Press Release 1 : September 10th, 2004

For Immediate Release:

M. Night Shyamalan has risen to prominence from Philadelphia roots, and many have hoped to follow in his footsteps. A resident of Gladwyne, Mr. Shyamalan has brought Hollywood to the Philadelphia area on four occasions. From out on the Main Line, he has gained some company.

Invictus Films Incorporated, the brainchild of Alexander Emmert of Valley Forge, has opened it's doors and started production of an independent feature-length drama, "The Judas Kiss", which will be filmed entirely in the Philadelphia area over the Fall and Winter of 2004. The film takes place in the 1950s, during the era of McCarthyism and blacklisting in the entertainment industry, and revolves around the personal and professional betrayals between a writer, an actor and the actor's wife. The film is directed by Mr. Emmert, and stars Brooke Delaney and Don Downie.

"What I most wanted to do was to bring more film work to the area", said Mr. Emmert. "I had been living and acting up in New York, and though there was plenty of work up there, I moved back to Philly and wanted to start something here that would be lasting and area-specific". After finishing the script for "The Judas Kiss" in January, Mr. Emmert "decided to float it around locally to gain funding from people who, like myself, wanted to see more exposure for Philadelphia's filmmakers". After finding local investors, he incorporated Invictus Films and set about pre-production.

Garnering crew from many Temple University film and media students, Mr. Emmert built a solid nucleus of his production team, and casting from people he had worked with professionally in New York as well as local area talent, the filming of "The Judas Kiss" began in late August and will continue through the holidays. Post-production will also remain locally based, which "is critical to maintaining my goal of keeping a vibrant and active film community here", Mr. Emmert says.

Invictus Films is also developing area-specific stories of historical note, such as "The Cabal", about the Colonial Army's encampment in Valley Forge and the political intrigue that almost led to George Washington's replacement as Commander, and "Deep Red", the story of the 1925 Pottsville Maroons, who had their NFL championship (won on the field) taken away by a technicality. The City of Pottsville, and Gov. Ed Rendell, have actively lobbied the NFL for restoration of the title, and are supportive of Mr. Emmert's efforts to bring that story to national attention.