The Circuit

IFC Films has bought U.S. rights to Armando Iannucci's comedy "In the Loop" hours before its preem at the Sundance Film Festival.

Produced by Kevin Loader and Adam Tandy, "In the Loop" follows a British government minister who inadvertently supports a war on prime-time television. Pic stars Tom Hollander,  Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, and Steve Coogan.  Helmer Iannucci heads the writing team behind the Brit TV hit "The Thick of It" and wrote "In the Loop" with several of his collegues including Jesse Armstrong.

"We are going to celebrate tonight," said IFC Entertainment prexy Jonathan Sehring. "It's not often that you get to introduce such a major talent as Armando Iannucci to American audiences.

Pact was negotiated by IFC's Arianna Bocco and Betsy Rodgers and William Morris Independent's Cassian Elwes and Protangonist Pictures' Ben Roberts.

The last noteworthy fight out of Sundance can be read about in any book or magazine timeline that charts the fest's history.  Harvey Weinstein came to blows with producer Jonathan Taplin over "Shine."  That fight was about an acquisition.  Harvey was pissed because someone else acquired the film.

Yesterday a new fight made the blogs -- Film rep Jeff Dowd was pissed that critic John Anderson didn't get his film.

Anderson felt that people will not respond to "Dirt!", a film Dowd was helping to push.  Dowd wouldn't accept that after hearing the audience reaction.  He wouldn't leave Anderson alone, pursuing him, trying to change his mind and being relentless about it.  Anderson got frustrated and lashed out. 

The "Shine" fight typified that year's Sundance -- sales were more, prices were bigger. 

This new fight is a result of this year's event -- sales are slow, pressure is mounting.  The logjam that was supposed to break an avalanche of deals after the Jim Carrey starrer "I Love You Phillip Morris" never broke.

The job of film reps and publicists at fests like Sundance is unique.  They're to drum a beat for distributor/buyer interest, not necessarily for general audiences.  For a film in general release there are important reviews to get, but at Sundance the trade reviews take on a particular significance because of their sales bent.  And there's really only two papers doing it. 

To be a Variety or HR journalist at Sundance is to be hounded by sales agents, publicists, agents and even fest programmers and filmmakers.  And while Dowd's pursuit of Anderson is the extreme, it is the norm (unfortunately).  I know of no reviewer or journo whose mind has been changed because of a publicist in hot pursuit, but it doesn't stop the pursuit. 

News reporters are in the crosshairs, too.  Several days ago, a flack pleaded with us to interview a director about their film's marketability, after a reviewer dismissed its chances in their piece. 

And the spin keeps coming, yet now the focus is the fight itself.  Today three emails came in, all explaining the fight from Dowd's perspective, and using it to push "Dirt."  Regarding Anderson -- "ill-informed assumptions are not what is best for the planet and not in the spirit of dialogue that goes on at Sundance."  (To wrap global issues into Anderson's opinion is a bit below-the-belt; like a New World Order guilt trip).

Sundance audience reaction is a dubious measurement of future success.  "Slam" had a raucous audience response.  So did "Happy, Texas."  And so did "The Blair Witch Project."   The smaller theaters are easily seeded with the film's supporters -- relatives and crew who already like it.  Buyers know this.  Sometimes it's mind-blowingly obvious ("Happy, Texas" case-in-point).   Reviewers know it, too. 

Yet what indicator can buyers really use to gauge marketability?  A lone reviewer?  A hired flack?  A biased audience?  Themselves?  Heaven forbid.

The sudden death of Heath Ledger became a where-were-you-then moment at last year's Sundance.  No one could escape the news.  Blackberries and iPhone lit up screenings-in-progress.  People grouped around TVs, shared info from a friend who knew a friend who was a casting director, overly-ruminated on the cause-of-death. 

And seemingly within the half hour, Entertainment Weekly had their tribute issue on racks.


So there was a bit of eyebrow lifting this year as EW again put out another Heath cover, this with his friends opening up about his last days: 

Gil Junger, director, "10 Things": Heath came in to read, and he exuded a sexuality so uncommon for a man of that age. As soon as he left, I stood up and said, ''Ladies, I have never wanted to sleep with a man, but if I had to, that would be the man. Please hire him immediately.''

