Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– EXCLUSIVE: Samuel Goldwyn Film has picked up the North American rights to the drama “Green Is Gold,” written and directed by Ryon Baxter and starring Jimmy Baxter, Ryon Baxter and David Fine. The film recently had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival over the summer, where it won the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature.
The film follows “a thirteen-year-old boy [who] is forced to live with his estranged brother after their father is sent to prison. Their relationship is soon tested when the older brother’s occupation as a marijuana dealer infringes on his ability not only to raise his brother, but to even take care of himself. However, through constant tribulation, they discover the only way to get through the difficulties of life, is to work together and try to beat the odds.” Samuel Goldwyn will release in select theaters on October 7 followed by VOD on December 6.
“Green is Gold”
– Menemsha Films has acquired North American rights to the Israeli film “The Women’s Balcony” at the Toronto International Film Festival and has scheduled the film for theatrical release in the first quarter of 2017. The film is a first feature by both writer Shlomit Nehama and Director Emil Ben Shimon.
Per its official synopsis, “The film opens with the collapse of the women’s balcony at an Orthodox synagogue in the old section of Jerusalem. The women struggle to reunite their community and preserve their traditions in the face of a charismatic young Rabbi who enters their lives and captivates the men.” The cast features some of Israel’s leading comedians and actors including Evelyn Hagoel, Igal Naor, Orna Banai, Einat Saruf, , Itzik Cohen, and Aviv Alush among many others.
“The Settlers”
– BOND/360 has announced that it has acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to “The Settlers,” billed as “an astonishingly candid documentary chronicling the Israeli settlers living on the West Bank and the Israeli government’s silent complicity toward their presence since the first settlements in the aftermath of the Six-Day War.” Written and directed by Shimon Dotan, the award-winning film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will soon screen at the 54th New York Film Festival.
BOND/360 will release the documentary in theaters in the Spring of 2017, launching with an opening at NYC’s Film Forum. Following the theatrical run at NYC’s Film Forum, the movie will expand nationally. The educational, digital and home video release is slated for 2017.
– Kino Lorber has picked up all North American rights to “Son of Joseph” billed as a “buoyant, redemptive nativity story” representing the latest work by beloved auteur filmmaker Eugène Green.
The film stars Mathieu Amalric, Fabrizio Rongione, Natacha Régnier, Maria de Medeiros and a breakthrough performance by the young protagonist Victor Ezenfis. The film will have its North American Premiere at the New York Film Festival, followed by a theatrical release by Kino Lorber in January 2017. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.
– Sentai Filmworks, a leading independent distributor of Japanese anime and pop culture programming, announced today that they have acquired extensive distribution rights to the highly acclaimed, record-breaking Japanese anime film, “Girls und Panzer der Film,” for North America, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other territories.
During its recent Japanese theatrical run, “Girls Und Panzer Der Film” was ranked the highest-grossing movie of opening weekend and earned more than $21 million total at the Japanese box office. It is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, the same director of the 2012-2013 Japanese TV anime series, “Girls und Panzer,” which was also extremely popular.
“Son of Joseph”
– Uncork’d Entertainment has nabbed worldwide rights to “The 13th Friday,” writer-director Justin Price’s terrifying new addition to the supernatural horror genre. Uncork’d Entertainment will represent the film at AFM in November.
– Samuel Goldwyn Film has picked up the North American rights to the first feature film from Titmouse, Chris Prynoski’s “Nerdland” featuring the voices of Patton Oswalt and Paul Rudd, in addition to Hannibal Buress, Reid Scott, Mike Judge, Riki Lindhome, Kate Micucci, Laraine Newman and Paul Scheer. The film “is the wild tale of two slacker best friends, aspiring actor John (Paul Rudd) and wannabe screenwriter Elliot (Patton Oswalt), who have seen their dreams of super-stardom fizzle. With their 30th birthdays looming and desperation growing, they decide that in this 24/7, celebrity-obsessed world of over-shared navel-gazing, there are more ways to get famous then ever before — so why not become famous by the end of the day, at any cost?”
The film will have a special Q&A prior to their Beyond Fest screening this weekend on Saturday, October 1 at 11:59pm that will include Patton Oswalt, director Chris Prynoski, and writer/producer Andrew Kevin Walker. Samuel Goldwyn will release the film in theaters in December 2016.
– Uncork’d Entertainment has acquired director Glenn Douglas Packard’s highly anticipated horror spectacle “Pitchfork.” The ensemble cast includes Daniel Wilkinson, in the title role, with Lindsey Nicole, Brian Raetz, Ryan Moore, Celina Beach, Keith Webb, Sheila Leason, Nicole Dambro, Vibhu Raghave, Rachel Carter, Andrew Dawe-Collins, Carol Ludwick, Derek Reynolds, Addisyn Wallace and Anisbel Lopez. The film is set to bow early next year.
– In related acquisitions news, Truffle Pictures has announced that is has opened its doors in Central London. The new film sales and production company has secured financing and an already impressive slate of films. The company is headed up by former Director of Sales and Marketing at The Little Film Company, Elie Mechoulam, and Caroline Couret-Delègue, formerly Head of Sales and Acquisitions at Metrodome International.
“Elie and I are thrilled to be launching Truffle Pictures, a dynamic international film sales company with a unique understanding of the ever-changing entertainment industry. With more than 20 years combined experience and long standing relationships, we’re perfectly positioned to not only help commercially viable films enter the marketplace but also provide a fully integrated service that ranges from production consultancy to festival strategy and distribution, ” said Couret-Delègue.
Truffle Pictures will unveil its first titles at the upcoming American Film Market in Santa Monica, ranging from commercial high-concept films to talent-driven movies for mature audiences.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
“Green is Gold”
“The Settlers”
“Son of Joseph”
