By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY ACQUIRES U.S. RIGHTS TO PAUL ANDREW WILLIAMS’ SONG FOR MARION

Posted Monday, November 7th, 2011 - Comments Off on THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY ACQUIRES U.S. RIGHTS TO PAUL ANDREW WILLIAMS’ SONG FOR MARION
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For immediate release:

NEW YORK (November 7, 2011) – The Weinstein Company (TWC) acquired U.S. distribution rights, along with Pan Asian TV rights, to Paul Andrew Williams’ feature film SONG FOR MARION starring Terence Stamp (THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT), Gemma Arterton (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME), Academy Award® winner Vanessa Redgrave (CORIOLANUS) and Christopher Eccleston (SHALLOW GRAVE). Written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams (LONDON TO BRIGHTON), the feature was produced by Philip Moross from Coolmore Productions and Ken Marshall from Steel Mill Pictures. The acquisition was announced today by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein and VP, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Negeen Yazdi.

Shot in England’s County Durham with great support from the community, SONG FOR MARION is a London-set comedic drama, about grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) who is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join a highly unconventional local choir. At odds with his son James (Christopher Eccleston) it is left to choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) to try and persuade Arthur that he can learn to embrace life. Arthur must confront the undercurrents of his own grumbling persona as he embarks on a hilarious, life-affirming journey of musical self discovery.

“SONG FOR MARION is wildly amusing and is sure to charm audiences of all ages,” said Weinstein. “We’re thrilled to partner with Paul on his latest project and to showcase this dynamic cast. His success in this project stems from his knack for highlighting and harmonizing otherwise contradicting personality traits – in this case, funny and cantankerous – in his characters.”

“We jumped at the chance to partner on this film,” commented Yazdi, who negotiated the deal alongside TWC COO David Glasser and Michal Podell Steinberg, SVP, Business and Legal Affairs and Acquisitions. “The story told and the parallels that can be seen in our own lives make this film one that will undoubtedly resonate with our audience.”

Added Williams, “I am proud to partner with The Weinstein Company on a film that means so much to me and that I hope will mean just as much to families around the world. The cast shines in this film in a bigger way than I’d ever imagined. It was as much fun behind the camera as it appears on-camera.”

Moross negotiated the deal on behalf of the Licensor. Entertainment One has rights to UK, Canada and Australia (Hopscotch), and Entertainment One International are handling international sales.

SONG FOR MARION, currently in post-production, is produced in partnership with Film House Germany and Egoli Tossell as well as Aegis Film Fund and Northstar Ventures.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes, including Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH, winner of four 2011 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I’M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE; THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; and SUBMARINE. Currently in release are DIRTY GIRL; I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT; APOLLO 18; OUR IDIOT BROTHER; SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D; and SARAH’S KEY. Upcoming releases include MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, PIRANHA 3DD; THE ARTIST; W.E.; and THE IRON LADY.

TWC is also active in television production, with credits including the Emmy® nominated and Peabody Award winning reality series Project Runway, the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency which also received a Peabody Award. The company is currently producing After The Runway, Project Runway All Stars and Project Accessory. The company currently has 17 series in different stages of development, including Marco Polo, a scripted historical series about the great explorer, for Starz; and The Nanny Diaries, being adapted for ABC by Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls).

ABOUT STEEL MILL PICTURES
 Founded in 2006, Steel Mill Pictures have produced critically acclaimed and award winning feature films; which include London to Brighton, The Cottage, Cherry Tree Lane and Song for Marion. Originally a partnership formed between Ken Marshall (Producer) and Paul Andrew Williams (Writer/Director), Steel Mill Pictures has grown and the team now develops a slate of varied projects with a pool of writers and directors.

All of Steel Mill’s projects have secured distribution in the UK and internationally with renowned companies such as Pathe, eOne, Metrodome, Sony North America.  The next Steel Mill project produced by Ken Marshall begins principal photography in early 2012; “Filth” starring James McAvoy, based on the best-selling novel by Irvine Welsh.

ABOUT COOLMORE PRODUCTIONS
 Coolmore Productions is a County Durham based film production company with particular interest in supporting audio visual projects for production and co-production in the North East of England.

ABOUT EGOLI TOSSELL
Egoli Tossell Film are European producers with a passion for great stories and outstanding storytellers, founded by Judy Tossell and Jens Meurer in 2001. Recent highlights include Oscar-, Golden Globe-, and Independent Spirit-Award-nominee The Last Station by Michael Hoffman and Olivier Assayas´ Golden Globe winner and Emmy Nominee Carlos with Edgar Ramirez. ETF’s track record ranges from Alexander Sokurovs one-shot masterpiece Russian Ark, to Paul Verhoevens Black Book  and Michael Caton-Jones’ Beyond The Gates. Upcoming are Iain Softley’s classic adventure romance Ivanhoe; a new co-production with Steel Mill, the Irvine Welsh based Filth starring James McAvoy; and Hector and the Search for Happiness by Peter Chelsom. ETF are part of Film House Germany.

ABOUT AEGIS FILM FUND
Aegis Film Fund is one of a number film funds advised and managed by Prescience. Aegis Film Fund provides debt finance to international independent films its focus is on cash enhancement, with returns in excess of 10% p.a.. Prescience was co-founded in 2005 by Tim Smith and Paul Brett, who each have over 20 years of experience in the film industry. Through its managed funds provides debt, equity, development and bridging finance to the independent film market. Recent films financed include: Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech,  John Michael McDonagh’s The Guard, Phil Trail’s Chalet Girl, and Marc Evans’ Hunky Dory and Horrid Henry 3D directed by Nick Moore.

ABOUT FILM HOUSE GERMANY AG
 Film House is a German-based media company focusing on development, financing and production of independent movies. With their current investments into the production units Egoli Tossell Film, Hamster Film and Summerstorm they are structuring and producing films for the local and the world market.

Film House Germany aims to become one of Europe’s leading film financiers through an active buy-and-build strategy, combining creative passion with entrepreneurial and financial skills. They aim to cover the entire value chain of the movie business with an international audience as well as the many diverse German funding sources in mind. Film House also develops innovative financial tools for retail and institutional investors.

ABOUT NORTHSTAR VENTURES
 Northstar is a venture capital company dedicated to building successful high growth businesses across the North East of England.  The £2.4m Finance for Business North East Creative Content Fund is one of the funds that we manage. The Creative Fund is backed by the European Regional Development Fund.

The Creative Content Fund is aimed at the North East commercial creative sector, with a particular focus on the region’s TV, film, interactive media, music and games industries.  The Fund invests in companies at an early stage of their development.

Northstar is working closely with Northern Film & Media to deliver the Creative Fund.
The Fund invests between £50k and £250k in any one company, and is targeted at businesses located, or those with substantial operations, in the North East of England. It will also invest in businesses that are willing to relocate to the region. Further information can be found atwww.northstarventures.co.uk.

Northstar Ventures is a trading name of NorthStar Equity Investors Limited. NorthStar Equity Investors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. NorthStar Equity Investors Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 0510 4995. Registered office: 5th Floor, Maybrook House, 27-35 Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5JE.

Finance for Business North East is part of the Government’s Solutions for Business portfolio of publicly funded help to companies to start, grow and succeed.  Solutions for Business makes it easier to get the advice and assistance they need. More information can be found atwww.businesslink.gov.uk/solutions.

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