Magnolia Acquires North American Rights to Sundance Horror Thriller ‘Censor’ From Protagonist (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Sexual Drive,” a Japanese film about desire which premiered at January’s Rotterdam film festival, will be released in North America, following a licensing deal between sales agent Fortissimo Films and local distributor Film Movement. The deal was agreed following the recent European Film Market.Film Movement plans to show “Sexual Drive” at other festivals and also release it theatrically this year.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired the North American rights to Berlin Golden Bear winner Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn by Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude. The satire follows a high school teacher struggling with the fallout of her sex tape leaking online.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentSamuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to “The Drover’s Wife,” an Australian revenge tale written, directed and starring Leah Purcell. Sold by Memento International, the film is an adaptation of Purcell’s successful Australian stage play.

EFM Deal For Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street

IFC Films has acquired the North American rights to Sonia Kennebeck’s (National Bird) documentary thriller Enemies of the State which is executive produced by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris (The Fog of War). The docu will be released this summer.

The genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, Magnet Releasing, has picked up the North American rights to Sundance action-comedy First Date. The feature, which premiered in the fest's NEXT section, centers on a shy teen (Tyson Brown) who is conned into buying a shady ‘65 Chrysler ahead of his eagerly anticipated first date with his longtime crush,Kelsey (Shelby Duclos), which is interrupted by a relentless series of mishaps and crimes.

The Robert De Niro film “Wash Me in the River” has been picked up by The Avenue, the distribution arm of Highland Film Group, and will open in North American theaters in the spring of 2022.“Wash Me In the River” sold out of the European Film Market and just wrapped principal photography in Puerto Rico.

Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari is an American film that tells the story of a Korean American family as they uproot from their more metropolitan life in California to a rural one in a small Arkansas town in search of the American dream. In case you didn’t catch on, this is a very American film.

Entertainment Squad has picked up the North American to Paper Spiders, a comedy-drama from director by Inon Shampanier. Lili Taylor, Stefania LaVie Owen, Ian Nelson and Peyton List star in the indie film, which will be released in select theaters on Mother’s Day weekend and will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms starting on May 7.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to WWII drama Into the Darkness, from veteran Danish filmmaker Anders Refn and depicting the disintegration of a family unit amid Denmark's slow side into fascism under the shadow of the Third Reich.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentIFC Films has acquired North American rights to “The Meaning of Hitler,” Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker’s thought-provoking documentary about the lasting cultural fascination with the Nazi dictator and its resonance on contemporary politics.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentKino Lorber has acquired North American rights to Alex Camilleri’s feature debut, “Luzzu,” which world-premiered at Sundance where it won the Special Jury Award for its lead actor, Jesmark Scicluna.

Gravitas Ventures has picked up Ali Askari's romantic thriller As Long As We Both Shall Live, which stars Josh Helman, Yael Stone and Jennifer Allcott. “Rooted in the layered and tortured performance of Josh Helman, Ali’s film is a haunting thriller that will keep audiences guessing and make them question what is real.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefTwo Indian art house films, “The Shepherdess and the Seven Songs” and “The Village House” head the joint slate of a pair of new distribution companies addressing the North American market.Deaf Crocodile and Gratitude Films aim to give the two titles theatrical and digital releases in the second half of 2021, when it is hoped that North American cinemas are open and audiences return.

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. streaming service Topic has acquired North American rights to Israeli drama series, The Wordmaker, for a spring release.

Unscripted TV producer Colin Whelan and his Conveyor Media banner have signed with A3 Artists Agency. Conveyor Media founder Whelan and his team produced Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies and Cover-Up for Investigation Discovery.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentWide has acquired international sales rights to Joe Duca’s road movie “Her Name Was Jo” in the run up to the European Film Market. North American rights are being handled by Gravitas Ventures for cable, VOD, SVOD and all digital platforms.Duca’s sophomore feature stars newcomer Mary Cate Williams as Jo, a 10-year-old girl who spends her days along the Shenandoah River in Virginia with her best friend Selma.

Gravitas Ventures has snapped up the North American rights to Say Your Prayers, directed by Harry Michell and starring Harry Melling, Tom Brooke, Derek Jacobi, Roger Allam, Anna Maxwell Martin and Vinette Robinson. A theatrical and on-demand release on April 2, 2021 is planned.