By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Take a ride to the dark side with this independent psychothriller.
Cinephobia Releasing has announced that it will bring SELF DRIVER to VOD and digital platforms May 8. Written and directed by Michael Pierro in his feature debut, it stars Nathanael Chadwick, Reece Presley (IN A VIOLENT NATURE) and Lauren Welchner. The film’s fest tour included winning Best Film in the Low Budget, Great Films section at Fantaspoa, the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature at Fantasia and Best Actor and Special Mention of the Jury for Best Director at Grimmfest. The synopsis: “SELF DRIVER follows a down-on-his-luck cab driver, who, facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The question becomes not how much money he can make, but what he’ll be compelled to do to make it. If you’ve got nothing to lose, how far would you go?”
“I’m beyond excited to be working with Cinephobia Releasing to bring SELF DRIVER to American audiences,” says Pierro. “The film was a passion project, built with a guerrilla spirit from the ground up. It’s a true joy to be working with a bunch of people who share the same love for independent cinema that brought the team behind SELF DRIVER together in the first place. This film would not exist without people like that and I can’t wait to see where they take it!”
“Michael Pierro’s boldly creative thriller captivated me like few films do,” says Cinephobia president Raymond Murray. “Cinephobia Releasing is very excited to bring this daring film to American audiences this year.”
“Films like SELF DRIVER are my favorite kind of films,” adds Justyna Koronkiewicz of Media Move. “It is powerful while being modest, which is a testament to director Michael Pierro’s boldness and talent as a filmmaker. I’m thrilled to help get this film the wide audience it deserves–something I already know Cinephobia can do well.”
