FilmRise, a film and television studio and streaming network, has acquired the exclusive North American distribution rights to the coming-of-age comedy Drunk Bus.
Starring Charlie Tahan (“Ozark”), Kara Hayward (“Moonrise Kingdom,” “To The Stars”) and newcomer Pineapple Tangaroa, the film, originally to premiere at SXSW 2020, follows a young directionless campus bus driver and a punk-rock, charismatic Samoan security guard who is hired to protect him on the nightshift as drunk college students are ushered from one party to the next.
Michael (Charlie Tahan) is a recent graduate whose post-college plan is derailed when his girlfriend leaves him for a job in New York City. Stuck in Ohio without a new plan of his own, Michael finds himself caught in the endless loop of driving the “drunk bus,” the debaucherous late-night campus shuttle that ferries drunk college students from parties to the dorms and back. When the bus service hires a security guard to watch over the night shift, Michael comes face to tattooed face with Pineapple (Tangaroa), a larger-than-life punk rock Samoan who challenges him with a kick in the ass to break from the loop and start living or risk driving in circles forever.
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The film also stars Zach Cherry (“You,” “Duncanville”), Dave Hill (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Joe Pera Talks with You”), Sarah Mezzanotte (“Chambers,” “Blame”) and Tonatiuh (“Vida,” “Angelyne”) and features a cameo by My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero.
Drunk Bus won the Best Narrative Feature Award at the 2020 San Diego International Film Festival from both Jury and the Audience.
“Drunk Bus is the directorial debut feature film for John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke and writer Chris Molinaro’s first produced screenplay,” Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, said in a statement. “FilmRise is delighted to support these talented emerging filmmakers with the addition of this festival favorite and critically acclaimed comedy to our 2021 New Release line up.”