Virginia Film Festival, Cinematheque Present Free Preview of 'Never Back Down' with Director Jeff Wadlow

March 6, 2008 — The Virginia Film Festival and the University Programs Council's Cinematheque committee will present a free screening of local director Jeff Wadlow's new feature film, "Never Back Down," on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Newcomb Hall Theater. Tickets will be available from the Newcomb Hall Theater Box office beginning at 6 p.m. on the evening of the screening.

"Never Back Down" is Wadlow's follow-up to his debut effort, "Cry Wolf." Wadlow grew up in Charlottesville, serves on the Virginia Film Festival board and leads the hugely popular Adrenaline Film Project as part of the Virginia Film Festival.

"We're very pleased that Jeff Wadlow, who previewed 'Cry Wolf' here two years ago, has now brought us his second feature, 'Never Back Down,'" said Richard Herkowitz, artistic director of the Virginia Film Festival. "Jeff has said that seeing Roger Ebert's shot-by-shot workshop at the Virginia Film Festival inspired him to become a filmmaker, and so he has become one of our greatest supporters."

Herskowitz will lead a discussion with Wadlow after the screening.

"Never Back Down"
(Theatrical Release Date: March 14, 2008)

Director: Jeff Wadlow
Cast: Sean Faris, Djimon Hounsou, Cam Gigandet, Amber Heard, Evan Peters and Wyatt Smith
Producers: Patrick Wachsberger, Erik Feig, Craig Baumgarten and David Zelon
Production companies: Summit Entertainment and Mandalay Pictures
Screenplay: Chris Hauty
Plot summary: Jake Tyler never goes looking for trouble, but it always seems to find him. Since the break-up of his parents' marriage, it's everywhere he turns. Freshly transplanted from a sleepy Iowa town to the heat and flash of new-money Orlando, Fla., Jake seems headed for even more rocky terrain as he is pulled into an underground fighting league — a kind of a "Fight Club" for teens.

With the help of his new group of friends — a life-savvy coach, a free-thinking and adventuresome girlfriend, and a scrawny but charming best friend — Jake manages to rise above the chaos around him. But just as he's beginning to feel like he's in control, his world is turned upside down once again by an unrelenting campaign to get him back in the ring.

From Jeff Wadlow, director of the stylish teen thriller "Cry Wolf" and winner of the Chrysler Million-Dollar Film Festival for his short film "The Tower of Babble," comes this ripped-from-the-headlines story, in the tradition of such inspirational classics as "The Karate Kid," "Rocky" and "The Fast And The Furious."

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