Lionsgate has picked up North American and U.K. rights to James Strouse's comedy "The Winning Season" starring Sam Rockwell after the pic's Monday night screening.

At the San Francisco Film Society party, exec director Graham Leggatt with the Kenneth Raimin Foundation's Jen Raimin, and Creative Capital's Ruby Lerner.

Just before the IFC Breakfast, Filmmaker Mag editor Scott Macaulay and with "Medicine for Melancholy" helmer Barry Jenkins, who graces the cover of the next mag.



The inauguration didn't stop the deal-making at Sundance's Meet the Funders event, where filmmaker jostled for the attention of POV and Al Jazeera, among others.


Outside the Claimjumper, Harvey Weinstein was dressing down someone on his cell, jacketless and pissed.  We approached for an interview, waiting for the right time.  But as his phone conversation became more heated, the moment grew more awkward as he eyed us suspiciously.  We suddenly remembered we had something to do and quickly ran away.

New Sundance sponsor, the Service Employees International Union, hosted an inauguration party at Zoom complete with Obama buttons, posters, and big screen TVs.


Sundance Institute's Michelle Satter and IFP's Michelle Byrd couldn't remember an inauguration celebrated at Sundance.  "I think we just didn't care about it.  But this is different," said Satter.

Byrd sported a Obama kerchief bought from the Catholics for Obama and made by Rwandan women.

After some hissing following Dr. Warren's introduction, eyes started welling up as the Obama girls took their seats, as Joe Biden took the oath, as Aretha brought the mall down.  And as the ever cool-and-collected Obama took his oath, the full weight of the moment took hold.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.


Outside, the festival set up TVs on Main Street for a large group that lined the street, sidewalks, and balconies. 

Magnolia Pictures has spent mid-six figures for worldwide rights to Lynn Shelton's "Humpday." The lo-fi buddy comedy attracted six offers and a protracted bidding war.

Film stars Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard as two straight best friends who decide to film themselves having sex for an art project. Pic preemed Friday in the Sundance Film Festival's competition section.

An unorthodox release plan will see Magnolia launch the pic on VOD before an August theatrical opening, much like their release of the crime pic "Flawless" starring Demi Moore.

The company plans to sell international rights.

The deal was negotiated by Josh Braun and Kevin Iwashina of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers with Tom Quinn and Eamonn Bowles from Magnolia Pictures.

Director James Toback introduces Mike Tyson at a dinner for the documentary, "Tyson," at the Sundance Film Festival. 

Clearly moved by the growing interest in the docu since its Cannes preem, Tyson addressed the diners:

"I'm really very humbled.  I had no idea it'd get to this magnitude.  I was looking forward to selling bootleg DVDs... I told James it might be a foreign movie because of the language I'd be using."

"I'm afraid of how much pussy and money I'm going to get.  It's going to lead to a lot of problems.  It's not funny.  It's really detrimental to me because I'm really sick and really weak."

The annual Variety 10 Directors to Watch party not only was a better and lower-key affair than the Stein Eriksen blowouts of yesteryear, it was evacuated by the fire department. 

When to leave a party is usually a sense of instinct -- who's there, how crowded is it, what the door looks like. 

Yet when we saw a rush of people suddenly heading out of it, we were surprised at how quickly a good party had deflated, even by Sundance standards. 

Then we saw the fire trucks.  Then we smelled the smoke. 

Outside, a transformer on a pole had blew and was spewing a stream of blue sparks everywhere.  Pretty, but there was no danger. 

Luckily, "Backdraft" scribe Gregory Widen was there, and eagerly explained why we had to evacuate.  He was fairly detailed about it.

Nothing in his warnings said we couldn't take our drinks with us, though, so after stuffing several longneck Stellas under our jackets, we complied.

Scott Sanders' blaxploitation comedy "Black Dynamite" has sold North American righs to Sony Pictures Worldwide for $2 million, a few hours after its Sundance Midnight preem.

Dade Hayes has the story here.

IFC Films and the SXSW Film Festival will simultaneously world preem Joe Swamberg's "Alexander the Last" on March 14.  

Produced by Noah Baumbach, pic explores the highs and lows of a young marriage.  IFC will broadcast the film on their Festival Direct VOD label.

