iW NEWS | Coens Take DGA Award

Joel and Ethan Coen were awarded the 60th annual Directors Guild of America award for feature filmmaking for their work on "No Country For Old Men." The Coens beat out Paul Thomas Anderson, Sean Penn, Tony Gilroy and Julian Schnabel. It is their first win after being nominated for their 1996 film, "Fargo." Eventual Oscar winner Martin Scorcese won the award last year for "The Departed," and only six times has the DGA winner not gone on to win the Academy Award (most recently when Roman Polanski won the Oscar in 2003 over DGA winner Rob Marshall). Carl Reiner hosted the DGA Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles Saturday night. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

PARK CITY '08, 6:19 p.m. | Sony Classics Closing "Wackness" Pact

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Buzz from the Awards ceremony... Sony Pictures Classics is closing a deal for North American rights to Jonathan Levine's 2008 Sundance Film Festival Dramatic Competition entry, "The Wackness," according to insiders. The deal, being brokered by CAA, is expected to be announced soon. Sony Classics has had a busy festival, acquiring Courtney Hunt's Dramatic Competition entry "Frozen River" and also nabbing The Duplass Brothers "Baghead" from the Spectrum section. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

PARK CITY '08 | Sundance Film Festival: The Winners

The winners of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival will be announced tonight (Saturday) in Park City UT. indieWIRE will provide coverage of the ceremony online here at indieWIRE.com, after 9 p.m. ET. Get the latest coverage anytime in indieWIRE's special Park City section. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

PARK CITY '08, 3:01 p.m. | "Man on Wire" Stir Audiences, Buyers

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Doc buzz continues... Buyers were drawn to a Noon time Sundance Film Festival screening of James Marsh's accaimed BBC Storyville/Discovery documentary "Man on Wire" at the Holiday Village theater today. Spotted in the audience were execs from Picturehouse, Warner Independent Pictures, and Sony Pictures Classics. The film, being sold at Sundance by Sumbarine, captures the dramatic tightrop walk of Philippe Petit atop a wire stretched 200 feet between the two World Trade Center towers in 1974. Enthusiastically received at Saturday's screening, Petit smiled and proclaimed to the crowd, "I am an artistic criminal." Insiders are weighing offers on the film, in the wake of recent fest screenings, projecting a deal to close in the coming days. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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iW NEWS | "Kicking It" Links Theatrical, DVD, Streaming, and TV Pacts with Liberation, Netflix/Red Envelope and ESPN

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Jay Boberg's Liberation Entertainment has acquired North American theatrical rights to Susan Koch's doc, "Kicking It" at the Sundance Film Festival, joining forces with Netflix's Red Envelope Entertainment and ESPN for the film's release. In a unique deal brokered by CAA and Submarine, immediately following the theatrical release Netflix will distribute the film to its subscribers on DVD and via online streaming simultaneous with the ESPN broadcast. The sports network, which announced its acquisition of worldwide broadcast rights at the start of this year's Sundance festival, will work closely with Netflix to cross promote the day-and-date release of the film. The story of seven players from six countries competing in the 4th Annual Homeless World Cup, the soccer story was produced by Ted Leonsis. [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary, Park City ]

iW NEWS | "The New Year Parade," "Song Sung Blue" Lead Slamdance's Awards

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The 14th annual Slamdance Film Festival has announced 15 film and screenplay prize winners in three categories who will share more than $200,000 in cash and prizes, plus, for one winner, guaranteed production of a feature film. The just-concluded festival received over 3,500 submissions from 25 countries for less than 100 programming slots. Notable winners include Tom Quinn's "The New Year Parade," which was awarded the Grand Jury Award for best narrative feature, and Greg Kohs' "Song Sung Blue," which won the Grand Jury Award for best documentary feature. Audience awards were given to Ryan Piotrowicz's "The Project" in the narrative feature category, and "Song Sung Blue" in the documentary category. indieWIRE will be publish another dispatch from Slamdance on Saturday morning. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, Park City ]

iW NEWS | "Sleep Dealer" Takes Sundance Prize

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The 2008 Sundance Film Festival announced that Alex Rivera's "Sleep Dealer" is the winner of this year's Alfred P. Sloan Prize. The prize carries a $20,000 cash award for the filmmakers, and is presented to "an outstanding feature film focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character." indieWIRE reviewed the film and interviewed the director earlier this week. The prize will be presented during Sundance's awards ceremony Saturday, January 26, 2008. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Watchmaker Films Acquires "Mississippi Chicken"

Watchmaker Films has acquired the worldwide theatrical, DVD and digital rights to John Fiege's "Mississippi Chicken." "Chicken," which was nominated for a Gotham Award last fall for "Best Film Not Playing in a Theater Near You," premiered at the Miami International Film Festival last year and has since seen a long road to distribution. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | Anchor Bay Scares up Rights to Slamdance Horror "Jack Brooks"

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Writer/director Jon Knautz' Slamdance Film Festival horror/comedy "Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer" has been acquired by Anchor Bay Entertainment in a mid six-figure deal with a theatrical commitment, the festival announced Friday afternoon. The deal was negotiated by Shaun Redick and Nate Bolotin of the Collective with Anchor Bay's Mark Ward. Several distributors pursued the film, according to Slamdance. Starring Trevor Matthews and Robert Englund ("Nightmare on Elm Street"), the film is described as a "nostalgic throwback to the classic '80s horror-comedy creature features." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Sony Classics Bags "Baghead" for North America

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In a late night deal concluded Thursday night, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights to Sundance Film Festival Spectrum feature "Baghead" by Mark and Jay Duplass, an insider close to the deal confirmed. The deal, brokered by Submarine, is understood to be a mid to high six-figure pact. Others understood to be pursuing the horror/comedy hybrid include IFC, Netflix, Picturehouse, Samuel Goldwyn and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisition Group. In "Baghead," four struggling actors head to a cabin in the woods to write a screenplay with roles for themselves and are thrust into a bizarre situation they could not have imagined. Sony Classics reps were not available for comment. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards Winners Announced

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The Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) announced the winners of the 2008 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards. The four winners were selected from 12 finalists by an international jury which included Gregg Araki, Jeremy Pikser, Erin Cressida Wilson, Martin Rejtman, Andrucha Waddington, Shekhar Kapur and Anand Tucker. The winners were Alejandro Fernandez for "Huacho," Braden King for "Here," Aiko Nagastu for "Apoptosis" and Radu Jude for "The Happiest Girl in the World." These annual awards were created in 1996 to honor and support visionary film directors from four global regions (Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Japan) in realizing their next projects. The winning director from each region will receive a $10,000 award and a guarantee from NHK to purchase the Japanese television broadcast rights upon completion of their project. The four winners are presented with the award at the annual Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 26. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, Park City ]

iW NEWS | AFI Dallas Announces 15 Titles

The 2008 AFI Dallas International Film Festival announced fifteen titles for this year's festival on Thursday. These titles include the world premiere of Jeffrey Goodman's "The Last Lullaby" and the U.S. premieres of music docs "Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts," directed by Scott Hicks, and "Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake," directed by Michael Albright. Additionally announced were Stuart Townsend's "Battle in Seattle," Roby Bliley's "Circus Rosaire," Helen Hood Scheer's "Jump," Vadim Perelman's "The Life Before Her Eyes," Sergei Bodrov's "Mongol," Robert Patton-Spruill's "Public Enemy: Welcome To The Terrordome," Stuart Gordon's "Stuck," Helen Hunt's "Then She Found Me," Bruce MacDonald's "The Tracey Fragments," Ringo Lam, Johnny To and Hark Tsui's "Triangle." AFI Dallas runs March 27-April 6, 2008. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

iW NEWS | NeoClassics Takes Slamdance Thriller "Crooked Lake"

