Film to Have Its New York Premiere at New Directors/New Films
New York, NY – March 19, 2012 – Sundance Selects announced today that the company is acquiring North American and Latin American rights to GIMME THE LOOT which was written and directed by Adam Leon. The film won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the 2012 South by Southwest Film Festival and will screen at New Directors/New Films this weekend. It was produced by Natalie Difford, Dominic Buchanan, Jamund Washington and stars newcomers Tashiana Washington,Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze and Sam Soghor.
In GIMME THE LOOT, Malcolm and Sofia, two determined teens from the Bronx, are the ultimate graffiti–writers. When a rival gang buffs their latest masterpiece, they must hatch a plan to get revenge by tagging an iconic NYC landmark, but they need to raise $500 to pull off their spectacular scheme. Over the course of two whirlwind, sun–soaked summer days, Malcolm and Sofia travel on an epic urban adventure involving black market spray cans, illicit bodegas, stolen sneakers, a high stakes heist, and a beautiful, stoned girl whose necklace is literally their key to becoming the biggest writers in the City.
Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: "In the tradition of our recent SXSW pickups including WEEKEND, TINY FURNITURE and MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY, GIMME THE LOOT introduces a major new talent with a big future. We all fell in love with this infectious, charming crowd pleaser. We’re excited to work with Adam Leon and his producers Natalie Difford, Dominic Buchanan and Jamund Washington and to introduce Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson to audiences."
Adam Leon, said: "We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Sundance Selects. It’s extremely gratifying that our gang of misfits, all of whom took on tremendous sacrifices and poured their hearts into making this film, have found a home at such a prestigious company. We’re so excited to share this movie with a larger audience and are deeply thankful to everyone at Sundance Selects."
The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with Josh Braun of Submarine.
About SUNDANCE SELECTS
Established in 2009 and based in New York City, Sundance Selects is a leading U.S. distributor of prestige films focusing on American independents, documentaries and world cinema. In 2011, the division released the Academy Award® nominated Wim Wenders’ PINA; the year’s highest–grossing independent documentary, Werner Herzog’s CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS which won the Best Documentary Award from the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association and National Society of Film Critics among others, the second–highest–grossing independent documentary BUCK; and Abbas Kiarostami’s CERTIFIED COPY. Upcoming releases include the Cannes prize winner from Jean–Pierre and Luc Dardenne, THE KID WITH A BIKE , Michael Winterbottom’s TRISHNA starring Frieda Pinto, Bess Kargman’s multiple Audience Award winner FIRST POSITION, Nanni Moretti’s WE HAVE A POPE and Maiwenn’s Cannes Prix du Jury winner POLISS nominated for 13 Cesars. Recent acquisitions include Cristian Mungiu’s BEYOND THE HILLS, Olivier Assayas’s SOMETHING IN THE AIR and the Sundance documentary HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Sundance Selects is a sister division to IFC Films and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.