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PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 2013 RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER FLEXES HIS MUSCLES WITH PAZ MOVIE The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is delighted to announce that the inspirational feature film, BLEED FOR THIS, is scheduled to begin principal photography in Rhode Island this fall. BLEED FOR THIS tells the true-life story of world champion Rhode Island boxer Vinny Pazienza as he recovers from a near fatal car accident and goes on to win three additional world boxing titles, one of the most incredible and dramatic comebacks in sports history. Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) will join Rhode Island filmmaker Chad A. Verdi, Oscar-winner Martin Scorcese (THE DEPARTED, GOODFELLAS), Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Noah Kraft as producers on the project. Writer/Producer Ben Younger (BOILER ROOM, PRIME) will direct. Chad Verdi’s home-grown East Greenwich company, Verdi Productions/Woodhaven Production Company, has produced six feature films in Rhode Island over the past four years. BLEED FOR THIS is his most ambitious project to date, with an estimated budget of $16,000,000. Verdi’s latest two productions, A BET’S A BET and ARMY OF THE DAMNED, have just wrapped. His two previous films, INFECTED and SELF STORAGE, are being released through Screen Media and each will reach over 100,000,000 homes through Universal’s VOD platform starting this month with INFECTED. Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, said, “Over the past four years, Chad and his talented team have consistently invested in Rhode Island, putting hundreds of citizens to work, utilizing local resources and building a filmmaking foundation. He has created an amazing infrastructure by mentoring students and helping local crew learn the business from the ground up.” “Chad has one of the most aggressive production schedules we have ever seen,” added Feinberg. “He plans to produce six feature films locally over the next twenty-four months. With his proven track record, we know he will succeed. We could not be more proud of him for making so many dreams come true for so many Rhode Islanders in our beautiful Ocean State.” “My producing partner Noah Kraft and I got involved in the film business in 2009 with one purpose: to have the story of Vinny Paz told,” stated Verdi. Over the past four years, I have produced six feature films. Recently, Ben Younger came on board to write and direct BLEED FOR THIS. BLEED FOR THIS is Ben's vision and we now have the support of Martin Scorsese, Bruce Cohen and Emma Tillinger Koskoff as producers. I was introduced to Martin and Emma through Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has been instrumental in helping me develop these projects." The Woodhaven Production Company, a subsidiary of Verdi Productions, is The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is a government agency under the umbrella of the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration.
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