Ausgezeichnet mit dem Publikumspreis als Bester Film
Seoul LGBT Film Festival
FILMOUT San Diego
Bester Spielfilm, Beste Nebendarstellerin, Bester Nebendarsteller
Eine Überraschung zum Fest
(OT: Make the Yuletide Gay)
“Certain to be a gay Christmas favourite.”
On Top Magazine
"Will be an instant classic."
Dougsploitation.blogspot.com
"A potential homo holiday classic."
Fab Magazine
USA 2009, 89 Minuten
Regie und Drehbuch: Rob Williams
Produzenten: Rodney Johnson, Matthew Montgomery, Rob Williams
Kamera: Ian McGlocklin Sinclair, Schnitt: Denise Howard, Musik: Austin
Wintory
Darsteller: Keith Jordan (Olaf 'Gunn' Gunnunderson), Adamo Ruggiero (Nathan
Stanford), Hallee Hirsh (Abby Mancuso), Kelly Keaton (Anya Gunnunderson),
Derek Long (Sven Gunnunderson), Alison Arngrim (Heather Mancuso), Ian
Buchanan (Peter Stanford), Gates McFadden (Martha Stanford)
Ein Film im Verleih der
PRO-FUN MEDIA
FILMVERLEIH
Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
2009
www.PRO-FUN.de
Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Kurzsynopsis
Der Schock für Nathan (Adamo Ruggiero, offen schwuler Star der US-Serie
DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION) könnte nicht größer sein, als er
unangekündigt vor der festlich geschmückten Wohnungstür seiner besseren
Hälfte Olaf 'Gunn' Gunnunderson (out-and-proud Collegeschwarm Keith Jordan)
im spießigen Wisconsins aufschlägt.
Nicht genug, dass er dessen Dad wie Gott ihn schuf im offenem Bademantel
die Tür öffnen sieht - und so auch gleich die frappierende, anatomische
Ähnlichkeit zwischen Vater und Sohn erkennen darf -, sondern darüber hinaus
auch feststellen muss, dass Gunn urplötzlich zum hundertprozentigen Hetero
mutiert ist!?!
Es beginnt das wohl verrückteste Coming-out-Fest seit Robert Downey Jrs
FAMILIENFEST UND ANDERE SCHWIERIGKEITEN. Ein wahres Feuerwerk aus
Festtagsstimmung, Eierflips und köstlichen Enthüllungen.
Synopsis
Olaf ’Gunn’ Gunnunderson könnte nicht glücklicher mit Nathan sein,
stünden die Feiertage nicht vor der Tür. Während Gunn sich noch
einigermaßen auf die getrennten Tage bei seinen durchgeknallten Eltern
freuen kann, muss Schnuckel Nathan mal wieder erfahren, was es heißt, von
der Familie „vergessen“ zu werden. Kurzerhand beschließt der
Zurückgelassene, seine Urlaubstage bei den Gunnundersons zu verbringen und
unangekündigt spießige Wisconsins-Luft zu schnuppern.
Der Schock für Nathan könnte allerdings nicht größer sein, als Gunns Dad
wie Gott ihn schuf und im offenem Bademantel im Türrahmen steht (immerhin
sind nun auch die anatomischen Ähnlichkeiten zwischen Vater und Sohn
geklärt...) und Gunn urplötzlich als hundertprozentiger Hetero auftritt!
Es beginnt das wohl verrückteste Coming-out-Fest seit Robert Downey Jrs
FAMILIENFEST UND ANDERE SCHWIERIGKEITEN. Ein wahres Feuerwerk aus
Festtagsstimmung, Eierflips und köstlichen Enthüllungen.
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Guest House Films present a film by Rob Williams
Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Keith Jordan
Adamo Ruggiero
Hallee Hirsh, Kelly Keaton, Derek Long
Alison Arngrim, Ian Buchanan
Gates McFadden
Steve Callahan, Wyatt Fenner, Massimo Quagliano, Kevin F. Sherry
Jim Wharton, Doug Prinzivalli, Austin Wintory
Written and Directed by
Rob Williams
Produced by
Rodney Johnson
Matthew Montgomery
Rob Williams
Casting by
Judy Cook
Director of Photography
Ian McGlocklin Sinclair
Editor
Denise Howard
Original Score by
Austin Wintory
Original Songs by
Jake Monaco and Jen Hansen
1st Assistant Director
Mike Drobinski
2nd Assistant Director
Erald Sejdini
1st Assistant Camera
Jaxon Woods
Van Nessa Manlunas
Alex Cason
2nd Assistant Camera
Paul D. Hart
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Gaffers
Josh Day
Jeff Fry
Ken Wales
Key Grip
Rob Berrey
Swing/Grip & Electric
Owen Jones
Swing/Driver
Brian Eastveld
Steadicam Operators
Nicholas Davidoff
Dave Isern
Behind-The-Scenes Video Producer
Anthony Palato
Sound Mixer
Ryan Kaiser
Sound Designer
Billy Picciano
Script Supervisor
Aprill Winney
Key Makeup
Ricky Flores
Makeup Assistant
Jae Lee
Hairstylist
Julie Mueller
Set Decorator
JT Tepnapa
Production Assistants
Anthony Palato
Mike Justice
Craig Darr
Art Department Production Assistants
Meagen Johnson
Amanda Magdaleno-Arbizu
Art Department/Prop/Product Placement Coordinator
Scott Simmons
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Craft Services Production Assistant
Jason Layvas
Production Office Interns
Andrew Bluestone
Alan Wethern
Catering
360 By Gavin Glenn
Craft Services
Kit & Kaboodle Craft Services
Graphic Design
Brian Winkeler, Robot House Creative
Publicity
GrapeVine Public Relations
Insurance
Premier Class Insurance Services
"Hope" Painting Courtesy of
Catherine Krueger
Payroll Services
Wells Fargo Business Payroll
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Cast
Eine Überraschung zum Fest
KEITH JORDAN began his career in New York City where he received his BFA in
Acting at Marymount Manhattan College. Upon graduation, he performed
skits on “Late Night With Conan O'Brien,” booked roles in various independent
films in NYC and secured various television and radio spots. Soon after, he
landed a role in the film Suburban Girl, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec
Baldwin.
Now a full-time resident of Los Angeles, Jordan continues to focus his acting
career in film and television. Since relocating to Los Angeles, he has enjoyed
growing success in the industry, including securing the role of Superman's
Jimmy Olsen in a viral Internet marketing campaign for the Six Flags theme
parks, as well as the lead role in the new feature film, Make The Yuletide Gay.
ADAMO RUGGIERO is an experienced actor and host. He began his career in
Community Theatre at a very young age. In 1996, he landed his first
professional job as Cupid in Stage West’s Christmas production of "Rudolph
the Red Nosed Reindeer." In 2000, he was accepted to Cawthra Park
Secondary School (a performing arts school in Mississauga) where Adamo
played leading roles in "Godspell," "Carnival," "Auntie Mame" and "The Bath"
as well as directed "Sure Thing" by playwright David Ives for the Ontario’s
SEARS Drama festival.
In 2002, Adamo landed his first professional television job, premiering in the
second season of "Degrassi: The Next Generation" as Marco Del Rossi.
Throughout his seven years on the show, his role as a gay teenager has
garnered much attention. In 2004, Degrassi received its first GLAAD Media
Awards nomination for Outstanding Drama Series for Adamo’s starring
episodes entitled Pride (part 1 & 2). In January 2008, Adamo “came out” as a
young gay actor in an exclusive TV interview with eTalk and a cover story in
Fab, Canada’s premiere gay scene magazine. In an attempt to share his
story with other struggling gay youth, he has lent his name to The Trevor
Project (an organization that helps suicidal gay and questioning youth) where
he shot an international PSA alongside Roseanne Barr, T.R. Knight, Kristin Davis,
John Goodman and Neil Patrick Harris. He also produced and starred in a PSA
for the Report Homophobic Violence, Period (RHVP) campaign for Toronto’s
2008 Pride Festival. In April 2008, Degrassi was nominated for its second
GLAAD Media Award where Adamo was invited to present at the legendary
Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, alongside such stars as Ellen DeGeneres, Rufus
Wainwright, Sharon Stone and Tom Ford.
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Adamo recently starred in his first feature in Los Angeles entitled Make the
Yuletide Gay -- a gay themed, coming of age Christmas story where he plays
the film's supporting character of Nathan Stanford. Adamo’s next project
takes him to the live stage! In March 2009, he will star in the Toronto premiere
of "Dog Sees God: Confession of a Teenage Blockhead" --- a modern
adaptation of the iconic Peanuts comic strips. Adamo plays Van (Linus), the
pot head, girl-obsessed yet insightful best friend of C.B. (Charlie Brown).
Adamo is also an experienced television host, having hosted/co-hosted such
shows as the "MTV Hills After Show," "Video on Trail," "Canada’s Next Top
Model," the 22nd and 23rd annual Gemini Awards as well as hosted multiple
stories on CTV’s hit entertainment show eTalk. Adamo most recently hosted
the first season of YTV’s hit series "The Next Star" where he led the national
search for Canada’s next young singing sensation.
In between projects, Adamo is pursuing an honors double major degree at
York University in Communication Studies and Film Theory. He hopes to
venture into producing/directing in the future.
Acting professionally since the age of 3, HALLEE HIRSH has amassed an
impressive resume of film and TV credits. She got her start in commercials in
Florida but a family move to New York City when she was 4 put her in place to
rapidly expand her horizons and experience starting with a regular gig on the
ABC Soap "Loving" and soon leading to significant roles in studio movies.
Her earlier films include You’ve Got Mail where she appeared opposite Tom
Hanks as his character’s eight year old aunt “Annabelle” and One True Thing,
where she played the younger version of Rene Zellweger’s character and
opposite both Meryl Streep and William Hurt.
While adding to her theatrical resume, she also began building a solid
filmography in TV including both starring and supporting roles in made for
television movies and an extensive list of major guest starring roles on TV
episodics including "Law & Order," "Malcolm in the Middle," "Judging Amy,"
and more recently, "Will and Grace," "Boston Legal," "Six Feet Under," "Grey’s
Anatomy," "The Guardian," "Cold Case," "Without a Trace," "Ghost Whisperer,"
"Saving Grace" and others.
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
At the age of 13 and after a move to Los Angeles, she landed the major
recurring role of Rachel Greene, Anthony Edwards’ wayward daughter on
"ER," followed two years later in the recurring role of Mattie Grace Johnson on
"JAG" for the next two years.
In recent years, she completed a three season contract on the Discovery Kids
Channel hit teen show, "Flight 29 Down," and starring roles in several made for
TV movies and independent features, including The Hallmark Channel’s "Wild
Hearts," and Don Roos’ Happy Endings. Hallee is the recipient of two Youth in
Film Young Artists Awards for her starring role on the Disney Channel’s
Christmas classic, "The Ultimate Christmas Present," and a supporting best
actress award for her work on Lifetime Channel’s "My Sister’s Keeper."
KELLY KEATON. Born and raised in Wisconsin - Go Packers! This Cheesehead
received undergraduate (Moorhead State in Minnesota) and graduate
(UNC-Greensboro) degrees in Theatre. She was nominated twice for an Irene
Ryan scholarship award. Favorite roles include Bev in "Graceland," Ellen in "The
Art of Dining" and Sister Mary in "Sister Mary Ignatious Explains it all to you."
Kelly has been a member of Actors Co-op in Hollywood starting in 2004. If
variety is the spice of life, this character actress is pretty spicy. She was most
recently seen in the original 5 woman show "Dancing with My Father." Just
before that, she played 80 year old Italian Mrs. Fremus, 40 year old midwest
Karen, and 30 something developmentally disabled Clara in "The Boys Next
Door." Her first role at Actors Co-op was sassy Southern Butch in "Shooting
Stars."
She also wrote and performed for two runs of "Boobytrap" ~ the very breast
show in town raising thousands of dollars for breast cancer research.
Since moving to LA, she has been seen in several national commercials
including, Buick, Hallmark, Scrubbing Bubbles, Comcast, Roundtable Pizza
and Lexus hybrid. While giving Steve Martin and Eugene Levy dirty looks in
Cheaper by the Dozen II, Kelly has worked on several Independent films —
including Rob Williams’ Long-Term Relationship and Back Soon. She loves that
work most of all, and is looking forward to much more to come!
