A flurry of Sundance deals early on Monday (28) saw New Line and Warner Bros pay $15m for worldwide rights to Gurinder Chadha’s 1980’s Thatcher-era coming-of-age story Blinded By The Light, while Amazon Studios and NEON added to their Sundance shopping bags, and SPC picked up a couple of documentaries.
Amazon Studios paid $14m for worldwide rights to political drama The Report, while NEON acquired US rights to horror The Lodge, and separately partnered with Hulu on Lupita Nyong’o comedy horror Little Monsters. SPC acquired two documentaries, taking multiple territories on Where’s My Roy Cohn? as well as North America and select territories on David Crosby: Remember My Name.
New Line and Warner Bros negotiated the Blinded By The Light deal with Endeavor Content and ICM Partners following Sunday night’s world premiere. It excludes the UK, Australia and New Zealand acquired earlier by eOne.
The story takes place in 1987 in Luton as a young Pakistani boy beset by family travails and racism undergoes a life-changing experience when he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen.
The Report marks Amazon Studios’ second major pick-up of the festival after the $13m deal for Late Night. It stars Adam Driver as the Senate staffer who led a report into the CIA’s detention and interrogation programme in the wake of 9/11. Annette Bening and Jon Hamm also star in the feature directorial debt by Scott Z. Burns, produced by Vice Studios. The streamer negotiated rights with UTA Independent Film Group and Endeavor Content on behalf of the filmmakers.
NEON acquired US rights to The Lodge by Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala. Riley Keough stars in the story of two children holed up in a remote holiday village with their father’s girlfriend, a detested figure in the eyes of the children, whose psychological demons emerge when they are left alone. FilmNation fully financed the thriller and represents international rights to the FilmNation and Hammer Films production. NEON negotiated the deal with Endeavor Content.
NEON closed a deal for Colombian thriller Monos over the weekend and is also partnering with Hulu on the Australian comedy horror Little Monsters starring Lupita Nyong’o as a teacher battling a zombie outbreak. Abe Forsythe directed and producers are Jodi Matterson, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Sundance regular Keith Calder, and Jess Wu Calder. CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content represented the filmmakers in the deal, and Protagonist Pictures handles international sales.
SPC has picked up North America, the Middle East, Scandinavia, India, South Africa, Benelux, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Latin America and worldwide airlines and ships on Matt Tyrnauer’s US Documentary Competition selection Where’s My Roy Cohn? The film chronicles the life and work of political power broker Roy Cohn who worked alongside Senator Joseph McCarthy and wound up being Donald Trump’s mentor. SPC negotiated the deal with Endeavor Content and Donaldson & Callif on behalf of the filmmakers.
The deal on David Crosby: Remember My Name for North America, the Middle East, Scandinavia, India, South Africa, Benelux, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Latin America concluded with CAA Media Finance for the filmmakers. A.J. Eaton directed the profile of the celebrated folk singer and former Crosby Stills Nash and Young band member as he seeks artistic fulfilment in his twilight years. Cameron Crowe produced the US Documentary Competition selection.
On Sunday A24 paid $6m for worldwide rights to Lulu Wang’s directorial debut The Farewell.
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