Desierto is selling to STX Entertainment.
The company is in final negotiations to pick up the immigration thriller from Jonas Cuaron, marking it as the second movie STX has picked up from TIFF. The company also picked up the worldwide rights to action movie Hardcore.
Desierto follows the journey of a group of Mexicans, led by Moises (Gael Garcia Bernal), as they attempt to cross the border while being followed by an American vigilante (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who uses his shotgun and knowledge of the landscape to dismantle Moises’ group one by one.
“We are extremely proud to acquire this outstanding motion picture,” said STX chairman Adam Fogelson. “Jonás has delivered a gripping and suspense-filled thriller that explores complicated human emotions against an unforgiving landscape that is as vital to the story as space was to Gravity. This story and these characters will keep audiences talking long after they leave the theatre.”
Jonas is the son of Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron. The two co-wrote the Oscar-winning space odyssey, which also screened at the Toronto Film Festival. Desierto is produced by Alfonso and his brother Carlos Cuaron, as well as by Alex Garcia and Charles Gillibert. Alfonso previously worked with Garcia Bernal in his movie Y Tu Mama Tambien.
David Linde, Gael Garcia Bernal, Nicolas Celis and Santiago Garcia Galvan are the film’s executive producers.
The film screened at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Desierto is repped domestically by UTA and internationally by IM Global.
