NEW YORK, NY (January 18, 2011) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired the rights in North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand to TAKE SHELTER.  The film is written and directed by Jeff Nichols (SHOTGUN STORIES) and stars Academy Awardnominee Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon and Kathy Baker.  The film is in dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

TAKE SHELTER is produced by Tyler Davidson under his Strange Matter Films banner, and Sophia Lin, and executive produced by Sarah Green, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Colin Strause, Greg Strause, Richard Rothfeld, Chris Perot, and Christos Konstantakopoulos. CAA, which reps Nichols, Shannon, Chastain, Whigham, and the Strause brothers, set up the film’s financing and brokered the deal with Sony Pictures Classics.

TAKE SHELTER is a haunting tale that will creep under your skin and expose your darkest fears. Curtis LaForche (Shannon) lives in a small town in Ohio with his wife, Samantha (Chastain), and daughter, Hannah, a six-year-old deaf girl. When Curtis begins to have terrifying dreams, he keeps the visions to himself, channeling his anxiety into obsessively building a storm shelter in his backyard. His seemingly inexplicable behavior concerns and confounds those closest to him, but the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within his community can’t compare with Curtis’s privately held fear of what his dreams may truly signify.

“This film promises to be ‘a can’t miss’ in the marketplace. With SHOTGUN STORIES, Jeff Nichols instantly became a major independent filmmaker.  His screenplay for TAKE SHELTER is emotional, deep and timely. Michael Shannon is one of America’s great actors and Sarah Green is one of the finest producers we’ve worked with.  We are also excited about collaborating with producers Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin and our good friend Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and look forward to bringing the film to American audiences,” states Sony Pictures Classics.

Sony Pictures Classics previously worked with executive producer Sarah Green on THE WINSLOW BOY and THE SPANISH PRISIONER.

“For twenty years, Sony Pictures Classics has been releasing unforgettable films that are embedded in our culture.  They don’t shy away from original and provocative material, and their name is trusted by audiences who appreciate the difference.  I can’t imagine a better home for the extraordinary, collective talents of Jeff Nichols, Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, and the visual effects specialists at Hydraulx Entertainment,” states producer Tyler Davidson.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 25 Academy Awards (22 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered over 100 Academy Award nominations (85 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services, and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found at www.sonypictures.com.

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