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 June 26, 2008 INSIDE WORD | Kino Getting "Momma's Man" From ThinkFilm
Azazel Jacobs's "Momma's Man," a hit at this year's Sundance Film Festival, is instead being released by Kino International after the filmmakers' deal with ThinkFilm evaporated in the wake of financial problems at Think. According to insiders, without a signed contract, the filmmakers returned to Kino, a company that pursued the movie back in Park City. Kino is intending to stick with the film's original August 22nd release date at the Angelika Film Center and other NYC theaters. A formal announcement is expected tomorrow (Friday). Meanwhile, a ThinkFilm email message to journalists today referred inquiries about the film to Kino. [Eugene Hernandez]  [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] iW NEWS | First Independent Takes "Beautiful"
First Independent Pictures has announced the acquisition of selected US theatrical rights to Darryl Roberts' "America the Beautiful." The film, which recently completed a run in Chicago, is a documentary that looks at America's unhealthy obsession with physical perfection. "Beautiful" made its debut in 2007 at the AFI Dallas Film Festival before going on the win Best Documentary at the Chicago International Film Festival. The film will open in New York on August 6th and expand throughout the month. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ] June 24, 2008iW NEWS | Liberation Takes "Eden"
Liberation Entertainment announced today the acquisition of North American rights to the award-winning Irish drama, "Eden." Directed by Declan Recks, the film is adaptation of Eugene O'Brien's Play that follows a troubled marriage in a small provincial town. The film had its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival last month where Eileen Walsh won the Best Actress Award. "This is a film that grabs hold of you and won't let go," commented Liberation CEO Jay Boberg. "We were completely taken by the power of the performances and Declan Recks' unique take on the material." The deal was negotiated by Josh Braun of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers and Jay Boberg, CEO and Rob Williams, VP Acquisitions for Liberation Entertainment. Liberation plans a theatrical release in the fall of 2008. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] June 23, 2008iW NEWS | Zeitgeist Gets "Stranded"
As it prepares to celebrates its 20th anniversary with a retrospective at MoMA this week, Zeitgeist Films has announced a deal for U.S. theatrical and home video rights to Gonzalo Arijon's "Stranded: I've Come From a Plane the Crashed in the Mountains." Uruguayan director Arijon's film is the story the story of the survivors of a plane crash in the South American Andes 35 years ago, profiling the survivors, who subsisted the ten weeks in the freezing weather by consuming the remains of those who died after the plane went down. Winner of the jury prize at last year's International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (where indieWIRE first reported on the film), the doc had its North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year. "This is truly one of the most remarkable stories turned into one of the most haunting films we've ever encountered," Zeitgeist co-president Emily Russo (who negotiated the deal with Emmanuelle Erbsmann at ARTE France) and co-president Nancy Gerstman said today in a statement, "We expect it to have a great theatrical life and beyond, as this films provides a truly an indelible experience." After releasing its recent acquisition, Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner "Trouble The Water," Zeitgeist will open the movie at New York City's Film Forum on October 22, 2008, followed by a national roll-out. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ] June 20, 2008VAR | IFC loses Lance Hammer's 'Ballast'
"Lance Hammer has backed out of a domestic deal with IFC Films for his Sundance drama 'Ballast' and has instead made a deal with Strand's Marcus Hu and Required Viewing's Steven Raphael to release it," Variety reports. "Both parties called the parting amicable." [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] June 18, 2008iW NEWS | IFC Takes "Medicine"
IFC Films has acquired the worldwide rights to writer-director Barry Jenkins' "Medicine for Melancholy." The film is in competition at this week's Los Angeles Film Festival, and will be released in theaters by IFC in 2009. "Medicine for Melancholy is one of the great American discoveries of the year," said Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment in a statement. "Barry Jenkins has delivered an intelligent, heartfelt and often funny universal love story and introduced two brilliant performers to the feature film world - Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins. The film will not only inspire and ignite great discussions among the African-American community, but is sure to engage audiences across the globe." The deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, IFC Entertainment's Vice President of Acquisitions and Jeff Deutchman, Manager of Acquisitions for IFC Entertainment with George Rush, who represents the film. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] June 13, 2008iW NEWS | SPC Gets "The Class"
