Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win a digital download of RUN THIS TOWN!

Synopsis:

Naive, young Toronto newspaper reporter Bram (Ben Platt) finds himself doing desk work instead of breaking hard-hitting stories, until he accidentally finds scandalous information about the city’s controversial mayor, Rob Ford (Damian Lewis). Bram attempts to pry information from Ford‘s aides, Ashley (Nina Dobrev) and Kamal (Mena Massoud), who are trying to cover Ford‘s tracks and spin the story.

Director: Ricky Tollman

Starring: Ben Platt, Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev, Jennifer Ehle, Scott Speedman

See the Trailer:

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Elevation Pictures release RUN THIS TOWN on-demand and digitally Tuesday, April 21, 2020 and on DVD Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

We’ve been following closely the progress of RUN THIS TOWN, the directorial debut from Writer/Director Ricky Tollman, since the Film was announced in March 2018. While the Film has been much-talked-about, finally its release is near some two years after it began production here in Toronto.

Set against a backdrop of a Rob Ford-run Toronto, Tollman‘s Film explores what it means for millennials to survive in this day and age. It centers on a young Journalist (Ben Platt) eager to break his first story at his publication where he has been relegated to compiling Top Ten lists. With the possibility of Ford‘s crack tape being exposed, his Political Aides (Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev) fight to keep the news under wraps, while also saving their own jobs.

See the Trailer:

The Film premiered tonight in Toronto at Scotiabank Theatre and in attendance were Director/Writer Tollman, plus Toronto stars Massoud, best known for his starring role in Disney’s Aladdin and People’s Choice Award-winning The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev. The Screening was followed by a Q&A and an After Party at Northern Maverick Brewing Company, where family and friends of Cast and Crew got a chance to kick-back with some libations and apps. Sanitizer also was seen circulating the room with wellness and prevention on everyone’s mind of late.

Our Justin Waldman had the opportunity to chat at the After Party with Tollman, Massoud and Dobrev.

Justin: What inspired you to choose this story about Rob Ford as your first Feature?

Ricky Tollman: “I didn’t see it as a Rob Ford story. I saw as a story about my friends and peers who I grew-up with and we all grew-up in 2010 watching Rob Ford escapades and they were taken as a joke at the time. And looking back at it in 2016 I kinda wish it wasn’t a joke as I was writing this Script when Donald Trump announced his candidacy. I thought we’ve seen this story before and maybe we shouldn’t have taken it as a joke because my friends in the United States and effectively around the world, are going to be affected by policy enacted by politicians like Donald Trump.”. He adds, “I wanted to do a story not about the politicians but maybe the people we haven’t heard from.”.

On his next endeavours, Tollman reveals, “I’m writing two things and will see which one makes it out alive. One is a Political Thriller which takes place in 1963 and the other is the FBI‘s investigation into an underworld that people may not know exists.”.

Justin: Tell us what attracted you to this Script.

Mena Massoud: “It’s like being the behind-the-scenes guy that never gets seen. It was an interesting role to play and I got an insight into the my Publicist’s day to day. A lot of stuff shoots here in Toronto that isn’t Canadian and this was, and that was special to me give back to the community I came from. I grew up here so it’s important to come back and tell Canadian stories.”.

Justin:  What’s it like making a Film that’s so rich in Toronto history?

Nina Dobrev: “That was one of the main reasons I wanted to do this Film. Not only getting to come home and see my family and friends, but also to celebrate this beautiful city that we live in. There’s so much Toronto has to offer. For the first time in a long time we got to feature CN Tower and all the other landmarks we know so well instead of coming to Toronto to shoot for New York or some other big city and hide the great place that we live in. It’s such a melting pot. Most of the people in this country are immigrants and we really got to showcase that and also the struggle, the ups-and-downs in the workplace and how difficult it is to find work.”.

Justin: What was the most challenging part of the Movie for you?

Nina Dobrev: “The only scene I shot with Damian Lewis, but not because of Damian Lewis –  he’s an amazing, talented actor. The scene was kinda difficult, creepy and cringe-worthy and let’s just say there wasn’t a lot of acting required. It was really uncomfortable.”.

See our Chat:

Elevation Pictures release RUN THIS TOWN Friday, March 6, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/George Kozera/Elevation Pictures)

Toronto! We’ve got your chance to win passes to the Toronto Premiere of RUN THIS TOWN with Toronto’s Nina Dobrev, Mena Massoud and Director Ricky Tollman in attendance. The Premiere takes place Tuesday, March 3, 2020 and will have a Q&A.

Synopsis:
Naive, young Toronto newspaper reporter Bram (Ben Platt) finds himself doing desk work instead of breaking hard-hitting stories, until he accidentally finds scandalous information about the city’s controversial mayor, . Rob Ford (Damian Lewis) Bram attempts to pry information from Ford‘s aides, Ashley (Nina Dobrev) and Kamal (Mena Massoud), who are trying to cover Ford’s tracks and spin the story.

Trailer:

Artwork:

Elevation Pictures release RUN THIS TOWN Friday, March 6, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

We’ve been thrilled to see RUN THIS TOWN for quite some time now! Here’s a brand-new Poster and Trailer for the Film set against a backdrop of a Rob Ford-run Toronto.

