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Millennium Entertainment Stops for RED LIGHTS, Rodrigo Cortés’ Paranormal Thriller

Posted Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 - Comments Off on Millennium Entertainment Stops for RED LIGHTS, Rodrigo Cortés’ Paranormal Thriller
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Los Angeles (January 24, 2012) – Millennium Entertainment’s CEO Bill Lee announced today that the company has acquired North American rights to Sundance thriller RED LIGHTS, featuring an all-star cast led by Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, Toby Jones, Joely Richardson, Elizabeth Olsen, Craig Roberts, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Adriane Lenox.  Written and directed by Rodrigo Cortés, RED LIGHTS is produced by Cortés and Adrian Guerra.  Cindy Cowan, Irving Cowan and Lisa Wilson served as executive producers.

RED LIGHTS is the third feature film by Rodrigo Cortés, following the multi award-winning THE CONTESTANT (2007) and BURIED (2010). A psychological thriller which explores the human brain’s perception mechanisms and the diffuse frontiers between belief and science, RED LIGHTS starts out from the experiences of two rationalist scientists who dissect phenomena from the metapsychic world, and the clash of forces with a world famous psychic they bring about. The past and the present of each the protagonists contain still unrevealed shadows, setting in train a dark story of growing tension, full of unexpected twists and turns.

“We came to Sundance looking for high-concept, quality commercial fare, and Cortés’ paranormal thriller – anchored by memorable performances from an exceptional cast – fully delivers,” said Millennium Entertainment CEO Bill Lee.  “We are elated to be in business with this talented filmmaker.”

“We are excited to start working with Millennium Entertainment. Their passion and understanding for our film makes them the ideal partner for our US release,” stated writer-director Cortés.

The announcement comes hot off the heels of such high-profile acquisitions as A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN, RAMPART, BERNIE and INTRUDERS.  Bill Lee negotiated the deal on behalf of Millennium Entertainment; Rena Ronson of UTA negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers.

Millennium Entertainment

Led by CEO Bill Lee, Millennium Entertainment is a leading independent supplier that acquires and distributes feature films.  Formed in 2010 and bolstered by a seasoned staff which includes marketing and distribution veterans Brooke Ford and Andy Gruenberg, to date the company has released director David Schwimmer’s Trust, starring Academy Award® nominees Clive Owen, Catherine Keener and Viola Davis; Puncture, starring Chris Evans and Joel Schumacher’s thriller Trespass, starring Academy Award® winners Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman.  The company recently released Oren Moverman’s Rampart, co-written by Moverman and acclaimed crime fiction writer James Ellroy, starring Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Robin Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, and Ned Beatty.  In 2012 Millennium Entertainment will distribute Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander) haunting thriller Intruders starring Clive Owen and Carice Van Houten from a screenplay by Nicolás Casariego and Jaime Marques; Richard Linklater’s Bernie, co-written by Skip Hollandsworth and Linklater, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey; A Little Bit of Heaven, Nicole Kassel’s romantic drama/comedy, featuring an all-star cast led Academy Award® nominee Kate Hudson with Academy Award® winners Kathy Bates and Whoopi Goldberg as well as Gael Garcia Bernal; and Little Birds, starring Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker, with Leslie Mann and Kate Bosworth.

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RED LIGHTS is the third feature film by Rodrigo Cortés, following the multi award-winning THE CONTESTANT (2007) and BURIED (2010). A psychological thriller which explores the human brain’s perception mechanisms and the diffuse frontiers between belief and science, RED LIGHTS starts out from the experiences of two rationalist scientists who dissect phenomena from the metapsychic world, and the clash of forces with a world famous psychic they bring about. The past and the present of each the protagonists contain still unrevealed shadows, setting in train a dark story of growing tension, full of unexpected twists and turns.

“We came to Sundance looking for high-concept, quality commercial fare, and Cortés’ paranormal thriller – anchored by memorable performances from an exceptional cast – fully delivers,” said Millennium Entertainment CEO Bill Lee.  “We are elated to be in business with this talented filmmaker.”

“We are excited to start working with Millennium. Their passion and understanding for our film makes them the ideal partner for our US release,” said writer-director Cortés.

The announcement comes hot off the heels of such high-profile acquisitions as A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN, RAMPART, BERNIE and INTRUDERS.  Tristen Tuckfield, director of acquisitions, negotiated the deal on behalf of Millennium Entertainment; UTA Independent Film Group negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers.

Millennium Entertainment

Led by CEO Bill Lee, Millennium Entertainment is a leading independent supplier that acquires and distributes feature films.  Formed in 2010 and bolstered by a seasoned staff which includes marketing and distribution veterans Brooke Ford and Andy Gruenberg, to date the company has released director David Schwimmer’s Trust, starring Academy Award® nominees Clive Owen, Catherine Keener and Viola Davis; Puncture, starring Chris Evans and Joel Schumacher’s thriller Trespass, starring Academy Award® winners Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman. Up next the company will release Oren Moverman’s Rampart on February 10th. Co-written by Moverman and acclaimed crime fiction writer James Ellroy, the film stars Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Robin Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, and Ned Beatty. In 2012 Millennium Entertainment will distribute Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander) haunting thriller Intruders starring Clive Owen and Carice Van Houten from a screenplay by Nicolás Casariego and Jaime Marques; Richard Linklater’s Bernie, co-written by Skip Hollandsworth and Linklater, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey; A Little Bit of Heaven, Nicole Kassel’s romantic drama/comedy, featuring an all-star cast led Academy Award® nominee Kate Hudson with Academy Award® winners Kathy Bates and Whoopi Goldberg as well as Gael Garcia Bernal; and Little Birds, starring Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker, with Leslie Mann and Kate Bosworth.

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