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Sundance: Neon Buys ‘Ingrid Goes West’ (Exclusive)
19 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Neon has bought North American distribution rights to “Ingrid Goes West” out of the Sundance Film Festival, Variety has learned.
To nab the indie comedy-drama it beat out the likes of A24 and Netflix, both of whom were in the hunt. The film is a satire of the social media age, chronicling the exploits of an unstable woman (Aubrey Plaza) with an obsessive streak.
In addition to Plaza, “Ingrid Goes West” stars Elizabeth Olsen, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, and Billy Magnussen. It marks the feature film directorial debut of Matt Spicer.
CAA negotiated the deal.
More to come…
Related storiesSundance Film Review: 'To the Bone''Saturday Night Live' Host Aziz Ansari to Donald Trump: 'Don't Tweet About Me Being Lame' (Watch)Sundance Cancels Three Screenings Over Power Outage »
- Brent Lang and Ramin Setoodeh
Sundance: Amazon Lands ‘The Big Sick’ in Blockbuster Deal (Exclusive)
21 January 2017 11:29 PM, PST | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
In one of the biggest deals in the history of Sundance, Amazon Studios has landed distribution rights to “The Big Sick” for about $12 million, Variety has learned.
The pact comes on the heels of the romantic comedy’s rousing premiere on Friday night. The film is about a Pakistani-American comedian (Kumail Nanjiani) whose relationship with his girlfriend (Zoe Kazan) is nearly derailed over cultural differences and a health crisis. Nanjiani co-wrote the heavily autobiographical script with his wife Emily V. Gordon.
The negotiations for North American rights and other foreign territories stretched into midnight on Saturday. Nanjiani told Variety earlier this week that he wanted the film to get a theatrical release. Unlike Netflix, its rival streaming service, Amazon is a big proponent of the theatrical experience, with all of its films getting at least some kind of theatrical run.
“The Big Sick” sparked interest from a number of distributors, »
- Ramin Setoodeh and Brent Lang
Sundance Cancels Three Screenings Over Power Outage
20 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
It’s already been an eventful couple of days at the Sundance Film Festival.
The festival suffered a power outage at the Redstone theater on Sunday, causing screenings of “Mars Generation,” “Dolores,” and the buzzy “Landline” to be canceled, according to a Sundance Twitter account.
Update: Power outage at Redstone. Mars Generation + Landline + Dolores screenings cancelled, attempting to reschedule. More info to come.
— Sundance Fest Now (@sundancefestnow) January 22, 2017
The power outage comes one day after a cyberattack forced the closure of Sundance’s box office. The hack occurred shortly after Chelsea Handler led a Women’s March in Park City, Utah, to protest the election of Donald Trump.
More to come…
Related storiesWith 'Split,' Horror and M. Night Shyamalan Remain Box Office DrawsLondon Critics' Awards: 'La La Land' Comes Out on Top, Isabelle Huppert Doubles UpSundance Film Review: Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara in 'A Ghost Story »
- Alex Stedman
Bleecker Street Nabs ‘Nostalgia’ With Jon Hamm, Ellen Burstyn
22 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Bleecker Street has nabbed North American distribution rights to “Nostalgia,” a drama about the memories that certain artifacts evoke. Mark Pellington (“Arlington Road”) directs the film with a cast that includes Jon Hamm, Ellen Burstyn, Catherine Keener, Bruce Dern, Nick Offerman, Amber Tamblyn, John Ortiz, and James LeGros. Alex Ross Perry (“Listen Up Philip”) wrote the screenplay.
Bleecker Street already has a relationship with Pellington. The indie label is distributing “The Last Word,” a drama with Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried that premieres at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film makes its way to theaters in March. Bleecker Street’s films include “Denial,” “Captain Fantastic,” and “Eye in the Sky.”
Related
Sundance: Amazon Lands ‘The Big Sick’ in Blockbuster Deal (Exclusive)
“Mark has assembled an incredible cast to share this story of family, memories and loss,” said Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen in a statement. “‘Nostalgia’ is one »
- Brent Lang
Breaking Glass Pictures Acquires North American Rights to Fernando Guzzoni’s ‘Jesus’ (Exclusive)
4 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Maintaining its acquisition of select upscale fest hits, Philadelphia-based Breaking Glass Pictures has picked up North American rights to “Jesus,” Fernando Guzzoni’s wrenching father-son drama-thriller which is set against a background of youth cut adrift in contemporary Chile.
