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The Initiation
Producers: Diane Nabatoff, Tiara Blu Films / Jonathan Shukat, ShowKat Productions
To be directed by Mikael Södersten / Script by Cornelia Ravenal
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Inspired by true events, The Initiation is about a rising young hockey star on a bullet to the NHL. But when a brutal hazing turns deadly, he risks his future to expose the truth – and in the process, discovers not only the involvement of the man he trusted most, but his own complicity. A suspenseful, richly-layered story, The Initiation explores the exhilaration of top-class sports, the forging of male identity, and the turmoil and courage it takes to be a whistleblower. A story of conscience, it shows how a young person grows from willing follower to true leader, what it takes to be an athlete, and ultimately, what it means to become a man. Devastating yet redemptive, its ending will not only shock, but inspire. Production Team The creative and producing team has gained both critical and commercial success, including Academy Awards and the top prizes at Sundance, Tribeca, Berlin and Cannes. Director Mikael Södersten – a former Division One hockey player – has made films for Swedish TV and worked as script doctor/dramaturg on almost 40 European films and TV series, including Grand Jury Prize winners at Tribeca and Sundance. Recently, he worked closely with director Tomas Alfredson on Let the Right One In and the Oscar-nominated Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Diane Nabatoff has produced over 20 films, including Narc with Ray Liotta and Take the Lead with Antonia Banderas. Canadian co-producer Liz Jarvis produced the Sundance and Cannes winning Amreeka. The script by Cornelia Ravenal was a Semifinalist in the Nicholl Competition, placing in the top 2% out of 5,662 entries. It has also been featured as an IFP Emerging Narrative and in the 2011 No Borders International Co-Production Market. The creative team includes editor Lisa Fruchtman – Oscar winner for Best Editing for The Right Stuff – and creative producer Wendy Sax, former Artistic Director of the IFP Market, responsible for discovering numerous critically acclaimed films at early stages, including the Oscar-nominated Frozen River. Audience Appeal As a sports film, The Initiation will pack a punch. For hockey fans, the smallest details will ring true, from the action of the games, to the camaraderie in the locker room, to the politics of college sports. For those new to hockey, it will challenge perceptions with an insider’s view. But The Initiation will not just be an exciting sports film. It will also have an impact, addressing a disturbing and complex issue that’s very much in the news today. Although hazing is illegal in 44 states, it’s epidemic in most high schools and colleges, involving almost half of all teens who belong to groups. Among student athletes, it’s as high as 80%. These are just some of the audiences that The Initiation will attract. A compelling script. Seasoned producers. A topical subject. And a solid marketing plan that will generate multiple strands of revenue in domestic and global markets. These elements make The Initiation not just a worthwhile project, but one with a strong chance to be a commercial and critical success. |