Feeding Frenzy at Sundance
As the 2002 Sundance Fest approaches its finale on Saturday, the major indie players are opening their wallets to snap up the hottest entries. As of Thursday morning, nine films had been picked up for theatrical distribution.
The biggest reported deal so far is the $4 million Fox Searchlight ponied up earlier this week for Miguel Arteta's dark comedy The Good Girl, starring Jennifer Aniston. But the studio hasn't stopped there.
On Wednesday, Fox Searchlight picked up another one of Sundance's most buzzworthy: John Malkovich's directorial debut, The Dancer Upstairs. Oscar nominee Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls) stars as a jaded police inspector trying to hunt down a guerrilla leader who wants to overthrow a shaky Latin American government. Fox Searchlight spent $2.5 million for the rights to distribute the film in English-speaking countries, as well as France and Italy, according to Daily Variety.
Also closing on Wednesday was a deal for the thriller Cherish. Starring Robin Tunney, Tim Blake Nelson and 90210 refugee Jason Priestley, the Finn Taylor film was the subject of a fierce bidding war, with Fine Line Features snagging the North American rights for more than $1 million. Tunney plays a wrongly accused woman who must find the real criminal before he finds her. Fine Line is aiming for a summer release.
A rookie player also made a major acquisition. ThinkFilm, which is only a few months old and at its first Sundance, forked over about $1 million for the North American rights to Gus Van Sant's Gerry. The film, which has polarized Park City audiences, stars Matt Damon and Casey Affleck as two guys named Gerry lost in the desert. Shot on digital video, the improvisational movie has long stretches without dialogue. ThinkFilm is hoping to release Gerry this fall.
On the flipside, Love Liza, one of the fest's bigger faves, has been secured by Sony Pictures Classics for more than $1 million. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a man trying to cope with his wife's suicide. Kathy Bates costars in the Todd Louiso-helmed entry.
Lions Gate has also been active, snapping up the campy, Frankenstein-like horror flick May and the bizarre thriller Intacto by Spanish filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. The latter, which Lions Gate might remake into an English-language film, examines how the fortune of a group of plane-crash survivors can quickly change at the hands of luckless man.
Earlier in the week, Miramax closed deals for Tadpole and Blue Car.
Meanwhile, distribution deals for other films could close soon. Palm Pictures is reportedly trying to land the Spanish film Sex and Lucia, about a writer's romances and the blurred line between fact and fiction. Other films in play include: Better Luck Tomorrow, Justin Lin's look at a group of "perfect Asian students" in an L.A. suburb who prefer the excitement of a crime spree to doing their homework; Steven Shainberg's Secretary, about a young woman whose office punishment of being spanked evolves into a comically sadomasochistic relationship with her boss (James Spader); Bertha Bay-Sa Pan's Face, a look at different generations of Chinese-American women and their myriad travails; and Paradox Lake, a film by Przemlyslaw Shemie Reut that explores what goes on in the minds of autistic children.
The Big Picture
Hamm 'n' Cheese Our fave goofball Jon seems sorta determined to prove he's nothing like Don Draper in real life
More PhotosMost Commented
- Bitch-Back! Breaking News—Johnny's a Hottie (915)
- Costars and Suits Give Robsten Their Blessings! (650)
- Rob and Kristen "Relaxed" Together in NYC (635)
- Blab Blab Blab: Is Twilight Sexist? (553)
- Truth, Lies & Ted: Twilight Special (478)
- Why Won't Sarah Palin Go Away? (442)
- Is Ugly Betty Ending? And Who Gets the Girl? (422)
- Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment—or His? (422)
- Is New Moon Even Good? (422)
- Review: New Moon Is Either Just Fine or Way Mopey, Depending On Who You Are (352)
Top 10 Stories
- It's a Sexy Job, but Adam Lambert's Gotta Do It!
- Donny Discovers Parts He Never Had Before for Dancing With the Stars Final
- End of a Weird Era: Jon & Kate Plus 8 Signs Off
- Timbaland Denies Dumping Chris Brown
- New Sweet Home for Khloé and Lamar
- Family Wants Second Autopsy for Real Housewife Kandi Burruss' Slain Fiancé
- Sarah Jessica Parker Surrogate's Alleged Invader Found Somewhat Guilty
- No, New Moon Absolutely, Positively Didn't Beat Dark Knight
- Modern Family: Is Shakira Getting In On the Act?
- TLC Lets the Door Hit Jon (Not So Much Kate) on the Way Out
Fashion Police
Bring On the DramaLeave it to fearless fashionista Rihanna to make the fiercest statement on the AMAs red carpet
More Photos
Latest Movie Reviews
Get Your E! News Now
0 Comments
Now loading...