Sweet on 'Sixteen'
Lions Gate latches on to Loach's latest pic
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Pic took home the screenplay award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and will make its North American premiere at Toronto Intl. Film Festival next month.
Deal was announced Tuesday by Tom Ortenberg, prexy of Lions Gate Films Releasing, who said "Sixteen" will be released theatrically next spring.
"Sweet Sixteen" follows the exploits of a Scottish teenager from a tough background who, determined to have a normal family life after his mother gets out of prison, sets out to raise the money for a home.
Directed by Loach from a screenplay by Paul Laverty, the film stars newcomer Liam Compston, William Ruane, Annmarie Fulton and Michelle Abercromby, and was produced by Rebecca O'Brien.
Ortenberg called the movie "an exceptionally powerful and sensitive coming-of-age story from one of this generation's great filmmakers."
Lions Gate last teamed with Loach on the his 2001 film "Bread and Roses."
O'Brien said "Sixteen" "is a film which requires the delicate handling of a company with strong marketing and distribution instincts." He added that Lions Gate execs have "demonstrated time and again that they have the ability to take a specialized film and bring it to large audiences with creativity, intelligence and flair."
Ortenberg negotiated the deal for Lions Gate with homevid and acquisitions prexy Peter Block and acquisitions VP Jason Constantine; Aline Perry negotiated on behalf of the Works.