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Worldwide rights (excluding Canada) for Slamdance action/thriller "Crooked Lake aka Portage" have been acquired by Canadian-based distributor NeoClassics Films Ltd. The film, written and directed by Matthew Miller, Sascha Drews and Erzra Krybus. is described as "a coming of age story about four 14-year-old girls who encounter death and overcome extreme adversity on a Summertime canoe trip to the north woods, where everything that can go wrong does." NeoClassics plans a June theatrical release in the States in "key cities" in June. Based in Vancouver with operations run from the Culver City offices of its U.S. subsidiary, NeoClassics is initially distributing directly to theaters in the U.S. with plans to add direct theatrical distribution in Canada and the U.K. It sells all other rights worldwide. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

PARK CITY '08 3:03 a.m. | Sony Classics Reportedly Gets "Frozen River" at Sundance

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Trade reports indicate that Sony Pictures Classics has acquired Courtney Hunt's "Frozen River." However, details differ with the Hollywood Reporter detailing that a pact for North American rights is valued at just under $1 million, and Variety reporting a U.S. rights deal valued in the low to mid six-figures. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Palm Gets "We Are Together"

Palm Pictures has announced its acquisition of North American rights to Paul Taylor's "We Are Together," the acclaimed documentary about orphans in Africa striving to overcome hardship and become achieve success as a singing group. A festival favorite, the film was an audience award winner at IDFA, Tribeca, Edinburgh, and other festivals. It is set for a May 2008 theatrical release. Produced by Taylor and Teddy Leifer, the film is a RISE films production in association with HBO Documentary Films and The Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation. It is receiving support from Alicia Keys and her Keep A Child Alive Foundation, as well as promotion fromthe ONE campaign, created by Bono. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ]

iW NEWS | Vantage Announces "Teen" Deal

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Calling "American Teen," "The most entertaining and uplifting film we saw at Sundance," Paramount Vantage president Nick Meyer announced the acquisition of Nanette Burstein's documentary today. The announcement confirmed that the company acquired worldwide distribution rights, excluding the U.K. for the film, about a group of teenagers in their senior year of high school in a small Indiana town. Produced by Nanette Burstein, Jordan Roberts, Eli Gonda and Chris Huddleston, the film is an A&E Indiefilms Presentation of a Firehouse Films and Quasiworld Entertainment production in association with 57th and Irving. Cinetic and CAA negotiated the deal with Jeffrey Freedman from Vantage. The company indicated that company EVP Amy Israel and director Ben Cotner will oversee the project for the company. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

AFP: Festival film takes on water profiteers

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Documentary film "Flow," premiering at the Sundance Film Festival this week, condemns water profiteering, calling for a UN resolution to make access to clean drinking water a human right. The film by French-born director Irena Salina blasts Paris-based Suez and Vivendi Environment for commercializing water systems around the world, as well as Nestle, the world's largest bottled water seller, for draining watersheds. Michel Comte reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Park City ]

iW NEWS | NonStop Takes "Blood Brothers"

NonStop Sales has picked up the international rights to Belgian director Arno Dierickx's drama "Blood Brothers." "Brothers," based on the true murder case of wealthy brothers Arnout and Victor van Riebeeck, was produced by Rinkel Film & TV Productions BV. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | "Derek" Deal at Sundance

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Isaac Julien's "Derek" has been acquired by Andrew Herwitz's The Film Sales Company in a deal for U.S. distribution rights and worldwide sales rights (with the exception of the U.K.). Narrated and written by Tilda Swinton, the film is having its world premiere in the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Documentary Competition and will have a specialized theatrical release later this year. It is set to screen in the Panorama section at the upcoming Berlinale. The documentary, which looks at the life of artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman, was funded by Film London, Channel 4, MoMA and the Sundance Documentary Fund. It was produced by Eliza Mellor and Colin MacCabe and executive produced by Swinton and James Mackay. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

