OVID AND THE ART OF LOVE, A Film By Esmé von Hoffman
Based on the life of the famous Roman poet Ovid, this classic story gets a modern twist in a mash-up world of contemporary Detroit and ancient Rome Starring Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical”), John Savage (“The Deer Hunter”), Tara Summers (“Boston Legal”) and Tamara Feldman (“Gossip Girl”)
Coming to All Major Streaming and VOD Platforms May 19, 2020
A Level 33 Entertainment Release
A nation struggles under its vainglorious leader, whose obsession with family values masks his ineptitude and insecurity. Fed up, citizens push back using everything from parody to outright rebellion. It could be the United States in 2020 AD ... but in Ovid and the Art of Love, it’s also Rome in 31 BCE. Winner for Best Director Esmé von Hoffman at Festitval of Cinema NYC 2019, Ovid and the Art of Love will be released via Level 33 Entertainment on May 19 on all major streaming and VOD platforms including Amazon, iTunes, Comcast, XFinity, Dish, Sling, Microsoft, Google Play, Youtube and many more.
Set centuries apart but in the same place, Ovid and the Art of Love tells the story of the renowned Roman poet Ovid, whose comic verses and permissive lifestyle provoked the brutal Emperor Augustus’s ire. As Ovid and the emperor’s granddaughter – thrown together by fate – race to escape execution, Ovid’s story asks: In a world of unrest, is love the most radical act of all? Bringing together togas, high-tops, oration, poetry slams and hip-hop, this film tells a timely story about power, pleasure and politics. Strong women characters clamor for respect and a better place in society. All is set amongst the faded beauty of modern Detroit’s neoclassical architecture.
Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical”) masterfully transforms into the poet Ovid, whose work has been cherished for over 2,000 years, while John Savage (“The Deer Hunter”) gives an electrifying performance as Augustus, Ovid’s conflicted nemesis. Tara Summers (“Mercy Street,” “Boston Legal”) plays Julia, Augustus’s tough, rebellious daughter, and Tamara Feldman (“Gossip Girl,” “Hatchet”) is the emperor’s activist granddaughter. Also starring Joseph McKenna (“Shutter Island,” “12 Monkeys”) and Lailani Ledesma (Comedy Central’s “Detroiters”).
Ovid and the Art of Love was filmed entirely on location and in America’s now-challenged, former automobile-capital of Detroit – without the use of any sets – working with mainly local cast and crew (including cinematographer Geoff George), giving the film a unique visual look. The soundtrack features works of Detroit artists from the Motown era (including a track from Ronnie McNeir of The Four Tops) to contemporary Detroit electronica, acoustic, hip-hop and more. These artists – like Ovid many centuries before them – work every day to better their communities and bring them light and life. The production also collaborated with many local community groups and nonprofit organizations to support the distressed city in the making of the film.
“I have been captivated by the ancient Roman poet Ovid, for whom my film breathes life into his exciting and relevant story for the first time,” said director Esmé von Hoffman. “His narrative follows a young person who finds his artistic voice and the real meaning of love. Yet it is also an empowering tale of an average citizen who stands up to an intimidating, authoritarian and hypocritical leader when no one else dares to. I hope that viewing Ovid’s tale through this lively lens helps us reflect on what is happening in the world today and consider what we can do to affect positive change.”
About the Director
With a love of cities and a background in theater, journalism and visual arts, Esmé von Hoffman brings a fresh aesthetic to film to create a unique and topical world. An American-German dual citizen, born and raised in the U.S., Esmé has directed several shorts and has worked as a film editor (including on “Listen Up Philip” with Jason Schwartzman and Elisabeth Moss, and “Appropriate Behavior” with Scott Adsit and Halley Feiffer) and as a producer. She received a Sudler Fund for the Arts grant for her 16 mm film “Oblivion” and was commissioned to produce and direct a series of short documentaries, including one profiling three editors at The New York Times. Esmé was president of the Yale Film Society, where she oversaw visits of industry leaders including David Lynch, Alexander Payne and Doug Wick. She recently served as Director of the Filmmaking Program at The Edit Center in New York City.
Credits
Writer/Direcor - Esmé von Hoffman
Executive Producers - Jared Safier and Greg Johnson
Producers - Benjamin Weisman, Michael Angelo Zervos, R. Jameson Smith, Lauren Rayner, Jason Ludman
Cinematographer - Geoff George
Sound Designer - Ed Callahan
Editors - Mollie Goldstein, Anthony Mascorro, Esmé von Hoffman
Production Designer - Mary Lee Hannington
Worldwide sales - Jared Safier, Safier Entertainment
USA, 2019, 114 mins, Color, English.
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