Victory in Court for Actor Steve Buscemi
The Miami Herald
by Patrick Danner
pdanner@MiamiHerald.com
FORT LAUDERDALE - The actor perhaps best known for playing a kidnapper in the movie Fargo is now in a dispute with the owner of a Fort Lauderdale film distribution company.
Actor Steve Buscemi is suing Mike Broder, who helped resurrect the Sunrise Cinemas Gateway Theater by featuring alternative flicks, over a 2003 production. Buscemi, executive producer of the documentary Rockets Redglare, and the film's director last week filed a $1.75 million breach of contract suit against Broder in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. The pair allege Broder and his Small Planet Pictures failed to promote Rockets Redglare and to get it into movie theaters. At the same time, they claim Broder is distributing the film in Europe even though the contract only gives him rights to distribute in North America.
Broder, 31, couldn't be located for comment. Phone numbers for Broder were out of service or disconnected. Small Planet's website indicates it has been suspended. State corporate records show Small Planet hasn't filed an annual report in more than three years.
Broder has distributed such independent films as Tully, Way Off Broadway, Chance and Gypsy 83. The makers of Gypsy 83, released in 2004, warned filmmakers on the movie's website to avoid Small Planet.
''Unfortunately, our U.S. theatrical distribution was a mess, primarily due to the incompetence and misrepresentation of Mike Broder'', a posting on the website states.
A call to a Gypsy 83 co-producer wasn't immediately returned. Dan Kay, director of Way Off Broadway, also couldn't be reached.
Under the terms of the distribution agreement with Buscemi and director Luis Fernandez de la Reguera, Small Planet was entitled to 37.5 percent of the gross theater receipts, as well a cut of any revenue generated from television distribution, DVDs and merchandising.
J. Christopher Robbins, a St. Petersburg lawyer representing Buscemi and Fernandez, didn't have any information on the film's box-office performance.
''We tried to settle this in good faith,'' Robbins said. ``The defendants were not responsive.''
The documentary provided a peek into the life of actor, comedian, roadie and East Village character Rockets Redglare, formerly Michael Morra, who died in 2001 from complications brought on by drug abuse. The film, which includes appearances by Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon and Buscemi, was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003.
''They tell me you can't do this outside of New York or L.A.'', Broder told The Miami Herald in 2003 at the time of Small Planet's first release. ''I say, `Why not?' ''
Broward Circuit Court records also show six tenant eviction cases were filed against Broder by the same landlord in 2004 and 2005. All of the cases were quickly dismissed.
The landlord didn't return a call.
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