SANTA MONICA, CA (Lionsgate) - Lionsgate, the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, announced today that it will unveil two billboards in August for its new theatrical documentary THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON, a co-production with VH1 Rock Docs. The billboards reproduce the famous "War Is Over! If You Want It" billboards created and posted in 11 cities around the world by
John Lennon and Yoko Ono in December, 1969. The announcement was made jointly by Lionsgate President of Theatrical Films Tom Ortenberg and Co-Presidents of Theatrical Marketing Tim Palen and
Sarah Greenberg.
Said Ortenberg, "Our marketing campaign for THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON is directly inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who demonstrated such boldness and creativity in spreading their message of peace and hope. It just made sense to go right to the source and reproduce some of their original art projects to promote this film."
Said Palen, "THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON is a film about what happened to a world-famous musician when he spoke out against an unpopular war and advocated for peace, thereby crossing a powerful and determined presidential administration that did not take kindly to dissenters. However you view the parallels to today's political climate, John and Yoko's message of peace - that 'war is over if you want it' - is just as meaningful now as it was then. And that further underscores the relevance of
THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON." The New York billboard is scheduled to go up on August 2nd on 7th Avenue at 10th Street. The Los Angeles billboard is scheduled to up on August 15th on the north side of Sunset Boulevard at Cory Avenue, facing east.
The billboards are part of Lionsgate's aggressive marketing plan for THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON, which is produced, directed and written by David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. The co-production with VH1 Rock Docs is a compelling and provocative look at John Lennon's transformation from beloved musical artist to anti-war activist to iconic inspiration for peace that also reveals the true story of why and how the U.S. Government tried to silence him. Other elements of the studio's marketing campaign include:
* A website, The Grudge Report at https://www.theusversusjohnlennon.com. A play on "The Drudge Report," the website features headlines that link to websites presenting information relevant to the film. Visitors can access materials including archival television footage of the Lennon/Ono "Bed-In" in Montreal; the movie trailer and information about the filmmakers; an article by Leon Wildes, the immigration attorney who represented Lennon and Ono and who is one of the witnesses featured in THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON; and much more.
* A separate website, https://www.joinnutopia.com, inspired by another original Lennon/Ono collaboration. On April 1973, as Lennon fought government efforts to deport him, the couple declared the birth of the conceptual country NUTOPIA, with "no land, no boundaries, no passports, only people." Visitors to the NUTOPIA website can obtain citizenship and view and download the official NUTOPIA flag.
* The studio is creating vintage-inspired, political protest items including T-shirts, buttons and stickers with the statement "War Is Over! If You Want It."
Lionsgate will announce additional activities and projects inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the coming weeks.
In October, Flaunt magazine will devote the cover of its dedicated "Peace of Mind Issue" to John Lennon, in honor of THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON.
An original soundtrack album to the film will be released on CD and digitally on September 26 by Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing. The soundtrack collects John Lennon's most evocative songs, including "Imagine," "Nobody Told Me," "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," and "Power To The People," as well as two previously unreleased tracks, "Attica State," recorded live at 1971's "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" benefit concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the film's instrumental version of "How Do You Sleep." The CD and digital album packaging will include a liner notes essay written exclusively for this release by Yoko Ono Lennon.
