By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com
SUNDANCE SELECTS TAKES U.S. RIGHTS TO CANNES CRITICS’ WEEK OPENER DECLARATION OF WAR
New York, NY (May 25, 2011) – Sundance Selects announced today, on the heels of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, that the company is acquiring all U.S. rights to Valérie Donzelli’s DECLARATION OF WAR from Wild Bunch. Produced by Edouard Weil (Demonlover, Frontier of Dawn), the film was written by Donzelli and Jérémie Elkaïm, who both star in the film, which is based on their own real-life experiences. The film made its world premiere at last week’s Cannes Film Festival as the Critics’ Week Opening Night film.
A great love story, DECLARATION OF WAR follows a couple named Romeo and Juliette, a child named Adam, his illness, and their battle.
Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects, said: “Our entire company fell in love with DECLARATION OF WAR. Valérie Donzelli, along with her collaborator Jérémie Elkaïm, won us over with their completely heartfelt, life affirming film that announces them as major new talents. We are confident that this is a film that will inspire ardent love once we begin to screen it for American audiences.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions, and Betsy Rodgers, Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Sundance Selects with Carole Baraton of Wild Bunch on behalf of the filmmakers.
Sundance Selects is a sister division to IFC Films and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by Rainbow Media.
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About SUNDANCE SELECTS:
Established in 2009 and based in New York City, Sundance Selects is a leading U.S. distributor of prestige films focusing on American independents, documentaries and world cinema. Its unique distribution model makes independent prestige films available to a national audience by releasing them in theaters as well as on cable’s Video On Demand (VOD) platform, reaching nearly 50 million homes. Some of the company’s successes include Abbas Kiarostami’s CERTIFIED COPY starring Academy Award-winner Juliette Bincohe, and Werner Herzog’s 3D documentary CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS. Upcoming Sundance Selects releases include master director Errol Morris’ documentary TABLOID; the 2011 Sundance Audience Award winner BUCK directed by Cindy Meehl; 2011 SXSW Audience Award winner WEEKEND directed by Andrew Haigh; Cannes 2011 Grand Prix Winner THE KID WITH A BIKE from the Dardennes Brothers; and the Cannes Prix du Jury Winner POLISS directed by Maiwenn. Sundance Selects is a sister division to IFC Films and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by Rainbow Media.
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