Black Bear to make TIFF premiere ‘Christy’ starring Sydney Sweeney its first US release

Black Bear’s fledgling US distribution venture has chosen to make David Michôd’s boxing biopic Christy starring Sydney Sweeney its first release and will open the film nationwide on November 7.

The drama is making its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, September 4-14) on September 5. 

Christy went into TIFF technically as a sales title, however Thursday’s announcement was not entirely unexpected, given Black Bear financed the film, is one of the producers, and handles international sales on the film.

Sweeney, one of Hollywood’s fastest rising stars whose credits include Anyone But You, Eden, Euphoria and The White Lotus, bulked up for her latest role as Christy Martin, the pioneering 1990s female boxer who dealt with a horrific private life. Ben Foster plays her trainer and husband.

Black Bear’s president of US distribution Ben Kramer said: ”Led by Sydney Sweeney’s masterful transformation into the iconic Christy, capturing a young woman’s fierce determination to define her own destiny, the film is elevated by Michôd’s elegant direction and enriched by an electric supporting turn from Ben Foster.”

Black Bear, Anonymous Content, Votiv, Fifty-Fifty Films, and Yoki produced Christy with Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Black Bear founder Teddy Schwarzman, Votiv’s Brent Stiefel and Justin Lothrop, Michôd, and Sweeney serving as producers.

Executive producers include Black Bear’s Michael Heimler, John Friedberg, Andrew Golov, and Clementine Quittner, Anonymous Content’s David Levine and Nick Shumaker, as well as Mirrah Foulkes, Harrison Huffman, Brad Zimmerman, and Ryan Schwartz.

Black Bear’s new venture marks the latest expansion of Schwarzman’s indie empire after it moved into UK distribution three years ago. Last month Kramer and Schwarzman brought on former Lionsgate distribution head David Spitz to lead the US theatrical distribution business.

It also emerged last month that Black Bear is considering taking on US distribution to SXSW hit The Rivals Of Amziah King starring Matthew McConaughey, which it fully financed, produced and introduced to international buyers in Cannes two years ago.

• Will new buyers spark a return to a robust deal flow at TIFF?