Sony Pictures Classics has announced a deal for Laurent Cantent's "The Class," winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, acquiring distribution rights for North America, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Cannes ] June 12, 2008iW NEWS | Magnolia Deals a "Humboldt" High
U.S. rights to to SXSW drama "Humboldt County" have been acquired by Magnolia Pictures the company announced Thursday. Magnolia plans a September theatrical rollout in several regional markets -- including Austin, Arcata and Eureka (the latter in Humboldt County, CA) -- preceded by airings via HDNet's Ultra VOD Program. The company's SVP Tom Quinn and head of business affairs, Jason Janego negotiated the deal with David Garber of Lantern Lane representing the filmmakers. Described as a classic "fish out of (bong) water story," the film, co-written and co-directed by Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs, is the story of Peter (Jeremy Strong), a tightly-wound medical student, whose one-night stand with free-spirited Bogart (Fairuza Balk) leaves him stranded among a community of Northern California pot-growers living a decidedly different way of life. "'Humboldt County' has the sweet whiff of a populist hit," commented Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles in a statement. "It's a comedic, out-of-the-box drama that we think will speak to a large, underserved segment of the audience." Magnolia Pictures and HDNet are both part of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] June 11, 2008iW NEWS | First Run Takes "Midway"
First Run Features has announced the acquisition of film critic Godfrey Cheshire's "Moving Midway, and will release the film in New York on September 12, 2008, followed by wider openings in the South and around the country in the fall. In the film, Cheshire takes a closer look at his own family, exploring their decision to physically relocate their North Carolina plantation home. In the words of a description, "Through movies and music, Cheshire examines the Southern plantation in American history and culture, and how the racial legacy from the past continues into the present." "We're very pleased to be distributing Godfrey's wonderful debut film," said Marc Mauceri, First Run's Vice President, in a statement. "We've been fans of his criticism for more than a decade, and to see him make the leap from film critic to film maker is very exciting." The film debuted at last year's Full Frame festival and then screened at the 2008 New Director/New Films Festival. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ] iW NEWS | Women Takes on "Sari Soldiers"
Documentary "The Sari Soldiers" has been acquired by Women Make Movies, the group unveiled. Directed by Julie Bridgham and filmed over three years in Nepal during the country's transition from absolute monarchy to democracy, the film is the story of six women and their conflicting efforts to shape the political future of their country. From interviews to uprisings in seemingly peaceful rural villages and rallies in bustling Kathmandu, the film captures women on multiple sides of the escalating civil war. "The Sari Soldiers" is the recipient of the 2008 Human Rights Watch Film Festival's Nestor Almendros Award and will make its North American debut as the fest's centerpiece. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] June 10, 2008iW NEWS | Here! Films Gets "Cthulhu" and "Antarctica"
Dan Gildark's "Cthulhu" and Yair Hochner's "Antarctica" have been acquired by here! Films, the company announced today. Gildark's "Cthulhu" is an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft novella that about on a young gay man who discovers secrets about his father's New Age cult, while Hochner's "Antartica" is the first Israeli gay-themed romantic comedy. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] iW NEWS | Zeitgeist Takes "Trouble the Water" for Summer Release
Zeitgeist has picked up Sundance doc prize winner "Trouble the Water" by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal for a late summer release, the company unveiled Tuesday. Nancy Gerstman, co-president of Zeitgeist Films negotiated the deal with Sarah Lash of Cinetic Media who represented the filmmakers. The doc centers on aspiring rap artist Kimberly Roberts and her husband Scott Roberts who captured their personal trauma with Hurricane Katrina the day before and the day of the deadly storm on a camcorder they purchased days earlier. The film captures the hope for survival under extreme conditions and touches on issues of race and class and the stratification of American society. "We are absolutely thrilled to have acquired this brilliant documentary which has a dramatic trajectory most narrative features would envy," commented Gertsman in a statement. "We are still mixing documentaries with features every year, but have found that the documentaries we've released this past year and a half...have performed spectacularly well for us." Zeitgeist will roll out the film theatrically August 22 in New York and Los Angeles. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] iW NEWS | First Run For "Save Me"
