Toronto 2012: IFC Nabs Mira Nair's 'Reluctant Fundamentalist' for North America

TORONTO — IFC Films has acquired all North American rights to Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, reuniting the leading independent distributor with the filmmaker.

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IFC financed Nair's 2001 indie hit Monsoon Wedding.

Based on the book by Mohsin Hamid, Reluctant Fundamentalist stars Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, Riz Ahmed and Kiefer Sutherland.

Ahmed plays a young Pakistani man whose pursuit of corporate success on Wall Street leads him back to the world he had left behind following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Reluctant Fundamentalist made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before playing at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film was adapted for the big screen by Bill Wheeler from a screen story by Hamid and Ami Boghani.

The Doha Film Institute financed the film, with Lydia Dean Pilcher's Cine Mosaic banner and Mirabai Films producing.

"The Reluctant Fundamentalist is the rare intelligent thriller that grapples with the issues of our times while remaining incredibly entertaining. It features a terrific cast including Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson and Kiefer Sutherland and a star-making performance by Riz Ahmed. It is particularly thrilling to be reunited with the wonderful Mira Nair," said IFC/Sundance Selects president Jonathan Sehring.

Doha Film Institute's Paul Miller, who heads up film financing, added: “We are proud to have supported Mira’s latest work that has been so warmly received by audiences in Venice and Toronto. The film’s unique mix of commercial thriller and cross-cultural themes of identity and understanding will help it connect with global audiences. We are pleased to have found its North American home with IFC.”

The deal was negotiated by Sundance Selects/IFC senior vp acquisitions and productions Arianna Bocco, Hal Sadoff for DFI and Bart Walker of Cinetic Media.