Wolfe Releasing Acquires Sundance Movie 'Mosquita y Mari'

Joshua L. Weinstein — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:49:36 +0000

Wolfe Releasing has picked up North American rights to "Mosquita y Mari," a coming-of-age tale that focuses on a love between two Latinas in Los Angeles, Wolfe said Tuesday.

Sony Pictures Classics to Buy Sundance Hit 'Smashed' (Exclusive)

Joshua L. Weinstein — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:00:35 +0000

EXCLUSIVE

Sony Pictures Classics is about to buy the Sundance movie "Smashed," starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an alcoholic schoolteacher who decides to get sober, TheWrap has learned.

Myriad Pictures Acquires Int'l Rights to John Krasinski Film 'Nobody Walks'

Joshua L. Weinstein — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:05:26 +0000

Myriad Pictures has picked up international rights to "Nobody Walks" and will screen the picture for international buyers at the European Film Market next week, the company said Tuesday.

FilmDistrict Picks Up 'Safety Not Guaranteed' at Sundance

Joshua L. Weinstein — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:15:30 +0000

FilmDistrict has picked up the Sundance favorite "Safety Not Guaranteed," the company said Monday.

It plans to release the movie this summer.

Ice-T's Rap Documentary Sells to Indomina Group

Joshua L. Weinstein — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:31:34 +0000

The Indomina Group has acquired worldwide rights to Ice-T’s documentary “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap,” the company said Sunday.

The sales price was not disclosed.

Sundance Deals: The Weinstein Company Picks Up 'Lay the Favorite'

Joshua L. Weinstein & Sharon Waxman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:21:10 +0000

Updated 1:58 p.m. PT Jan. 29

The Weinstein Company has made its first and only acquisition of this year's Sundance Film Festival, acquiring "Lay the Favorite" for VOD, the company confirmed.

'Beasts of the Southern Wild' Wins Top Sundance Award

Steve Pond — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:59:39 +0000

The dramatic feature "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and the documentary "The House I Live In" won the top jury prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Magnolia Picks Up Sundance's 'Nobody Walks,' 'Compliance,' '2 Days in New York' (Updated)

Steve Pond & Sharon Waxman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:08:54 +0000

Updated at 6 pm PT:

'Robot & Frank,' Lucy Walker, International Directors Win Sundance Awards

Steve Pond — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:10:44 +0000

The Sundance Film Festival will announce its main awards on Saturday night – but in the meantime, the festival has given awards to several other films, from the new Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions/Samuel Goldwyn Films acquisition "Robot & Frank" to a number of international and short films.

A roundup:

Sundance Deals: Participant Media Nabs 'Middle of Nowhere'

Brent Lang — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:45:00 +0000

Participant Media and AFFRM (African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement) have jointly acquired U.S. theatrical rights to the marriage drama "Middle of Nowhere," the companies said on Friday.

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Ava Duvernay Chats 'Middle of Nowhere'

Intern — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:32:14 +0000

ItsonthGrid.com's final Sundance fireside chat is with "Middle of Nowhere" writer/director Ava Duvernay

IOTG at Sundance 2012: 'Filly Brown' Team Talk About It Girl Status (Video)

Intern — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:35:56 +0000

ItsontheGrid.com sat down with the dynamic and down-to-earth "Filly Brown" filmmaking team

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Marshall Lewy Chats 'California Solo'

Intern — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:13:08 +0000

ItsontheGrid.com sat down with the calmest filmmaker in town, Marshall Lewy

Sundance Deals: 'Simon Killer' Acquired by IFC Films

Brent Lang — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:50:06 +0000

IFC Films has purchased the North American rights to the thriller "Simon Killer," TheWrap has confirmed.

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly Talk 'Safety Not Guaranteed'

Intern — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:22:26 +0000

IOTG spoke with "Safety Not Guaranteed" director Colin Trevorrow and writer Derek Connolly about their sci-fi romantic comedy

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Carrie Preston and Kelly Overbey Chat About Dangerous Dildos in 'That's What She Said'

Intern — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:13:36 +0000

ItsontheGrid sat down with the filmmakers from 'That's What She Said'

Josh Radnor of 'Liberal Arts': 'Making Movies is My Mistress' (Video)

Sharon Waxman — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:56:17 +0000

Josh Radnor is the writer, director, producer and star of "Liberal Arts," a touching and funny story about a 35-year-old guy who goes back to his college campus and wonders why he ever left.

