Katapult Acquires non-North American Rights to Sundance Doc "TV Junkie"

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Foreign sales rep Katapult has purchased the worldwide rights excluding North America for producer/co-director Michael Cain and editor/co-director Matt Radecki's Sundance competition documentary "TV Junkie." ICM is co-repping the documentary with Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment and Roger Kass of Ring the Jing Entertainment Ltd. and are in discussions for theatrical distributors for the North American theatrical rights. Thomas Mai negotiated on behalf of Katapult. "TV Junkie" is a portrait of Rick Kirkham and his struggles to balance his personal life as a father and husband with his career as a professional journalist, while dealing with a severe crack and cocaine addiction. Los Angeles-based Katapult is a partnership between Thomas Mai and producer Joni Sighvatsson. [Brian Brooks] 
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Digital Technology Loosening Hollywood's Grip

Many filmmakers at the Sundance Film Festival are beginning to see the potential that digital technology in production and distribution can offer them in making their films available to an international audience. Instead of "being confined to art houses in large cities," through the Web, digital satellite distribution, and gadgets such as hand-held computers and cell phones, films will be able to reach every corner of the world. Of course, celluloid film has a long way to go before it becomes obsolete, but "this is more of a democratic technology, and that's great," said Marvin Jarrett, director of "Fast Future Generation." It's good news for indie films, especially shorts and first-time filmmakers, which rarely see mass distribution. Bob Tourtellotte reports for Reuters. 
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"We Go Way Back," "Empire in Africa" and "The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang" Among Top '06 Slamdance Winners

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The Slamdance Film Festival announced its winners Friday night with Lynn Shelton's drama "We Go Way Back taking the grand jury award for best narrative feature, while Philippe Diaz's "Empire in Africa" won the grand jury award for best documentary feature. Slamdance's grand jury prize for best narrative short went to "The Saviour," by Peter Templeman and Lila Place's "Under The Roller Coaster" took best documentary short. Writer/director Tim Skousen's "The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang" won the festival's audience prize for best narrative feature, and the audience prize for documentary went to "Abduction: The Megumi Yakota Story" by Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim. A full Slamdance winners story will be published later this weekend in indieWIRE. [Brian Brooks] 
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"House of Sand" Wins Sundance Sloan Prize

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Andrucha Waddington's "The House of Sand," written by Elena Soarez, won this year's Sundance Film Festival Alfred P. Sloan Prize, winning a $20,000 cash award. The award will be presented Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival award ceremony in Park City.  
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"Alpha Dog" to End Sundance

"Alpha Dog," directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Justin Timberlake, will bring Sundance to a close starting Friday, January 27, at the Eccles Theater. The film is based on a true story of suburban teenagers who fall into the world of drug-dealing, and the indifference of parents towards the moral disintegration of their children. Timberlake commented that it is a perfect close to the festival: "At a festival for independent films, you can tackle more issues in a real way ... and that's why it's appropriate." Bob Tourtellotte reports for Reuters. 
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Films Philos Takes Rights to Sundance Film "Man Push Cart"

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Films Philos and sales company WIDE Entertainment reached agreement on distribution for Ramin Bahrani's Sundance Film Festival '06 Spectrum feature "Man Push Cart" following its opening screening. Films Philos will release the American indie in late fall/winter 2006 in the U.S. and English speaking Canada. The film is the story of a New York City push cart vendor and his struggles with life in the city, "Man Push Cart" had its world premiere at the 2005 Venice International Film Festival, and later went on to win the FIPRESCI International Critics Award at the London Film Festival, and both the audience award and best actor award at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, before its North American premiere in Sundance. [Brian Brooks] 
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Sundance Dramatic Competition Film "Stay" Picked Up by Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films

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Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films today announced the joint acquisition of Bob Goldthwait's Sundance dramatic competition film, "Stay." The film is a heartwarming comedy about Amy, a young school teacher with a bright future and nice-guy fiance who is haunted by an impulsive sexual encounter from her past. Advised by her friends, family and fiance that a successful marriage requires complete honesty, Amy reveals her secret and all hell breaks loose. The deal was negotiated by Howard Cohen, co-president of Roadside Attractions, Peter Goldwyn, vice president, acquisitions for Samuel Goldwyn Films, and William Morris Independent on behalf of the filmmakers. "I've never encountered a film that so intelligently combines raunchy humor with warmth and emotional truth," said Eric d'Arbeloff, co-president of Roadside Attractions. "Bob Goldthwait's film is going to draw people for its outrageous premise, but they will leave the theatre surprised how much it touches them. Both Roadside and Goldwyn are thrilled to have landed this wildly original comedy." No theatrical release date was announced. [Brian Brooks]  
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Sundance Institute Names Winners of Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award