PARK CITY '08 9:22 p.m. | "American Teen" Nearing Paramount Vantage Pact

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Inside sources indicate that Paramount Vantage is nearing a deal for Nanette Burstein's "American Teen" after protracted negotiations that began with a number of would-be buyers -- including Sony Pictures Classics and Fox Searchlight ---immediately following the Friday's Sundance Film Festival premiere on Friday. The deal, said to be valued at $2.5 million for the A&E Indie Films documentary, is being brokered by Cinetic and CAA. Last year A&E Indie Films sold its Sundance entry "My Kid Could Paint That" to Sony Classics. indieWIRE reported on the film's world premiere earlier this week. [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Searchlight Gets "Choke"

The day after the world premiere of Clark Gregg's "Choke," Fox Searchlight acquired the film at the Sundance Film Festival and is expected to formally announce the deal soon. Described by Sundance as, a "dark comedy about mothers and sons, sexual compulsion, and the sordid underbellly of Colonial theme parks," the film, was adapted from a novel by Chuck Palahniuk and centers on Victor Mancini, a sex-addicted med-school dropout. The film stars Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly McDonald, Brad Henke, Clark Gregg, who was recently interviewed by indieWIRE. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

NYT: Actor Heath Ledger Found Dead in NYC

The New York Times is reporting that actor Heath Ledger has been found dead in an apartment building in SoHo in New York City after his body was discovered by a housekeeper and masseuse, according to New York City police. The actor was heralded for his performance in Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" and recently starred as one of the many actors playing Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes "I'm Not There." Ledger was also gaining attention for his upcoming role as The Joker in Christopher Nolan's Batman sequel, "The Dark Knight."  
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

iW NEWS | Overture Takes Pellington's "Poole"

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Mark Pellington's "Henry Poole Is Here" has been acquired by Overture Films in a deal for U.S. rights brokered with Lakeshore Entertainment. The film, which debuted on Monday afternoon in Park City, stars Luke Wilson as, in the words of an announcement, "a disillusioned man who goes hiding in placid suburbia only to discover he cannot escape the forces of hope." Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Richard Wright along with Gary Gilbert and Tom Lassally produced the film for Lakeshore. It was written by Albert Torres and also stars Radha Mitchell, George Lopez, and newcomers Rachel Seiferth and Morgan Lily. "We were moved by Mark Pellington's poignant film and Luke Wilson's memorable performance - these discoveries are why we come to Sundance," noted Overture COO Danny Rosett, in a statement, who pursued the film with company CEO Chris McGurk. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Focus Gets "Hamlet 2" for $10 Million

Andrew Fleming's "Hamlet 2" has been acquired by Focus Features in a $10 million worldwide deal swiftly sealed within 12 hours of the film's world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was produced by L+E Pictures' Eric Eisner & Leonid Rozhetskin and Aaron Ryder, from an original script by Fleming and Pam Brady. In the words of a description, "In the irreverent comedy, a failed actor-turned-worse-high-school-drama teacher (Steve Coogan) rallies his Tucson, AZ students as he conceives and stages a politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Cast joining Coogan include David Arquette, Melonie Diaz, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler and Elisabeth Shue (appearing as herself). Calling the film "an amazing New Year's present," in a statement, Focus' James Schamus and Andrew Karpen, added, "We can't wait to share this riotously inventive movie with the whole world." [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | POV Lands "Traces of the Trade"

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Katrina Browne's "Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North" has scored a deal with PBS's "POV," she announced on Monday night at the film's first screening at the Sundance Film Festival. Screening in the documentary competition, the film is an exploration of the first-time filmmaker's family history. Browne's ancestors, the deWolfs, were the largest slave-trading family in United States history. From 1769 to 1820, three generations of De Wolfs brought over more than 10,000 Africans. Browne wrote to more than 200 family descendents, inviting them to join her in on a journey to trace the family's legacy in a trip from Ghana to Cuba. Nine accepted the invitation. She spoke about the film in a recent interview with indieWIRE. Other Sundance docs set for the'08 season of POV include Steven Sebring's "Patti Smith: Dream of Life " and Ellen Kuras' "Nerakhoon" (The Betrayal). [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

