SUNDANCE UPDATE: The distributor has closed a $3m-plus deal and will partner with Stage 6 Films on the acquisition of the dark comedy that has been an early hit in Park City. Meanwhile A24 closed on The Witch and Alchemy was nearing a US deal for Strangerland.

Relativity will release in the US and Sony, which owns Stage 6 Films, will distribute in the US. Bryan Buckley directed the US Dramatic Competition entry The Bronze starring Melissa Rauch as an embittered former Olympian who weighs up whether to mentor an adoring protégé or ruin her.

Rauch and Winston Rauch co-wrote The Bronze, which premiered on January 22, screened again twice on January 23 and will next play on January 27.

Stephanie Langhoff produced and the executive producers are Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Buckley, Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch and Michael Cuddy. The Sundance Institute on Sunday named Langhoff its recipient of the Sundance Institute | Red Crown Producer’s Award.

WME Global represented US rights to the film, as it did on The End Of The Tour, which has been confirmed as a preemptive US sale to A24 in a deal also priced in the $3m range.

A24 and DIRECTV have acquired genre title The Witch in a US deal. Robert Eggers directed the New England-set tale that takes place in the 17th century. WME Global and Gray Krauss Stratford Sandler Des Rochers represented the film-makers. The film has screened to press and industry and premieres on January 27.

Meanwhile Alchemy, the rebrand distributor formerly known as Millennium Entertainment, was believed to be about to secure US rights to Nicole Kidman starrer Strangerland for a multi-platform release.