Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all worldwide rights to Michael Angelo Covino’s “The Climb” (excluding France and German-speaking Europe), the distributor announced Friday.
The film premiered at this month’s Cannes Film Festival and stars Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt and Judith Godrèche. Covino and Marvin wrote the screenplay.
The film follows Kyle and Mike, who are best friends — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. Topic Studios (“Leave No Trace,” “Spotlight”) produced and financed the film. Covino, Marvin and Noah Lang produced, while Michael Bloom, Ryan Heller Adam Pincus and Gilda Moratti executive produced.
“To know my first movie will open with the same logo as so many of my favorites is hard to fathom,” Covino said, offering praise for Sony Classics co-presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker. “I can’t wait to work with Tom, Michael and the entire Sony Classics team to share it with the world.”
Sony Pictures Classics added: “A new American independent voice just launched in Cannes. Emotionally intelligent, funny, hip and a little crazy, audiences everywhere will love it. And we are so thrilled to be releasing ‘The Climb’ around the world.”
The deal was negotiated by Endeavor Content and Memento Films International on behalf of the filmmakers.