July 9, 2004 – Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment, announced today that negotiations which began at Cannes have been finalized and IFC Films has acquired the US distribution rights to two Cannes Competition entries, Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokaza's award-winner Nobody Knows and recent Munich Film Festival multi-award winner, Hans Weingartner's The Edukators. Both films were embraced by critics and audiences alike at this year's Cannes Film Festival. International sales for both films are being handled by Celluloid Dreams.
Auteur director Hirokazu Kore-eda's (After-Life) Nobody Knows follows a heartbreaking and humorous account of the daily lives of four siblings who are abandoned by their loving yet immature and much-distracted mother. The film was written, directed and produced Hirokazu Kore-eda. Fourteen year old Yuuya Yagira won the Best Actor Award at Cannes for his portrayal of Akira, the eldest of the four siblings in the film.
Weingartner's The Edukators tells of two young German friends who set out to make a political statement by breaking into expensive homes of the wealthy and rearrange furniture as an act of political rebellion, leaving notes that read, "Your days of plenty are numbered." When one of their girlfriends is brought into the fold, the dynamics and circumstances alter immeasurably and their seemingly innocuous actions turn treacherous. The Edukators is written and co-directed by Hans Weingartner and co-stars the rising international star Daniel Bruhl of Goodbye Lenin.
"These are two outstanding films from two very accomplished filmmakers with incredible performances by their respective casts," stated Jonathan Sehring. "Both films were received enthusiastically at Cannes. Nobody Knows is a triumph for Kore-eda, a director we have long admired. The Edukators is an intelligent thriller with a knock out surprise ending. They are valued additions to the IFC slate and we are thrilled to continue our relationship with Celluloid Dreams."
Hengameh Panahi, President of Celluloid Dreams, added, "Celluloid Dreams is very pleased that the IFC will be bringing their considerable expertise to the marketing and release of these two extraordinary films in the United States. We are very happy to strengthen an already long and productive relationship with an organization that shares our vision."
IFC Films has been aggressively forming a slate of recent acquisitions and in-house productions. Start of production was announced for both Me and You and Everyone We Know and American Gun. IFC acquired Dana Brown's Dust to Glory immediately following Cannes, where IFC also negotiated an agreement to co-distribute Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.
The acquisition of The Edukators and Nobody Knows was negotiated by Jonathan Sehring and Sarah Lash, Director of Acquisitions for IFC Films and Hengameh Panahi and Charlotte Mickie for Celluloid Dreams.
IFC FILMS
IFC Films is a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters. Films builds its slate of titles from an aggressive acquisitions program and selected in-house productions. Recent IFC Films include Touching the Void which broke box office records to become among the top ten grossing documentaries of all time, 2003 Oscar®-nominated My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mamá También, Intermission, The Saddest Music in the World, Camp, Kitchen Stories and Casa De Los Babys. Upcoming films include Dana Brown's Dust to Glory, CSA: Confederate States of America and Rebecca Miller's The Ballad of Jack and Rose, starring Daniel Day Lewis. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster is currently in release. IFC Films is co-distributing Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.