Arts – Interview with us as part of Emma Jacobs feature on subversive humour
The Times Playlist – Wit & Wisdom of Bill Hicks

Okay hope you have bought your tickets for next weekend, and if you can, drag a mate who doesnt know Bill along!

More news soon,

Team American

tickets are on sale NOW for the opening weekend SPECIAL Q&A screenings!
We will be at the Curzon Soho opening night. Please book fast as these tickets will sell out!
(There will be prizes at these screenings!)

MAY 14TH 6.15pm CURZON SOHO plus intro/Q&A
Box office: 0871 703 3988 http://www.curzoncinemas.com/events/doc_days/american_the_bill_hicks_story_qanda_matt_harlock_and_paul_thomas

MAY 15TH 7.15pm SCREEN ON THE GREEN (Everyman) plus intro/Q&A
Box office: 087 00 66 4777
http://www.everymancinema.com/cinemas/film_info_detail.asp?SessionID=7373361F68A949FF9B8C10821E4A96A5&cn=1&ci=5&ln=1&fi=5641|1482|0

MAY 16TH 5pm RITZY BRIXTON plus intro/Q&A
Box office: 0871 704 2065 http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Ritzy_Picturehouse/film/American_The_Bill_Hicks_Story/

More news to follow soon – Hope to see you there!

TEAM AMERICAN

“our most anticipated movie of the year” Maxim

“A brilliant and beguiling film” Esquire

“a triumph…extraordinary”Uncut

Confirmed UK & Eire release dates for AMERICAN The Bill Hicks Story, which opens nationwide on May 14th 2010.
Q&A’s will accompany some of the opening weekend screenings – tbc shortly.

Links for tickets will be added as they become live.

More dates to follow…

Links for tickets will be added as they become live.

More dates to follow…

http://www.ifibooking.ie/bookingmovieDetails.tpl?showcode=6808

Belfast Film Festival – Friday 23rd April at 9.30pm
Following hot on Dublin’s heels is the Northern Irish premiere – book tickets here:

http://www.belfastfilmfestival.org/2010/programme/films/424

The GTech screening room at the Austin Convention Center was crammed, even though we were up against the opening night film KickAss and the opening night party!

it was incredibly special, the crowd really connected with it, which included Mary and Steve, Outlaws Jimmy Pineapple and John Farneti and special guest Richard Linklater – who loved the film, and told Mary how he was so pleased that he knew Bill liked Dazed and Confused!

Great Q&A afterwards with Jimmy and John cracking the gags and remembering Bill so fondly.

Our next screening is tomorrow at 4pm in the massive 1200 seater Paramount Theatre – we need to fill it, please tell your US friends and

Heres some links to the recent press attention, PLEASE REPOST THEM!
The trailer is also out now everywhere! http://www.cinematical.com/tag/American:%20The%20Bill%20Hicks%20Story/ http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/03/bill-hicks-rocks-austin/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/sxsw_10_harlock_thomas_american_the_bill_hicks_story/ http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A977260