IOTG at Sundance 2012: The Women Behind 'Young and Wild' Talk Sex and Religion (Video)

Intern — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:49:38 +0000

ItsontheGrid sat down with Marialy Rivas, Alicia Rodriguez, and Camila Gutierrez, the women behind 'Young and Wild'

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Rick Alverson, Tim Heidecker, and Eric Wareheim Discuss 'The Comedy' (Video)

Intern — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:48:26 +0000

ItsontheGrid sat down with Rick Alverson, Tim Heidecker, and Eric Wareheim, the team behind Sundance's 'The Comedy'

‘Smashed’ Gives Alcoholism a Young, Human, Beautiful Face

Sharon Waxman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:46:18 +0000

Kate is a really good first grade teacher with a problem: she drinks. Constantly.

So constantly she loses control of her bowels. So constantly she falls asleep during her sex, or her alcoholic husband does. So constantly that she smokes crack one night in a drunken stupor, and passed out in a garbage dump.

Her drinking has become a problem.

In “Smashed,” Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who plays Kate, offers a surprisingly pure, unadorned portrait of an alcoholic trying to change.

2 New Oscar Nominees Win Sundance Shorts Awards

Steve Pond — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:42:38 +0000

Lucy Walker's short documentary "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" (photo below) and Grant Orchard's animated short "A Morning Stroll" began Tuesday as new Oscar nominees, and they ended it as winners in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival's juried shorts competition.

Military Rape Victims in 'Invisible War' Discuss U.S. Government Indifference (Video)

Sharon Waxman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:38:23 +0000

"The Invisible War," a new documentary by filmmaker Kirby Dick, has been the subject of emotional discussion and debate at the Sundance Film Festival where it debuted over the weekend.

The film documents widespread rape within the U.S. military, from the elite Marines to the Navy and Air Force to the Coast Guard.

“We were astounded by the numbers and even more astounded that no film had been made,” Dick told TheWrap.

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Tanya Wright From 'True Blood' Talks 'Predisposed' (Video)

Intern — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:07:32 +0000

ItsontheGrid sat down with Tanya Wright from 'True Blood' to discuss her latest project, Sundance's 'Predisposed'

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Terence Nance and Namik Minter Discuss 'An Oversimplification of Her Beauty' (Video)

Intern — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:33:34 +0000

ItsontheGrid.com sat down with director/actor Terence Nance and actress Namik Minter from the film 'An Oversimplification of Her Beauty'

Raunchy ‘Bachelorette’ May Be the New ‘Bridesmaids’ (Does the C-Word Count?)

Sharon Waxman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:35:51 +0000

In one of the most memorable early scenes of the raucously hilarious “Bachelorette,” which premiered at Sundance on Monday night, Gena (Lizzy Caplan) explains her ranking system for blow jobs to a random guy on a plane.

She explains why she routinely gives her boyfriends oral sex ranked at 4 or 5, and what is required for him to get an 8 treatment.

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Team Behind 'The Other Dream Team' Talks Basketball, Grateful Dead (Video)

Intern — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:31:55 +0000

ItsontheGrid.com sat down at Sundance with the filmmakers of THE OTHER DREAM TEAM.

Sundance: Robert Redford, Spike Lee, Seth Rogen Heat Up the Snowbound Festival (Slideshow)

Joshua L. Weinstein — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:00:22 +0000

All the action from the red carpets to the panels to the film premieres

IOTG at Sundance 2012: Director Michael Mohan Explains 'Save the Date' (Video)

Intern — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:16:06 +0000

ItsontheGrid.com sat down at Sundance with the filmmakers of "Save the Date"

Spike Lee's Sundance Tirade: Hollywood Execs 'Know Nothing About Black People'

Steve Pond — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:01:01 +0000

Spike Lee opted not to introduce his film "Red Hook Summer" before its Sundance premiere on Sunday, but he sure knew how to finish the screening with a bang.

In an expletive-laced Q&A, the veteran filmmaker said that Hollywood executives know nothing about black people and that he wanted the audience to spread the word that the film "is not a motherfucking sequel to 'Do the Right Thing.'"

Tracy Morgan Collapses at Sundance, Rushed to Hospital

Sharon Waxman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:40:08 +0000

Tracy Morgan was rushed to a Park City hospital on Sunday night after collapsing outside a charity event, TheWrap has confirmed.

The “30 Rock” star, who media reports said was acting inebriated at the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards, collapsed just after the ceremony and was taken to Park City Medical Center.

The New Normal at Sundance -– Strong Films, Cautious But Steady Buying

Sharon Waxman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:31:54 +0000

The Sundance action got underway over the weekend with numerous films sold or about to be sold, and indie buyers impressed by a crop of what they called intelligent and thoughtful films.

It seems that the independent film world has finally gotten used to the new normal of the challenged marketplace, and are responding in kind.

Cinedigm and New Video Team Up to Buy Indie Films

Brent Lang — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:22:53 +0000

Cinedigm Entertainment Group is teaming up with New Video to buy and distribute independent films, the two companies announced at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday.