Journey into the Unknown: Ballast director going DIY Distribution Route

Lance Hammer better start sharpening the pencils and stock up on clean underwear. The next couple of months will see the filmmaker do a lot of number crunching and this autumn, Hammer will bring his DIY experience onto a different platform.

In short the 2008 story unfolded as such: Hammer presents Ballast at Sundance. Receives critical acclaim and the IFC pick up the distribution rights. Film goes onto Berlin and several fests after this. Add acclaim and awards. Recently, Hammer leaves IFC offer and seeks out some sort of strategy with Strand Releasing. Not much time after, the Strand deal becomes another no-deal asterix. 

“We’re disappointed and we love the movie,” admitted IFC Films’ head of acquisitions Arianna Bocco.” But how can you argue with an independent filmmaker who wrote, directed, produced and financed his own movie and wants to take that final step of ownership? I respect that choice.”

Indiewire‘s Anthony Kaufman gives us the latest update on an American independent filmmaker choice to weather the storm alone (with support from the film’s production co., Alluvial Film Company, along with Steven Raphael’s Required Viewing).

The Ballast gets an October 1st release in New York’s Film Forum, followed by a national rollout.