Well-reviewed – Variety praised Guzzoni’s “striking” second feature – “Jesus” will have its U.S. premiere on Jan. 27 at the Neighboring Voices Series held by the Film Society of New York’s Lincoln Center.
Chilean Guzzoni established himself as a talent to track winning the San Sebastian New Directors Award with his debut, “Dog Flesh,” a portrait of a former torturer under Augusto Pinochet, suggesting old habits of violence die hard.
Exploring the anomie of much modern day youth and Chile’s generational chasm and insinuating the spinelessness of an older generation of Chileans, “Jesus” joins a Breaking Glass film roster which includes Xavier Dolan’s Cannes-winner “Laurence Anyways,” Dominican Republic-set “Sand Dollars, »
- John Hopewell
Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Catholic Nun Drama ‘Novitiate’ — Sundance 2017
23 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Sony Pictures Classics is finalizing a deal to acquire the worldwide rights to the drama “Novitiate,” which premiered Friday in the Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition section. The deal was somewhere in the seven figures, Deadline reports.
Read More: Amazon Wins ‘The Big Sick’ Bidding War With $12 Million Buy — Sundance 2017
Directed by Margaret Betts and set primarily in 1964 and 1965, the film centers on a young woman training to become a nun named Cathleen (Margaret Qualley). The teen struggles with faith, sexuality, and her relationship with the domineering Reverend Mother (Melissa Leo). The movie co-stars Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron, and Morgan Saylor.
“Both introspective and entertaining, Betts never forgets that her young nuns are still teenage girls, and ‘Novitiate’ rings as true as any other film about coming of age,” IndieWire’s Kate Erbland wrote in her review of the film. Carole Peterman, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler served as producers, »
- Graham Winfrey
Sundance: Sony Pictures Classics Nabs Religious Drama ‘Novitiate’
22 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Sony Pictures Classics has nabbed worldwide rights to “Novitiate,” a religious drama that is set against the backdrop of Vatican II. The pact is in the mid-seven figure range.
For readers who didn’t grow up taking communion, Vatican II was a council that introduced a series of reforms meant to modernize the Catholic Church. It remains controversial.
“Novitiate” marks the narrative feature directorial debut of Maggie Betts. Melissa Leo stars as a mother superior with Margaret Qualley as a young woman who is called to a life in the seminary. Reviews for the film have been strong. Variety critic Guy Lodge praised “Novitiate” as an “…intelligent, ambiguous nunnery drama.” Leo’s performance has been singled out for particular praise.
Before the festival had even started, Sony Pictures Classics picked up rights to “Call Me By Your Name,” a gay love story with Armie Hammer. It premieres Sunday.
There’s »
- Brent Lang
Sundance Announces Diversity-Focused Partnership With the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation
22 January 2017 10:20 AM, PST | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
On Sunday morning at their annual Festival Foundations Brunch, the Sundance Institute announced a new partnership with The Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation, designed to support diverse independent artists.
As part of a two-year commitment, the Foundation will now support the Institute’s Screenwriters Intensive and their year-round work with diverse independent filmmakers and artists.
The Screenwriters Intensive, which part of the Institute’s Feature Film Program, provides the opportunity for 10 emerging screenwriters from underrepresented communities to hone their craft in a two-day workshop focused on the creative process.
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
The Intensive works in partnership with the Institute’s Diversity Initiative, which emphasizes diversity as a longstanding and core value of all Institute programs. The Initiative encompasses efforts to reach new communities of storytellers and artists across regions, genres, ethnicities, genders and orientations.
In her opening remarks, »
- Kate Erbland
Cast Members Confirmed For Terrence Malick’s ‘Radegund,’ Synopsis Revealed
18 minutes ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
In a couple months, Terrence Malick will drop his rock ‘n roll ‘n relationships movie “Song To Song” at SXSW and a few weeks later in cinemas, but of course, the very busy director has another movie brewing. Last fall he wrapped up the WWII tale “Radegund,” and while various details have floated, a new report from Screen Daily have everything we need to know.
