The largest theater at the Newport Beach Film Festival was packed for the world premiere of The Man in the White Van (starring Sean Astin, Ali Larter, Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, and Gavin Warren) which took place Saturday, October 14th. Enhanced by the incredible Dolby Atmos sound system, the audience was fully immersed in every edge-of-the-seat moment of this intense true-crime thriller and the overall response was extremely positive.

The screening was immediately followed up by a Q&A with director Warren Skeels and producers Anne Marie Gillen and Terri Lubaroff, where they discussed the film and the real-life serial killer the events depicted were based on.

Though the film is haunting and scary (and totally enthralling), it’s worth mentioning that The Man in the White Van is unlike the other trope-filled thrillers that glorify serial killers and violence. It’s an original true story told from the victim's perspective, resulting in a gripping and tense cautionary tale. At its core, the film is about empowerment, finding one's voice, and ensuring that victims are never reduced to mere numbers.

We were thrilled to have many in the Legion M community in attendance for this momentous occasion and after the premiere we all headed over to Tavern + Bowl to celebrate!

REVIEWS

In addition to the incredible response by the audience at NBFF, the early reviews have been great as well…

• "A powerful, slow burn of a movie that has your heart pounding in your throat as you wait to see the fate of Annie."
  —RC Samo, Fanboy Nation
  

• "Suspense and tension are on tap throughout the story, and director Warren Skeels plays with it like an orchestra conductor.”
  —Alan Ng, Film Threat
  

• "In the end, it resides in a gray area that does not quite feel like true crime due to its horror tendencies, but never goes full blown slasher since it is beholden to reality. The Man in the White Van excels at creating a mood that is creepy and will appeal to fans of both.”
  —Nathaniel Muir, AIPT
  

• "The Man in the White Van is a well-crafted production.”
  —Chet Kozłowski, Culture Catch 
  

• "The Man in the White should become a favorite among true crime enthusiasts."
  —Travis Brown, Horror Movies Uncut

• “An engrossing thriller that holds a tight grip on the audience.”
  —Norman Gidney, Horror Buzz