U.S. Dramatic Competition
The biggest breakout surprise of the first weekend of Sundance is prompting a dealmaking frenzy among some of the top distributors of independent films.
Beasts of the Southern Wild, a dark drama from first-time director Benh Zeitlin that THR critic Todd McCarthy called “one of the most striking films ever to debut at the Sundance Film Festival,” has five distributors vying for the pic: Fox Searchlight, the Weinstein Co., Sony Pictures Classics, Oscilloscope Films and IFC Films.
PHOTOS: 10 of Sundance 2012’s Films With Buzz
Despite a report that appeared online Sunday saying Searchlight was wrapping up a deal, sources close to the dealmaking say that the film remains very much in play. Searchlight could end up with the movie, but so could any of the remaining suitors (Focus and River Road had expressed early interest). The distributors have scheduled meetings on Monday with the filmmakers’ reps, and negotiations will begin in earnest following those meetings. Oscilloscope execs are screening the film in New York tonight.
PHOTOS: The Scene at Sundance Film Festival 2012
Made with non-professional actors, Beasts centers on Hushpuppy, a six-year-old girl who lives with her tough-love father at the edge of the water in southernmost Louisiana as mildly apocalyptic events cause the seas to rise, her father to become ill and giant, prehistoric creatures to thaw from the ice caps.
The Beasts filmmakers are repped by WME Global.
Email: Jay.Fernandez@THR.com, Daniel.Miller@THR.com
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
![]()
-
Zach Braff
Florence Pugh Says She Chopped Off Her Own Hair for ‘A Good Person’: “Found it Really Liberating”
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
Heat Vision
Zachary Levi Says He Doesn’t Blame Dwayne Johnson for the Nixed Post-Credits Scene in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’
![]()
-
Wicked
Jeff Goldblum Confirms Role in ‘Wicked’ Movie Musical, Talks “Very Good” Witches Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
![]()