Continue reading Cast Members Confirmed For Terrence Malick’s ‘Radegund,’ Synopsis Revealed at The Playlist. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Neill Blomkamp Doesn’t Think His ‘Alien’ Movie Will Get Made
44 minutes ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
The saga of Neill Blomkamp‘s unmade “Alien” goes something like this: the director was gearing up to bring Sigourney Weaver back into the “Alien” universe with a proposed movie that would follow James Cameron‘s “Aliens,” and ignore everything that happened after. But franchise creator/producer Ridley Scott threw up a red flag at Fox, and demanded he make “Alien: Covenant” first, which is now landing this summer.
Continue reading Neill Blomkamp Doesn’t Think His ‘Alien’ Movie Will Get Made at The Playlist. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
2017 Oscar Nomination Predictions: IndieWire’s Final Selections Before Tomorrow’s Reveal
55 minutes ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Here’s the big story for Oscar nominations morning: “La La Land” is not only expected to nab the most nominations, but by my count, it will earn 15, which would smash Academy Awards records.
Currently, the title holders are “Ben-Hur” (1959), “Titanic” (1997), and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), all of which earned 11 each. (“Return of the King” won all 11 awards.)
Why so many? It’s a musical, so add score, original song, and appreciation from the many crafts for the ingenious creativity deployed by Damien Chazelle and team for a singing, dancing, and visually sumptuous love letter to show business. And that’s the other ace in the hole for a movie that could follow the like-minded “Birdman,” “All that Jazz,” “All About Eve,” and “The Artist” to a Best Picture win. Academy members, especially actors, respond to this aspirational story about “the city of stars. »
- Anne Thompson
‘The Assignment’ Trailer: Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver Star in Controversial Revenge Thriller
59 minutes ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Walter Hill hasn’t been as prolific in recent years as he was in his heyday — the genre maestro directed the likes of “48 Hrs.,” “The Warriors” and “Streets of Fire,” among many others — but he’s back with “The Assignment,” which premiered to mixed reviews and no shortage of controversy at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Formerly known as “(re)Assignment,” the film stars Michelle Rodriguez as a killer seeking vengeance after involuntarily undergoing gender-reassignment surgery. Watch the trailer below.
Read More: Michelle Rodriguez’s Ridiculous Gender-Bender ‘re(Assignment)’ Is A Hot Mess — Toronto Review
“This operation is your reminder of the terrible thing you did,” the surgeon responsible (Sigourney Weaver) says as the trailer opens. “This is your opportunity for redemption.” Things progress as you’d expect from there: Rodriguez begins plotting revenge, Weaver offers skewed justification for her act and bodies pile up.
Read More: Critics »
- Michael Nordine
Final Locked Down 89th Academy Awards Nominations Predictions
1 hour ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
The time has come for The Academy to once again make history. We’ve heard the nation’s critics chose their top films and performances. We’ve had the indie film community anoint their year-end honorees. We’ve had every guild from the 213 to the 818 throw their own nominations into the ring. We’ve even had the Golden Globes reveal their winners early enough to *potentially* impact the Oscar nominations. And now we are just hours away from learning who benefited from the long slog on the global awards circuit.
Continue reading Final Locked Down 89th Academy Awards Nominations Predictions at The Playlist. »
- Gregory Ellwood
Alex Ross Perry’s ‘Golden Exits’ Is A Collection Of Half-Realized Ideas And Characters [Sundance Review]
1 hour ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Only a filmmaker as talented as Alex Ross Perry could make a movie as misbegotten as “Golden Exits.” With his past features “Impolex,” “The Color Wheel,” “Listen Up Philip,” and “Queen of Earth,” Perry has established himself as one of American independent cinema’s best young writer-directors, equally interested in the quality of his images and the richness of his characters.
