Info/Screening and Josh Radnor on "Liberal Arts" (Elizabeth Reaser) and "'Twilight" #Sundance 2012

@Moviefone 
Now, Radnor is back at Sundance with "Liberal Arts," a film that received a standing ovation at its premiere. In "Liberal Arts," Radnor plays Jesse, a somewhat depressed admissions counselor at a New York City college who is invited by a former professor (Richard Jenkins) to give a retirement speech in Ohio. There, Jesse meets a 19-year-old student named Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen) and an ill-advised relationship develops between the two.
In our discussion, Radnor shares his opinions of David Foster Wallace and "Twilight" -- both figure prominently in "Liberal Arts" -- and reflects on his first film, "Not Another Teen Movie. It would be interesting if you said right now, 
"This is a message movie, and the message is that I don't like 'Twilight.'" [Laughs] That is not me who said that. "All the work put into this movie was just to share my feelings on 'Twilight.'" 
I made this movie to take it down. To take down the franchise. 
That's my headline. 
Because the power of indie film can stand up to Summit Entertainment. It's boundless. 


How does Elizabeth Reaser feel about the "Twilight" jokes? 
Oh, boy, did she love it. She loved it. She got such a kick out of it. I think that's one of the great in-jokes of the movie: that Reaser is in the "Twilight" movies. She has a really funny, healthy detachment from the whole thing. I think she knows what it is and she is desperate to do other things in addition to that. Which everyone is, if you've been doing one thing for too long. You can talk to her about it, but she got a real kick out of it. I didn't know if there was a "the less I say, the better," type of situation there. She was not offended.


 From Hollywoodreporter: 
IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Josh Radnor’s Liberal Arts for a seven-figure sum. The film drew a positive reaction from viewers and buyers after its world premiere Sunday night at the Eccles Theatre. IFC plans to release the film in theaters later this year. 
“There is a reason this is one of the hottest films at Sundance right now. Josh Radnor delivers a poignant and smart comedy, with incredible acting and a terrific screenplay," said Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, in a statement. 
Wednesday morning, Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions closed a deal to pick up U.S. rights to Arbitrage for a day-and-date theatrical-VOD release, much as they did for the 2011 Sundance thriller Margin Call. The sale price was just north of $2 million. And on Wednesday afternoon, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films partnered to pick up Robot and Frank for slightly more than $2 million.