New York, NY – August 8, 2007 – IFC Entertainment announced today that it has acquired North American rights except home video to Julien Temple's documentary Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten from SONY BMG Music Entertainment. The film will be released under the groundbreaking day and date distribution banner, IFC First Take, where it will simultaneously premiere theatrically and on local cable's On Demand platform. The announcement was made today by IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring.
"Julien Temple has created an extremely noteworthy film which provides a rare glimpse into the real life behind Clash front man Joe Strummer," said Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment. "The documentary reveals a flawed, idealistic man who many only know as the lead singer of one of the most influential bands in rock and roll. Temple offers a thoughtful behind the scenes portrait, representing the true independent spirit of filmmaking."
"We are delighted to have partnered with IFC on this incredible film about one of the greatest musical legends and look forward to promoting the film and the soundtrack together," said XX from SONY BMG.
Joe Strummer takes an in-depth look into the myth behind the front man of the punk band the Clash. The documentary chronicles the transformation of John Mellor into an anti-establishment icon known to the world as Joe Strummer, revealing a complex man who used his music as a bullhorn for his conscience as well as a means to educate others about the injustices of the world. Included are previously unearthed interviews with Strummer himself as well as recollections of those who knew him best. The film includes live concert footage spanning Strummer's career and tapes of his BBC radio program, all of which provide a fitting soundtrack to his distinctive and storied existence.
Joe Strummer premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was recently screened at the LA Film Festival. The film was written & directed by Julien Temple and produced by Amanda Temple, Anna Campeau and Alan Moloney. The soundtrack will be released on XX.
The acquisition was negotiated by Sehring and Arianna Bocco, Vice President of Acquisitions and Productions for IFC with Cinetic Media who represented SONY BMG Music Entertainment.
As IFC Entertainment heads into the second year of its day and date program, IFC First Take remains the first and only film distribution label fully dedicated to the day and date concept and executing a broad multi-picture strategy. Maximizing the use of theaters and video on demand technology, IFC has created the first centralized destination for independent films, providing a strong voice to the many critically acclaimed independent films that are shown in New York, Los Angeles and various Film Festivals, but lost within the marketplace each year.
ABOUT IFC FIRST TAKE AND IFC ENTERTAINMENT
IFC in Theaters, operating under the IFC First Take label, is the day and date distribution arm of IFC Entertainment. IFC First Take releases twenty-four films a year, theatrically across the country and simultaneously on IFC In Theaters on VOD. IFC Entertainment also consists of IFC Films, a traditional distribution company, and the IFC Center in Greenwich Village. IFCE is a Rainbow Media company. Recent and upcoming IFC in Theaters films include: Ken Loach's The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Shane Meadow's This Is England, Hou Hsiao Hsien's The Flight of the Red Balloon, and Cristian Mungiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days.
ABOUT RAINBOW MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, LIFESKOOL, SPORTSKOOL, and VOOM HD Networks. Through its IFC Entertainment division, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a theatrical feature film distribution company; IFC in Theaters, a day and date theatrical feature film/VOD initiative; the IFC Center in New York City; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Entertainment, which owns and operates a film library. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division, and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Established in 2005, Sony BMG Film's mandate is to develop, finance, and produce music-related theatrical films. It's latest production, "Feel the Noise," a co-production with Jennifer Lopez' Nuyorican Films, is being released nationally on October 5th through TriStar Pictures. In February 2007, Sony BMG Film released the documentary "East of Havana" produced by Charlize Theron. Currently they have Asger Leth's "Ghosts of Cite Soleil," in release which premiered at the 2006 Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals.