‘Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band’ Documentary Acquired By Magnolia
Toronto Film Festival 2019: Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer executive producing film making its world premiere as opening night gala presentation
Magnolia Pictures has acquired the worldwide rights to “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band,” which is playing at TIFF as the festival’s opening night gala presentation, Magnolia announced Thursday.
The documentary about Robertson and the classic rock group The Band is directed by Daniel Roher and is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Magnolia is planning a theatrical release for the film early next year.
“Once Were Brothers” is inspired by Robertson’s 2017 bestselling memoir “Testimony” and is a confessional, cautionary and sometimes humorous tale of Robertson’s young life amid the founding of The Band. The film blends archival footage and interviews with many of Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Scorsese, Taj Mahal, Peter Gabriel, David Geffen and Ronnie Hawkins, among others.
“Being a longtime fan of The Band, ‘Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band’ still held many surprises and information I didn’t know,” Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “Daniel Roher has fashioned a stirring tribute to a great American ensemble.”
“Once Were Brothers” is a co-production between Imagine Documentaries, White Pine Pictures, Bell Media Studios and Universal Music Canada’s Shed Creative. The film is executive produced by Justin Wilkes, Sara Bernstein and Michael Rosenberg for Imagine Documentaries. Also producing are White Pines Pictures’ president Peter Raymont and COO Steve Ord, Bell Media’s Randy Lennox, Jared Levine, Michael Levine, Universal Music Canada president and CEO Jeffrey Remedios, and Shed Creative’s managing director Dave Harris.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia EVP Dori Begley and Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden with Endeavor Content on behalf of the filmmakers. Magnolia Head of International Sales Lorna Lee Torres and International Sales Manager Marie Zeniter will launch international sales at the Toronto International Film Festival. All international rights (excluding Canada) are available.
The film will make its premiere as a Crave Original in Canada.
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The Toronto International Film Festival is better known as a launching pad for films about to hit theaters than as a sales market, but the packed slate of projects includes quite a few that will be vying for the attention of studios, indie distributors and streaming services.
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Perhaps one of the biggest titles for sale, "Bad Education" stars Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Ray Romano and Alex Wolff and is based on the real-life events that took place at writer Mike Makowsky's high school.
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"Citizen K"
Following his critically lauded "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley," Alex Gibney is back with "Citizen K," a documentary about Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who went from communist to political prisoner in a 20-year battle with Putin.
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"Dads"
Bryce Dallas Howard’s debut feature documentary is about dads -- including her own, Ron Howard. It includes insight from Patton Oswalt on becoming a single parent after the death of his wife, and Hasan Minhaj reflection on his immigrant father's sacrifices. “Dads” is also the first film under Imagine Entertainment’s new documentary division, which has already released “Pavarotti” and has plans for films about Louis Armstrong, Dwyane Wade and last year’s wildfires in California.
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"The Friend"
Based on the award-winning Esquire article of the same name, the film follows a man (Jason Segel) who puts his life on hold to help his friends through a terminal cancer diagnosis. Dakota Johnson and Casey Affleck also star in director Gabriela Cowperthwaite's ("Blackfish") film.
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"How to Build a Girl"
Everyone is obsessed with Beanie Feldstein following her performance in "Booksmart," so this film has become a buzzy title for TIFF buyers. She stars as a teenager trying to reinvent herself as a hip London music critic. Chris O'Dowd and Emma Thompson also star.
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"There’s Something in the Water"
Canadian Ellen Page turned her eyes homeward for her documentary about toxic fallout from industrial development. But as she explores her native Nova Scotia and visits families who have contracted cancer and other side effects from the toxins, she discovers these incidents have all been localized in poor income neighborhoods often home to indigenous or black communities. Page and Ian Daniel, who directs the documentary-series “Gaycation” with Page, call out the “environmental racism” taking place as native women fight for their land.
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"The Vigil"
Keith Thomas' horror film follows a young man who has to fulfill his Jewish practice of watching over a deceased family member of the Orthodox community. Of course, he is soon confronted with a malevolent entity.
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"Wasp Network"
“Wasp Network” will be the 17th narrative feature from the prolific French auteur Olivier Assayas, but this his first political thriller since 2010’s “Carlos.” Edgar Ramírez stars in the spy drama, based on the true story of five Cuban dissidents who were imprisoned by the U.S. in the 1990s on charges of espionage and murder. Penélope Cruz, Ana de Armas and Gael García Bernal also star.
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"Blackbird"
Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska star in “Notting Hill” director Roger Michell’s remake of the 2014 Danish film “Silent Heart." Sarandon plays a mother who learns she’s dying and chooses to end her life on her own terms. But when her family gathers for one last goodbye, tensions between sisters Winslet and Wasikowska boil back up to the surface.
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"Red Penguins"
"Red Penguins," the latest documentary from Gabe Polsky ("Red Army," "In Search of Greatness"), follows Steve Warshaw's attempts to change post-Soviet Russian hockey into a sporting event for everyone, with the help of Hollywood executives and advertisers, forever transforming Russian-American relations.
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"And We Go Green"
Leonardo DiCaprio produces this film about the international Formula E circuit, which is similar to Formula One but with eco-friendly electric cars. On brand for the actor, who even has a foundation dedicated to the environment and Earth's inhabitants.
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"Rocks"
After "Suffragette," Sarah Gavron is back with "Rocks," which is picking up major word of mouth ahead of the festival. The movie follows a young girl who finds herself struggling to take care of herself and her younger brother.
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"Guns Akimbo"
This one is for the Daniel Radcliffe fans out there -- a dark sci-fi thriller in which the actor plays the next contestant in an illegal livestreamed death match. Samara Weaving, fresh off "Ready Or Not," also stars.
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"The Other Lamb"
This sounds like one for fans of Ari Aster's "Midsommar." Michiel Huisman plays a cult leader who is questioned by a young woman born into the cult. Plus, it was featured on the 2017 BloodList for best (then-)unproduced horror scripts.
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Toronto 2019: Environmental docs, spy dramas and films with big names will be all the rage at this year’s festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is better known as a launching pad for films about to hit theaters than as a sales market, but the packed slate of projects includes quite a few that will be vying for the attention of studios, indie distributors and streaming services.
Getty Images