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
DEREK LONG. Derek's recent film roles have included playing a surgeon
addicted to electricity in Dark Blue Films/Velvet Candy Entertainment's
Socket, and the December in a May/December relationship in Guest House
Films' 3-Day Weekend. Recent stage productions are "Hamlet" at Hollywood
Forever Cemetery, and "A Piece of Tin" at the Lyric Theatre, Los Angeles.
ALISON ARNGRIM, best known to viewers world-wide for her portrayal of the
incredibly nasty “Nellie Oleson” on the much loved, long running hit television
series "Little House On The Prairie," continues to amuse audiences through her
many film, television and stage appearances. She can currently be seen in
the independent films For the Love of May with Ru Paul and Patricia Neal, and
The Last Place On Earth with Billy Dee Williams and Phyllis Diller. In 2007, she
began her foray into French cinema with the role of “Edith” in the French
detective comedy, Jean Pierre Mocky’s Le Deal.
In addition to her seven years on "Little House," Alison guested on such cult
classics as: "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island" and the NBC movie of the week, "I
Married Wyatt Earp," starring Marie Osmond.
She mocked her own status as an “ex-child star” on Jay Leno’s "Tonight Show,"
during their month long parody, “Hollywood Survivor” and continues to be a
frequent interview subject on everything from “A&E”, “E! Entertainment”, “TV
Land” and “VH-1”, to CNN and the Travel Channel. The TV Land network
honored her undying image as TV’s worst bitch, by declaring her the winner of
their 2006 award for, “Character Most Desperately In Need Of A Time Out”.
Alison’s stage work includes, “Sirena: Queen of the Tango”, "Butterflies Are
Free," “Hidden In The Laughter”, "Dear Brutus," "The Wool Gatherer," "Cry Of
Players", the French bedroom farce, "In One Bed And Out The Other," Michael
Kearns’ “AIDS/US II,” and the role of “Rita” in the 2005 GLAAD Award
nominated production of “Last Summer At Bluefish Cove.” Most recently she
starred at the ACME Comedy Theatre in the Ovation Award Nominated
musical-drama, “Flirting with Morty” as the abusive, trashy and tragic Ray Lee.
As a stand-up comedian, Alison has headlined at nightclubs such as the
Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store and the Improv in Los Angeles; as well as
the Cutting Room in New York and assorted comedy venues all across the
United States and Canada.
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
Her one woman show “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch”, which started at Club
Fez in New York, has now become a world-wide phenomenon, having been
performed to packed houses in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Maui and the
south of France, where Alison performed entirely in French to a standing room
only crowd at the “Palais des Congres” in her all French version titled:
“Confessions d’une Garce de La Prairie”! She then took the show to Paris’
Theatre Dejazet, where she received multiple standing ovations.
In 1986 when her friend and "Little House husband" co-star, Steve Tracy,
passed away due to complications of HIV/AIDS, Alison immediately began
volunteering at AIDS Project Los Angeles. Her duties ranged from working on
the Southern California AIDS Hotline and the APLA food bank, (APLA's
Necessities of Life Program,) to chairing the steering committee of the
volunteer speakers bureau and developing “Safer Sex” workshops. She has
provided AIDS education to doctors, nurses, prison inmates, service clubs,
churches, department stores and schools, written AIDS education articles for
the magazines "Frontiers" and "Designers West”, and spent seven years hosting
the APLA educational cable television show, "AIDS Vision". In 1992, Joel Wachs
presented Alison with a resolution by the Los Angeles City Council
commending her on her work on behalf of people living with HIV and AIDS.
From 1989 through 1993 she served as Program Manager at Tuesday's Child,
an organization assisting children and families affected by HIV and AIDS. From
1989 through 2003 she served as both hostess and producer for the comedy
stage at the AIDS Project Los Angeles Annual Summer Party, (on the backlot
of Universal Studios), where through an evening of raucous entertainment,
featuring name comedians, she helped to raise hundreds of thousands of
dollars for people living with HIV.
She currently serves as California Chair, National Spokesperson and Founding
Board Member on the National Advisory Board of The National Association to
Protect Children (www.PROTECT.org), fighting to give children a legal and
political voice in the war against child abuse. As an activist for the
improvement of child protection laws, she has spoken before the California
Senate and worked on legislative and political campaigns in several states,
including Virginia and New York, in addition to PROTECT’s work on federal
legislation in Washington, D.C.
