Vertical Acquires Horror-Thriller ‘Phobias,’ Where Five Directors Tackle Great Fears

IFC Films has picked up the North American rights to Gia Coppola’s romantic drama Mainstream, starring Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke as outsiders who become unlikely social media celebrities. Coppola's sophomore feature after her directorial debut Pala Alto had its world premiere at Venice in 2020 and is set for a May 7, 2021 release in theaters and on demand.

New dad! Garrett Hedlund praised his 2-month-old son, Rhodes, one month after Emma Roberts gave birth.

Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to Alex Noyer’s slasher pic Sound of Violence, which is set to make its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival in March. Gravitas will release the film in theaters and on demand on May 21.

PBS’s Frontline has acquired a 9/11 documentary from Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed after the film was originally commissioned by UK broadcaster Channel 4.

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, has acquired North American rights to distribute writer/director Juan Martinez Vera’s Spiked. The pic will be produced by Per Melita. Aidan Quinn, Deirdre Lovejoy, Carlos Gomez, Danay Garcia, Wendy Makkena, Lovensky Jean-Baptiste, Walter Belenky. Sal Lopez, and Christopher Rich star in this indie feature drama. Joe Soldwedel and Brett Soldwedel serve as executive producers.

EXCLUSIVE: Kino Lorber has acquired North American rights to the Chris McKim-directed documentary Wojnarowicz which is also known for its full, and for some, controversial title, Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F*cker. The documentary which spotlights the artist and activist David Wojnarowicz is produced by Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey for WOW Docs and by McKim for Hobo Camp Films and will have a theatrical release on March 19 followed by VOD release on Kino Now and home video.

Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Feral State, written and directed by Jon Carlo (First We Take Brooklyn) and starring AnnaLynne McCord and Ronnie Gene Blevins. The indie thriller, which wrapped shooting late last year, will now get a theatrical release in May along with its digital bow.

EXCLUSIVE: IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Argyris Papadimitropoulos’ latest feature Monday, a sizzling romance that stars Sebastian Stan (Avengers Endgame and I, Tonya) and Denise Gough (Colette).

Gravitas Ventures has picked up the North American rights for a day-and-date release of Insight, an action film produced and directed by Livi Zheng. Ken Zheng wrote the screenplay and stars alongside Madeline Zima, Sean Patrick Flanery, John Savage, Adam Huss, Tony Todd, and Keith David.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to Tarzan and Arab Nasser’s Gaza Mon Amour, Palestine’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards. The film will be released later this year.

EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has secured the North American distribution rights to Us Kids, the Kim A. Snyder-directed documentary, which chronicles the March For Our Lives student-led movement that was sparked by the plague of gun violence ravaging their schools. It premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and will be released in theaters and on digital platforms on April 9, shortly after the three-year anniversary of March For Our Lives.

Electronic Arts (EA) has announced its intentions to publish at least one racing game a year after its acquisition of Codemasters goes through.In a presentation that accompanied the release of the company’s Q3 financial results today (February 2), EA noted that the pending US$1.2billion acquisition of Codemasters would make it “a global leader in racing entertainment” and would “enable EA to release new racing experiences annually”.EA CEO Andrew Wilson shared later reiterated their commitment to

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFilm Constellation, the London-based production, finance and sales outfit, has acquired Natalia Almada’s timely documentary “Users,” which will have its world premiere at Sundance.“Users” is set to unspool as part of Sundance’s U.S. documentary competition section on Jan.

Antonio Ferme author“Martha: A Picture Story,” a feature documentary about trailblazing graffiti and street photographer Martha Cooper, has been acquired for North American distribution by Utopia.Cooper was an American photojournalist and the first female staff photographer at the New York Post in the 1970s. She is best known for capturing New York City graffiti in the ’70s and ’80s.

Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights All About Sex, the first directorial feature for up-and-comer Dakota Gorman, who wrote the comedy, which is loosely based on her own experiences battling depression and the general anxieties that accompany aging youth. Gorman also stars alongside Natalee Linez, Emma Deckers, Dillon Lane, Matt Angel and Chris Costanzo.

LOL! Garth Brooks had a little help with his inauguration look thanks to Lady Gaga’s glam squad.

Garth Brooks has announced that he will perform at the inauguration of Joe Biden tomorrow, joining Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez as the entertainment for the presidential swearing-in ceremony.The country musician was quick to state that the decision to accept the invitation had no political motivation, as he has performed for every US president since Jimmy Carter in the late 70s, with the exception of Ronald Reagan.The first time he actually performed at an inauguration, however, was Barack

Juno Films has acquired US and Canadian rights to the documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, the Kristina Lindstom and Kristian Petri film set to premiere in the World Documentary Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Garth Brooks will join the celebrities performing at Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.  The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced on Monday that the country singer will be part of the swearing-in ceremony for the 46th president of the United States alongside previously announced acts Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.  The Committee said future first lady, Dr.