Sundance Alums Elizabeth Avellán & Rana Joy Glickman Launch Tealhouse

Anthony D'Alessandro
·5 min read

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EXCLUSIVE: Spy Kids franchise and Predators producer Elizabeth Avellán and Full Tilt Boogie and Kicking & Screaming producer Rana Joy Glickman are opening the doors to their new global multimedia production company Tealhouse Entertainment which will develop and produce content across horror thrillers, comedies, dramas, docs and auteur-driven narratives, including films from underrepresented voices. Tealhouse will have offices in Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA.

The first pics that are being produced under Tealhouse include supernatural horror feature The Whistler, an English-language reimagining of the award-winning South American film El Silbón: Orígenes. Gisberg Bermúdez, who co-wrote, directed, co-produced and edited the original movie, will direct the new pic. There’s also Quincy Rose’s Margaux From Manhattan, the story of a renowned memoirist from Manhattan who is forced to move to Brooklyn after a nasty divorce turns her world upside-down. Grappling with her new identity and sexual freedom, Margaux once again finds herself coming of age.

Avellán and Glickman are longtime friends and frequent collaborators. Avellán first met Glickman on the set of the Robert Rodriguez-helmed Dusk Till Dawn, when Glickman was producing Full Tilt Boogie, a documentary about the film for Quentin Tarantino. While both were early Tarantino protégés, their creative kinship has led to the two partnering to produce several films together, including the cult classic black comedy Real Stories of the Donut Men, which premiered at SXSW, and the poignant documentary Truth In Terms of Beauty, about famed jazz photographer Herman Leonard.

“At a time when diversity and representation of women and Latin American stakeholders in the industry is still sorely lacking, Tealhouse is launching as a unique and special home for the most artistic, articulate, and visionary filmmakers and storytellers who have projects that we believe will resonate with audiences and dare to be different,” said Avellán.

Added Glickman, “Elizabeth and I have been in the trenches as producers for years and we already have a significant pipeline of development with auteur filmmakers and established artists who are eager and excited to work with Tealhouse. Each of us brings an eclectic set of skills to the company. We will draw on our combined successes, experiences and our expansive network of contacts to launch a unique and special home – a creative sanctuary where artists are nurtured, inspired and protected. Anyone who has worked with us knows the integrity we bring to our sets and our production process. Tealhouse will stand for the highest ideals and ambitions and we look forward to digging in and doing some great and bold creative work.”

Avellán is best known as the co-owner and VP of Troublemaker Studios and president of EYA Productions, and she’s been key in developing Austin, Texas into a vibrant film community. She began her producing career when she co-founded Los Hooligans Productions, which was established to produce Rodriguez’s debut $7K indie landmark feature El Mariachi. The pic went on to win the Audience Award at both the Sundance and Deauville Film Festivals. At Troublemaker Studios with Rodriguez she produced such pics as the Spy Kids franchise, Frank Miller’s Sin City, Predators, Machete, Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Grindhouse. Through her EYA banner Avellán also executive produced several projects including Aaron Burns’ Blacktino and Jonathan Jakubowicz’s Venezuelan break-out film Secuestro Express.

Glickman, a former equestrian stunt woman, developed, collaborated and produced films for Julia Sweeney, Noah Baumbach, Tarantino, Rodriguez, Del Bigtree, Sarah Kelly, Susan Streitfeld, Eric Stoltz, Gil Cates Jr. and Tilda Swinton. Glickman also served as head of Production & Acquisitions early on for Cindy Cowan and Graham King. She cut her teeth in the film business through the AD department becoming a UPM / Line Producer until she bloomed into a full-fledged creative producer. Her films have premiered and won awards at Sundance, Cannes, Deauville, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, New York, Seattle & SXSW. She is also the founder of Shakrah Films.

Said Louis Black, one of the co-founders of SXSW, “Two of the most brilliant and courageous filmmakers and supporters of filmmakers I know have joined forces. They offer that rare combination of intense creative integrity, expansive aesthetic vision, deep and sustained commercial business skills and wisdom all of which have been devoted to supporting artists as well as especially encouraging those who represent communities we have not heard enough from. In every way this is great news not just for the film community but as an act of healing in a world too many are trying to split asunder.”

Tealhouse Entertainment is represented by a legal team inclusive of Sheri Jeffrey of Hogan Lovells and Craig Emanuel of the law firm Paul Hastings.

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