I need to write "nothing's happening" updates like the one below more often. For, just days later, Claustrophobia was not only invited to a horror film festival in Estepona, Spain, but I heard from Michael Gingold, editor of Fangoria magazine. He wrote to tell me that Lions Gate Home Entertainment informed him of the film's release, and could he have a screener, and maybe they'll do an article! The following Monday, Fangoria's site posted the news, and made it official: Lions Gate will release Claustrophobia on home video in the US and Canada on December 7, 2004. Just like that, I had the answers to questions plaguing me all year. Yes, it's a little strange that I had to learn this through a press release sent to somebody else, but at least it's a sign that Lions Gate is promoting the film already, so hopefully it will get good exposure. Stranger still is the fact that the film was initially offered to both Lions Gate and Artisan, and they both turned it down. So it went to filmnic, then filmnic sold it to Artisan - now Lions Gate. In short, the two companies that said "no" to my movie have now joined forces to release it. That's show biz!
My only real complaint - besides having to wait another six months before my movie becomes available - is that Fangoria's news blurb called me "Mark Tapio Kimes" (it's Kines, folks) and now every horror-related website around the world has copied my name incorrectly. Oh well. I'm off to Italy in less than a week. I'm happy.