About Five Sisters Productions

FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS, the production company helmed by the five Burton siblings, is committed to making movies that are entertaining, enriching, and that also contribute to a sense of hope on a personal or social level.

FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS is a boutique independent film company which makes high quality films. Known for its responsible business practices, FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS has an excellent reputation in the film industry and beyond, and has had the strong support of major companies, including Kodak, Panavision, Modern VideoFilm,
Chase, Color by Deluxe, DuArt Film & Video, and Soundtrack Studios.

FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS has worked in the trenches, understands indie filmmaking and exhibition, and values mainstream entertainment, business, and marketing. FSP has not only artistic strength, but also business understanding, as well as marketing and distribution knowledge -- which is unique in the marketplace today.

FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS believes strongly in community involvement and social responsibility. On the
distribution of MANNA FROM HEAVEN, FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS donated part of the theatrical proceeds to
Habitat for Humanity.

Their first film, JUST FRIENDS (1997), is a romantic comedy about what happens when a man meets the woman of his dreams but she wants to be “just friends.” JUST FRIENDS is distributed worldwide and has played on AMC and the WE CHANNEL, and will be released on DVD this coming year. JUST FRIENDS was sponsored by Bud Stone at Color By Deluxe, who chose Maria Burton as an up and coming director to support. Kodak and Panavision followed suit, and the film was shot with high production value even on a remarkably small budget in only 18 days. This film has played at film festivals, on AMC channel and is coming soon to DVD. See the film's trailer, cast and crew listings.
The intelligent comedy, TEMPS, explores the “other side of generations X & Y” -- the non-slackers, or people who actually work. TEMPS established FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS as a fresh, thoughtful voice in filmmaking. After seeing TEMPS, Shelley Duvall called the five sisters "female Robert Altmans," reflecting how the sisters balance multiple characters and storylines, as well as complexity in film that doesn't fit into cookie-cutter filmmaking molds today. The film, shot on Super 16 mm with a "slice-of-life" feel, has a terrific ensemble cast and won the Big Apple Award, as well as multiple film festival awards around the country. The film was immediately put into development to become a television series, and it will soon be released on DVD. Be sure to see the trailer and the full listing of cast and crew for the fillm.
MANNA FROM HEAVEN is still playing in theaters, three years after its first opening, on its whistle-stop theatrical release. A comedic fable about what happens when you get a gift from God (a financial windfall), but find out it was only a loan, the quirky and intelligent old-fashioned comedy broke new ground in its independent national theatrical release in the U.S. It has garnered extraordinarily enthusiastic audience reception and positive praise from nationally respected critics. Called “Capra-esque -- charming, charming, charming,” by NPR, and “refreshingly sincere, gentle and good-natured,” by the New York Times, MANNA FROM HEAVEN is an unexpected gem that features a stellar cast including Academy Award winners Shirley Jones, Cloris Leachman, and Louise Fletcher, Academy Award nominee Seymour Cassel, and Ursula Burton, Frank Gorshin, Shelley Duvall, Wendie Malick, Jill Eikenberry, Harry Groener, Faye Grant, and Austin Pendleton. After its national theatrical release, MGM/Sony released it on DVD (Now available at the Five Sisters Productions Online Store). Be sure to see the trailer, production photos, the full listing of the stunning cast and credits for the film, as well as the Manna tour history.
THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HIS LIFE is a light-hearted 11-minute 35-mm short film that, through a colorful lens, subtly challenges gender roles and traditions with a sense of humor. Depicting a classic, traditional wedding and following the iconic scenes from typical Hollywood wedding movies like FATHER OF THE BRIDE, THE HAPPIEST DAY reverses both gender roles and our assumptions. This is an entertaining crowd pleaser that's politically relevant and appeals to anyone who's gotten married, thought about getting married, or ever been to a wedding. The film reunites Academy Award nominee Seymour Cassel, Golden Globe winner Jill Eikenberry, Ursula Burton, and Harry Groener, in a terrific ensemble also including 3-Time Emmy nominee Michael Tucker, Tony Award nominees Kimberly Scott, Phil Lamarr, Suzanne Cryer, and Enrico Colontoni. To read all about the production and stories from the shoot, see our HAPPIEST DAY blog and also see the amazing cast and crew lists.
SIGN MY SNARLING MOVIE, a documentary about The Bobs, was co-directed by Maria Burton with Alex Stein. SIGN MY SNARLING MOVIE, chronicles the history of The Bobs, "The Beatles of the A Capella World," from their humble origins at the Western Onion Singing Telegram Company in San Francisco through their evolution as they gain an audience, get nominated for a Grammy, tour the world, and manage to thrive for 25 years with no major label support, no hit records, and no instruments. Featuring clips from The Bobs' 25th Anniversary Reunion Concerts in Berkeley, California in 2006, the DVD also features 45 minutes of bonus tracks not included in the theatrical version. Don't miss the trailer for the movie and the DVD is now available for purchase on the Bobs web site.