‘Boyhood’ Producer and IFC President Jonathan Sehring on Finally Releasing ‘Boyhood’: ‘I feel a huge responsibility’
Shortly following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival early this year, Indiewire pegged Richard Linklater‘s “Boyhood” as an Oscar dark horse. Linklater’s epic 12-year undertaking has since been met with raves at a number of other festivals and now finds itself atop our 2015 Oscar Predictions chart, joined by the likes of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and Bennett Miller’s Cannes winner “Foxcatcher.”
With the film opening in select theaters Friday, IFC Films, along with awards season party maestro Peggy Siegal, hosted a swank New York premiere at the Museum of Modern Art — a fitting venue for Linklater’s experimental and hugely ambitious endeavor.
READ MORE: Richard Linklater Explains Why He Had to Make ‘Boyhood’ and Keep It Under Wraps
As is the norm at Siegal’s events, the room was crammed with socialites, press, and most importantly for IFC Films and the film’s crew, Academy members (including Oscar voters Joe Berlinger and Paul Dano).
IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring is a credited producer on the project; his company has supported “Boyhood” since the cameras began to roll. It represents their surest Oscar bet this year and they’re feeling the pressure.
Sehring worked with Linklater on “Waking Life” and “Tape” before agreeing to “Boyhood.” Shortly after the screening, he cited their latest collaboration as his single proudest achievement in his professional career.
“I feel a huge responsibility,” he said, discussing the film’s release strategy. “As Rick says to me, ‘Don’t fuck it up.’ He didn’t exactly say that, but I don’t want to let him down.”
READ MORE: Was Richard Linklater’s 12 Year Production ‘Boyhood’ Worth the Wait? In a Word, Yes.
His plan for awards season? To get the movie seen. “It’s such a communal experience that what we’re going to do is screen, screen, screen,” he said.
“Boyhood” opens this Friday. Expect to hear more about the film and its awards prospects as the season truly gets underway this fall. Watch the trailer below:
