"Anyone who loves movies, or the moviemaking process, will savor the satire in The Independent," said Cheryl Freeman, President and CEO of Allumination Filmworks. "Its an outrageous and hilarious comedy that truly pays homage to the notion of independent filmmaking--and in a unique way."

In the tradition of Waiting for Guffman and Bowfinger comes The Independent, a snappy satire of the movie business as seen from the ground up. Jerry Stiller ("The King of Queens," The Heartbreak Kid) stars as Morty Fineman, one of the true legends of Hollywood -- particularly in his own mind. Having produced 427 films during his illustrious career, including such "classics" as Twelve Angry Men and a Baby, and Psycho Vet Meets Hercules, Morty has succeeded in making audiences laugh and cry - especially cry.

But now Mortys broke, and in a desperate effort to save his company and his career, he turns to his estranged daughter Paloma (Janeane Garofalo, The Truth About Cats and Dogs, "24", "The West Wing") to help save his crumbling empire. Can an over-the-hill hack moviemaker still find respect and glory in today's highly competitive world of studio blockbusters?

Hailed by audiences and critics alike, The Independent won the Best Feature Film Award at the 2001 Slamdunk Film Festival, and Garofalo won the Best Actress Jury Award from the Montreal Comedy Festival "Just for Laughs."

The Independent also boasts a star-studded supporting cast that includes Independent Spirit Award winner Max Perlich (Drugstore Cowboy, Rush, Georgia) and such luminaries as Ginger Lynn Allen (The Devils Rejects), two-time Academy Award nominee Karen Black (Nashville, "Trilogy of Terror," House of 1,000 Corpses), Academy Award nominee Peter Bogdanovich ("The Sopranos," director of The Last Picture Show and What's Up Doc?), Billy Burke ("24," Along Came a Spider), Nick Cassavetes (Face/Off, director of John Q and The Notebook), Andy Dick (Employee of the Month, Road Trip), Fred Dryer (Death Before Dishonor, "Hunter"), Ethan Embry (Empire Records, Can't Hardly Wait, "Masters of Horror"), Academy Award winner Ron Howard ("Happy Days," director of A Beautiful Mind, Splash and Cocoon), Emmy Award winner Jonathan Katz ("Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist," Daddy Day Care), John Lydon (the legendary Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols), cult icon Julie Strain (Midnight Confessions, Bikini Hotel, Heavy Metal 2000), two-time Emmy Award winner Bob Odenkirk ("Mr. Show," "The Larry Sanders Show") and the legendary Fred "The Hammer" Williamson (Starsky & Hutch, Original Gangstas, From Dusk Till Dawn).

Its smart and knowing satire of the movie business has made The Independent a critic's darling. "Pure entertainment," hailed Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times. "So much fun even the most serious film student won't be able to suppress a laugh or two." "Expertly done," said Stephen Holden of The New York Times. "Must be seen to be believed." Joe Leydon of Variety called it "an affectionate sendup - Stiller gives a robustly comical performance."