In its second buy of the Toronto film festival, IFC Films has acquired all North American rights to “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” from director Mira Nair. Earlier in the week, IFC grabbed U.S. rights to the Neil Jordan-directed vampire flick “Byzantium” for a little north of $1 million.
Starring Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland and Riz Ahmed, “Fundamentalist” is based on the novel written by Mohsin Hamid about a Pakistani man whose life and work on Wall Street lead him back to a world he had left behind. Bill Wheeler adapted the screenplay. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before screening in Toronto.
Lydia Dean Pilcher produced the project, which is a Mirabai Films and Cine Mosaic production. The Doha Film Institute financed.
“‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ is the rare intelligent thriller that grapples with the issues of our times while remaining incredibly entertaining,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring. “It features a terrific cast including Liev Schrieber, Kate Hudson and Kiefer Sutherland and a star-making performance by Riz Ahmed.”
IFC films previously financed Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding.”
Sundance Selects/IFC Films exec Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Hal Sadoff for DFI and Bart Walker of Cinetic Media on behalf of the filmmakers.
A sister label to IFC Midnight and Sundance Selects, IFC Films has recently released “Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding” and “Your Sister’s Sister.” Forthcoming releases include “On the Road” and “Liberal Arts.”
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