'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' Lands Three Buyers in Unique Deal at SXSW

"Conan O'Brien Can't Stop"

In a unique multiparty, multiplatform arrangement, Rodman Flender's documentary Conan O'Brien Can't Stop will be distributed by AT&T, Abramorama and Magnolia Home Entertainment.

The documentary had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on Sunday afternoon and will play again Wednesday night at the Paramount. [Read The Hollywood Reporter's review of the movie here.]

AT&T has come on board as a P&A and multiplatform distribution and marketing partner that will sneak the film to its AT&T U-verse TV subscribers on the eve of the film's theatrical release through Abramorama. Magnolia will handle remaining VOD and other home entertainment rights.

"Last year, with no traditional advertising in place and just one Tweet, Conan nearly sold out his entire 42 show tour in a matter of hours, with about 130,000 people in attendance throughout the national tour," said the film's producers Gavin Polone and Rachel Griffin. "This was a remarkable sign of the power of social media and a clear message that it is not just business as usual. For a film like ours, and with Conan at its center, it was imperative that we not follow typical business models in the release of this film. This distribution deal has been structured in a way that satisfies our audience in every possible manner, and allows people to see the film on whichever platform they most prefer -- be it on a big screen in a dark theater which lots of other fans or the small screen of their choice. As part of this deal, AT&T will provide exclusive content related to the film to their customers -- both on U-verse TV and also on AT&T mobile devices."

Flender's doc follows O'Brien on his 32-city Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour, which he performed last year after losing his job on NBC's Tonight Show. O'Brien traveled to Austin to do an interview at the IFC Crossroads House on Saturday and then stuck around for a Q&A on Sunday after the screening.

Liesl Copland of WME Global negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers, with Brent Imai and Richard Wellerstein for AT&T, Richard Abramowitz for Abramorama and Tom Quinn for Magnolia.

Kino Lorber acquired U.S. rights to the doc El Bulli: Cooking in Progress from director Gereon Wetzel for its new theatrical label Alive Mind Cinema on Monday morning.