DRIVEWAYS, directed by Andrew Ahn, will be released by Film Rise Releasing on May 7. on several streaming pltforms including iTunes and Amazon Prime

A special virtual screening took place on May 6 at 7pm. A Q&A followed with director Andrew Ahn, actors Hong Chau, Christine Ebersole, and Lucas Jaye, and writers Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen.

Other upcoming film and TV premieres featuring Hudson Valley film production, includes Amazon Prime’s Upload, HBO’s I Know This Much is True, The Undoing, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things from Netflix.

Driveways was produced by Nicolas Bertelsen (The Speed of Life), Joe Pirro (Furlough), Celine Rattray (Skin, Bernie, The Kids Are All Right), and James Schamus (Taking Woodstock, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain). Jamie Buckner worked as line producer. The film features Hong Chau, Lucas Jaye, Christine Ebersole, Jerry Adler, and the versatile stage and screen actor Brian Dennehy, who passed away on April 16, 2020.

Dennehy who has appeared in several other Hudson Valley production including The Seagull and Crypto has received praise for his role in Driveways. The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “Dennehy has had a long career in television, film and theater. He created one of the most memorable interpretations of Willy Loman in an award-winning stage production of Death of a Salesman. But movie audiences have had to settle for seeing him in occasional, small supporting parts in recent films. Driveways rights that omission by giving Dennehy a juicy role that he plays to the hilt without ever overplaying. He has a final monologue, in which he expresses a lifetime of regrets, that is a breathtaking piece of film acting.”

Nominated for 2 Film Independent Spirit Awards, this heartwarming drama follows single mom Kathy (Chau) as she travels with her shy eight-year-old son Cody (Jaye) to her late sister’s house in upstate New York to clean and sell it. As Kathy discovers how little she knew about her sister, Cody develops an unlikely friendship with Del (Dennehy), the Korean War vet and widower who lives next door. Over the course of the summer and with Del’s encouragement, Cody develops the courage to come out of his shell and, along with his mother, finds a new place to call home.

“Production on Driveways took place in July and August of 2018 in Dutchess and Ulster Counties,” recalls Laurent Rejto from the Hudson Valley Film Commission. “The film commission made a lot of referrals for lodging, crew, casting directors and vendors. Over fourteen locations were featured from Hyde Park (Hyde Park RollerMagic), Kingston, New Paltz, Pleasant Valley (Miller Hardware), Poughkeepsie (Mid-Hudson Civic Center), and Rosendale (My Town Market Place).”

“The people and the businesses of the Hudson Valley were integral to our success filming Driveways ” says producer Joe Pirro. “The Hudson Valley Film Commission went to great lengths to connect us to these wonderful people and places both before and during our shoot. It was a joy filming in Dutchess and Ulster counties, and we hope to return again soon.“

Director Andrew Ahn adds that “We could not have made Driveways without the support of the Hudson Valley community. Our production found the talent and resources to not only make a beautiful film, but also to have a beautiful experience, collaborating with local cast and crew. I think back to my time in the Hudson Valley with an intense nostalgia for the generous people and the beautiful landscape.“

Funding has been severely impacted due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support our continued efforts during these difficult times.

Since 2000, the Hudson Valley Film Commission has worked on over 500 FILM & TV productions to refer and help secure local crew, cast, locations, vendors, post production facilities, and more! The results have created thousands of jobs, education & training opportunities, regional promotion & marketing, and over $250 million in regional economic development.

SELECT Hudson Valley productions include:
To stream regional films, visit hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/streamfest
Werewolves Within • Things Heard and Seen • Billions • Monsterland • Audrey • The Plot Against America • Silent Retreat • Black Bear • Lapsis • Foxhole • The Undoing • I Know This Much Is True • Save Yourselves • I’m Thinking of Ending Things • Scare Me • Can You Keep a Secret? • Panic • High Maintenance • Driveways • Shirley • The Dead Don't Die • Avengers: Endgame • The Irishman • The Climb* • Swallow • Skin • The Mountain • A Quiet Place • Fabled • Then Came You • Furlough • A Vigilante • Nancy • Diane • The Miseducation of Cameron Post • La Devotee by Panic at the Disco! • It Comes at Night • Super Dark Times • The Seagull • HAPPYish • The Ticket • Growing Up Smith • Cold in July • Katie Fforde Films • True Story • The Sisterhood of Night • The Better Angels • We Are What We Are • The Bourne Legacy • Frances Ha • Our Idiot Brother • First Winter • The Last Keepers • Francine • Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding • Martha Marcy May Marlene • Higher Ground • Rocksteady • Bitter Feast • Stake Land • Man on Wire • Taking Woodstock • American Gangster • Michael Clayton • The Human Footprint • The Night Listener • Stephanie Daley • War of the Worlds • Down to the Bone • Personal Velocity