National Geographic Documentary Films has made the first two acquisition plays of Sundance 2022 and swooped on much-fancied Fire Of Love and The Territory as interest continued to coalesce around a number of other opening weekend premieres.
Sources said the worldwide deal for Fire Of Love fell in the mid-seven-figure range. Sara Dosa’s U.S. Documentary Competition entry premiered on Day One (20) and streamers, studios and speciality distributors were in swift pursuit before it was confirmed on Sunday morning that Submarine had struck a deal on behalf of the filmmakers.
National Geographic Documentary Films plans a theatrical release for the visually arresting story of married French vulcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, whose death in an eruption on Japan’s Mount Unzen in 1991 came as Katia’s concern over the need for adequate warning systems for communities threatened by active volcanoes had become increasingly urgent. The film from Sandbox Films, Intuitive Pictures & Cottage M production will debut on Disney’s streaming platform after theatrical.
Later on Sunday (23) National Geographic confirmed a second deal, acquiring worldwide rights in what was understood to be another mid-seven-figure acquisition for World Cinema Documentary Competition selection The Territory. A theatrical release is being planned and will be followed by streaming for Alex Pritz’s feature directorial debut about the Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people of the Brazilian rainforest as they protect their land from loggers, miners and impoverished farmers while the government of Jair Bolsonaro offers no protection.
The film screens again on Monday and marks the latest collaboration for producer Darren Aronofsky and National Geographic after the recent debut on Disney+ of his adventure non-fiction series Welcome To Earth featuring Will Smith.
At time of writing buyers were understood to be coalescing around Kathryn Ferguson’s Sinead O’Connor documentary Nothing Compares which has played twice this weekend in World Cinema Documentary; Sophie Hyde’s Premieres selection Good Luck To You, Leo Grande which screens again on Monday; and Isabel Castro’s NEXT entry Mija, which played twice over the weekend.
Also on buyer’s target lists were Sunday premieres Cha Cha Real Smooth from SXSW winner Cooper Raiff (Shithouse) which screens again on Tuesday, and Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul directed by twin sisters Adamma Ebo and Adanne Ebo, which next screens on January 30.
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