Other SXSW film are also involved in the deal.  Javor Gardev's neo-noir "Zift" and Matthew Newton's dark comedy "Three Blind Mice" will also have their simul-preem on the channel and fest.  And in a fest rewind, SXSW 2008 pics "Medicine for Melancholy" and "Paper Covers Rock" will be broadcast.

IFC Films prexy Jonathan Sehring said they will look to expand the program to other festivals -- "It's a natural leap for us."

"At a time when the U.S. marketplace for truly American independent and foreign films is rapidly changing, and many films are having difficulty getting exposure, IFC Films has created opportunities for a wide range of films to find an audience," said Sehring.

IFC also announced the formation of IFC Midnight, a new genre label, for their VOD platform.  It will include horror, sci-fi, thriller, and... "erotic arthouse."  New titles included Duane Graves and Justin Meeks' horror pic "Wild Man of Navidad" and Laurence Trillings' "Group Sex."




Photo: SXSW's Janet Pierson and IFC's Jonathan Sehring

"It was a dream come true," said Jim Carrey, when asked what it was like to kiss Ewan McGregor. "I mean, just look at the guy."

The stars of "I Love You, Phillip Morris," along with helmers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, finally unveiled the fest's highest profile pic to a brimming audience. 

The chaos inside and out of the Eccles was anticipated.  For volunteers it was all-hands-on-deck as people rushed the theater, grabbing seats with a toss of their jacket, quickly texting their friends deep in the line outside that a seat was saved, only to argue with the staff when the theater manager let it be known no one else was getting in. 

People were still clambering for seats as the lights went down.

The 100 minutes is one of the most unusual mixtures of the fest -- moments of Carrey's branded hilarity opposite brutal prison culture and graphic gay sex.  Requa said they'll put some even hotter cut scenes on the DVD extras.

The story is based on the true love affair between two convicts, with Carrey playing a hopelessly devoted genius who's able to illegally finance their lavish lifestyle and escape from prison multiple times -- all in the name of love.

One audience member asked McGregor what it was like to play a gay man. 

"Same as playing any other kind of man. It was never awkward to kiss or cuddle."

"Hard to let go of it, though," joked Carrey.


Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.com

"Over the Hills and Far Away" is a competition documentary about Rupert Isaacson (left) and his quest to find a cure for his autistic son. With him is Mark Ordesky, the former New Line Cinema/Fine Line Features exec who now has a production company, Amber Entertainment. Ordesky's planning to produce a feature version of the doc, with Isaacson taking first stab at the script. (Isaacson, a British journalist, also wrote a book based on his experiences, "The Horse Boy," and acted as the documentary's producer and co-director.)

This is from Saturday night's Bon Appetit Supper Club dinner in honor of James Toback's "Tyson." That's Toback on the right and Sony Pictures Classics' co-head, a bearded Michael Barker, on the left. SPC bought "Tyson" after the film made its world premiere at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Later, Mike Tyson showed at the dinner, dressed in a tux and took the mic after Toback addressed the diners. Apologizing for having no gift for public speaking, Tyson said over and over how happy he was that the film is coming out.

But he was also cautious. 

The last time he was a celebrity, he said, "pussy and money brought me down."  He was concerned the film's release would bring those things back and lead him right back to rehab.

Senator Distribution has nabbed North American rights to Antoine Fuqua's cop drama "Brooklyn's Finest," twenty-four hours after its world preem at the Sundance Film Festival. 

Senator will release the film in late 2009 for awards consideration.

Sources close to the deal said Senator paid under $5 million with an eight-figure P&A commitment. 

Pic's all-star cast includes Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Don Cheadle as cops battling their own ethical and moral dilemmas.

"We went into aggressive pursuit right after Friday's screening," said Senator prexy Mark Urman.

Stressing that the film is a work-in-progress, Urman said talks continued the next day with Fuqua, focusing on delivery issues.  The music is still temporary and there are discussion about the re-working the ending.  "It strikes me that the ending will be different," said Urman, "But Antoine must be happy with it."

Considering the film's award potential, Urman noted Hawke was nominated for an Oscar in Fuqua's previous cop drama, "Training Day."

"Being from Brooklyn, this film is important to me," said Urman, who wouldn't comment on the purchase price, except to say it was a "strong, muscular figure."

