I Am The "King Of Herrings"

Scene from King of Herrings left-to-right: "Ditch" (Eddie Jemison) and "Gat" (David Jensen)

Devolver Digital Films to Release

King of Herrings

A Feature-Length Tragic Comedy

By Eddie Jemison & Sean Richardson

Following Complex Characters Behaving Badly

Digital VOD Release - January 20, 2015

Little Fish Eats Little Fish

“King of Herrings exists on a very specific wavelength. One that I happen to like."

– Steven Soderbergh

Hey if it's good enough for Steven Soderbergh...

Devolver Digital Films to Release

King of Herrings

A Feature-Length Tragic Comedy

By Eddie Jemison & Sean Richardson

Following Complex Characters Behaving Badly

Digital VOD Release - January 20, 2015

Devolver Digital Films is proud to announce the digital VOD release of the award-winning new tragic comedy, King of Herrings. Co-Directed by Eddie Jemison and Sean Richardson, the gritty black and white feature film is a nuanced character study that explores the relationships between a delusional group of societal leftovers in a Woody Allen meets David Mamet pocket of New Orleans, as they drink, play cards, and ultimately clash over a strange and beautiful woman. The film’s digital VOD release is scheduled for January 20, 2015 via iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo on Demand, VHX, Gumroad, Google Play, YouTube Rentals, and others. For additional information, please visit http://www.kingofherrings.com and http://www.devolverdigital.com/films/view/king-of-herrings.

King of Herrings features a strong ensemble cast of film and TV veterans, with roots and common bonds in Louisiana, who've worked together for over 25 years, including: Jemison (Ocean’s 11, HBO’s Hung, Bruce Almighty), Joe Chrest (21 Jump Street, Aviator, RED, The Ring), David Jensen (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Looper, Ocean’s 11), Wayne Pere (Galaxy Quest, Pirates of Silicon Valley, Ocean’s 13), John Mese (Weeds, From the Earth to the Moon, Schizopolis), and Carl Palmer (Dallas Buyer’s Club, The Pelican Brief).

“While most of the characters in the film are flawed people, there is a sense of humanity to all of them – you have sympathy for each character at some point in the film,” says Richardson, “They are human, perhaps exaggerated versions of people you know, or maybe even yourself."
King of Herrings (Comedy-Drama, 2014, 82 min.) – 

An offbeat look at four layabouts from New Orleans, who dream big in a small change world of cards, women, and endless cups of coffee. Their passionate blundering, like their rants, can be at once funny, poignant, ridiculous, and heartbreaking. “Ditch,” their self appointed king, is an irascible son-of-a-bitch with a Napoleon complex, and his pals love him for it. Until one day he pushes the self-tenured “Professor” too far. A game of threats, posturing, and sexual ploys lead them down a dark but comic road in this exploration of what it is to be a man today. Filme d in black and white, this richly textured character study could be the bastard child of Woody Allen and Tom Waits, brought to life by an ensemble of real-life character actors who have known each other and worked together for over 25 years. The cast features Eddie Jemison, Joe Chrest, David Jensen, John Mese, Wayne Pere, Laura Lamson, Andrea Frankle, and Carl Palmer.

“The trigger in the film is a fight over the paltry sum of nine dollars… but it’s not the nine dollars that matter, it’s what the nine dollars represent,” says Jemison, “Respect. That is what these people fight for, because – like all of us, who, in the end, really have nothing – respect is the ultimate currency."

Awards –

• Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature – New Orleans Film Festival
• Breakthrough Filmmakers Award – Phoenix Film Festival

The film was also featured in the Louisville Festival of Film, RxSM Festival in Austin, Rainier Film Festival, Dances With Films, and Waterfront Film Festival.