Haim Saban’s nascent distributor led by Bill Bromiley has struck up a one-off partnership with Roadside Attractions on Cannes competition entry The Homesman as the parties plot an awards run.

The Homesman, Tommy Lee Jones’ second outing as feature director, will open on November 7 and stars Jones and Hilary Swank alongside Meryl Streep, Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, Sonja Richter, Hailee Steinfeld and James Spader.

Saban Films will manage sales across all other US distribution platforms, pursuant to what is believed to be its long-term focus of digital rights exploitation and day-and-date releases. EuropaCorp handles international sales.

Bromiley and his team are in talks with a studio partner to handle North American theatrical distribution going forward on an anticipated annual slate of eight to 10 films.  

The Homesman marked Saban Films’ first acquisition and took place on the Croisette. Saban Films will put up the P&A and Roadside will take care of the disitrbution logistics and consult with Saban on marketing strategy.

“The Homesman is a bold and gripping film anchored with outstanding performances by an all-star cast,” said president Bromiley. “We are so pleased to collaborate with Roadside on our first release and share this film lauded film with US audiences.”

“The brilliant Tommy Lee Jones, aided by Hilary Swank’s amazing performance has done nothing less than reinvent the Western from a woman’s perspective,” said Roadside co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff. “This major work is a dream project for Roadside.”

The Tommy Lee Jones/Michael Fitzgerald production is produced by Peter Brant, Brian Kennedy and Luc Besson. Jones co-wrote the screenplay with Kieran Fitzgerald and Wesley A Oliver based on the novel by Glendon Swarthout.

Jones’ feature directorial debut The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada premiered in Cannes and earned best actor and screenplay honours for Jones and Guillermo Arriaga.

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