FILMMAKER TONY OLIVER RETURNS FROM L.A. WITH ‘90S COMEDY COLUMBUS DAY
Over the last 30 years, writer, director, actor, and producer Tony Tanelli Oliver has worked on sets with Hollywood stars like Lawrence Fishburne, Halle Berry, Johnny Depp, Cicely Tyson, Fred Williams, and Gary Sinise.

But before all that, he made his debut indie comedy movie Columbus Day in the mid-1990s … and then never released it.

“At that time, I was more focused on my acting career,” Oliver said. “The ‘90s weren’t like today. You couldn’t just upload your movie for the world to see. Film distributors were much harder to come by.”

So, Oliver put the movie in storage and moved on.

But, having recently wrapped his latest horror film production Session 13 in Los Angeles, Oliver set his sights on making his next project in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

“I’ve always wanted to come back and make a movie where I grew up,” Oliver said. “I thought, what better way to announce my plans to make a movie in my old stomping grounds than to kick things off with the premiere of my first film.”

Billed as a cross between Ice Cube’s Friday and Dave Chapelle’s Half Baked, Columbus Day follows the misadventures of a trio of friends on the gritty side of L.A. trying to pay their rent by questionable means.

“If you liked Richard Pryor’s movie Which Way is Up? or Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke, you’ll probably get a kick out of Columbus Day,” Oliver said.

The world premiere of Columbus Day is set for 6-9 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 16 at the West Theater, located at 1017 Wooster Road West, in Barberton, Ohio.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Get your tickets: https://0bf168d1-016c-4135-b9b0-97af38fe7d06.paylinks.godaddy.com/Columbus_Day

The event will begin with red carpet reception, cocktail hour, and meet-and-greet, followed by the premiere of the movie (approximate runtime 61 minutes) followed by a Q&A session. Refreshments will be offered.

Preorder the digital version of Columbus Day here: https://0bf168d1-016c-4135-b9b0-97af38fe7d06.paylinks.godaddy.com/Columbus_Day_Online

Columbus Day is rated R for strong language.

Oliver’s film company A Twister Productions will begin filming its next project—a comedy adventure—in the greater Akron area later this fall.

For this next movie, Oliver is teaming up with noted Hollywood director and cinematographer Daniel Wyland. And much of his cast and crew will be from Ohio.

For inquiries regarding cast and crew opportunities for Oliver’s next film project, email: atwisterproductions@gmail.com.

Follow @atwisterfilms on YouTube and @a_twister_productions on Instagram