Fox reading 'Gospel Hill'

Studio takes North American rights for film

By JOHN HOPEWELL

Twentieth Century Fox has taken North American rights to "Gospel Hill," the first fully financed project from the Los Angeles-based production company Deko Ent.

The deal includes a commitment for a theatrical release, Deko partner Emerson Machtus said.

Madrid-based sales consortium 6 Sales is handling international.

A political drama, "Gospel Hill" toplines Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Julia Stiles, Simon Baker and rapper-actor Rza.

Marking the directorial debut of actor Giancarlo Esposito "Derailed"), "Hill" is the contemporary tale of a former sheriff and former civil-rights activist who revisit the 30-year-old death of another rights worker.

From a screenplay by Esposito, Jeff Stacy and Jeffrey Pratt Gordon, "Hill" is a "coming-of-age film for the civil rights movement and the U.S. in general," Machtus said.

It will initiate principal photography June 11 in South Carolina.

Deco Ent. was launched in early 2007 by producers Freddy Braidy, who is co-producing "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things," and the upcoming "Blonde Ambition" with Jessica Simpson and Luke Wilson; BAFTA-winning Cerise Hallam Larkin; and Machtus, who formerly headed up international acquisitions for Bauer Martinez Intl.

Per Machtus, "We will be making mid-range, normally English-language projects: sharp material that can attract assets to drive financing."