IFC Entertainment Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Award Winning Drama "The Wind That Shakes The Barley"
New York, NY – August 16, 2006 – IFC Entertainment announced today that it has acquired U.S. distribution rights for all media to the critically acclaimed drama "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" from Pathé Pictures International. The announcement was made by IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring.
Winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, "Barley" will be released by IFC's flourishing day and date distribution banner, First Take Films, which is designed to give critically acclaimed films a platform for release in the U.S. The film will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month. First Take Films will release the film domestically in 2007.
Commented Mike Runagall, Head of Pathé Pictures International, "We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with Jonathan and his team at IFC, who share our passion to bring this powerful and award-winning film to US audiences."
Sehring said, "It is a huge coup for IFC's day and date label to acquire a film of this caliber. This acquisition, on the heels of our recent releases of 'Gabrielle,' 'Russian Dolls' and 'Three Times,' establishes First Take as a venue for the most acclaimed independent films worldwide. Our colleagues at Pathé are the best in the business and we couldn't be happier to be working with them once again."
Directed by Ken Loach ("Sweet Sixteen," "My Name is Joe"), the cast of "Barley" includes rising Hollywood star Cillian Murphy ("Batman Begins" "Redeye"), Padraic Delaney ("Pure Mule," "The Clinic"), Liam Cunningham ("A Love Divided") and Orla Fitzgerald ("Strangers in the Night"). Rebecca O'Brien ("Sweet Sixteen," "My Name is Joe") produced the film. Executive producers are Ulrich Felsberg, Andrew Lowe, Nigel Thomas and Paul Trijbits. Paul Laverty wrote the screenplay.
The film takes place in Ireland 1920, where workers from field and country unite to form volunteer guerrilla armies to face the ruthless "Black and Tan" squads that are being shipped from Britain to block Ireland's bid for independence.
Driven by a deep sense of duty and a love for his country, Damien abandons his burgeoning career as a doctor and joins his brother, Teddy, in a dangerous and violent fight for freedom. As the freedom fighters' bold tactics bring the British to breaking point, both sides finally agree to a treaty to end the bloodshed. But, despite the apparent victory, civil war erupts and families, who fought side by side, find themselves pitted against one another as sworn enemies, putting their loyalties to the ultimate test.
The deal was negotiated by Sehring and Elizabeth Nastro for IFC and Mike Runagall for Pathé Pictures International.
IFC Entertainment is the first and only film studio to embrace the day and date concept and detail a broad multi-picture strategy. IFC First Take Films acquires and distributes 24 films a year, releases them nationwide, and simultaneously offers them on-demand to cable subscribers. Currently each film is available on both Cablevision and Comcast services on IFC In Theaters.
In a challenging and transformative industry, independent and foreign films face multiplying challenges in securing distribution. IFC's day and date strategy enables these award-winning and critically acclaimed films to reach American audiences.
Recent acquisitions for IFC First Take include Patrice Chéreau's GABRIELLE, Jan Kounen's DARSHAN, THE EMBRACE, Fernando Léon de Aranoa's PRINCESAS, and Vidi Bilu and Dalia Hager's CLOSE TO HOME. The First Take slate also includes titles such as DESTRICTED, THE AURA and FAMILY LAW, CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, I AM A SEX ADDICT, RUSSIAN DOLLS, Hou Hsiao Hsien's THREE TIMES, AMERICAN GUN and SORRY, HATERS.
ABOUT IFC ENTERTAINMENT
IFC Films is a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters. IFC Films releases approximately 10 films per year, building its slate of titles from an aggressive acquisitions program and selected in-house productions. IFC Films is part of IFC Entertainment, which also consists of IFC Productions, InDigEnt (a digital production arm) the new IFC Center in Greenwich Village, and the day and date label, IFC First Take.
2006 IFC films include Patrick Creadon's "Wordplay," Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton's "Brothers of the Head," Bent Hamer's "Factotum" and Adrien Shergold's "Pierrepoint." IFC Films executive produced the recently released "Night Listener" with Hart Sharp.
Notable IFC Films include "Me And You And Everyone We Know," the Academy Award® winning "Boys Don't Cry," "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" and Alfonso Cuaron's "Y Tu Mama Tambien." IFC Films co-distributed Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" and the award winning "Transamerica."
For more information and upcoming releases, please visit www.ifcfilms.com.
ABOUT RAINBOW MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands including popular national and regional television channels AMC, fuse, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), WE tv, and three FSN affiliated regional sports networks managed by Rainbow Sports Networks. The company also manages Mag Rack and sportskool, two original on-demand networks; VOOM HD Networks, the largest and most diverse suite of high definition channels available anywhere; IFC Entertainment, its film distribution, production and exhibition division; Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division; and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.
ABOUT PATHE PICTURES
Pathé Pictures International handles the international marketing and sales for films produced by Pathé in the UK, and actively acquires third party films for worldwide representation.