[August 18, New York City, NY] CLOUDS, the award-winning feature film debut of New York playwright/filmmaker Don Thompson (TIBET DOES NOT EXIST, L.A. BOOK OF THE DEAD), will have its world theatrical premier in New York City on September 5th at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater, followed by a limited theatrical release. The film's New York City theatrical run will begin September 8th at select Clearview and City Cinema theaters. CLOUDS will be released on video and DVD in early 2001.

Critics and festival directors have lauded the film's strong performances and described the film as "a brilliant first feature," "a cinematic poem with a classic feel" and "a perfect film for the millennium." The cast of CLOUDS includes award-winning indie actor/director Rob Nilsson (NORTHERN LIGHTS, HEAT AND SUNLIGHT, CHALK), known recently for his pioneering of digital video film on the Internet with such films as SCHEME.

CLOUDS stars Michael Patrick Gaffney as a physics professor at work on a theory regarding the nature of reality. While on a beachside sabbatical, the professor meets an alluring and beautiful woman (played by Jennifer Jordan Day) who teaches him that the mysteries of love and spirit are just as important as any scientific understanding of the world. States the director: "Jennifer and Michael had a wonderful chemistry on the set that translated well to the screen." Richard Barrows also stars and gives a breakthrough performance as the cynical artist Tab, and Patricia Ann Rubens is a standout as the religiously-minded landlady Mrs. Martin.

CLOUDS garnered numerous awards on the festival circuit and played at such venues as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Angelika Film Center, and Anthology Film Archives. Festivals where CLOUDS screened included the New York International Independent Film and Video Film Festival (both the New York and Los Angeles editions), the Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and the 33rd Annual Brooklyn Arts Council International Film Festival. CLOUDS also won recognition on the Internet, being one of two feature films selected for an award at the first Internet film festival, alwaysi.com. CLOUDS was a top-ten pick for the alwaysi.com site.

CLOUDS was acquired by IN Pictures at the 1999 Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York City. IN Pictures is well known for acquiring niche market, artist-driven films. Some of their projects have included the indie classic FEDERAL HILL (dir. Michael Corrente of the recent Miramax release PROVIDENCE), THINGS I NEVER TOLD YOU (Lili Taylor, Andrew McCarthy), National Board of Review award-winner FOLLOW ME HOME, and Nicole Conn's CLAIRE OF THE MOON.

Prior to CLOUDS, Don Thompson is best known for his work as a playwright who reflects on socially-relevant issues. His plays include L.A. BOOK OF THE DEAD and TIBET DOES NOT EXIST, both which received critical acclaim during their respective runs. TIBET DOES NOT EXIST was also published in 1998 with a foreword by Robert A.F. Thurman and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Thompson is currently President and CEO of nextPix, a production company and Internet software provider.

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