After a typically slow start over opening weekend Sundance 2022 deal-making gathered momentum throughout the week and Apple stole the headlines for the second year in a row with its $15m worldwide buy on Cooper Raiff’s coming-of-age title Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Searchlight Pictures announced a high-profile pre-buy for Fresh on the eve of the virtual festival and by the close of the first weekend National Geographic Documentary Films had swooped on documentaries Fire Of Love and The Territory.
Sony Pictures Classics acquired multiple territories on Bill Nighy drama Living and Searchlight took US rights to Good Luck To You, Leo Grande starring Emma Thompson and Screen Star of Tomorrow 2021 Daryl McCormack, while Focus Features tied up a worldwide deal with Bankside for Brian And Charles.
IFC partnered with Shudder on genre titles Watcher and Resurrection, and Netflix picked up Participant’s acclaimed documentary Descendant. At time of writing buyers were circling John Patton Ford’s drama Emily The Criminal starring Aubrey Plaza, Kathryn Ferguson’s Sinead O’Connor documentary Nothing Compares, Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul from Adamma Ebo and Adanne Ebo, and Isabel Castro’s Mija, among others.
Further deals are expected to follow in in the days and weeks ahead.
Acquisitions during the festival (alphabetical order)
2nd Chance
Dir. Ramin Bahrani
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Showtime Documentary Films
Deal: North America
Release: Theatrical release ahead of network premiere leading into awards season.
What is it? Profile of bullet-proof vest inventor.
Screen review here
892
Dir. Abi Damaris Corbin
Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Deal: US
What is it: True story about financially stricken former US Marine who takes desperate action.
Screen review here
Am I OK?
Dirs. Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allyne
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Warner Bos/HBO Max
Deal: Worldwide, Near $7m.
Release: HBO Max play, release date unknown.
What is it? Young woman comes out to best friend about to depart for UK.
Screen review here
Brian And Charles
Dir. Jim Archer
Section: World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Distributor: Focus Features
Deal: Worldwide
Release: Focus will distribute in US; Universal Pictures internationally. Film4 retains free TV rights in UK.
What is it? Feelgood buddy movie involving robot.
Screen review here
Call Jane
Dir. Phyllis Nagy
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Deal: US
Release: Theatrical release in autumn
What is it? Suburban Chicago woman in late 1960s finds way to cirumvent law and get safe abortion.Screen review here
Cha Cha Real Smooth
Dir. Cooper Raiff
Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Distributor: Apple
Deal: Worldwide, $15m
Release: Debut on Apple’s platform.
What is it? Young man falls for older woman in coming-of-age tale.
Screen review here
Descendant
Dir. Margaret Brown
Section: U.S. Documentary Competition
Distributor: Netflix
Deal: worldwide
What is it? US descendants of occupants of last slave ship to arrive in US reclaim their story.
Release: Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground to present alongside streamer.
Dual
Dir. Riley Stearns
Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Distributor: RLJE Films
Deal: US rights, low to mid-7 figures.
Release: RLJE Films has scheduled a theatrical release later this year.
Distributor: Universal Pictures Content Group; others
Deal: Most of international; individual territories
What is it? Karen Gillan fights her clone.
Screen review here
Emily The Criminal
Dir. John Patton Ford
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Roadside, Vertical
Deal: North America
Release: Exclusive theatrical this year followed by home entertainment release through Redbox
Distributor: Universal Pictures Content Group
Deal: International
Release: TBD
What is it? Aubrey Plaza lands in big trouble when she takes a job as a dummy shopper.
Screen review here
Fire Of Love
Dir. Sara Dosa
Section: U.S. Documentary Competition
Distributor: National Geographic Documentary Films
Deal: Worldwide, mid-7 figures
Release: Theatrical followed by debut on Disney streaming platform.
What is it? Doomed married French vulcanologists pursue dangerous fascination.
Screen review here
Free Chol Soo Lee
Dirs. Julie Ha and Eugene Yi
Section: US Documentary Competition
Distributor: MUBI
Deal: North America, UK and Ireland, Latin America, Germany, Austria, Italy, Turkey.
What is it? Aftermath of community movement to free wrongfully convicted street hustler.
Release: TBD
God’s Country
Dir. Julian Higgins
Section: Premieres
Distributor: IFC Films
Deal: North America
Release: Autumn theatrical release
What is it? Thandiwe Newton plays professor in escalating feud with hunters.
