Yes, we have some great news -- as you know, MANNA FROM HEAVEN has defied the odds repeatedly and been renewed for weeks/months in its ten cities so far, doing 5 times better than what many indie studio films do in release!  Now, the movie is scheduled to open over the next six months in another 25 cities!!!

Oh Canada...  MANNA has been chosen as a premiere American film for the Canadian Circuit, run by Cam Haynes of the Toronto Int'l Film Festival Group.  This is a great honor, and we are delighted that MANNA will open in theaters across Canada beginning this fall.

All of this is very exciting -- at the same time, it's a new challenge.  Now, even more than ever, we'll need your help to get the word out.  Covering so many cities is a monumental undertaking for a film without the funding or human resources of a studio.  As you've seen in the FCC regulations of late, entertainment is becoming ever more streamlined, so that work outside of the system is increasingly difficult to get out to the public.  Up against bigger + bigger blockbusters with deeper + deeper pockets, we stand -- an eight person team with small pockets.

Why are we doing this?  Because opening strongly in these cities will help MANNA's video release.  As you may know, a video release is not guaranteed, and, like theatrical, video releases favor the streamlined studio system.  We need to demonstrate to the video buyers (located in cities below) that there is a big audience for films like MANNA.

The point is this:  you are making the difference with your emails and support.  Because we are opening so many cities in quick succession, we will be relying on emails and word-of-mouth to get MANNA to stand out in an advertisement-saturated marketplace.  Please tell your friends to get out on the opening weekend.  Tell them to contact us to see if a personal filmmaker Q&A is possible for their group.  (We'll be visiting most of the cities for the opening weekends and Habitat for Humanity benefit screenings.)  The dates and cities are below.

We'll email you with new theaters and updates.  Thanks so much again for your support of MANNA!

Gabrielle, Maria, Jennifer, Ursula, & Charity Burton
FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS

Here are the cities and dates for MANNA's upcoming openings!
(because of fluctuating studio film releases, dates are subject to change...)

August 22 =         Atlanta, GA  (confirmed)
                                     exclusively at the Marietta STAR Cinema
                                     1355 Roswell Road (in the Town & Country Shopping Ctr, near Rocco's Pub and Big Lots)
                                     Marietta, GA 30062 -- movies & showtimes  (770) 971-3131
                                     showtimes = Fri: 5:15, 7:30, 9:45; Sat, & Sun: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45;  Mon - Thurs: 5:30, 7:45

September 7 -- we will screen MANNA  during the Toronto FF for Canadian buyers  (confirmed)

September 18 =    Sudbury, Canada MANNA Premiere Gala  (confirmed)

September 19 =    Pittsburgh, PA  (confirmed)
                                   The Oaks Theater
                                     310 Allegheny River Blvd , Oakmont, PA 15139 -- movies & showtimes (412) 828 - 6311

September 26 =    Vail, CO
                             Fayetteville, AR  (confirmed)
                                    exclusively at the Regal Fiesta Square 16
                                    3033 N College, Fayetteville, AR 72703 -- 479-575-0393
                                 http://www.fandango.com/theater.asp?distance=30&chain_id=REGL&theater_id=AAEHD_LIVE
                          Palm Springs, CA  (confirmed)
                                    Resort Theaters Rancho 16
                                    72-777 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, 760-322-3456

October 10 =       Salt Lake City, UT  (confirmed)
                                    exclusively at the Madstone Theater
                                   Trolley Square, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102 -- 801-322-3200 or 801-322-3206
                                 http://www.madstonetheaters.com/contact.jsp?cityid=9&theaterid=11

The Canadian release starts and continues through the fall and new year to cities across Canada and the US on "The Circuit"

October 24 =       Chicago
                          Minneapolis
                          Dallas  (confirmed)
                                   AMC Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, TX
                                       (2601 Preston Road, Ste. 300, Frisco, TX 75034 -- 972-724-8000)
                                   AMC Mesquite in Mesquite, TX
                                      (19919 Interstate 635, Mesquite, TX 75149 -- 972-724-8000)

October 31 =       Nashville

November 6 =     Detroit
                          Ann Arbor
                          Reno, NV

November 14 =   Boston
                          San Francisco
                          Mill Valley, CA
                          Greenville, IL
                          Shawnee, KS
                          Overland Park, KS

November 19 = speak at Yale Club in NYC
November 20 = Yale University
November 21 =   New Haven, CT
                          Bethesda, MD

January 16 =       Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL
                          Sarasota/Ft. Myers/Naples, FL

February 1 =       Beaumont, TX

March 25 =         Batesville, AR
 

MANNA FROM HEAVEN =
"Capra-esque -- charming, charming, charming!" - NPR
"Refreshingly sincere, gentle and good-natured." - Dave Kehr, NY Times
"Two feel-good hours of old-timey family entertainment." - Natalie Hopkinson, WASHINGTON POST
"A great little movie." - Liz Smith, NY POST
"An unexpected treat!" - LA Daily News

If you didn't catch them, Manna had a great review on KPBS/NPR and an enthusiastic reception on WS Radio's Movie Mavens --click on alphabetical listing of movie reviews, and choose MANNA.

WORKING MOTHER has an article this month on Five Sisters & MANNA by Ellen Neuborne!

For more information, see http://www.fivesistersproductions.com  or  http://www.mannathemovie.com.