Seldin’s Locomotive adds Venus, Kiss to slate

Locomotive Distribution has picked up Temple of Venus starring Kathy Bates and A Kiss For Jed Wood starring Jayne Weisner.

New York-based Locomotive, headed by Colleen Seldin, is selling both films at Cannes.

Peter Masterson’s $6m Temple of Venus is a coming of age tale about a 9-year-old boy who loses his mother and has to live with his aunt (Bates) in a small town in Texas.

Maurice Linnane’s $2m A Kiss For Jed Wood is about a game show winner who wants to kiss a country music star during a crazy trip to New York City.

Seldin, President Locomotive Distribution said: “These two titles are complementary to our Cannes sales slate. As a new company in a challenging climate we are thrilled to have such strong international titles to bring to market and are very encouraged by the response we’ve had already so early into the festival.”

Tim Palmer from Ignition said: “Right from the script stage ‘A Kiss for Jed Wood’ always put a smile on my face.  It just seems to me to be one of those crowd pleasers with real break- through potential.  I’m really looking forward to working with Locomotive - they got the film right from the start and have that mixture of enthusiasm, knowledge and determination which gets results.”

Mary Stuart Masterson, who is also set to star with Bates in Temple of Venus, added: “I am so excited to have a chance to work with my father (director Pete Masterson) again on Temple of Venus. He’s got the perfect sensibilities to make this quirky, small town love story, a classic.  It’s got elements of Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias and My Life As a Dog and is loaded with great character roles that I know actors will be dying to play.  When Locomotive had such a passionate response to our first film (micro budget feature, Tickling Leo), we knew they were the perfect partners for  this as well.”

The newly launched company’s slate also includes heist thriller Hot Potato starring Ray Winstone, family rom-com Hello I Love You, and family film Snowmen.