Sundance Channel has licensed exclusive US pay television rights to Laura Dunn's documentary The Unforeseen, one day ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday.

Robert Redford served as executive producer along with Terrence Malick on the film, which offers an in-depth look at the struggle between a Texas real estate developer and a community determined to protect its natural resources.

Sundance Channel senior vice president of acquisitions, programme planning and scheduling Christian Vesper negotiated the deal with Submarine's Josh Braun on behalf of the film's producers.

Sundance Channel has been in an acquisitive mood this week. Yesterday it announced it had licensed exclusive TV rights to Jennifer Fox's Flying: Confessions Of A Free Woman. That documentary is also set to screen at the festival.