Ascot Elite Picks Up Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain Drama 'Take Shelter' for Germany

7:30 AM PDT 8/25/2011 by Scott Roxborough

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Grove Hill Productions

The indie favorite won the top prize at Cannes' Critics Week.

COLOGNE, Germany -- Ascot Elite has picked up all German-speaking rights to Jeff Nichols' drama Take Shelter starring Michael Shannon and Tree of Life actress Jessica Chastain.

Take Shelter: Film Review

The psychological drama, in which Shannon plays a man plagued by apocalyptic visions, was snatched up by Sony PIctures Classics ahead of its Sundance debut. It went on to win the top prize at Critics Week in Cannes. FilmNation is handling international sales.

“The movie fits perfectly well into the palette of movies which are typical for Ascot Elite," said company CEO Ralph Dietrich. Dietrich pointed to the company's recent release of another Sundance fave, Winter's Bone, which earned nearly $900,000 in theatrical release in Germany, as evidence that "there is indeed a market for movies of this high quality in Germany."

Ascot Elite is planning a Febuary/March 2012 bow for Take Shelter, hoping to capitalize on expected Oscar buzz surrounding the film.