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Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) today announced at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival the winners of the 2006 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards. The winning directors from each region will receive a $10,000 director's award and a guarantee from NHK to purchase the Japanese television broadcast rights upon completion of their project. In addition, Sundance Institute will work closely with the award recipients throughout the year, providing ongoing support and assistance in seeking out opportunities to finance and distribute their projects. The winning filmmakers and projects are: Patrice Toye, "The Spring Ritual" from Europe; Fernando Eimbcke, "Lake Tahoe" from Latin America; Cruz Angeles, "Don't Let Me Drown" from the United States; and Kanji Nakajima, "The Clone Returns to the Homeland" from Japan. "These awards are one of the ways Sundance Institute supports distinctive new work thorough the feature film program," said Robert Redford, founder and president of Sundance Institute in a statement.  "In the 10th anniversary of the award, we're pleased to recognize the inspired storytelling of a talented group of filmmakers representing the best in independent voices from around the globe." The four winners will be presented with the award at the Sundance Film Festival award ceremony Saturday. [Brian Brooks]  
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Toronto International Film Festival Appoints Three New Programmers

Three new Canadian programmers have been appointed by the Toronto International Film Festival. Marguerite Pigott, a film and television consultant and former VP of development and production at Odeon Films, and Jesse Wente, a film critic on CBC Radio and producer of "The Arts Tonight," join the Canadian features programming team, while Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo joins the Short Cuts Canada programming committee. "We're thrilled to have such a powerhouse team on board," said festival co-director Noah Cowan in a statement. "Marguerite, Jesse, and Agata all bring expertise, knowledge, and passion for Canadian cinema that will be invaluable in selecting the best Canadian films for the festival in 2006." Pigott and Wente will select Canadian features for the festival along with long-time programmers Stacey Donen, Steve Gravestock, associate director, Canadian programming, and festival co-director Noah Cowan. Smoluch Del Sorbo teams up with Ben Murray, senior coordinator, Canadian programming, and Donen, to program shorts. [Brian Brooks]  
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"Improbable" Al Gore Surprises Sundance

Former Vice President Al Gore received a standing ovation at the premeire of "An Inconvenient Truth," the documentary he put together with director Davis Guggenheim about the impending dangers of global warming in the very, very near future. The film is based on slide shows, charts, short cartoons, and flow charts that Gore has been presenting all over the country since he lost the 2000 election, all of which demonstrate potential catastrophic weather patterns beginning in as little as ten years, due to pollutants in the atmosphere that have been accumulating since the industrial age. Gore's presentations are very dear to him, and it took some persuading to let Guggenheim make them into a movie. Although the film is in discussion for distribution, it's the message of the thing that is so important. "This isn't about box office," said producer Laurie David. "What is at stake is, you know, the planet." William Booth reports for the Washington Post. 
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The Lost Boys at Sundance

Christopher Quinn's "God Grew Tired of Us" is a "fish-out-of-water survival story" about three of the Lost Boys of Sudan. In 2001, 3,600 Lost Boys were being sent to the United States to escape the civil wars in their home country, and TV Journalist Quinn decided to follow John, Daniel, and Panther "on their unbelievable odyssey in a strange New World" (as described by Sundance). The young men, now acclimated to their lives in New York and Pennsylvania, came to Sundance in support of the film, which premiered in the Independent Film Competition: Documentary category on Sunday. Both National Geographic and Participant Prods. are looking for a distributor to bring the boys' story to the rest of the world. Anne Thompson reports for Reuters. 
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Female Directors Moving "Beyond the Rhetoric of Feminism"

Female directors have always been prominent at the Sundance Film Festival, but this year there is a notable shift in style as they "zero in on the ties that come unraveled in the lives of contemporary American women." Kirk Honeycutt discusses this refreshing trend of heroines coming to terms with their problems and fears "with a sense of discovery", as seen in Joey Lauren Adams' "Come Early Morning," Laurie Collyer's "Sherrybaby," Nicole Holofcener's "Friends With Money," and Maria Maggenti's "Puccini For Beginners." 
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Momentum Gets UK Rights To "Foot Fist"

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Momentum Pictures has announced its acquisiition of all UK rights to Jody Hill's "The Foot Fist Way," at the Sundance Film Festival. The film is described in an announcement as "a martial arts screamer" that "tells the story of a small town Tae Kwon Do instructor, Mr. Fred Simmons, who tries to deal with his big ego, spirited students and adulterous wife, whilst embarking on a journey to seek out his hero, Chuck 'The Truck' Wallace."  
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One of the World's Most Famous Stories Modernized

