Sundance Updates

The North American theatrical rights for Katie Aselton’s sophomore effort, “Black Rock”, have been bought by LD Distribution. Scripted by Aselton’s husband Mark Duplass and also executive produced by the Duplass brothers, “Black Rock” is a taut thriller that takes place on an island in Maine. Kate Bosworth, Lake Bell and Aselton play three friends on a reunion trip where danger arises.

The U.S. rights to Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal’s “The Words” have been picked up by CBS Films. The film stars Bradley Cooper as a struggling writer named Rory Jansen who tries to pass off someone else’s work as his own. Klugman and Sternthal’s directorial debut also features Zoe Saldana, Jeremy Irons and Olivia Wilde. CBS Films plans a fall release.

The inaugural Sundance Institute Indian Paintbrush Producer’s Award has been given to Josh Penn and Dan Janvey, producers of “Beasts of the Southern Wild”. The first feature film from writer-director Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” was co-written with Lucy Alibar. “Beasts” tells the story of Hushpuppy, a six year old girl who lives with her father, Wink, in “the Bathtub” a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. It should be noted that Michael Gottwald also produced “Beasts” along with Philipp Engelhorn, Paul Meze and Michael Raisler as executive producers.