US Briefs: RiverRun unveils 2016 line-up

Hunt For The Wilderpeople and Norman Lear: Just Another Version Of You will open and fellow Sundance selection Love & Friendship will close the 18th annual RiverRun International Film Festival, set to run in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from April 7-17.

“For the past 11 years, I’ve had the honour and privilege to lead RiverRun,” said executive director Andrew Rodgers, who is departing this week to become executive director of the Denver Film Society.

“This year, as I step down and make room for someone new to come into the organisation and provide a new vision, I’m so proud of the great work the staff has done putting together such an excellent festival. This year’s line-up, in particular, is jam-packed with exciting bold-faced names, new talents and retrospectives. Put simply, this is a great festival, organised by wonderful people, and supported by an amazing community. I’ll certainly miss it!”

The event will screen 166 films, including 76 features and 90 shorts from 44 countries. Click here for details of the line-up.

• Damien Chazelle’s follow-up to Whiplash is on the awards track and will open via Lionsgate on December 2 ahead of wide expansion on December 16. The Summit romantic musical has been set for July 15 and stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.
• Focus World will release Natalie Portman’s feature directorial debut A Tale Of Love And Darkness in the US on. Voltage Pictures handles international sales to the Israeli drama.
• Joachim Trier’s Louder Than Bombs and Éric Besnard’s The Sense Of Wonder bookend The Sonoma International Film Festival from March 30-April 3. The festival will feature a tribute to Meg Ryan.
• The Suncoast Credit Union Gasparilla International Film Festival will run in Florida from March 30-April 3 and pay tribute to Oscar winner Rita Moreno. The opening night film is Gavin Hood’s drone thriller Eye In The Sky.
• BOND/360  has acquired North American rights from Iceland’s Compass Films to Una Lorenzen’s knitting documentary and imminent SXSW premiere Yarn from and will open the film theatrically in mid-2016.
• Mance Media will distribute Rebecca Daly’s recent Sundance world premiere Mammal in theatres and other platforms in the US following a deal with Picture Tree International.