Michelle Danner's "The Runner" to screen at Catalina Film Festival
The Californer/10155136

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Californer -- Filmmaker and legendary acting teacher Michelle Danner's film "The Runner," starring Cameron Douglas, will screen at the Catalina Film Festival on Sat., September 18 at 8 pm at the Scottish Rite Cultural Center, 855 Elm Ave, Long Beach. The film also stars newcomer Edouard Philipponnat as a troubled teenager forced to go undercover to expose a drug kingpin.

The film which has played at 28 festivals around the country including Cinequest, Worldfest Houston (winning Best Suspense/Thriller), the Suspense Thriller Festival winning (Best Feature) and the Flicker Festival in Rhode Island. Internationally the film has screened at the Ischia Global Fest (Italy), the London Independent Film Festival, the Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift and the Vancouver Independent Film Festival. Danner won Best Director at the Milan Gold Awards, the Montreal Independent Film Festival, the Paris Play Film Festival, the Vancouver Independent Film Festival, and L'Age d'Or.

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There aren't many people who can point to a career full of success as a performer, teacher, storyteller, entrepreneur, and expert.  But Danner can.  Danner's film "Bad Impulse," currently in release, is a psychological thriller about family secrets and modern technology. It stars Sonya Walger, Grant Bowler, and Paul Sorvino. The film won the Audience Award at the Golden State Film Festival held at the Chinese Theatre,  Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 International Independent Film Awards, and the Best Director Award at the 2019 Culver City Film Festival.

Danner's list of acting students has included Christian Slater, Salma Hayek, Gerard Butler, Seth McFarlane, Penelope Cruz, Chris Rock, Gabrielle Union, and Zooey Deschanel.  A longtime student of legendary acting teachers like Stella Adler and Uta Hagen, Danner's eclectic approach (which she calls "The Golden Box") allows actors the freedom to employ a wide variety of techniques.

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About the Catalina Film Festival :Each year the Catalina Film Institute presents the Catalina Film Festival; an annual celebration of film on the only California Coast resort island, features more than 90 films, nightly events and entertainment. From Charlie Chaplin to Marilyn Monroe, celebrities and filmmakers have flocked to Catalina for inspiration. Clear blue water and coastal breezes provide the perfect backdrop for unparalleled premieres, yacht and mansion parties, industry networking and discovering everything that the island has to offer— just 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.

https://catalinafilm.org/events/long-beach-launch/

Tickets: https://catalinafilm.org/ticket-window/