South African film "Son of Man" attempts to reconstruct the traditional Western image of Jesus and portray him as a contemporary black African born, like the traditional Jesus, in "an occupied state and preach[ing] equality at a time when that [isn't] very acceptable" (director Mark Dornford-May). He points out that the universality of Christ's message is what is important, not the appearance of the bearer. The film, billed as the world's first black Jesus movie, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday. Rebecca Harrison reports for the New Zealand Herald. 
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Rosie O'Donnell Discusses Her New Documentary

"All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise," a documentary by Shari Cookson about Rosie O'Donnell's cruise for gay and lesbian families, debuted on Tuesday afternoon at the Sundance Film Festival. The former talk-shot host and her partner Kelli chartered a ship from New York City to the Caribbean, on which Cookson documented the experiences of the passengers and their families, from the fun and excitement of the cruise itself to the horror of the bigotry they encountered at the final stop in Nassau. TIME reporter Desa Philadelphia interviewed Rosie about the inspiration for the film, difficulties they encountered during the cruise, and what she hoped the passengers and her own family were able to gain from the experience. 
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AtomFilms Announces Intel Indies Winners at Sundance

AtomFilms announced today at Sundance the winners of its Intel Indies Film Contest. According to AtomFilms, the theme of this year's contest challenged filmmakers to "create films that imagine what could be transformed with the touch of a magic wand. Nicholas J. Worthey received the grand prize for his animated work "The Wand," about an alien magic wand. First-prize winners were Alan Poon for "Lord of the Mop," in which a janitor discovers the magic in a conductor's wand, and Kiyong Kim for "Edit Love," a romantic comedy about a man practicing pick-up lines. These winning shorts can be seen at the contest Web site. [M.L. Liu] 
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"Heart of Gold" Wins Hearts at Sundance

Director Jonathan Demme's new concert film "Heart of Gold" wasn't something that Neil Young, the subject of the film, was sure would be made. Sundance hails the film as "an intoxicating record" of the the two-night "Prairie Wind" concert held last August in Nashville, Tennessee. Young began making the album shortly after he was diagnosed with a brain aneuryism last spring; "It was important to say what needed to be said so that you wouldn't be sitting there with it all in your mind but not able to move," he said. During his recovery after successful surgery, Young worked with Demme to film the first concert of the album, which "exudes a palpable energy of renewal and urgency" (as described by Sundance). Anthony Breznican reports for USA Today. 
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Actor Chris Penn Found Dead at Residence

Actor Chris Penn, brother of Sean Penn, was found dead Tuesday at his condominium near the beach in Santa Monica, police said. Police said they discovered the 40-year-old actor's body around 4 p.m. Lt. Frank Fabrega said there were no obvious signs of foul play. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, authorities said. Chris Penn's latest film, "The Darwin Awards," was scheduled to premiere Wednesday at the Sundance Film Festival. AP reports. 
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Miramax Takes Rights to "Night Listener"

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Miramax Films has acquired the North American rights to the Hart Sharp Entertainment and IFC Films co-production, "Night Listener," company president Daniel Battsek announced Tuesday from the Sundance Film Festival. Directed and co-written by Patrick Stettner ("The Business of Strangers") "Night Listener," tackles the narrative of Armistead Maupin's story in which popular public radio storyteller Gabriel Noone (Robin Williams) develops an intense phone relationship with a young listener named Pete (Rory Culkin) and the social worker who rescued him from a life of abuse (Toni Collette). But Gabriel soon comes to the startling realization that it is quite possible that neither the boy nor his painful account of his childhood really exist. The deal was negotiated at the Sundance Film Festival by Michael Luisi (EVP, business affairs) and acquisition execs Kristin Jones and Peter Lawson on behalf of Miramax and Mike Hogan and Robert Kessel of Hart Sharp and Richard Klubeck of UTA. No theatrical release date was announced. [Brian Brooks] 
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Internet Extension of Sundance

Recent years have seen a marked rise in the amount of content posted on the internet to showcase short films, podcasting, and blogging related to the Sundance Film Festival. Sundance Institute Online has posted over 50 of the short film entries on its website for the general public to view, in an effort to "serve as a virtual extension of the festival" (Sundance producer Joseph Beyer) and make it easily accessible to an international community. Laurie Sullivan reports for Australia's itnews.com. 
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Questions Raised About Social Impact of Films

