UPDATE: In the first on-site deal of the festival the distributor has acquired North American rights in a low seven-figure deal and plans a theatrical release this summer. Separately, Anchor Bay has acquired Leland Orser’s drama Morning.
Buyers circled immediately after Thursday night’s [17] well-received world premiere Day One screening of Morgan Neville’s documentary. At least one buyer told Screendaily they had pulled out late into the night when the asking price reached high six figures.
RADiUS-TWC negotiated the deal with worldwide rights holder Submarine. Twenty Feet From Stardom charts the life of backing singers and their unsung work supporting famous performers.
Buyers and sellers typically play it low-key over the first weekend in Sundance as everyone assesses the lay of the land. That said, there are several anticipated world premieres on Friday.
Among these are Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut Don Jon’s Addiction, which financier and international sales agent Nicolas Chartier of Voltage Pictures has licensed to Warner Bros for the UK and Mars for France.
Friday afternoon’s world premiere of Austenland by Jerusha Hess kept buyers hanging around the Eccles until the very end and may see activity soon. The must-see list includes Kill Your Darlings from John Krokidas and Anne Fontaine’s Two Mothers.
Anticipated documentary premieres include Nick Ryan’s The Summit, Dave Grohl’s first effort behind the camera in Sound City, as well as After Tiller from Martha Shane and Lana Wilson, and RJ Cutler and Greg Finton’s The World According To Dick Cheney.
- Anchor Bay Films has acquired US and Canadian rights to Leland Orser’s directorial debut Morning starring Jeanne Tripplehorn, Laura Linney, Elliott Gould, Kyle Chandler and Orser. The story charts the fall-out on an American couple following the accidental death of their child. Morning debuted as a short film at SXSW. Kevin Kasha and Marc Barson of Anchor Bay Films negotiated the deal with Richard Turner on behalf of Traina Productions/Red Rover Films.
No comments yet