Participant Media and AFFRM (African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement) have jointly acquired US theatrical rights to AFFRM founder Ava DuVernay’s Middle Of Nowhere, while IFC have added Antonio Campos’ Simon Killer to the pipeline.

Middle Of Nowhere follows a woman’s struggle to keep marriage alive with her incarcerated husband and stars Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo and Omari Hardwick and Lorraine Toussaint. DuVernay produced with Howard Barish and Paul Garnes.

AFFRM will stage the theatrical release later this year with the grassroots support of leading black film organisations. AFFRM distributed Sundance 2011 entry Kinyarwanda last December.

Ben Weiss of Paradigm Motion Picture Group negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers with Nina Shaw and Gordon Bobb of Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano, on behalf of AFFRM, with Jeff Ivers of Participant.

IFC has acquired North American rights to Simon Killer from the Borderline collective of US filmmakers who brought Martha Marcy May Marlene to last year’s Sundance.

Brady Corbet stars as a sociopath in Paris who befriends a prostitute. Mati Diop, Michael Abiteboul, Constance Rousseau and Lila Salet also star and Josh Mond and Sean Durkin produced alongside Matt Palmieri, who also financed through FilmHaven Entertainment.

Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with CAA and UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.