Lot 47 Films has acquired all North American rights to Henry Barrial's Some Body which premiered in dramatic competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The independent distributor will release the film in spring 2002.

Produced by IFC-backed Next Wave Films with Rhythm Films and Cubano Films Production, it features a breakthrough performance by Stephanie Bennett as a sexually-charged elementary schoolteacher struggling to balance her personal and professional life in contemporary Los Angeles. Bennett also produced the film with Barrial and Geoffrey Pepos and wrote it with Jeramy Guillory, Billy Ray Gallion and Tom Vitorino.

The film, shot on digital video, is based on Bennett's own experiences; she still works in southern California as a grade school teacher and the film features some of her real-life ex-lovers.

In a statement Lot 47 president Jeff Lipsky applauded the film's digital format. "Along with our upcoming film Never Get Outta The Boat, I believe the success of Some Body will help persuade any residual cynics that not only is digital filmmaking here to stay but that it isn't merely an excuse for low-budget, artistically limiting filmmaking," he said. "Rather it's the most liberating creative format that has ever been available to moviemakers. Stephanie and Henry have made a terrific film about power, sex, and anxiety, two things all of us aspire to and one that we all achieve!"

Never Get Outta The Boat is the first of a three year, multi-picture agreement between Lot 47 and Jason Kliot and Joana Vicente's digital production arm Blow Up Pictures. Directed by Paul Quinn (This Is My Father), it is executive produced by John Cusack.

Some Body is one of three films in dramatic competition bought by Lot 47 after Michael Cuesta's L.I.E. and Billy Morrisette's Scotland PA which will be released in Sept 2001 and Feb 2002 respectively. Other upcoming releases from the company include Gary Burns' waydowntown, Laurent Firode's Happenstance and Claire Denis' Trouble Every Day.