Patrick Stewart & Carla Gugino to Star in Film Adaptation of MATCH

Patrick Stewart & Carla Gugino to Star in Film Adaptation of MATCH It was announced today that Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino and Matthew Lillard will star in MATCH, written and directed by Stephen Belber.

MATCH is based on Belber's 2004 Tony nominated Broadway play of the sametitle. The film centers on a reclusive, eccentric Julliard dance instructor and avformer choreographer, Tobi (Stewart), who is visited by a Seattle couple, Lisa and Mike (Gugino and Lillard) under the pretense of interviewing Tobi for Lisa's thesis on the New York dance movement in the sixties. However, as the couple's true intentions are revealed, Tobi is forced to face the impact of decisions he made long ago.

Belber previously wrote and directed the 2008 film MANAGEMENT starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn. Other stage plays by Belber that have been made into feature films include the Richard Linklater directed TAPE and HBO's THE LARAMIE PROJECT. Recently, FX network put into development an untitled dramatic thriller created by Belber.

Patrick Stewart is a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee who was last heard as the Narrator in Seth MacFarlane's hit comedy, "Ted." He recently completed production on the independent feature, "Hunting Elephants," and will soon reprise his role as 'Professor Charles Xavier' in the next installment of the hugely popular "X-Men" franchise, entitled "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

Gugino most recently starred in the Golden Globe nominated miniseries Political Animals, the feature film Hotel Noir, and Athol Fugard's Road To Mecca on Broadway.

Lillard was recently seen in the Clint Eastwood produced Trouble with the Curve and Alexander Payne's highly acclaimed THE DESCENDANTS. Lillard also made his feature directing debut last year with Fat Kid Rules the World which won the Narrative Spotlight Audience Award at SXSW in 2012.

David Permut last produced STRUCK BY LIGHTNING written by and starring Chris Colfer (GLEE), also starring Rebel Wilson (PITCH PERFECT). Permut Presentations is currently prepping THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR with Walden Media, to be directed by Randall Wallace, and the re-make of the hit Israeli comedy A MATTER OF SIZE with Paramount, to be directed by Jon Turteltaub, among other high priority projects. Chris Mangano has been an Executive with Permut Presentations since 2007.

Rick Rosenthal and WHITEWATER FILMS are dedicated to helping emerging directors find their voices. Since 2003, Whitewater has been involved in over 20 indie productions including: MEAN CREEK, directed by Jacob Aaron Estes, winner of two Spirit Awards and a Humanitas Award; On the Ice directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, winner of the Crystal Bear at Berlin in 2011; and Fat Kid Rules the World directed by Matthew Lillard, winner of the Narrative Spotlight Audience Award at SXSW last year. Rosenthal and Whitewater are also executive producers on OPEN HEART, which has just been nominated for an Academy Award as Best Documentary Short.

MATCH marks the debut feature film for Tilted Windmill Productions, founded by Matt Ratner in 2011.