Estevez film to premiere in AMC theaters

NEW YORK, July 28 (UPI) -- U.S. filmmaker Emilio Estevez says his movie "The Way," starring his father Martin Sheen, is to open first exclusively in AMC theaters.

Estevez and Elixir Films' David Alexanian announced Thursday they have partnered with John Sloss and Bart Walker's Producers Distribution Agency and Trevor Drinkwater's ARC Entertainment to release the film on Oct. 7.

Estevez wrote and directed the movie, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last year.

Produced by Alexanian and partly based on the Jack Hitt book, "Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain," the film was shot in Spain and France along the famed Camino de Santiago.

It is to open in 15 markets in the first week exclusively in AMC theaters as part of a strategic marketing alliance with the theater chain. It will expand to another 15 markets on Oct. 14 and then to 500 screens in theaters across the country on Oct. 21.

"'The Way' is the kind of film that does not come around often," Sloss said in a statement. "It is an extremely moving film that is also wholly entertaining. It elicits a strong emotional response from people of all faiths and from people who just appreciate the experience of being uplifted and inspired by a motion picture. I am proud to have worked with Emilio, David and Trevor to assemble a terrific team who will give this film the innovative and aggressive release it deserves."