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
She has appeared on numerous television news programs discussing the legal
and political issues surrounding child abuse and molestation. She came
forward to tell the world about the sexual abuse she suffered in her own life,
during her 2004 interview on Larry King Live.
She continues to be interviewed on this and other topics on "Nancy Grace,"
CNN’s "Showbiz Tonight," "The Insider," Court TV and Bill O’Reilly’s "The Factor."
Alison currently lives in the wilds of Tujunga with her husband of fourteen
years, musician Bob Schoonover, (from the rock and roll band “Catahoula”)
and their two cats, Hannibal and Clarice. She takes pride in the fact that so
many people enjoyed hating her as a girl and is more than happy to give
them the opportunity to do so in the future.
Award winning actor IAN BUCHANAN has appeared in motion pictures, guest
starred on television dramas and comedies, and played iconic roles on a host
of daytime dramas that have brought him a worldwide audience. He has
starred in both classic and modern plays in England and the US. He is currently
a member of The Citizen's Band, an avant-garde cabaret collective of
international performance artists, reminiscent of the Weimar Era, whose
acclaimed theatrical presentations deal with current and controversial
political, religious and social themes.
Television guest starring roles in "Nip/Tuck," "Alias," "Hope and Faith,"
"Charmed," "Yes, Dear," "On The Air," "On The Air," "Quantum Leap," It's The
Garry Shandling Show," "Stargate," "Raising Dad," Berkeley Nunn: Hollywood
Detective," "Nash Bridges," and "The Norm Show," and he was a cult favorite in
"Twin Peaks," among many others.
Buchanan is familiar to audiences worldwide for his starring roles on "The Bold
and The Beautiful," for which he received an Emmy Award, "General Hospital,"
"All My Children," and "Port Charles."
Film roles include memorable appearances in "Mate," "Panic Room," "Lying in
Wait," "Double Exposure," "The Cool Surface," and "The Seventh Sign."
Born in Scotland, Buchanan resides in Southern California.
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Eine Überraschung zum Fest
GATES MCFADDEN is know internationally for her portrayal of the role of Dr.
Beverly Crusher in the Paramount Studio television series “Star Trek: The Next
Generation” and four ST:TNG films. Born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, she studied
dance, circus techniques and acting throughout elementary and secondary
schools and participated in local theater and television. Graduating with a
BFA with honors from Brandeis University, she continued her theatre studies in
Paris with Jacques Lecoq. After graduating from his Ecole Internationale, she
returned to the east coast where she began a fifteen-year career teaching
and directing. She was an Assistant Professor at Brandeis University, lecturer at
University of Pittsburgh, adjunct faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
She served as guest lecturer or artist at many schools including Harvard,
Temple, George Washington, and Perdue Universities, American Academy of
Dramatic Arts, Brooklyn and Eckerd Colleges, and the Stella Academy in
Hamburg, Germany. She was choreographer of the BAM Theatre Company
under David Jones, and was Director of Choreography for Jim Henson’s film
Labryinth and Gavin Miller’s Dreamchild.
She was the artistic director of The New York Theater Commotion and worked
with Edward Petherbridge, Caroline Blakeston, and Ian McNeice in London to
develop a production at the Lyric Hammersmith. Her New York acting credits
include: the Tommy Tune production of Cloud Nine, The Homecoming at JRT,
Emerald City at New York Theater Workshop, EST’s two productions of To
Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, Couch Tandem, The Bloodletters, and A
Midsummer’s Night’s Dream at the Delacorte in Central Park. Film credits
include Taking Care of Business, The Hunt for Red October and one of The
Muppets’ movies.
She enjoyed a recurring role on “Mad About You,” and was a series regular
on “Marker.” Guest appearances on TV include “Party of Five,” HBO’s “Dream
On,” “The Practice,” and the film “Crowned and Dangerous” among others.
Ms. McFadden performed the role of The Devil in “L’Histoire du Soldat,”
conducted by Kent Nagamo for the La Jolla Chamber Music Festival, and
narrated “Carnival des Animaux” for Leonard Slatkin with the Cleveland
Orchestra. She is currently an adjunct member of the USC Department of
Theatre and Artistic Director or Ensemble Studio Theatre LA.
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