Toronto 2011: Michael Fassbender's 'Shame' Sells to Fox Searchlight

4:09 PM PDT 9/9/2011 by Borys Kit

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"Shame"

The Steve McQueen-directed drama co-stars Carey Mulligan.

Fox Searchlight has emerged as the buyer of director Steve McQueen's sex-filled drama Shame.

Shame: Film Review

The picture, which stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, features graphic sex and some gore. It will almost certainly be rated NC-17, meaning Searchlight will have a tough marketing task on its hands.

The buy is the first big aquisition of the fall festival season. Despite the graphic nature of the movie, there were other bidders in the mix, including the Weinstein Co. and Oscilloscope.

The drama, featuring Fassbender as a depressed man addicted to sex, played at Venice and Telluride and had buyers buzzing about his awards-worthy performance.

Producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman said Searchlight began making overtures after the movie screened at Telluride, unveiling a detailed marketing and distribution plan.

Searchlight’s Tony Safford, Megan O’Brien and Ray Strache made the deal with HanWay Films’ Thorsten Schumacher and Claire Taylor.