Trio of Toronto films sell as fest winds down

In a last-minute burst of activity as the Toronto International Film Festival is winding to a close, Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions once again joined forced to pick up the Will Ferrell drama "Everything Must Go," written and directed by Dan Rush; IFC Films made its third buy of a festival film by scooping up "Peep World," Barry Blaustein's tale of a dysfunctional family gathering; and Oscilloscope Laboratories opted for Kelly Reichardt's Western drama "Meek's Cutoff," starring Michelle Williams and Bruce Greenwood.

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Lionsgate and Roadside, which earlier in the week stepped up to buy Robert Redford’s "The Conspirator," paid more than $3 million for U.S. rights to "Everything," a change of pace for Farrell, who plays a man whose life is falling apart in an adaptation of the story "Why Don't You Dance?" by Raymond Carver. It was produced by Temple Hills' Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey.

Roadside will oversee the movie's theatrical release in the spring, with Lionsgate handling its home entertainment roll-out.

"The deal represents an expansion of Lionsgate's strategy targeting specialty films deserving of a quality theatrical release by leveraging our partnership with Roadside," Lionsgate evp Ron Schwartz said.

The deal was negotiated by Lionsgate's Schwartz and Marc Danon, Roadside's Howard Cohen, ICM (which reps Rush) and CAA (which reps Ferrell). Rush is also repped by Management 360.

IFC followed up on its buys of James Gunn's "Super" and Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" as well its acquisition of an authorized documentary about Harvey Weinstein by successfully making a low seven-figure deal for U.S. rights to "Peep," which stars Michael C. Hall, Rainn Wilson, Sarah Silverman and Ben Schwartz as siblings who gather for their father's 70th birthday.

The film, produced by Occupant's Joe Neurauter, Felipe Marino and Keith Calder, was repped by CAA, which negotiated the deal with IFC's Arianna Bocco.

In its first buy of the fest, Oscilloscope took North American rights to "Meek's," set amid the early days of the Oregon Trail. Oscilloscope also released Reichardt's last film, 2008's "Wendy and Lucy," which also starred Williams.

The film, produced by Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia, Anish Savjani and Neil Kopp, will be released in the first half of 2011.

Cinetic Media repped the filmmakers on the sale.