Synopsis:
Naive, young Toronto newspaper reporter Bram (Ben Platt) finds himself doing desk work instead of breaking hard-hitting stories, until he accidentally finds scandalous information about the city’s controversial mayor, Rob Ford (Damian Lewis). Bram attempts to pry information from Ford‘s aides, Ashley (Nina Dobrev) and Kamal (Mena Massoud), who are trying to cover Ford’s tracks and spin the story.

Trailer:

See the brand-new Poster:

Elevation Pictures release RUN THIS TOWN Friday, March 6, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Run This Town follows a young reporter (Ben Platt) who gets a tip that there is a video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (Damien Lewis) smoking crack.

Writer-Director Ricky Tollman has crafted a Film told from the perspectives of the newspaper reporters – primarily Platt’s character who is eager to break his first story – those who worked at City Hall at that time. This Film offers a look into the Toronto government during the Rob Ford scandal and draws parallels to the political climate today.

The Cast, including Platt, Nina Dobrev and Scott Speedman, are great. However, all eyes are on an unrecognizable Lewis who has convincingly transformed into Ford.

Run This Town screens at SXSW on March 9 at 8:30 PM at Stateside, March 11 at 11 AM at Alamo Lamar A, and March 15 at 11:15 AM at Alamo Ritz 1.

TONY and GRAMMY Award Winner Ben Platt is a star on the rise. Originating the titular role in widely-acclaimed and Toronto-bound DEAR EVAN HANSEN on Broadway, he is getting plenty of buzz for his starring role in Writer/Director Ricky Tollman‘s RUN THIS TOWN. He also has starred in the successful PITCH PERFECT Franchise and also THE BOOK OF MORMON.

RUN THIS TOWN stars Damian Lewis (Billions, Homeland) as Rob Ford and also Nina Dobrev and Mena Massoud, the latter who recently wrapped Disney‘s upcoming live-action adaptation of Aladdin in which he stars in the title role.

Synopsis:

Run This Town follows a young journalist (Platt), desperate to prove himself, who catches wind of a scandal involving a flashy, unpredictable politician with no filter (Lewis). Political aides (Massoud and Dobrev) attempt to keep their boss in check – and the story under wraps – in order to save their jobs. The Film tells the story of the Millennial generation while spotlighting the power dynamics operating in today’s workplace.

Platt has drummed-up a bit of controversy being targeted with criticism online from some who have mistakened the Film as being a biographical account of Ford‘s life, not crediting the outstanding investigative journalism of Robyn Dolittle. It has been confirmed  that the Film is in fact fictional, set against the backdrop of a Ford-run Toronto.

We spotted Platt after a day of hard work in what is a compressed filming schedule, set to complete in under one month. He was awesome to stop for a Snap, as was Massoud, who just arrived from Los Angeles, greeted by hoards of fans and autograph seekers upon arrival. A hero’s welcome home for the Toronto talent.

See our Snaps:

An honour meeting Tony and Grammy Award winner #BenPlatt who now is at work on #RunThisTown. The Film about three young professionals and what it takes and means to succeed in a Millennial world, set against a #RobFord-run #Toronto backdrop. Platt in addition to originating the title role in acclaimed #DearEvanHansen, also has starred in #TheBookofMormon and the popular #PitchPerfect Franchise. People have been quick to form ideas about this Film, which is fictional and not the story of Robyn Dolittle’s amazing journalism. Perhaps one day that Film will be made? The Film is Canadian-written, directed and funded. Let Artists create.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🐇 (@mrwillwong) on Apr 13, 2018 at 5:18am PDT

I think we’re all stoked equally for Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of #Aladdin. Toronto’s own #MenaMassoud who stars in that Film’s titular role, gets a hero’s welcome home greeted by hoards of fans and autograph collectors upon arrival. He stars in #RunThisTown which now is filming in #Toronto till month’s end. Such an amazing guy!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🐇 (@mrwillwong) on Apr 13, 2018 at 5:26am PDT

It is believed this Film is targetting a premiere at TIFF ’18 and we need to see this! Elevation Pictures will be handling its release in Canada.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

While Toronto has been Pilot and TV Series-heavy in terms of filming, something interesting is on the horizon.  We are hearing through a source that a new Film titled RUN THIS TOWN will be filming in the City around April. It will star TONY winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) and Toronto’s Mena Massoud who will play the titular role in Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin Film. While not yet confirmed on IMDb, Damian Lewis (Homeland) and Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), the latter also of Toronto, are likely to star also.

Ricky Tollman writes and directs this, his first Feature Film. Tollman attended OMDC’s 2016 International Financing Forum for the Film, which finally is set to take off.

Synopsis:
The plot follows a young journalist (Platt), desperate to prove himself, who catches wind of a scandal involving a flashy, unpredictable politician with no filter (Lewis). Political aides (Massoud and Dobrev) attempt to keep their boss in check – and the story under wraps – in order to save their jobs.

The Shoot is estimated to take approximately one month in Toronto. Pretty timely with Doug Ford‘s recent naming as the Ontario PC Leader?

More to come. The Film is said to have its sights on a TIFF ’18 Premiere.

(Photo credit: Universal Pictures)