Daring Independent Romantic Comedy "Friends (With Benefits)" Wins Award At Seattle Film Fest

"Friends (With Benefits)" , a tale of sexual identity, true love, and what it all means, has won Best Romantic Comedy at the prestigious Seattle True Independent Film Festival. Billed as "a thinking person's romantic comedy", it is the second release from What Were We Thinking Films, a mini film studio that takes full advantage of the digital video revolution to produce quality motion pictures on realistic budgets. Its dazzling script is part Preston Sturgess, part Shakespeare comedy, and all 21st century hookup culture. It captures the zeitgeist with a kind of depth few movies even attempt, but the laughs never stop.

New Haven, CT and Seattle, WA (PRWEB) June 12, 2009 -- Director Gorman Bechard and producer Ashley McGarry proudly announce that their feature film, FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS), has won Best Romantic Comedy at the SEATTLE TRUE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL. Its World Premiere was on Friday, June 12th, 2009. A Q&A with Bechard and McGarry followed the 7:00 PM screening.

Filmed throughout the Greater New Haven area, FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS) is tale of sexual identity, true love, and relationships redefined; a thinking person's romantic comedy (with belly-laughs).

a thinking person's romantic comedy

After the last feature, we needed to lighten things up

And this is a fun, fast, very young script that breaks down the sexual walls that have been erected over the years by the average Hollywood romantic comedy. It's kinky sex, it's rock n' roll, it's got a kick-ass cast, and an amazing soundtrack. What more could anyone need?

Until one fateful day, a brave Owen proposes the "perfect" solution: Friends (read: no messy relationship stuff)…with benefits (read: insanely messy sex stuff). "Perfect," that is…if the two hadn't always been secretly in love with one another.

When Chloe and Owen secretly hook up the rest of their tightknit group of friends invariably find out. Complications arise, both expected and shockingly unexpected. The screenplay crackles with a love of words: part Preston Sturgess, part Shakespeare comedy, and all 21st century hookup culture, it captures the zeitgeist with a kind of depth few movies even attempt, but the laughs never stop.

Even so, love and sexuality are ruptured seismically, with the plate tectonics of a group's relationships realigned forever. A seamlessly integrated soundtrack shimmers with high-energy original songs by indie favorites The Wrens,The Star Spangles, Aggressive Pedestrians, Stephen Grigely, Mike DaSilva, The Cornerstone, Hollywood Burnout, Matthew Ryan, and others.

The 94-minute feature is the second film from What Were We Thinking Films, a mini film studio that takes full advantage of the digital video revolution to produce quality motion pictures on realistic budgets. It follows in the footsteps of their award-winning YOU ARE ALONE, a dark and gritty look at the relationship between a teenage escort and her middle-aged neighbor.
"After the last feature, we needed to lighten things up," Bechard explained. "And this is a fun, fast, very young script that breaks down the sexual walls that have been erected over the years by the average Hollywood romantic comedy. It's kinky sex, it's rock n' roll, it's got a kick-ass cast, and an amazing soundtrack. What more could anyone need?"

To celebrate the FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS) world premiere, Bechard and company have come up with a unique contest befitting the twisted humor of new film: a search for the world's best toe sucker. To win a great grab bag of prizes, including a copy of the just released deluxe DVD version of Bechard's cult horror-comedy PSYCHOS IN LOVE, contestants are asked to submit a video in which they suck their own toes (that's right, their own toes) to YouTube.com/group/toesucking. Rules, deadlines, and a video from an actual FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS) actor audition (yes, he got the part) are also available at that URL.

Next up on the What Were We Thinking slate: COLOR ME OBSESSED, a feature-length documentary on The Replacements, the greatest rock 'n' roll band of all time. Next up for novelist/filmmaker Bechard: putting the finishing touches on his sixth novel, tentatively titled NOT SO PRETTY.

For more info, to watch the trailer, deleted scenes, or to find the bios of all involved, please visit: www.FWBmovie.com

For more on the director visit: www.GormanBechard.com
DVD screeners of FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS) are available upon request. Please contact Gorman Bechard at 203-988-4248 or FWBmovie(at)aol.com.

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