Provocative Documentary 'The Act of Killing' Grabbed by Drafthouse Films for 2013 Awards Run

Drafthouse Films has acquired U.S. rights to the provocative documentary “The Act Of Killing,” directed by Joshua Oppenheimer. With the crowded late-fall release schedule and an overabundance of strong docs in 2012, Drafthouse plans to hold “Killing” for a 30-market theatrical release in 2013, plus an awards campaign.

Using a groundbreaking meta-format, Oppenheimer explores genocide in Indonesia by convincing unrepentant former death-squad leaders to re-enact their brutal murders. “Killing” has played at both the Telluride and Toronto film festivals and has drawn support from Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, now both executive producers of the film. Signe Byrge Sørensen produced for Denmark’s Final Cut for Real.

READ MORE: Telluride Review: Harrowing 'Act of Killing' Is the Most Unsettling Movie About Mass Killing Since 'Shoah'

“‘The Act Of Killing’ is a landmark acquisition for us,” said Drafthouse Films CEO Tim League. “No other film at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival made a comparable residual impression. It is an honor to work with Joshua Oppenheimer and his team to introduce such an important, groundbreaking film to audiences around the country.”

League, James Emanuel Shapiro and Evan Husney negotiated the deal with Philippa Kowarsky of Cinephil on behalf of the film’s producers.

The distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Drafthouse Films launched in 2010 with the black comedy “Four Lions” and scored an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film in 2011 with “Bullhead.” The company has recently released “The FP” and “The Ambassador,” and it has the festival acquisitions “Pieta” and “Wrong” forthcoming.