At a panel discussion on Saturday for the Sundance Film Festival, founder Robert Redford commented on the social and political roles of film in the world today. "I don't know how much films actually impact social movements," he said. But it's definitely worth at least trying to make a statement, he added; "It's not only possible but actually exciting to entertain and inform at the same time." Producer Jeff Skoll feels the same way, having developed campaigns for "North Country", "Syriana", and "Good Night, And Good Luck", each of which was about a related social issue. Sean P. Means reports for the Salt Lake Tribune. 
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"Stay" Stuns Sundance Audiences

Bob Goldthwaite's "raw, original, and edifying" film "Stay" (as described by Sundance) has been shocking festival audiences since the weekend. The heartwarming but highly eccentric story centers on a girl whose fiancee walks out on her when she reveals a past secret that even she can't understand. "Undeniably, local standards will be 'offended'" said the Reuters story, but even so, at its core, "Stay" is a love story "that perambulates around the notions of truth and acceptance." Reuters reports. 
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BBC Acquires "This Film Is Not Yet Rated"

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The Independent Film Channel has announced that the BBC has acquired British broadcasting rights to Oscar-nominated director Kirby Dick's documentary "This Film Is Not Yet Rated". The film critically examines the Motion Picture Association of America's role in assigning film ratings, and investigates, among other things, why sex and violence receive such discordant treatment, and why the ratings are so secret. "Kirby's film makes a globally universal statement against censorship and about the importance of artistic freedom," said IFC Executive Vice President/General Manager Evan Shapiro in today's announcement. "We're extremely pleased that UK audiences will...hear this incredibly relevant and timely statement." "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday. [Meg Reber] 
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Picturehouse Snags "Pan's Labyrinth"

Picturehouse has acquired all North American rights to "Pan's Labyrinth," the latest film by director Guillermo del Toro. The film stars Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez, Ivana Baquero, and Doug Jones. "This film has been the single most fulfilling creative experience of my career," said del Toro in a prepared statement. "Hopefully it represents a future direction for my work." The announcement was made by Picturehouse president Bob Berney. [Amy Bronson] 
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The Top Ten So Far...

Each Monday, indieWIRE receives the final weekend numbers for specialty releases in theaters. This is our top ten for the past weekend so far, with most numbers already in. The top ten is subject to change before the final chart is published tomorrow and the weekly box office column is written. Box office data provided by Rentrak as of Monday, 6:49pm EST. 1. "Why We Fight" (Sony Pictures Classics) - $53,571 wknd ($8,928 per scrn) 2."Fateless" (ThinkFilm) - $8,605 wknd ($8,605 per scrn) 3. "Transamerica"(The Weinstein Company/IFC) - $316,611 wknd ($8,332 per scrn) 4. "Cache (Hidden)" (Sony Pictures Classics) - $177,435 wknd ($8,065 per scrn) 5. "Mrs. Henderson Presents (The Weinstein Company) - $364,442 ($6,749 per scrn) 6. "Match Point" (Dreamworks) - $2,935,733 wknd ($6,657 per scrn) 7."Go For Zucker!" (First Run Features) - $6,219 wknd ($6,219 per scrn) 8. "Brokeback Mountain" (Focus Features) - $7,430,942 wknd ($6,213 per scrn) 9. "The Matador" (The Weinstein Company) - $409,855 wknd ($6,210 per scrn) 10. "That Man: Peter Berlin" (Self-distributed) - $19,524 wknd ($5,895 per scrn) 
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President Bush Unconcerned With "Brokeback"

In an LA Times story today, President Bush was reported as being "decidedly noncommital...even a bit nonplussed" as questions concerning "Brokeback Mountain" were fired at him from Kansas State University students. "I haven't seen [the film]," he said; "I'd be glad to talk about ranching, but I haven't seen the movie." This coming from a man known for his "macho rancher" image, regularly roaming around his Texas property in cowboy boots and blue jeans. The President was assured that, being a rancher himself, he is sure to love "Brokeback" if he gets around to seeing it. Whether he actually intends to do so is an entirely different story. Peter Wallsten for the LA Times. 
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The Weinstein Company Acquires "Factory Girl"

The Weinstein Company has announced its acquisition of "Factory Girl," directed by George Hickenlooper and starring Sienna Miller, Hayden Christensen, Guy Pearce, Mena Suvari and Jimmy Fallon. The announcement was made Monday, January 23rd, at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City. The film is currently in production in Louisiana and is being financed by L.I.F.T. Productions. [Amy Bronson] 
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The Weinstein Company and Alliance Atlantis Sign Distribution Deal

