A round-up of today’s distribution sales, deals, and awards at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
The Bronze
Synopsis: In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women’s gymnastics team. Today, she’s living in her father’s basement in her small hometown—washed up, largely forgotten, and embittered. Stuck in her past glory, Hope is forced to reassess her life when a promising young gymnast who idolizes her threatens her local celebrity status. Will she mentor the adoring, hopeful protégé, take her down, or both?
Director: Bryan Buckley
Writer: Melissa Rauch
Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong
Buyer: Relativity
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The Witch
Synopsis: A colonial family leaves plantation life and attempts to reap their harvest on a fledgling farm at the edge of an imposing ancient New England forest. Soon, superstition and dread set in as food grows scarce, a family member goes missing, and the children’s play takes on a frenzied and menacing undercurrent. As they begin to turn on one another, the malevolent machinations of an ethereal presence from within the woods exacerbate the growing corruption of their own natures.
Director: Robert Eggers
Writer: Robert Eggers
Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson
Buyer:A24
Details: Deal not fully set, but looks likely
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The documentaries How to Change the World and (T)error have won this year’s Candescent Award.
How to Change the World is from Day One Film and directed by Jerry Rothwell. The film explores the eclectic group of young pioneers who founded Greenpeace organization and defined the modern green movement.
(T)error is directed by Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe and exec produced by Eugene Jarecki. It marks the first time that filmmakers have had access to an active counterterrorism sting, documenting the action as it unfolds on the ground.
