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Sony Classics picks up 'Adoration'

Atom Egoyan film stars Blanchard, Speedman

By WINTER MILLER

Sony Pictures Classics plans to release helmer Atom Egoyan's 'Adoration' in the fourth quarter of this year.

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Sony Pictures Classics has picked up domestic and select international rights to Atom Egoyan's "Adoration."

Pic, starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman, Arsinee Khanjian and Devon Bostick, will preem in Competition at Cannes on May 22. Release plans are to platform with a bow in the fourth quarter of this year.

Foreign territories in the deal include Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, with additional rights still available through Maximum Film Intl.

Contempo drama concern a teen who creates a false Internet persona and goes in search of a family secret. Pic marks the seventh collaboration between Egoyan and producer Robert Lantos.

In addition to Egoyan and Lantos, "Adoration" producers are Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss, with Marcy Gerstein as associate producer.

Separately, Egoyan has nabbed the 2008 Dan David Prize for the arts, which carries a $1 million purse to be shared with his fellow winners, author Amos Oz and playwright Tom Stoppard. Cited for "superb modernist filmmaking that explores Armenian history and culture," Egoyan will be honored with the others on May 19 in Israel before President Shimon Peres.