Four alumni of films that had their New York premieres at the Gen Art Film Festival are behind and in front of the camera in the upcoming release The Ex.

Director Jesse Peretz's previous film, Le Chateau (which starred Paul Rudd and Romany Malco), closed the 2002 Gen Art Festival. Actor Donal Logue of The Ex also had a small role in that film.

The Ex's male headliner, Zach Braff, first hit the big screen in Getting to Know You, which premiered at the 1999 Gen Art Festival. At the time, his co-stars Bebe Neuwirth, Chris Noth and Heather Matarazzo (remember Welcome to the Dollhouse?) were all the rage, but now, he's the star! In addition to attending the premiere that year, Zach also hung out with the Gen Art crew at a small condo party at the Sundance Film Festival that year. (It wasn't quite as grand as our 1,000 person ski lodge party with The Beastie Boys in 2006.) At that time, Scrubs and Garden State were just future glints in his eyes.

Opposite Braff in The Ex is Amanda Peet, who has recently been lighting up the small screen as the fast talking smart TV executive, Jordan McDeere (who comes up with these names? McDreamy, McDeere...puhleeze!), in NBC's Studio on the Sunset Strip. Before she was a household name, Amanda was hanging out at the 1998 Gen Art Film Festival at the premiere and party for Two Ninas with co-star Ron Livingston—who by the way is the nicest guy. The comedy, directed by Neil Turitz, won the festival's audience award that year. As usual, Gen Art and its supporters were a step ahead.

You can catch The Ex along with Jesse, Donal, Zack and Amanda, when it releases nationally on March 9th, or if you live in the Los Angeles-area, Gen Art and the Weinstein Company are co-hosting the red-carpet L.A. premiere on February 26th. Check back on Pulse and we'll let you know if Zach is the same sweet guy we drank brewskies with back in Utah some seven years ago!

-Ian Gerard

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