PalmStar Entertainment has announced the addition of 2 new film industry executives in its New York office to support the continued expansion of its film production division. Courtney Andrialis and Jonathan Shukat have joined PalmStar Entertainment as Development and Production Executives. They are based in New York and report to Kevin Frakes CEO of PalmStar Entertainment.

“We’re thrilled to have Courtney and Jonathan join our team,” said Kevin Frakes, CEO and co-founder. “We are confident they will be a tremendous asset to our company as we gear up for continuous film productions in the upcoming months.”

Courtney Andrialis worked in development and production at New York based companies HDNet Films and Open City, both founded and run by producers Jason Kliot and Joana Vicente. Co-founded by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban, HDNet was the first all HD production shingle in the US. Under that banner, Andrialis served as a creative executive on numerous films including Zoe Cassavetes’ “Broken English” starring Parker Posey, Drea DeMatteo, Gena Rowlands, Brian DePalma’s Iraq drama “Redacted”, and Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary “Hunter Thompson”. At Open City, Andrialis helped run development for Deutsch/Open City Films, where advertising mogul Donny Deutsch was a partner, served as creative executive on Joby Harold’s “Awake” starring Jessica Alba, Hayden Christiansen, Terrence Howard, soon to be released by The Weinstein Company, and was instrumental in the development of the upcoming “Infinite Jest” to be directed by Sam Jones, and Nicole Holofcener’s “Me, Too.” Andrialis has a BFA in Film and Television Production from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU.

Jonathan Shukat was the set assistant to GreeneStreet Films producers John Penotti and Fisher Stevens on their films “Awake” starring Jessica Alba, Terrance Howard and director Michael Ian Black’s “Wedding Daze” starring Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher. Jonathan also assisted at GreeneStreet in development, foreign sales and investor relations. Shukat directed and produced the documentary short, “Only Seconds Left”, which was accepted out of competition to the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. He also co-wrote and produced the short, “Something of Value”, that is currently being submitted to film festivals. Shukat attended Columbia University.

PalmStar Entertainment is an independent film company based in New York and Los Angeles, founded in 2004 by Kevin Frakes. PalmStar is focused on developing literary driven properties and raises independent production financing for its smaller budgeted films. PalmStar is in pre-production for the feature film adaptation of Paolo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die starring Kate Bosworth, directed by BAFTA award-winning Emily Young from a script by Larry Gross (“We Don’t Live Here Anymore”) and Roberta Hanley. PalmStar is developing a feature film adaptation of Peter Biskind’s Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film into a feature length comedy. Ken Bowser (”Easy Riders, Raging Bulls”) is attached to direct. Additionally, PalmStar optioned and is developing Bret Easton Ellis’ International bestseller Lunar Park and recently sold and distributed its first two features, “Fifty Pills” and “Premium”. For more information, please visit http://www.palmstar.com

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By Gregg Goldstein 

Kate Bosworth (Getty Images photo)

TORONTO — Kate Bosworth will play the title role in Emily Young’s feature adaptation of Paulo Coelho’s best-seller “Veronika Decides to Die” for Das Films, Palm Star Entertainment and Muse Films.

In the drama, written for the screen by Larry Gross (”We Don’t Live Here Anymore”) and Roberta Hanley (”Woundings”), Bosworth will play a woman who wakes up in a mental institution after a failed suicide attempt. She discovers that she has a weakened heart and only days to live. The film follows her recovery as she finds true love and a newfound will to survive.

“Veronika” will be produced and financed by Das head Sriram Das and Muse owner Chris Hanley, and executive produced by Palm Star CEO Kevin Frakes. Principal photography begins this winter in New York. Velvet Octopus will serve as the film’s sales company.

“Veronika” is the first project out of the gate for Das Films, founded this spring by Das and home to 15 pending projects. Hanley’s Muse has produced a number of indie titles in the past nine years, including “American Psycho,” “The Virgin Suicides” and “Buffalo 66.” Stephan Paternot and Frakes’ Palm Star are developing an adaptation of Peter Biskind’s nonfiction book “Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film” as a feature narrative comedy, with Ken Bowser attached to direct. Palm Star also is developing a big-screen version of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel “Lunar Park.”

Bosworth stars opposite Sigourney Weaver in the drama “The Girl in the Park,” which premiered Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival and marks the directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning “Proof” playwright David Auburn. Bosworth rose to fame as Lois Lane in “Superman Returns” and next will be seen starring in “21″ opposite Jim Sturgess and Kevin Spacey for Columbia Pictures.

Young received the 2004 BAFTA Carl Foreman Award for her first feature, “Kiss Of Life,” which also was an official selection in the 2003 Cannes Un Certain Regard.

Screenwriter Larry Gross won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting award for “We Don’t Live Here Anymore” at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. His other credits include “48 Hrs.” and “Prozac Nation.”

Brazilian author Coelho’s novel “Veronika” has sold more than 9 million copies. He is best known for his book “The Alchemist.”

Bosworth is represented by UTA, One Talent Management and attorney Warren Dern. Young is repped by UTA and Michelle Kass in the U.K. Gross is repped by ICM.

Find this article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i16c1ed3bf76536b430d92e6e67dc55a1

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