Deal was brokered by CAA and William Morris with Senator CEO Marco Weber and Urman.

Thoughout the Q&A following "The September Issue's" Saturday screening (at the Temple, no less), helmer R.J. Cutler held Anna Wintour's microphone as she expressed gratitude that there was a record of her staff's efforts building Vogue's biggest issue of the year.

"Were there some things that I didn't want to be in the film? Yes. But RJ ignored every one of my suggestions," said the icy editor. "It's hard to look at yourself so intensely."

Cutler, who loves the word awesome, said that while it's his vision, the film is a colaboration.

"Which leads sometimes to awesome email exchanges," he said.

In the doc, Wintour's seemingly frozen emotional responses puts the drama at the feet of her staff, who panic with her every move.

But buyers leaving the screening felt the film needed more of it.

After yesterday's noon screening, four buyers "actively engaged" in talks for Lynn Shelton's "Humpday," with a former offer coming this morning as negotiations begin. 

After Lee Daniel's "Push" preem, the huge party on Main Street had Mariah Carrey and Jay-Z.  And Sony Classics' Tom Bernard, no word yet on interest.

Audience reaction is why many distribs are here.  This year more than ever has shown that many Sundance pics have already screened for buyers -- either as rough cuts, select scenes, or multi generation screeners.  Today proved that that practice can have wildly different results.


Lynn Shelton's "Humpday" has a good pitch.  Two straight guys decide to film themselves having sex for an art project, each one too stubborn to back down as the moment nears.  Yet as screeners of the film circulated, some buyers' dreams of a indie Judd Apatow pic faded. 

As star Mark Duplass told us: "We didn't want to make a farce.  We wanted to feel this thing.  To make something deeper."  So distribs were cautious after viewing, with many agreeing that it's a funny and awkward film to watch alone.  Sometimes it's both at the same time.  So there was an open question on how it would play to an audience.  Would the group dynamic make the awkward funny?

It did.  Reports from the 12pm screening say the film played extremely well.  Laughter throughout, yet the kind of laughter sparked and encouraged in a way only an audience can do.   Speculation is that the film will find a home before the fest is over.

But things didn't go so well for "Brooklyn's Finest."

Antoine Fuqua's cop thriller had screened an hour of footage for buyers weeks before Sundance.  The good reaction primed the buzz for Friday night's screening.  Yet two buyers anxious to see it wondered if it'd be priced too high and if the film could be shortened, already feeling it was long. 

Friday night's screening was packed, with many being turned away.  But soon after the first hour, things began to do downhill.  Many buyers left early, feeling it was way too long.  Yet those that stayed felt the problems went deeper, with one exec calling the film "three cliches looking for an original plot."  Another likened the intertwining stories to "a crashed 'Crash.'" 


P.S. -- Early word on the "Push" screening was very positive, with the audience giving a standing ovation at the end.  Yet some feel it will still be a tough sell.

Dade Hayes reports today that B-Side has a bunch of money to distribute films:

B-Side Entertainment, a 4-year-old tech company with a sizable profile in the film festival world, has landed $4.25 million in new financing and plans to enter the feature distribution biz.

The Austin, Texas-based company, which runs websites that handle ticketing and mine audience response data for 250-plus fests in North America, has hired indie film vet Paola Freccero as distrib prexy. Her aim is to distribute 10 pics in 2009 through an array of theatrical, nontheatrical and ancillary outlets.

Article also notes that Liesl Copland of Red Envelope fame has become an agent at Endeavor.

Wild Bunch has taken on international sales duties for R.J. Cutler's "The September Issue," a docu on Anna Wintour's assemblage of Vogue's famous mag.  CAA is handling domestic sales.

Among those who've seen it -- and there seems to be a lot -- it is a talked-about title here.  As one exec told us, "It's crack for girls."

Also announced, E1 will take Canadian distrib rights to Sophie Barthes' "Cold Souls" from Cinetic.

"I chose this film because it's great," said Geoff Gilmore before introducing writer/director Adam Elliot and his producer Melanie Coombs.

Elliot, clearly overjoyed to be here, said he's often asked what it's like to make a feature-length, stop-motion, animated film -- "It's like making love and being stabbed to death at the same time."

Elliot explained production took 57 weeks with 6 animators who produced only a thimble-full of animation -- 5 seconds a day.

