Johnny Walker, the new film by director Kris De Meester (Four Roses) was awarded as 'Best Feature Film' at the Push! Film Festival in Bristol (TN/VA - USA, June 12-14).

Johnny Walker is an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 'Notes from the Underground' and tells the story of a Hollywood director who's way past his prime. Can a man who attempts to find enjoyment in the very feeling of his own degradation possibly have a spark of respect for himself? These and other considerations weigh heavily on the mind of the main character Johnny, played by newcomer Hank Botwinik.

Using confused and often contradictory memoirs he tries to explain his alienation from modern society. He lives isolated from the outside world and kills time wandering in the forests surrounding his castle. He fantasizes about death, even longs for it. According to him, living longer than sixty years a matter of bad manners, vulgar and immoral.

Besides Hank Botwinik the cast of Johnny Walker consists of Eric Godon (In Bruges), Astrid Whettnall (Yves Saint Laurent), Mieke Daneels (Four Roses), Christelle Cornil (Deux jours, une nuit) and Udo Kier (Blade) as the voice of Fyodor.

The inaugural PUSH! Film Festival is a celebration of the cinematic and visual arts in the heart of the twin cities of Bristol, the festival showcases the best regional and international filmmakers.

Johnny Walker is a Belgian/Dutch/American co-production and (exec.) produced by Kris De Meester (Four Roses), Tomas Leyers (Violet), Christine K. Walker (Life During Wartime), Anton Scholten (Lilet Never Happened), Koen Mortier (Borgman) and Eurydice Gysel (Waste Land), to name a few.

Johnny Walker, the new film by director Kris De Meester (Four Roses) was awarded with one of the main prizes at the Colombian film festival Salón Internacional de la Luz in Bogota, Colombia (11-17 May). The film was awarded Best Cinematography in the category 'feature films'.

Johnny Walker is an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground" and tells the story of a Hollywood director who is his way past his prime. Can a man who attempts to find enjoyment in the very feeling of his own degradation possibly have a spark of respect for himself? These and other considerations weigh heavily on the mind of the main character Johnny, played by newcomer Hank Botwinik.

Using confused and often contradictory memoirs he tries to explain his alienation from modern society. He lives isolated from the outside world and kills time wandering in the forests surrounding his castle. He fantasizes about death, even longs for it. According to him living longer than sixty years a matter of bad manners, vulgar and immoral.

Besides Hank Botwinik the cast of Johnny Walker consists of Eric Godon (In Bruges), Astrid Whettnall (Yves Saint Laurent), Mieke Daneels (Four Roses), Christelle Cornil (Deux jours, une nuit) and Udo Kier (Blade) as the voice Fyodor.

The Salón Internacional de la Luz is a leading South American film festival that focuses on film photography. Director of Photography in charge of Johnny Walker is Joel San Juan, a Singaporean DOP who makes his feature debut with this.

Four male twenty-somethings spend 24 hours reliving their high school glory days. The drugs, video games, and boozing end in a moment of terrible violence, forcing them to bury their guilt in this bleak and unflinching portrait of 21st Century male nihilism.

Udo Kier had joined the cast of Johnny Walker, the new film adaptation of Dostoevsky's novel Notes From the Underground.

Currently in post-production, the film is produced and directed by Kris De Meester (Four Roses) and executive produced by Christine K. Walker (Howl, Life During Wartime, American Splendor).

Udo Kier will play the voice part of Fyodor, an evil voice in the head of the main character Johnny.

Johnny Walker is a black comedy about a hollywood director far past his prime.

Can a man who finds enjoyment in the very feeling of his own degradation possibly have a spark of respect for himself? These and other considerations weigh heavily on the mind of main character Johnny, played by newcomer Hank Botwinik. Using confused and often contradictory memoirs he tries to explain his alienation from modern society. He lives isolated from the outside world and kills time wandering in the woods surrounding his castle. He fantasizes about death, even longs for it. He feels that to live longer than sixty years is bad manners, is vulgar, immoral.

Trailer (Vimeo): https://vimeo.com/73180676

Johnny Walker stars Eric Godon (In Bruges), Astrid Whettnall (Yves Saint Laurent), Mieke Daneels (Four Roses), Hank Botwinik and Christelle Cornil (Deux jours, une nuit)

Executive Producers: Christine Kunewa Walker (Howl, Life During Wartime, American Splendor), Koen Mortier (Ex-Drummer, Borgman), Eurydice Gysel (The White Queen, Borgman), Kristian Van der Heyden (Private Number), Mitchel A. Martin. Co-producers: Tomas Leyers (Kill Me Please, Lost Persons Area, Blue Bird), Anton Scholten (Five Fingers, De Passievrucht), Svilen Kamburov (King’s Heart, Into the Gyre), Martin Dewitte (Parade’s End), Mieke Daneels (Gesmoord), Maxime Feyers, Kristina Liebrechts and Luc Slosse. Associate Producers: Raj Kosaraju (Por Las Plumas), Fred Vrancken, Lucas Tavernier and Kenneth Kerckhofs.

Screenings will be Saturday, Feb 1st @ 7:00pm and Monday, Feb 3 @ 8am. Santa Barbara is a pass-based festival, so individual tickets are not available. The cheapest tickets can be bought in ‘minipaks’ of 4x (this can get 1 person into 4 screenings, 4 people into 1 screening, or any combination). Minipaks can be purchased here:

http://shop.sbiff.org/product-p/4pak-2014.htm