Shaquille O’Neal presents Foster Boy, a pulse-pounding cinematic legal drama that activates reform against corruption in foster care. Michael Trainer (Matthew Modine) is a lawyer at the center of a trial in which a for-profit foster care agency is accused of putting a known sex offender into the same foster home as his young client Jamal (Shane Paul McGhie), with catastrophic results. Michael, a successful litigator with a long career protecting corporate interests, at first wants nothing to do with Jamal’s case until a Judge forces him to accept it. Initially, he sees Jamal as a kid off the street looking to grab a piece of corporate profits. But when Jamal refuses to settle the case for any amount of money, Michael begins his representation in earnest. Louis Gossett, Jr. (Watchmen, An Officer and a Gentleman) also appears as the judge overseeing the case. As their work together reveals the horrifying depth of the corrupt and abusive for-profit foster care agency, Michael is transformed from cynical skeptic to fierce warrior in the pursuit of justice. Amy Brenneman and Evan Handler round out a formidable cast. 

Written by Jay Paul Deratany and based on one of the most formative cases of his law career, Foster Boy brings to light the dark corners of the foster care system and hopes to start a national dialogue concerning the state of the system. Foster care run for profit is permitted in the majority of the states reporting. Foster Boy seeks to throw light on the outrages of this little-known system – and create momentum for urgent corrective action by communities, states, and the federal government. Join film producer Shaquille O’Neal and step up to help thousands of foster kids across America. Follow the film online + take action -->  https://www.fosterboy.com  
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MEDIA REQUESTS Interested media who wish to interview the cast and Jay Paul Deratany on behalf of Foster Boy please contact WORKHOUSE, CEO Adam Nelson via email [email protected] or telephone +1 212.645.8006

​“The very agencies charged with and paid to keep foster children safe too often failed to provide even the most basic protections, or to take steps to prevent the occurrence of tragedies.” – U.S. Senate Committee on Finance 

Foster Boy is based on true events - it is about courage, an unlikely friendship and a tireless search for justice, and it shines a bright light on the very real abuses in the for-profit segment of the foster care system, widely recognized, including by U.S. Senate investigations. Deratany and Samuelson hope that the film will help raise awareness of the daunting challenges faced by all youth in foster care, and the need to help them because they are our responsibility.

Studies show fewer than three percent of foster youth earn a college degree. Each year, more than 20,000 youth age out of foster care, and within two years, more than half are
homeless, incarcerated, on drugs or on welfare.

“There are an estimated 400,000 children in foster care in America,” Deratany noted. “They are basically unrepresented, with few ways to shape their destinies. Why? One simple reason: they are children. They have no money and they have no voice.”

“Foster children are the last great civil rights victims in America,” Samuelson added. “After 25 years, I thought I had retired from producing films to produce charities, but Jay’s script was too compelling and too important. And now pro-social film-making is core to what I do.”

Foster Boy is directed by Youssef Delara (Filly Brown, The Bounce Back, English as a Second Language) and is produced by Jay Paul Deratany, Peter Samuelson (Arlington Road, Wilde, Revenge of the Nerds), Anne- Marie Mackay (The Last Word, The Girl from Nagasaki, Always Outnumbered) and Andrew Sugerman (Conviction, Shop Girl, Premonition). Basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal is an Executive Producer on the film and has a “Presented By” credit as well. Other Executive Producers are RKO Pictures Vice-Chair Mary Beth O’Connor, O’Neal’s partner Michael Parris, John Schimmel, Thom and Matt Lipari, Max Adler and Danny Moony.

The production is partnered with nationally recognized charities Children’s Rights of New York, the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego, and First Star of Los Angeles, as expert advisers on the story.

Donate, Defend, Adopt, or Write your Representative. Want to make a difference? We’ve got a bunch of great ideas to get you started. Just click Act to do your part. ​

Whether you have never held a brush before or are able to conceptualize like an Old Master, theMilan Art Institute turns passion for art into a profession by reinventing art education through university-level online instruction at affordable prices. 

Empowering artists of every stripe by broadening their inherent artistry, students learn how to make stunning work at their own pace. Leading the way through creativity, innovation, and style, Milan Art Institute's Online Mastery Program has become a popular destination for artistic study. The program continuously sells out as thousands of international students have gained unparalleled skills and practical, in-depth knowledge through flexible, self-paced, interactive tutorial. For a fraction of the cost of traditional art schools, Milan Art Institute masters teach their method through every course you take.

The Milan Art Institute is proud to announce the 2020 Online Mastery Program's Open Enrollment starts today, Wednesday, 13 November and runs through Saturday, 16 November. Online classes begin on 6 January 2020. Register now to start learning from anywhere in the world and become a professional artist in just one year. For more information, visit the Milan Art Institute here  
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Having generated over a million dollars of artwork sales by the age of 15. Dimitra Milan's paintings are collected worldwide. Pioneering a new age of artist influencers on social media, Dimitra is spreading artistic beauty across the planet. As an owner and mentor at Milan Art Institute, she is passionate about equipping artists to change the world with their art.

Elli Milan is the founding owner of Milan Art Institute. She has sold her work professionally for over 24 years and has amassed more than 10,000 art sales throughout her career. Elli has transformed the lives of hundreds of artists by helping them find their voice and turning their passion for art into a profession. Dedicated to the role of an artist in contemporary culture, she s a leading voice of the current Art Renaissance.

Interested media who wish to interview Milan Art Institute mentors Elli and Dimitra Milan, obtain press packets and images please contact Workhouse, CEO Adam Nelson via email [email protected] or telephone +1 212. 645. 8006.  

Structured to introduce a variety of mediums and styles, the Milan Art Institute's intimate online courses elevate painting and drawing skills through straightforward, step-by-step instruction. The curriculum is designed to develop a strong, independent point of view by gently guiding you through the fundamentals. A constant source of inspiration, instructors enable a sustainable and meaningful practice by showing students how to apply the basics using tone, value, and exercise. Providing art courses for all abilities, these powerful resources are geared for those who are already established as well as those seeking to make a new transition into the field.  

Artists are both influencers and culture warriors who have the power to change the world. These creative craftsmen have more tools now than ever before to determine a successful career. The Milan Art Institute's Onsite Mastery Program provides students everywhere with the opportunity to learn from acclaimed professional artists live and in person. This program is completely comprehensive covering everything from the fundamentals of drawing, oil painting, acrylics, inks, spray paint, collage and all forms of mixed media to the business and marketing necessary to become a professional artist. Learn through step-by-step instructional videos and discover your true potential as an artist today!

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Offering the best immersive online art courses taught by professional artists with over 30 years of combined experience in the art industry, these straightforward videos contain university-level art training. In 12 months, you will learn how to draw and oil paint with classical mastery, how to draw in proportional and how to paint representationally in many old Masters’ techniques. You will learn mixed media painting in acrylics, building textures, spray paint, inks, and more. Elli and her daughter, Dimitra, will teach you valuable studio habits to keep your workspace functional and professional. You will identify your voice and style in art and how it fits perfectly with your temperament. They will share from their personal experience what really drives artists to stay motivated. You will learn modern marketing tools to promote your art online, how to contact galleries, how to close a sale, how to work with art reps, how to brand yourself and self represent. Above all, you will learn how to make a living as an artist. This program will transform you into the artist you’ve always dreamed of becoming.
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HOW DOES IT WORK?
Students register for this one year program with 12 affordable monthly payments
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Students paint 20 hours a week and elevate their skills by following MAI step-by-step instructions 
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Students graduate as professionals and translate their work into sales

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