The film follows an unlikely pen pal relationship between an Australian girl and New York man with Aspergers Syndrome (voiced by Philip Seymour Hoffman).  Elliot said he dedicated the film to his own pin friend.

"He couldn't be here today because he had an operation to straighten his leg," he said.

Lastly, Elliot thanked his parents, saying with particular pride -- "My dad sold a trampoline to John Wayne.  Had to set it up in his backyard."


Photo by Fred Hayes/WireImage.com.

Are Sundance's Mideast plans on shaky ground? 

Just after Ali Jaafar reported the fest was in advanced negotiations with Abu Dhabi to launch a film festival, Robert Redford seemed cautious on the idea.

"There may be too many cooks on that issue," said Redford. "Nothing has been signed yet but we'll probably go into that territory."

International efforts were on the minds of journos at the traditional Sundance press conference.  Redford and Sundance head programmer Geoff Gilmore stressed their Mideast filmmaking labs and their outreach to Latin America.

But domestic issues took over midway, as journos quizzed the famously left Redford on his political thoughts.

Looking forward to Tuesday, Redford said that while he won't be there, it was an "important inauguration." 

"Anything can be better than what we had," he said. "I'm just glad to see the gang that couldn't shoot straight get out.  For a lame duck he sure has done a lot of quacking recently."

On the economy, Redford was somber and cautious: "Art will find a way."

Gilmore said the fest hasn't yet been affected: "Ticket sales are ahead of last year and sponsor support is solid.  We're weathering what's going on."

Yet the politics were still on the mind at the end.  A journo asked Redford if he'd be willing to take a Cabinet position of Culture in the Obama Administration. 

Redford chuckled, then said flatly, "No."

Adding to the dwindling lists of distribs, Consolidated Pictures Group has planted a flag at Sundance. 

The new company was formed by "Bottle Shock" helmer Randy Miller, producer Jody Savin, and Leonidas Films' Timothy Cavanaugh and James Mancuso.  With equity in place, the group plans to produce and acquire films, with Sundance being the first hunting ground.

Miller and Savin found success in self-distributing "Bottle Shock" after its Sundance 2008 preem.  Pic cumed $4.5 million domestically.

"The distribution model for independent films is broken," said Miller, "and my partners and I determined to do for others what we did for 'Bottle Shock'."

The early morning activity at the Sundance Press Office was light.  Most journos are arriving today with some skipping tonight's "Mary and Max" opener and landing tomorrow. 

The accredited press, dazed in the elevation, stumbled around the various desks, working through the what, where, and when of Sundance.  Sundance press masters Brooks Addicott and Amy McGee smoothly worked to put out the small, inevitable fires. 

Some press grumbled that the fest printed no handy pocket-sized schedules this year, and some films didn't have press screenings (Gregg Mottola's anticipated "Adventureland" doesn't, though there are more tics available). 

Yet so far there is a good feeling of less-is-more this year.  One big change is hydration.  All press are given a Sundance "limited edition" water bottle, sponsored by Brita and Nalgene, where they can refill at stations across Park City.  The fest isn't giving out disposable water bottles this year.  Last year they gave over 50,000 of them out.  That's not a typo.

As Dave Poland remarked, they could also serve as a portable restroom (for men).  Even the bottle is tinted green so no one would know that nature called 40 minutes into "Humpday."

Above, Independent Film Festival Boston programmer Adam Roffman fills up.  With water.

(No, this didn't happen. Our engines didn't suck that hard.)

The Wednesday morning Delta flight, direct from LAX to SLC, has become the first hob-nob amongst Sundance bound execs.  This morning Searchlight's Ray Strache, Lionsgate's Eda Kowan, photog Jeff Vespa, journo Roger Friedman drank airport coffee and ate cement croissants as they murmured about the fest ahead.

Summit's Michael Schaefer just hoped for good movies.  When asked about the prospects for the Jim Carrey pic, "I Love You, Phillip Morris," he seemed interested yet cautious, remembering the mood of the theater at last year's "What Just Happened?" screening -- "Bottom line is it has to be good.  If it not good, then no way."

