The latest in TIFF 2013 acquisitions:

  • The Green Inferno - A sequel is already in the works, so Eli Roth wrapped up a bit of business in selling the U.S. distribution rights for the first movie to Open Road Films.  Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, and Daryl Sabara  play a group of student activists who are taken hostage by a tribe of cannibals in the Amazon.
  • Proxy - IFC Midnight acquired the North American rights to the thriller about "a pregnant young woman seeks consolation in a support group after she is viciously attacked by a hooded assailant."  Alexia Rasmussen, Alexa Havins, Kristina Klebe, and Joe Swanberg star in the Zack Parker-directed feature.
  • McCanick - Well Go USA picked up the U.S. rights with plans for an early 2014 theatrical release.  Directed by Josh C. Waller, the police drama follows a narcotics detective over the course of one day.  David Morse, Ciaran Hinds, Mike Vogel, and the late Cory Monteith (in his final film) star.

See the press releases after the jump.

The Green Inferno

the-green-inferno lorenza izzo
Image via High Top Releasing

OPEN ROAD FILMS SEES GOLD IN ELI ROTH’S “THE GREEN INFERNO”

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 11, 2013 – Hot out of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, Open Road Films has secured the U.S. distribution rights to Eli Roth’s THE GREEN INFERNO from Worldview Entertainment.  The announcement was made today by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films.

Directed, co-written, and produced by Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel franchise), THE GREEN INFERNO follows a group of student activists who travel from New York City to the Amazon to save a tribe from extinction.  In an unfortunate twist of fate, when the group arrives, they are taken hostage by the very cannibals they sought to protect.

The film stars Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy and Daryl Sabara.  Both Izzo and Levy co-starred with Roth in “Aftershock.” At the Toronto world premiere of THE GREEN INFERNO, Roth also announced the sequel BEYOND THE GREEN INFERNO, which will be produced and financed by Worldview as well.

Ortenberg stated, "“We are thrilled to be in business with Eli Roth and the entire filmmaking team. Eli and I have had many successes together and I am quite certain that ‘The Green Inferno’ will only add to that list.”

Roth said, "I'm thrilled to once again work with Tom Ortenberg, who launched my career eleven years ago with the purchase of ‘Cabin Fever’. We had tremendous success together with both ‘Hostel’ films, and I couldn't be happier that Open Road will release ‘The Green Inferno.’ The response at Toronto was beyond our wildest dreams, and we feel confident the film will electrify audiences all over America. Worldview Entertainment has been a tremendous partner and we look forward to turning this into a franchise together now that we have such a terrific partner.”

Written by Guillermo Amoedo and Eli Roth, the film is produced by Roth, Christopher Woodrow, Molly Connors, Miguel Asenio Llamas and Nicolás López.

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Open Road Films by Ortenberg, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Operations and Business Affairs, Elliott Kleinberg, and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Ben Cotner, and by CAA on behalf of Worldview Entertainment and Eli Roth.

 

Proxy

proxy

IFC MIDNIGHT TAKES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO ZACK PARKER’S PROXY

Film acquired prior to its premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival

TORONTO, ON (September 11, 2013) – IFC Midnight announced today from the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights to Zack Parker’s PROXY. The film, with a screenplay by Parker and Kevin Donner, stars Alexia Rasmussen, Alexa Havins, Kristina Klebe and Joe Swanberg. PROXY was produced by Parker and Faust Checho and executive produced by Mike Khamis. The film made its world premiere in the Vanguard section of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and will play next at the 2013 Fantastic Fest. IFC Midnight is planning a theatrical and VOD day and date release for the film.

In PROXY, a pregnant young woman seeks consolation in a support group after she is viciously attacked by a hooded assailant. Gradually she comes to realize that nothing and no one in her life is as it appears in this shocking and challenging thriller.

Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: "We were thrilled by the twists and turns of PROXY and we are even more thrilled to be bringing this shockingly powerful film to audiences through IFC Midnight. Zack Parker has crafted a truly unique experience and we are excited to be working with him."

The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

IFC Midnight is a sister label to IFC Films and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.

 

McCanick

mccanick cory monteith

WELL GO USA ACQUIRES MCCANICK FROM BLEIBERG ENTERTAINMENT

David Morse and Cory Monteith Star in Police Drama

TORONTO – September 11, 2013 – Well Go USA has acquired all US rights (theatrical, non-theatrical, home video, television, digital/electronic) from Bleiberg Entertainment to the police drama McCanick, it was announced by Doris Pfardrescher, president, Well Go USA Entertainment and Bleiberg Entertainment’s Ehud Bleiberg.

McCanick, which had its world premiere on Monday, Sept 9 at the Toronto International Film Festival, is directed by Josh C. Waller from a screenplay by Daniel Noah, and stars David Morse, Cory Monteith, Ciaran Hinds and Mike Vogel.  The producers are Ehud Bleiberg, David Morse and Josh C. Waller.  The executive producers are Nicholas Donnermeyer, Donald Kugelman and Daniel Noah.  The film will be released theatrically in early 2014.

Set over the course of one day, McCanick follows narcotics detective Eugene “Mack” McCanick, whose discovery that a seemingly harmless young criminal, Simon Weeks, has been released from prison, triggers a firestorm of paranoia and violence.

The producers were represented by Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films with Pfardrescher representing Well Go USA.