The Weinstein Company and Alliance Atlantis* Motion Picture Distribution LP announced an exclusive multi-year distribution agreement today, in which Motion Picture Distribution LP, the largest distributor of motion pictures in Canada, will acquire all distribution rights throughout Canada to all forthcoming pictures released by The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films. "We have enjoyed a long and very successful relationship with Bob and Harvey Weinstein," said Victor Lowey, CEO of Motion Picture Distributio LP, in a prepared statement. "[We] could not be happier about continuing to distribute their films." The deal is expected to run through December 31, 2009, releasing such films as "Mrs. Henderson Presents", "Hoodwinked", "The Matador", and "Breaking and Entering". [Meg Reber] 
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Warner Independent Gets Gondry For $6 Million

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Warner Independent Pictures has announced its acquisition of Michel Gondry's latest film, "The Science of Sleep," which debuted last night here at the Sundance Film Festival. U.S., Canadian, and U.K. rights to the movie, starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg, were acquired for $6 million, according to Warner Independent. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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TF1 International Takes non-English Territory Rights to Sundance doc "God Grew Tired of Us"

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TF1 International announced today the acquisition of international rights excluding English-speaking territories to Christopher Quinn's "God Grew Tired of Us," which has its world premiere on Sunday, January 22 at the Sundance Film Festival where it is part of the documentary competition. The film is produced by Quinn and Molly Bradford and narrated by Nicole Kidman. "God Grew Tired of Us" follows three "lost boys of Sudan" over four years as they leave Africa for New York City and attempt to make sense of their new country. After the initial culture shock, they begin to lead "normal" lives yet they remain deeply committed, both spiritually and economically, to those lost boys left behind and to their struggling homeland. TF1 International is a leading independent distributor in France and is expanding their presence in the international sales arena. The deal was negotiated by head of acquisitions Sara May and legal Caroline Dubourg on behalf of TF1 International and by CAA on behalf of the filmmakers. [Brian Brooks] 
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IFC Launches 'First Take', New Day & Date Banner

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This morning at Sundance, IFC Entertainment officially announced the launch of IFC's First Take, a new distribution banner debuting in March that will release at least 24 films theatrically and on demand -- day and date -- this year. The new service is being billed by the company as a new national art house for first run independent films. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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Sony Classics Gets "Italian"

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired North American rights to Andrei Kravchuk's "The Italian, the Russian entry for Academy Awards consideration in the best foreign language film category. The film is described as "a lyrical drama about a young child's complicated journey to finding his mother, his home, and his quest to determine his identity." Michael Barker and Tom Bernard and Dylan Leiner from Sony Classics negotiated the deal with Lenfilm. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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"Brokeback" Wins Producer's Guild Prize

On the weekend that the film expanded to nearly 1,200 screens, Brokeback Mountain won the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award from the Producers Guild of America, for producers James Schamus and Diana Ossana. The film earned an estimated $7.8 million this weekend, according to Focus Features, bringing its estimated total gross to more than $42 million. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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"The Ground Truth" about Iraq veterans

Paul Rieckhoff, of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), reports on Patricia Foulkrod's documentary "The Ground Truth", which opened at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday evening. IAVA worked with Foulkrod for nearly two years to create this film, which reveals the struggles that troops face when they come home from war and try to put together a normal life for themselves. "Truth" premiered "to rave reviews...and the presence of young Veterans [at Sundance]...has not gone unnoticed." 
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Sundance Is Busy "Breaking Conventions"

While many people are lamenting that the Sundance Film Festival seems to be going more and more mainstream, this year's festival is hosting a number of undeniably unconventional films that are anything but ordinary. Roger Ebert comments on "Somebodies" in particular, a story about a group of young African-American men trying to live life and "make sense of the senselessness that is American today" (as described by Sundance). The film has no political or social agenda, it's just about ordinary guys who are "very, very funny because they don't seem to know they're in a movie...they're performing to celebrate themselves." Ebert also comments on "Kinky Boots", "Little Miss Sunshine", and "Friends With Money". 
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"The Hawk Is Dying" a Popular Pick at Sundance

Julian Goldberger's "The Hawk Is Dying"premiered last night as a huge crowd of people waited to try get into the Raquet Club Theatre to see it. The film stars Paul Giamatti as an auto upholsterer with a passion for falconry who lives with his sister and her mentally challenged son; as described by Sundance, Giamatti "firmly holds the center of this daring an confident film...with genuine emotion and unexpected epiphanies." Salt Lake Tribune reports. 
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