In the row next to us, a man wondered why the plane was so full.  He was connecting in SLC to Minneapolis, reading through some eHarmony documents.  He was a consultant, and had been asked by the company about expanding the dating service to the rest of the world. 

eHarmony is currently only for English speakers and, until recently, only for heterosexuals.  A lawsuit fixed that, though the site's heavy Christian leanings apparently keep it guy-and-girl.

The consultant explained that eHarmony uses a 200-plus questionnaire and complex algorithm to match people.  "It's for longer relationships," he said. "Not for hooking up.  That's Match.com." 

When I floated that Match.com may have a better bottom line, he countered: "Actually, the fastest growth in our industry is pure hook-up sites."

He explained a site, AshleyMadison.com, is the talk of the online dating industry.  It's a monster success -- designed only for married people looking for affairs.  The site's motto: "Life is short.  Have an affair."

The site's inventor, Noel Biderman, reportedly named it after his daughters.  Classy.

When recently denied TV ad time during the upcoming superbowl, Biderman declared:

"We don't intend to let this pass.  This is our core audience and we will find a way to let them know about the existence of this service."

When we visited the site upon arriving in Park City, it immeidately informed us there were "33800 local member online right now!" 

As the fest kicks in tomorrow, there may be some more.

Those with slashed expense accounts will be seeing how much of Sundance can be experienced from the desk.  Today, the Sundance Institute made it a bit easier by announcing they'll screen 10 short films over 10 days free on iTunes.

Selected by Sundance's Trevor Groth and his colleagues, the ten will be available only during the fest (Jan 15-25) and will digitally dissolve after 24 hours.

The move is a scaled down version of last year's efforts, which were marred by a shoddy middle-man.

Go to itunes.com/sundance.

The ten films are:

"Acting for the Camera" -- Justin Nowell
"Countertransference" -- Madeleine Olnek
"HUG" -- Khary Jones (pictured above)
"Field Notes from Dimension X: Oasis" -- Carson Mell
"From Burger It Came" -- Dominic Bisignano
"I Live In The Woods" -- Max Winston
"Instead of Abracadabra" -- Patrik Eklund
"James" -- Connor Clements
"Magnetic Movie" -- Ruth Jarman, Joe Gerhardt
"This Way Up" -- Adam Foulkes, Alan Smith

We're in the thick of Sundance prognostications, from the casual to the complex.  And as "Once" and "Hamlet 2" have proven, no one's got it right yet --  "Once" bought for near nothing, going on to good business and an Oscar;  "Hamlet 2" bought for a king's ransom, and going to a pauper's grave. 

Enter Matthew Prince of Unspam Technologies, a company that fights the impossible fight against spam and telemarketers. 

As best we can tell, Prince uses "analytical technology" to predict "what films are going to become box office hits and what films are going no where... even before the first kernel is popped."

They gave us an advanced look at their Sundance results without explaining much about them.  It seems their percentages are a measurement of quality.  "Taking Chance" is 90% "great," though "Amreeka" is only 54% "great" (so it's just "gre"). 

Yet the "Ameeka" crew should be happy they aren't "The Greatest," which according to the secret formula is 98% not great.  In fact, it's 98% bad. 

We'll see what pans out, but if Sundance history proves anything perhaps Unspam ought to stick to spam.  They may have better success.


Dramatic Competition

Great
• Amreeka (54.40%) 
• Big Fan (73.40%) 
• Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire
(70.18%) 
• Sin Nombre (51.81%) 
• Taking Chance (90.03%)

Ok
• Arlen Faber (47.51%) 
• Dare (65.97%) 
• Toe to Toe (51.64%)

Bad
• Adam (78.17%) 
• Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
(93.49%) 
• Cold Souls (99.73%) 
• Don't Let Me Drown (60.38%) 
• Humpday (89.69%) 
• Paper Heart (99.95%) 
• Peter and Vandy (96.23%) 
• The Greatest (98.66%) 

Documentary Competition

Great
• Art & Copy (99.01%) 
• Crude (93.15%) 
• Reporter (82.26%) 
• Sergio (88.96%) 
• The September Issue (96.92%) 
• We Live in Public (97.10%) 

Ok
• Boy Interrupted (70.37%) 
• Dirt! The Movie (79.74%) 
• El General (99.94%) 
• Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge
of Free Speech (93.71%) 
• The Cove (58.10%)

Bad
• Good Hair (95.34%) 
• Over the Hills and Far Away (72.55%) 
• The Reckoning (57.27%) 
• William Kunstler: Disturbing the
Universe (99.78%) 

Matt Dentler pointed us to this funny short directed by Jonah Hill and Nicholas Jasenovec.  Jasenovec's "Paper Heart" starring Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera is preeming at Sundance.

