So for those of you who were friends with Craig Brewer at College Park, this may be pretty amazing. Craig's movie "Hustle and Flow" was screened at Sundance on Saturday and went over fabulously. He's sold the film rights to Paramount for 18 million dollars. Paramount is actually starting up a new film subsidiary for this film, in order to make more independent films.
You can read any of the many news stories about this or you can see and read about Craig this week on Entertainment Tonight,
Access Hollywood, Hardball with Chris Matthews, The New York Times, The LA Times,
USA Today, Variety, E!, and People.
I guess that I should have assumed anyone willing to go out on the tennis courts with us at 7AM in the freezing cold was driven enough to accomplish this.
19 Comments
That is awesome. I never met Craig, but he was always a legendary figure. Now Chris Barella just needs to start working with doing set design or building prosthetics or what have you.
I couldn’t tell from the news articles whether the multi-picture deal was for Craig himself, or for John Singleton’s production company. Either way, it’s impressive, and not just because it’s sparked MTV Films to begin picking up indies.
That is really amazing and incredibly cool! However, I’m more amazed by how Craig looks exactly like his mother… except for the beard and baggy clothing, of course.
wow – that is so awesome! props to him. i never met him either but i feel like i know him thanks to all Chris Barela’s stories.
i knew craig from his memphis days. i was a film student at the U of M while he was making the poor and hungry. craig is a hell of a nice guy and noone deserved it more. respect memphis filmmakers!
dawson
pictures of craig and others.
Thanks for the nice words about Craig! My mom, Craig and myself really appriciate all the support the College Park crowd has given over the past few weeks. We have received tons of emails, letters and phone calls. Those who have emailed I have forwarded the messages to Craig and he has enjoyed receiving them. Love the site Gene! You crack me up!
Amanda Brewer Brown
Hi to all who spent those cold mornings on the Tennis courts. It is so great to hear from you all. It is so cool for me to know that you all have not forgotten us. Craig is sitting on the 13 row at the Oscars tonight. He sends Hi’s to you all. With Love, Gail Brewer
Hey, College Park Alumni. Good to see y’all got a website going.
Spoke to Craig last night as he was leaving the Oscars. Giddy as a little girl on a suger bender, he was. He sat behind Harvey Wienstein and Jeffery Katzenberger so if you know who that is and you taped the Oscars then you may be able to spot him. Gonna be some big news coming soon about his next project(s)….
Don’t know if any of you are in LA but I’m looking to hook up with him this week and if you care to join us drop me an email – wolfiemo2 at yahoo do t com.
I’m in Orange County (Don’t be fooled: NONE calls it The OC) now doing the Art Director thing. Check out my website to see my work: http://www.chrisbarela.com.
oxoxo
Chris Barela
PS – Gene I can’t seem to figure out how to attach photos to this but if you give me your email I’ll shoot some recent shots of Craig and I over to you (the um… more “tasteful” black and white nudes…).
hi chris,
it is incredible that a relative, even if by marriage, has been able to make his dreams come true. my mother has married into the mortan family of fayette co. i am a memphian by birth; however i reside in st.pete,fla. i wish that we could have been introduced tears ago due to our common interest. i being an amateur sure could have used your guidance with two of my screen plays. actually, i never had the courage to do anything with them; but, they were a very happy part of my life.now i am writing country songs and mustering up the “go get’em” attitude that is required of a dream seeker.wish me luck with lots of preyers on top,please. i wish you well in all of your endeavors.
Here’s an article on aintitcoolnews about Craigs next project
Craig Brewer! Wow! Im not sure how I fell into this site! I went to high school with Craig and Chris Barela. I was the stage manager for his first production in high school. He was amazing even back then. I was just talking to my husband about people from high school who you just expected to do great things… Craig was the one. He deserves the best!
I just recently meet Craig at the University of Memphis Film Festival. I couldn’t believe that he choose the Student Film Festival over the International Film Festival that was happening the same night in Memphis. Totally Cool! Anyway, I can’t wait to see the film and see what happens with his prospering career.
Wow. I just read Craig’s name in Entertainment Weekly and almost fell off my seat – I knew Craig, Gail, Amanda & Chris B. at CP! So happy to hear of all the successes of everyone here – y’all are a talented bunch! I have great memories of Godspell, Little Shop, just hanging out – so much fun. Congrats to you all! Would love to hear from everyone! 🙂 Alicia (Houck) Jeffrey
Hey,
Congrats Craig (Mr. Brewer) on your success with Hustle & Flow and the Sundance film festival. Thanx alot for all you have done for me and my family in recent years. We wish the best of luck for you, your wife and your dreams. Can’t Wait to see the movie…I know it’ll be a big Inspiration for those trying to come up in Memphis and the south in general in whatever they persue. The city needed this…
-God Bless
P.S. Barnes & Noble 4 Life ; )
I am a designer w/ the Houston Chronicle and we are doing story on Craig Brewer. Actually it’s a cover story for our entertainment mag. Whoever posted the above photo of Craig (blue shirt, white stripe) I am trying to hunt down the photographer. Please give me a call at 713.362.2842, thanks.
Congratulations Craig Brewer! I was an actor at DVC (Diablo Valley College) when he was there and was a big a fan of his then. I saw a one act he wrote/directed that inspired me to read Cry the Beloved Country. Everyone always knew he was extremely gifted back then so it’s no surprise to see him succeed. Good things happening to good people.
During the week when getting ready for work i listen to NPR, I live in Berkeley so i would have it no other way. One morning i was listening to NPR and what do ya know I hear the name Craig Brewer and then the voice. I thought how strange some one who sounds like my high school drama teacher with the same name. I am in school and find little time to do much else besides work and schoolwork therefore I never researched it. Well today I did and what did I find, it was my teacher. As someone said above, good things happen to good people!!!!!!!!
Craig, congratulations! You and your family gave me so much in those years that i could never express my gratitude. I was pretty much a lost cause in high school but when in the presence of you and your mom i was a little found.
Really to see someone succeed as you have restores faith in “anything is possible if you want it bad enough”.
I hope you and your family are well. If this somehow gets to you please have your mom contact me.
Again congratulations, and good luck in all your future endeavors.
Shannon McGowan
Hi,
My name is Robin de Barros and I went to highschool with Chris Barela and Craig Brewer. They are both incredibly talented people. If anyone can get a hold of them, have them e-mail me at rpopsic7@aol.com.
Robin de Barros
I am moving to LA at the end of the year to join the rest of the thousands trying to make it to the big screen, Craig had his hand in it if he knows it or not. I was an extra in BSM and it changed my life. (for the better) So my anywho does anyone know if Craig has an email or some way to communicate with him?