PARK CITY '08 2:25 a.m. | Pix Most LIkely to Click: "Hamlet 2," "Teen," "Henry Poole"

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Buzz from the annual Cinetic party... Cinetic's John Sloss, "American Teen" director Nanette Burstein, A&E Indie Film's Molly Thompson and others huddled upstairs at Zoom on Monday night. A deal for the doc, being brokered by Cinetic and CAA, is expected on Tuesday. Meanwhile, attendees buzzed about Andrew Fleming's late Sundance premiere section title, "Hamlet 2," which insiders agreed should score a deal quickly. It had what by all accounts was a good screening on Tuesday night. And, keep an eye on Mark Pellington's "Henry Poole is Here," which should sign a deal with Lakeshore soon. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Park City ]

Reuters: Emily Blunt works double shift at Sundance

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British actress Emily Blunt wants nothing better than to laze around on the couch, but at the Sundance Film Festival she is working double time to promote two movies in which she plays a pothead and a publicist. Mary Milliken reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Park City ]

AP: Lohan, Murphy lead Razzie worst-of noms

Advice for actors looking to get nominated for worst performance: multiple roles help. Lindsay Lohan and Eddie Murphy scored multiple nominations Monday for the Razzies, which sort out the worst that Hollywood dredged up the previous year. David Germain reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

iW NEWS | GLAAD Announces Media Award Nominees

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced the nominees and honorees for its 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at a press conference held at Queer Lounge in Park City, Utah. The three nominees for best film in wide release were "Across The Universe," "The Jane Austen Book Club" and "Stardust," while nominees for best film in limited release were "The Bubble," "Dirty Laundry," "Itty Bitty Titty Committee," "Nina's Heavenly Delights" and "Whole New Thing." The documentary nominees were "Camp Out," "Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison," "For The Bible Tells Me So," "Freddie Mercury: Magic Remixed" and "Small Town Gay Bar." "This year's extraordinary nominees exemplify the important strides we have made as a community toward creating a truly inclusive society," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano in a statement. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 17, 2008 at the Marriott Marquis; in South Florida at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on April 12; in Los Angeles on April 26 at the Kodak Theatre; and in San Francisco on May 10 at the San Francisco Marriott. For a complete list of nominees, please go to GLAAD's wesbite. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, Queer Cinema ]

iW NEWS | Sundance Launches Producing Initiative

The Sundance Institute announced the new Sundance Creative Producing Initative on Sunday, launching a year-long fellowship program for five emerging film producers in the first year. The fellowship includes a 5-day producers lab, attendance at the festival and the annual producer's conference, year-round mentorship, a living stipend and a pre-production grant. Participants will be selected this Spring, to participate in a lab in July and the program will eventually expand to eight fellows. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2008 for candidates with a limited amount of production experience. For more information, please visit the Institute website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

iW NEWS | Cinema Eye Honors Announces Inaugural Nominees

Nominations for the inaugural Cinema Eye Honors For NonFiction Filmmaking were announced today by 2008 Award Co-Chairs Thom Powers, Documentary Programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, and filmmaker AJ Schnack, director of "Kurt Cobain About A Son." Films nominated for best picture include: Philip Groenin's "Into Great Silence," Tony Kaye's "Lake of Fire," Jason Kohn's "Manda Bala (Send A Bullet)", Pernille Rose Gronkjaer's "The Monastery - Mr. Vig and the Nun," and Charles Ferguson's "No End In Sight." "Into Great Silence" and "Manda Bala" lead with six nominations each, while "Lake of Fire" has five. The full nomination list is available on the indieWIRE Insider blog. The Cinema Eye Honors, named for the revolutionary group of young filmmakers led by pioneering documentarian Dziga Vertov, will be awarded on March 18, 2008 at a ceremony at the IFC Center in New York City. The event will be presented by IndiePix [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Documentary, Honors ]

