Roadside Attractions has landed, after an aggressive bidding war, all U.S. rights to Canadian actress-writer-filmmaker Sarah Polley’s “Stories We Tell.”
Wisely, Polley (“Away from Her,” “Take this Waltz”) debuted the film at the Venice and Telluride Film festivals, followed by Toronto, where it was rapturously received by audiences and critics. Polley tells the true story, filming herself as she interviews her family, of her actress mother, who died when she was ten. Raised by her single father–her siblings had grown and left the nest–Polley recently unearthed some long-hidden family secrets and opted to reveal them in doc form. The result is a terrific and moving true account, packed with home movies and photos, and Polley makes the most of it.
She hasn’t wanted to do any interviews about the story–but she inevitably will. Roadside won U.S. rights to the film, which is produced by Anita Lee, from the National Film Board of Canada. Roadside plans an early 2013 theatrical release.
“In fearlessly laying bare her family’s most intimate moments and remembrances, Sarah allows we as audience members to reflect on each of our own family histories, both real and fabricated,” notes Roadside Co-President Eric d’Arbeloff.
The deal was negotiated by Roadside co-president Howard Cohen for Roadside and the National Film Board of Canada’s Christina Rogers on behalf of the filmmakers.
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