Screen review here
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande
Dir. Sophie Hyde
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Deal: US rights, $7.5m
Release: Exclusive streaming release on Hulu, awards play.
What is it? Two-hander about lonely woman who hires sex worker.
Screen review here
Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul
Dir. Adamma Ebo
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Focus, Peacock
Deal: Worldwide
Release: Day-and-date theatrical and streaming on Peacock
What is it? Satire about megachurch leaders who try to claw way out of scandal.
Screen review here
Last Flight Home
Dir. Ondi Timoner
Section: Special Screenings
Distributor: MTV Documentary Films
Deal: Worldwide
Release: Autumn theatrical and awards campaign
What is it? Profile of Timoner’s ailing father as he expresses desire to end his life.
Screen review here
Living
Dir. Oliver Hermanus
Section: Premieres
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Deal: North America, Latin America, India, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Germany, South Africa, Southeast Asia, and airlines worldwide; $5m.
Release: Theatrical.
What is it? Ikiru reimagining about terminally ill man who gives life a go.
Screen review here
My Old School
Dir: Jono McLeoad
Section: World Cinema Documentary Competition
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Deal: North America
Release: Theatrical
What is it? Documentary about mysterious student at affluent Glasgow school. Alan Cumming stars.
Screen review here
Nanny
Dir. Nikyatu Jusu
Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Distributor: Blumhouse Television, Prime Video
Deal: worldwide
Release: TBD
What is it? Senegalese immigrant working as nanny for rich New York family reckons with her past
Screen review here
Nothing Compares
Dir. Kathryn Ferguson
Section: World CInema Documentary Competition
Disitrbutor: Showtime
Deal: worldwide
What is it? Turbulent life and times of firebrand Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor.
Screen review here
Resurrection
Dir. Andrew Semans
Section: Premieres
Distributor: IFC Films, Shudder
Deal: North America
Release: IFC Films to release theatrically and on VoD; Shudder takes first streaming window.
What is it? Single mother confronts unsettling blast from past.
Screen review here
Sharp Stick
Dir. Lena Dunham
Section: Premieres
Disitrbutor: Utopia
Deal: US
Release: Theatrical
What is it? Young woman undergoes sexual awakening.
Screen review here
The Territory
Dir. Alex Pritz
Section: World Cinema Documentary Competition
Distributor: National Geographic Documentary Films
Deal: Worldwide, mid-7 figures
Release: Theatrical release followed by streaming.
What is it? Indigenous leader in Brazilian rainforest defends land.
Screen review here
Watcher
Dir. Chloe Okuno
Section: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Distributor: IFC Films, Shudder
Deal 1: North America
Release: IFC to release theatrically and on VoD, Shudder takes first streaming window.
Distributor: Focus Features
Deal 2: International
What is it? Young American in Bucharest fears neighbour is stalker while serial killer terrorises city.
Screen review here
Pre-buys on eve of festival
Fresh
Dir. Mimi Cave
Section: Midnight (Day One)
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Deal: worldwide
Release: To stream across Disney’s platforms. Hulu on March 4 in US, spring international launch on Star+ in Latin America, Disney+ elsewhere.
What is it? Horror about modern dating, unusual appetites.
Screen review here
Speak No Evil
Dir. Christian Tafdrup
Section: Midnight
Distributor: Shudder
Deal: North America, UK & Ireland in late 2022.
What is it? Danish family visits Dutch family. Unpleasantness ensues.
Screen review here
Calendar Girls
Dirs. Maria Loohufvud and Love Martinsen.
Distributor: Juno Films
Section: World Cinema Documentary Competition
Deal: North America
What is it? Over-60 female Florida dance team.
Release: Theatrical early summer.
Pre-buys announced in 2021
Alice
Dir: Krystin Ver Linden
Section: US Dramatic Competition
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment, Roadside Attractions
Deal: US rights
What is it? Enslaved person escapes Georgia plantation to learn it is 1973.
Release: Theatrical release March 18.
Screen review here
Neptune Frost
Dirs. Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman.
Section: Spotlight
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Deal: worldwide
Release: US theatrical release this year, followed by digital roll-out on Kino Now, TVoD. International sales talks underway.
What is it? Cyber musical from Rwanda.
Screen review her
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