Futurist Kurzweil goes worldwide with Man: Docu on tech advances gets multicity tour

January 11, 2011

In the latest push for alternate distribution, indie docu Transcendent Man is slated for a multi­city global tour beginning Feb. 3, followed by a digital release March 1.

The tour, which begins in New York and ends in London on April 5, will include a Q&A with author Ray Kurzweil, whose tome The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology provides source material for the docu.

Directed by Barry Ptolemy, Transcendent chronicles the life and ideas of Kurzweil, whose book focuses on technological change in society and the idea of humans transcending biological limitations.

Docu is produced through Ptolemy’s shingle Ptolemaic Prods., along with Therapy Studios, which provided editorial, design and post-production services.

“I reached two powerful conclusions after reading The Singularity Is Near,” Ptolemy said. “The first was that this was the most profound book I had ever read, and the second was that as a filmmaker I had to turn these ideas into film.”

Transcendent, which had its world preem at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, will use a social media marketing campaign in conjunction with the tour. Pic’s digital distribution will go through partners iTunes and Media-on-Demand, followed by a DVD release on May 24.

WME Global and Music departments brokered the distrib pacts on behalf of the filmmakers, in addition to booking the U.S. tour. Other cities include L.A., Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Jose, CA.

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