First Run Features announced that it has acquired Robert Cary's "Save Me," which premiered at Sundance in 2007 and was the Opening Night Film at OutFest Los Angeles later that year. "Save Me," about a young gay man and the Christian retreat he is brought into, will have a US theatrical premiere at New York's Clearview Chelsea Cinemas on September 5th with major cities to follow soon thereafter. First Run inked the deal with Garbus Kroupa Entertainment, LLC, Mythgarden and Tetrahedron Productions. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Queer Cinema ] HR | Roadside has rights to 'Party'
"Roadside Attractions has acquired all U.S. rights to Jason Freeland's feature "Garden Party," reports The Hollywood Reporter. [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] May 29, 2008iW NEW | Magnolia Acquires "Buck Howard"
Magnolia Pictures has announced the acquisition of the North American rights to Sean McGinley's "The Great Buck Howard." Howard, produced by Bristol Bay Productions and Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman's Playtone Pictures, stars John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, and Tom Hanks himself. "'The Great Buck Howard' is a rare find in the current marketplace - a charming, incredibly likeable film that has something for everyone," said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles in a statement. The deal was negotiated by Magnolia Pictures Senior Vice President, Tom Quinn and Head of Business Affairs, Jason Janego, with Creative Artists Agency and Jim Meenaghan of Bristol Bay, Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs. Magnolia plans a fall theatrical rollout for "Howard." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] May 28, 2008iW NEWS | "FLOW" Goes To Oscilloscope
Beastie Boy Adam Yauch's Oscilloscope Pictures, part of a recording studio, film production and distribution company Yauch recently founded, has announced Irena Salina's documentary, "FLOW: For Love Of Water" as their first acquisition. Oscilloscope acquired North American rights to the film, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, and will release it late summer followed by a DVD release in the winter. The deal was brokered by Josh Braun of Submarine and Steven Starr for the filmmakers with David Fenkel for Oscilloscope. "This film is a wakeup call, and I'm glad for Oscilloscope to be involved in bringing it to a wider audience," said Yauch in a statement. "I was overwhelmed by the enormity of this crisis. The film stayed with me, and I still keep thinking back on it. It contains information that people need to know." [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] May 27, 2008iW NEWS | IFC Takes "Gomorrah"
IFC Films has acquired the U.S. rights to "Gomorrah," winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Matteo Garrone, the film will be released through IFC in Theaters, its day and date distribution plan which makes independent films available to a national audience in theatres and on-demand, simultaneously. The film will also go through IFC Entertainment's exclusive deal with Blockbuster Video. "Just when we thought we had seen it all, Matteo Garrone has reinvented the Italian Mafia picture with such originality and invention that it seems entirely new," said IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring in a statement. "We think that this completely fresh take on a well known genre that includes 'The Godfather Trilogy,' 'The Sopranos' and 'Goodfellas' will take American audiences by storm as it did in Cannes . We look forward to getting it out to the widest possible audience." The film has grossed almost $8 million since its release in Italy ten days ago. [Peter Knegt] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ] May 26, 2008iW NEWS | Sony Classics Gets Cannes' "Waltz With Bashir"
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired North American and Latin American rights to Ari Folman's Cannes Film Festival competition entry, "Waltz With Bashir," its fourth deal of the festival after nabbing North American rights to The Dardenne Brothers' "The Silence of Lorna," Bent Hamer's "O'Horten," and James Toback's "Tyson." Based on Folman's own story, the animated documentary follows the filmmaker's exploration of his lost memories from the Lebanon War of the mid-1980s. "It's about dreams and it's about hallucinations, it's about the sub-conscious," noted Folman, during a Cannes press conference earlier this month. "The basic statement of the film and the understanding of the film is prosaic: wars are usless, completely useless, any war," offered Folman," continuing, he noted, "Because it is animated, I hope that a sixteen year old boy watching 'Waltz With Bashir' in Israel will say, 'I don't want to take any part in this war again.'" But, Folman also emphasized the personal nature of the independent project. "In a way," he noted, "I think that the film is not a political film, it just deals with the personal stories of the Israeli soldiers." indieWIRE reported on the film early in the festival. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Cannes ] May 24, 2008INSIDE WORD | Sony Classics Closing Three Cannes Deals
Even as Variety proclaimed a dearth of Cannes dealmaking for U.S. based companies, Sony Pictures Classics was closing deals for three festival titles. Word on the Croisette Friday had the company acquiring North American rights to The Dardenne Brothers' "The Silence of Lorna" from the Cannes competition, James Toback's documentary "Tyson" and Bent Hamer's Un Certain Regard section film, "O'Horten." Company execs wouldn't comment on the record yesterday, but SPC had already sealed two of the three sales by Friday. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Cannes ] INSIDE WORD | Madonna's Malawi Doc Headed to Sundance Channel
