The Little Rock Film Festival has teamed up with the Arkansas and Little Rock Film Commissions to bring you the first in the Arkansas Film Series of screenings this year. The Vampire’s Assistant is a very slick film from Courtney Pledger (Little Rock native) who Executive Produced the film. There will be a screening and after party to celebrate her accomplishments. Continue reading for the press release. From Gary Newton (Little Rock Chamber of Commerce) of the Arkansas Film Series: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, a new Universal Pictures feature film executive produced by Little Rock’s Courtney Pledger, will begin its nationwide release on Friday, October 23rd. To celebrate another accomplished Arkansan in film, Copeland’s Famous New Orleans Restaurant and Bar will present the Arkansas Film Series, produced by the Little Rock Regional Chamber’s Little Rock Film Commission, Arkansas Film Commission and Little Rock Film Festival. A special screening of Cirque Du Freak will begin at 7:00 pm at Rave Motion Pictures Colonel Glenn 18 Theatre (18 Colonel Glenn Plaza Drive). Following the screening, Pledger will discuss her role in the project and answer questions from the audience. Also scheduled to attend is the film’s lead actor, 17-year old Chris Massoglia. Immediately following the screening, from 9:00 to 11:00 pm, Copeland’s Famous New Orleans Restaurant and Bar (2602 South Shackleford Road, Ste. 100) will host an after-event reception. Tickets, which include the screening at Rave and the after-event at Copeland’s, are $20 and must be purchased in advance by clicking here. Tickets will be mailed up until a week before the event and picked up at the Chamber thereafter. The Arkansas Film Series is powered by Create Little Rock, a new Chamber group initiated to retain, develop and attract a talented, creative and competitive workforce to enhance the economic development of the Little Rock region. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares. 16-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend (Josh Hutcherson), got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley(John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty. Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe). As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. And while trying to survive, one boy will struggle to keep their brewing war from devouring what’s left of his humanity. The film is rated PG-13. Executive Producer Courtney Pledger was born in Little Rock, but grew up mostly in Jackson, Mississippi. Her parents, Arkansas natives, returned to Little Rock when she was enrolled at Millsaps College. In August of 2004, Pledger relocated with her three children back to Little Rock from London. In August of this year, she became the senior vice president of production for Radical Publishing/Radical Pictures in Los Angeles. Pledger is a producer of Ricky Gervais‘ Flanimals and The Night Tourist. Among her other projects are a film adaptation of John Masefield’s The Box of Delights, which has Mike Newell attached to direct for Brilliant Films and Boo U, a Tony Leondis-directed feature for DreamWorks Animation. 17-year old Chris Massoglia is one of the young Hollywood stars to watch. Born March 29, 1992 in Minneapolis, he played Elliot Plumm in A Plumm Summer alongside Henry Winkler, William Baldwin and Jeff Daniels. Next up, he stars as Dane Thompson in Joe Dante’s The Hole 3-D, winner of this year’s Best 3-D Film at the Venice Film Festival. The oldest of four children, Chris began his career on television’s Law and Order, Boys Life and Wanted. He played in the 2004 Little League World Series Midwestern Regional Championship. All proceeds of the Arkansas Film Series benefit efforts to retain, expand and attract film and content development in the region and state. For more information, contact Gary Newton, 501.377.6007. 
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