Weinsteins pick up 'King of the Hill'

TWC acquire rights to Spanish thriller

By JOHN HOPEWELL

MADRID -- The Weinstein Co. has picked up all U.S. rights to Spanish thriller "El rey de la montana" (The King of the Hill), which world preemed in Toronto's Discovery section Saturday.

First mooted at Cannes, deal was closed before the screening with TWC also taking all rights to Latin America and English-speaking Africa.

No purchase price was revealed for the deal. Seville Pics. has already taken Canadian rights.

Deal was closed between TWC's Maeva Gatineau and Jaume Domenech and Pape Boye at Paris-based Coach 14, "King's" international sales agent.

Pic is a breakthrough for Spaniard Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego, who previously helmed an unreleased micro-budget pic.

"King" was produced by Spain's Goodfellas, De Contrabando and Telecinco Cinema, the film division of broadcaster Telecinco.

A visually stylish piece that bears the influence of "Deliverance" and packs a surprise punch in its second part, "King" stars Argentinean Leonardo Sbaraglia.

Telecinco Cinema produced Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" and Juan Antonio Bayona's Toronto player "The Orphanage," which New Line will remake in English.

Coach 14 has also sold "King" to the U.K.'s Optimum, Madman for Australia, France's Wild Side and Eureka in South Korea.