Continue reading Alex Ross Perry’s ‘Golden Exits’ Is A Collection Of Half-Realized Ideas And Characters [Sundance Review] at The Playlist. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
‘An Act of Love’ Exclusive Clip: The United Methodist Church Puts a Reverend On Trial For Officiating His Son’s Same-Sex Marriage
1 hour ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Scott Sheppard’s latest documentary “An Act of Love” follows Reverend Frank Schaefer, who had his ministerial credentials revoked in December 2013 after officiating his son’s same-sex wedding. Though Schaefer had no intention of getting involved in the Lgbt debate, he was inevitably thrust into the fight for equality when his son Tim came out of the closet. Schaefer eventually officiated Tim’s wedding in a small, private service in Massachusetts, but eventually word got back to his small Pennsylvania town and the United Methodist Church put him on trial. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Virgil Films Acquires Rights to Chris Farley Documentary
This is Sheppard’s second documentary feature. He previously directed “Planes, Trains & Autorickshaws,” about three American sisters raised in India by missionary parents who return to their homeland for the first time in 50 years.
The film will be distributed by Virgil Films. »
- Vikram Murthi
Sundance Exclusive: New Poster & Photos For Eliza Hittman’s ‘Beach Rats’
1 hour ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Eliza Hittman first came onto our radar with “It Felt Like Love,” and she’s a filmmaker we’ve kept an eye out for ever since. She’s back this year with “Beach Rats,” a new film premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, and it promises another intimately drawn story.
Inspiration for the movie came during the making of “It Felt Like Love” from an unlikely source — a single image on Facebook.
Continue reading Sundance Exclusive: New Poster & Photos For Eliza Hittman’s ‘Beach Rats’ at The Playlist. »
- Edward Davis
“Cate Outstripped Us All with Her Immeasurable Enthusiasm”: Director Julian Rosefeldt | Manifesto
2 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
During its development, production or eventual distribution, what specific challenge of communication did, or will your film, face? How did you deal with it, or how are you planning to deal with it? Manifesto was originally planned as a 13-screen installation for the art context. And so it is touring museums and art festivals now. But I also got some funding from a German TV channel and I needed to consider how to bring that multi-screen-concept later into a linear version. Given the fact that we only had 11 days to shoot with Cate, the entire project, running in my mind […] »
- Filmmaker Staff
‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ Officially Named ‘The Last Jedi’
2 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Two years ago, Walt Disney released “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens,” the first film in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy set 30 years after the events of the 1983 film “Return of the Jedi.” Though the franchise’s first stand-alone film “Rogue One” was released last year to decidedly mixed reviews, fans are awaiting any information about the next film in the official saga. Today, Disney officially released the name of the next film in the trilogy: “The Last Jedi.” It is written and directed by Rian Johnson and will be released this December.
Read More: Carrie Fisher: From ‘Star Wars’ to Her Own Stories, She Shaped Generations
Rian Johnson has previously directed three feature films: “Brick,” a hardboiled detective story following high school students in a California suburb, which received the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival; “The Brothers Bloom,” about »
- Vikram Murthi
Woody Harrelson Reveals His Character In ‘Star Wars’ Han Solo Spinoff
2 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Generally speaking, the rules of “Fight Club” apply to anybody who signs up for a “Star Wars” movie, but it seems that Woody Harrelson isn’t afraid of the mighty arm of Lucasfilm‘s legal department. The actor has already tossed around some details about his character in the upcoming Han Solo spinoff movie, but this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival he took it one step further.
Continue reading Woody Harrelson Reveals His Character In ‘Star Wars’ Han Solo Spinoff at The Playlist. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
A Sundance Sale, Revisited: Miguel Arteta Looks Back on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Star Maps’
2 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Sundance deals accrue such legend that it’s easy to forget the ones that materialize out of nowhere. Such was the case 20 years ago to this day, when Miguel Arteta’s first feature “Star Maps” premiered at the festival and landed a $2.5 million deal with Fox Searchlight.
The movie, which tells the story of a Latin American teen (Douglas Spain) who works as a bisexual hustler while harboring dreams of movie stardom, became an overnight sensation at Sundance — and also turned Arteta into a permanent member of the festival family. Since then he’s returned with “Chuck & Buck” (2000) and with “The Good Girl” (2002); tonight he screens his latest effort, “Beatriz at Dinner” out of competition.
The “Star Maps” deal also marked a historic moment for this site. At roughly a year old, IndieWire was establishing itself as a nimble digital upstart that had accrued popularity at Sundance, where it published a daily print edition. »
- Eric Kohn
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