In the short, Hill is a genius songwriter working a on new song titled "Handjob."

It doesn't go well with the band, though.

"This is not our kind of song, man.  I feel stupid singing it."

"Maybe you could sing it as if you've actually gotten a handjob before."

"I've... I've gotten a.. a lot of handjobs before."

View it here.  (Unfortunately it's not embeddable.)

The trailer to Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno's docu "The Yes Men Fix The World" -- the sequel to "The Yes Men" -- has Mike and Andy once again duping the media by pretending to be spokespeople for giant companies they don't like... and getting away with it:

"Andy's about ready to tell a really big lie, which will wipe about a billion dollars off one company's stock price."

Check out their site -- theyesmen.org.

Sony Pictures Classics has finally sealed the deal for North American rights to James Toback's docu "Tyson," unspooling in the Sundance Film Festival's Spectrum section.  SPC began talks to acquire the controversial boxer's portrait after its Cannes fest preem.

NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony will join the project as exec producer.


As reported earlier, the distrib is also near a pact for U.S. rights to Carlos Cuaron’s dramedy “Rudo y Cursi,” ahead of its Sundance world preem. 

Pic reunites “Y Tu Mama Tambien” co-stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna as two brothers who become rivals on the soccer field.  It opened December 19 in Mexico to good business.

“Rudo y Cursi” is the first project to come out of Cha Cha Cha, the production shingle of helmers Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Alfonso Cuaron, who is Carlos’ brother. Cha Cha Cha has a financing and distribution deal with Focus Features, which has all rights to the pic outside the U.S.  Cha Cha Cha retained U.S. rights. WMA and CAA co-repped the film.

Sundance has announced members of the six juries who will dole out awards at the fest's end on January 25.


Dramatic Jury

Virginia Madsen – (Actress: Sideway, Number 23, The Rainmaker, David Lynch's Dune)
Scott McGehee – (Producer/Director/Writer: Uncertainty, The Deep End, Suture)
Maud Nadler – (Producer/HBO Films: Relative Values)
Mike White – (Writer/Director/Producer: Year of the Dog)
Boaz Yakin – (Director/Writer/Producer: Fresh, Remember the Titans, Hostel)

Documentary Jury

Patrick Creadon – (Cinematographer/Director/Writer: Wordplay, I.O.U.S.A., Flow: For the Love of Water)
Carl Deal – (Director/Producer: Trouble the Water)
Andrea Meditch – (Executive Producer/Producer: Man on Wire, In the Shadow of the Moon)
Sam Pollard – (Editor: When the Levees Broke, Jungle Fever, Mo' Better Blues)
Marina Zenovich – (Director/Producer/Writer: Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired)

World Dramatic Jury

Colin Brown (New York) – (Editor: Screen International)
Christine Jeffs (New Zealand) – (Director/Writer: Rain, Stroke; Director: Sunshine Cleaning)
Vibeke Windelov (Denmark) – (Producer: Dogville, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark)

World Documentary Jury

Gillian Armstrong (Australia) – (Director: Death Defying Acts, Oscar & Lucinda, Little Women)
Thom Powers (New York) – (Documentary Programmer, Toronto International Film Festival)
Hubert Sauper (France) – (Director/Producer: Darwin's Nightmare)

Shorts Jury

Gerardo Naranjo – (Director/Writer/Producer: Voy a explotar, Malachance, Perro Negro)
Lou Taylor Pucci – (Actor: Thumbsucker)
Sharon Swart – (Reporter: Variety)
                                                                                                           
Alfred P. Sloan Jury

Fran Bagenal – (Professor of Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado)
Rodney Brooks – (Panasonic Professor of Robotics, MIT Computer Science & AI Lab)
Ray Gesteland – (Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah)
Jeffrey Nachmanoff – (Writer: The Day After Tomorrow; Writer/Director: Traitor)
Alex Rivera – (Director/Writer/Editor: Sleep Dealer)