iW NEWS | "The Wave" Signs Canada, U.K. and Spanish Deals

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Dennis Gansel's Sundance World Dramatic Competition film, "The Wave" has entered deals in three territories, Celluloid Dreams announced Sunday. Alliance Films acquired the rights for Canada, while Momentum Pictures will release in the U.K., and Aurum will handle Spain. The deal was negotiated between Xavier Marchand and Robert Walakfor the filmmakers and Hengameh Panahi and Pierre Menahem from Celluloid. The film, based on a novel by Morton Rhue and is required reading in German schools, is the story of a high school teacher Rainer Wenger (Juergen Vogel) who comes up with an experiment in order to explain to his students how totalitarian governments work. The film will be widely released in Germany on March 13 via Constantin Film. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Park City ]

iW NEWS | HBO Confirms "Polanski" Deal; Plans Oscar Qualifying Run

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HBO Documentary Films confirmed it has picked up all U.S. rights to writer/director/producer Marina Zenovich's Sundance Film Festival doc competition film "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" and the company confirmed that plans to will give it an Oscar qualifying this year. The film, which had its world premiere Friday in Park City, UT, focuses on the legendary director whose reputation became forever tarnished after his public conviction of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Cinetic Media and Submarine Entertainment represented the filmmakers in their negotiations with HBO. indieWIRE reported on the film yesterday. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary, Park City ]

iW NEWS | Weekend Estimates: "Persepolis" Leads iW BOT; "Cassandra's Dream" Opens Modestly

According to indieWIRE Box Office Tracking (iW BOT) estimates from Rentrak, Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" looks to lead the three-day portion of Martin Luther King weekend's iW BOT with an average of $9,379 from 30 locations. The Sony Pictures Classics film, which was controversially snubbed from last week's Academy Award foreign-language film shortlist, has grossed $909,603 in four weeks. Just behind it was Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood," which expanded to 389 screens and saw its average cut in half, taking in $2.99 million for a per location of $7,710. The Paramount Vantage release has now grossed $8.03 million heading into this week's Oscar nominations. A trio of news releases reported varied results, with Glass Key's "Day Zero" barely leading the pack, taking in $12,705 on 2 screens for a $6,352 average. Just behind was the ThinkFilm doc "Taxi To The Darkside," which took $12,450. Also on two screens, Alex Gibney's film averaged $6,225. Opening much wider was Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream." On 107 screens, the Colin Farrell-Ewan McGregor starrer grossed a mild $501,000, averaging $4,682 for the three days. indieWIRE publishes its weekly box office column on Mondays and final weekend numbers for specialty and limited release films on Tuesdays. Get the latest in the indieWIRE Box Office section. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

PARK CITY '08 10:51 a.m. | "Polanski" & HBO?; Buzz Docs: "Teen," "Secrecy," "Recruit" Closing In

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Docs remain the hot on day four of Sundance... Marina Zenovich's "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" seems likely to land at HBO, according to insiders, but contacted this morning HBO said that nothing is confirmed yet. Following an international deal with The Weinstein Company, HBO's high six-figure offer tops a combined ThinkFilm/History Channel/Netflix proposed pact, in a deal being brokered by Submarine and Cinetic. A theatrical run for the film is being considered but indieWIRE is awaiting more details from any official annoncement. Warner Independent Pictures and Roadside Attractions were also apparently in the running for the Polanski film. Meanwhile, buyers have been buzzing about "American Teen" since last night, but the film remains on the market as of this morning, according to an insider. Rumors last night had Fox Searchlght initially whisking away the "Teen" team after the screening, but at the film's Main St. party later, Sony Pictures Classics made a pitch and Paramount Vantage also paid respects. CAA and Cinetic are working the film. Among other doc action on the first weekend of the Sundance Film Festival, a source said that Peter Galison and Robb Moss' "Secrecy" could close a deal soon (Submarine is repping), while Edet Belzberg's "The Recruit" (formerly known as "An American Soldier") is stirring offers with insiders piecing together a deal, according to another source (Andrew Herwitz is selling the doc). indieWIRE reported on many of these film in a recent festival dispatch. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz, Documentary, Park City ]