WHY DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING IS NOT A HOBBY

For those of you who are following the federal court tax case in Arizona against Lee Storey and the making of SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS: The Up With People Story, there is a good article on the subject in the recent Filmmaker Magazine. Simply stated, documentary film making is not a hobby. It's work, and even though the subject matter may also "educate and expose", the work is done with the intent to make a profit. All legal briefs have been filed and the parties are waiting on a decision by the court. You can lend your comments and tweet about it here: http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/news/2011/07/why-filmmaking-cannot-be-a-hobby/

DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING UNDER ATTACK BY IRS!

Dear friends, fans, colleagues and interested community members,

We are pleased to announce that DVDs of SMILE ‘TIL IT HURTS are now available for sale through Filmbaby at: http://www.filmbaby.com/films/5670. While we anticipated a release of the DVD on the heels of a domestic broadcast, we have had to jumpstart the sale of DVDs to fund a lawsuit against the IRS that potentially affects all documentary filmmakers.

We all know the IRS can choose to audit any American business and make a determination regarding the sufficiency of record keeping. But the IRS lawsuit pending in a federal tax court in Phoenix, Arizona against the director of SMILE ‘TIL IT HURTS is not about that. The IRS is claiming that the making of SMILE ‘TIL IT HURTS is not a business, but merely a hobby.

The question under consideration by the IRS is a broad one: can the making of a documentary be a for-profit business when the primary purpose of documentary filmmaking is to “educate and expose”? Such a pronouncement by the federal tax court would have a devastating impact on the documentary community at large and subject documentary filmmakers to audits of their financial records for their “hobbies” over the past 7 years.

We cannot thank the International Documentary Association, Film Independent, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Women Make Movies, the National Alliance for Media Art and Culture in the Interest of the Documentary Film Industry, the University Film Producers Association and the University Film and Video Association enough for their support in helping us fight the IRS. To support documentary filmmakers everywhere, these organizations filed an Amicus Brief in the federal tax court on June 8. Here is the editorial by the IDA: http://www.documentary.org/news/amicus-brief-filed-support-lee-storey-doc-filmmakers.

Our legal defense on behalf of the documentary filmmaking community is reaching tens of thousands. We can’t do this alone but we are fighting the good fight for the future of documentary filmmaking in the United States.

Please join our effort by contributing to the Legal Defense Fund. Also, by purchasing our award-winning DVD you can help fight the cause.

With sincere appreciation to all our fellow filmmakers,

From all of us at SMILE ‘TIL IT HURTS!

SMILE SOLD OUT IN SCOTTSDALE OPENING NIGHT!!!

Dear Friends and Fans,

Be sure to buy your tickets online for upcoming shows of SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS. We SOLD OUT OPENING NIGHT in Scottsdale and had to turn many away at the door. Tickets were long gone 30 minutes before the show. To ensure a seat for upcoming shows, please consider buying tickets online at: http://www.harkinstheatres.com/theatresShowtimes.aspx?movieId=71263

The audience was fantastic and about 25% filled with Uppies. A great dialogue in the Q&A among all. Thank you for coming and telling others about the week long shows at Harkins Shea 14. What a blast!

You gotta love this picture of Glenn Close

See archival footage of Glenn Close in the documentary, SMILE 'TIL HURTS, which opens at Harkins Shea 14 theatres tonight, February 17-24. She even gets a music credit!

For tickets: http://www.harkinstheatres.com/theatresShowtimes.aspx?movieId=71263

Reminder to SMILE at Harkins Shea 14 tonight!

This is a quick reminder that the documentary, SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS opens tonight, February 17 at Harkins Shea 14 Theatres. The director will be there for the Q&A, as well as tomorrow night (Friday), but the movie is playing at Harkins all week. Here is an article posted in the Arizona Republic: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2011/02/15/20110215upwithpeople0215.html, and another posted in the New Times: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2011/02/15/20110215upwithpeople0215.html. Tickets can be purchased at the door like any movie, or to ensure a seat, online at: http://www.harkinstheatres.com/theatresShowtimes.aspx?movieId=71263.
Thank you for coming and telling others about the film!

SMILE opens in Scottsdale Feb 17-24!

Don't forget that SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS opens tomorrow, February 17-24 at Harkins Shea 14 in Scottsdale, Arizona. We are so excited to bring the documentary about Up With People to the Phoenix area. Arizona needs a smile!

SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS
February 17-24, 2011
Harkins Shea 14 Theatres
7354 E. Shea Blvd.
(Scottsdale Rd and Shea Blvd)
http://www.harkinstheatres.com/theatresShowtimes.aspx?movieId=71263

WE ARE THRILLED TO BRING THE FIRST EVER DOCUMENTARY ABOUT "UP WITH PEOPLE" TO ARIZONA WHERE THE SINGING GROUP THRIVED FOR DECADES. JAM-PACKED WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, INCLUDING CLIPS OF THE YOUNG GLENN CLOSE, SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS WILL BE PRESENTED WITH JOY, A HOOT AND EXTRA GLEE! YOU CAN SING ALONG IF YOU LIKE, BUT BE PREPARED FOR SURPRISES, TWISTS AND UNSETTLING TURNS AS THE DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE ORGANIZATION'S TRUE ORIGINS AND WORLDWIDE MISSION.

NOTE: the Thursday night (Feb 17) and Friday night (Feb 18) shows will include a Q&A with the Director and special guests.

SMILE opens in Phoenix on February 17-24!

ATTENTION ARIZONA FRIENDS AND FANS!!!

we are pleased to announce that

SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS: The Up With People Story

will open in the Valley of the Sun on

February 17 - 24, 2011

Harkins Shea 14 Theaters

7354 E. Shea Blvd.
(Scottsdale Rd and Shea Blvd; take the 101 to Shea, exit west to Scottsdale Rd)

WE ARE THRILLED TO BRING THE FIRST EVER DOCUMENTARY ABOUT "UP WITH PEOPLE" TO ARIZONA WHERE THE SINGING GROUP THRIVED FOR DECADES. JAM-PACKED WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, INCLUDING CLIPS OF THE YOUNG GLENN CLOSE, SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS WILL BE PRESENTED WITH JOY, A HOOT AND EXTRA GLEE! YOU CAN SING ALONG IF YOU LIKE, BUT BE PREPARED FOR SURPRISES, TWISTS AND UNSETTLING TURNS AS THE DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE ORGANIZATION'S TRUE ORIGINS AND WORLDWIDE MISSION.

NOTE: the Thursday night (Feb 17) and Friday night (Feb 18) shows will include a Q&A with the Director and special guests.

TO REQUEST OPENING NIGHT TICKETS,
email: hello@smiletilithurts.com

FOR ALL OTHER SHOW TIMES AND TICKETS, CLICK HERE

TO WATCH THE TRAILER: IT'S A HOOT!

Lee Storey, Director/Producer

Bari Pearlman, Producer

Jack Lechner, Executive Producer

Penelope Falk, Editor

Aimee Lyde, Assistant Editor

Ezra Bookstein, Director of Photography

For publicity contact:

Mickey Cottrell

inclusive pr

6646 Hollywood Blvd - Suite 205

Hollywood, CA 90028-6295

(323) 460-4111 - Tel

(323) 855-6538 - Cell
mickey@inclusivepr.com

We look forward to seeing you at the movies in the Valley of the Sun!

With many smiles,

Lee Storey
Director/Producer
SMILE 'TIL IT HURTS

lee@smiletilithurts.com