Nathan Rissman's "I Am Because We Are," in Cannes this week after a recent debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, is headed for a Sundance Channel deal after a round of negotiations. Madonna, writer, producer and narrator of the documentary about the children of Malawi, engaged in dealmaking with CAA and international sales company Fortissimo Films late in the festival. A formal announcement about the sale is expected soon according to reps for Sundance Channel and Madonna. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions, Cannes ] Older Buzz/Rumors about AcquisitionsMay 21, 2008 May 21, 2008 May 20, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 18, 2008 May 17, 2008 May 16, 2008 May 16, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 9, 2008 May 8, 2008 May 8, 2008 May 8, 2008 May 7, 2008 May 7, 2008 May 6, 2008 May 5, 2008 May 5, 2008 May 5, 2008 May 1, 2008 April 30, 2008 April 30, 2008 April 29, 2008 April 29, 2008 April 28, 2008 April 28, 2008 April 28, 2008 April 25, 2008 April 18, 2008 April 18, 2008 April 16, 2008 April 15, 2008 April 15, 2008 April 14, 2008 April 14, 2008 April 12, 2008 April 10, 2008 March 31, 2008 March 27, 2008 March 26, 2008 March 26, 2008 March 19, 2008 March 11, 2008 March 10, 2008 March 4, 2008 March 3, 2008 February 27, 2008 February 27, 2008 February 26, 2008 February 26, 2008 February 25, 2008 February 19, 2008 February 18, 2008 February 18, 2008 February 12, 2008 February 12, 2008 February 12, 2008 February 12, 2008 February 11, 2008 February 11, 2008 February 11, 2008 February 11, 2008 February 10, 2008 February 9, 2008 February 8, 2008 February 8, 2008 February 7, 2008 February 7, 2008 February 7, 2008 February 7, 2008 February 4, 2008 February 1, 2008 January 31, 2008 January 31, 2008 January 30, 2008 January 29, 2008 January 26, 2008 January 26, 2008 January 26, 2008 January 25, 2008 January 25, 2008 January 25, 2008 January 24, 2008 January 24, 2008 January 23, 2008 January 23, 2008 January 23, 2008 January 23, 2008 January 23, 2008 January 22, 2008 January 22, 2008 January 22, 2008 January 22, 2008 January 20, 2008 January 20, 2008 January 19, 2008 January 19, 2008 January 18, 2008 January 17, 2008 January 17, 2008 January 17, 2008 January 16, 2008 January 16, 2008 January 15, 2008 January 10, 2008 January 10, 2008 January 9, 2008 December 12, 2007 December 6, 2007 December 5, 2007 November 27, 2007 November 16, 2007 November 16, 2007 November 15, 2007 November 15, 2007 November 13, 2007 November 6, 2007 November 3, 2007 November 2, 2007 November 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 October 31, 2007 October 30, 2007 October 29, 2007 October 25, 2007 October 25, 2007 October 24, 2007 October 8, 2007 October 1, 2007 October 1, 2007 September 21, 2007 September 21, 2007 September 21, 2007 September 20, 2007 September 20, 2007 September 19, 2007 September 18, 2007 September 18, 2007 September 14, 2007 September 14, 2007 September 14, 2007 September 13, 2007 September 12, 2007 September 11, 2007 September 11, 2007 September 10, 2007 September 9, 2007 September 8, 2007 September 8, 2007 September 7, 2007 September 6, 2007 September 5, 2007 August 30, 2007 August 29, 2007 August 29, 2007 August 27, 2007 August 27, 2007 August 23, 2007 August 23, 2007 August 21, 2007 August 20, 2007 August 20, 2007 August 16, 2007 August 15, 2007 August 13, 2007 August 13, 2007 August 9, 2007 August 7, 2007 August 3, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 24, 2007 July 20, 2007 July 16, 2007 July 13, 2007 July 12, 2007 July 9, 2007 July 2, 2007 June 28, 2007 June 28, 2007 June 27, 2007 June 26, 2007 June 25, 2007 June 22, 2007 June 20, 2007 June 18, 2007 June 12, 2007 June 11, 2007 June 5, 2007 May 31, 2007 May 31, 2007 May 30, 2007 May 30, 2007 May 26, 2007 May 24, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 22, 2007 May 21, 2007 May 21, 2007 May 21, 2007 May 20, 2007 May 19, 2007 May 19, 2007 May 18, 2007 May 18, 2007 May 18, 2007 May 18, 2007 May 17, 2007 May 17, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 15, 2007 May 11, 2007 May 11, 2007 May 11, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 8, 2007 May 8, 2007 May 7, 2007 May 2, 2007 May 2, 2007 May 2, 2007 May 2, 2007 April 30, 2007 April 30, 2007 April 27, 2007 April 24, 2007 April 22, 2007 April 17, 2007 April 17, 2007 April 17, 2007 April 13, 2007 April 5, 2007 April 4, 2007 March 30, 2007 March 29, 2007 March 27, 2007 March 26, 2007 March 21, 2007 March 20, 2007 March 20, 2007 March 19, 2007 March 16, 2007 March 15, 2007 March 15, 2007 March 12, 2007 March 10, 2007 March 8, 2007 March 6, 2007 March 5, 2007 February 23, 2007 February 16, 2007 February 16, 2007 February 14, 2007 February 14, 2007 February 14, 2007 February 13, 2007 February 13, 2007 February 13, 2007 February 12, 2007 February 12, 2007 February 12, 2007 February 11, 2007 February 10, 2007 February 8, 2007 February 8, 2007 February 8, 2007 February 8, 2007 February 7, 2007 February 7, 2007 February 7, 2007 February 6, 2007 February 2, 2007 February 1, 2007 January 26, 2007 January 26, 2007 January 26, 2007 January 26, 2007 January 25, 2007 January 24, 2007 January 24, 2007 January 23, 2007 |