IFC Films with Topic Studios introduces Bill Benz’s feature debut, set for a Fall 2021 release
NEW YORK, NY (March 1, 2021) IFC Films announced today that it is acquiring North American rights to THE NOWHERE INN from Topic Studios, produced, written by, and starring Carrie Brownstein and Annie ‘St. Vincent’ Clark from first-time filmmaker and frequent Portlandia collaborator / writer Bill Benz. The film marks the first feature length film in which Clark has simultaneously produced, starred and composed all the original music. THE NOWHERE INN had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight Section, and IFC Films will be releasing THE NOWHERE INN in Fall 2021.
From real-life friends Annie Clark (a.k.a. GRAMMY award-winning musician St. Vincent) and Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney, the best-selling Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl) comes the metafictional account of two creative forces banding together to make a documentary about St. Vincent’s music, touring life, and public persona. But they quickly discover unpredictable forces lurking within subject and filmmaker that threaten to derail the friendship, the project, and the duo’s creative lives.
Arianna Bocco, President at IFC Films said, “Carrie Brownstein and Annie Clark brilliantly push the boundaries of how we communicate through film, music and comedy as only true artists can. We’re thrilled to take viewers to THE NOWHERE INN and bring this unique and hilarious film to audiences and fans nationwide.”
“We are extremely proud of what we’ve created with THE NOWHERE INN,” said Brownstein and Clark. “And we couldn’t imagine a better home and partner for it than IFC Films.”
Debut feature filmmaker Bill Benz, a frequent “Portlandia” collaborator and writer, delivers a densely woven, laugh-out-loud funny and increasingly fractured commentary on reality, identity, and authenticity. This is the story of two close friends’ attempt to wrestle the truth out of a complex subject before the hall of mirrors that is their artistic lives devours them completely.
Added Ryan Heller, Senior Vice President, Film & Acquisitions for Topic Studios, “It has been our true joy to collaborate with Annie, Carrie and Bill on this audacious labor or love and friendship. And we’re thrilled to be in such great hands with Arianna and the team at IFC Films who have made a virtue of delivering bold, genre-defying stories to audiences.”
Topic Studios financed the film and produced with Ways and Means and Crazy Galore. The film was produced by Jett Steiger, Lana Kim, Annie Clark and Carrie Brownstein. Executive producers for Topic Studios are Michael Bloom, Ryan Heller and Maria Zuckerman. Adam Pincus and Bobcat Goldthwait also serve as executive producers. Co-producers are Josh Bachove and Danny Harris.
The deal for the film was negotiated by IFC Films’ EVP of Acquisitions and Productions Arianna Bocco with Deborah McIntosh at Endeavor Content and Paradigm on behalf of the filmmakers.
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ABOUT IFC FILMS
Established in 2000 and based in New York City, IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of independent film. Its unique distribution model makes independent films available to a national audience by releasing them in theaters as well as on cable’s Video On Demand (VOD) and digital platforms.
Current releases include Sam Pollard’s acclaimed documentary MLK/FBI and Chad Hartigan’s LITTLE FISH, as well as the upcoming sophomore feature from Gia Coppola, MAINSTREAM. Some of the company’s successes over the years have included BOYHOOD, THE DEATH OF STALIN, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, THE BABADOOK, TOUCHING THE VOID, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, CHE, SUMMER HOURS, ANTICHRIST, IN THE LOOP, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, TINY FURNITURE, and CARLOS. IFC Films has worked with established and breakout filmmakers, including Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Miranda July, Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noé, Todd Solondz, Cristian Mungiu, Susanne Bier, Olivier Assayas, Jim McKay, Larry Fessenden, Paul Dano, Gregg Araki, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, Abdellatif Kechiche, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Abbas Kiarostami, Alfonso Cuaron, Noah Baumbach, Lena Dunham, Ethan Hawke and many more. IFC Films is a sister label to Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
ABOUT TOPIC STUDIOS
The award-winning entertainment studio from First Look Media, develops, finances and produces provocative and entertaining content for all platforms including theatrical, streaming, television and podcasts. From Kevin Macdonald’s legal thriller The Mauritanian, starring Jodie Foster and Tahar Rahim, recently nominated for two Golden Globes® for their performances, Benedict Cumberbatch and Shailene Woodley (STX Films) and the Academy Award® winning Spotlight; to documentaries The Fight, co-released with Magnolia Pictures and Mucho Mucho Amor on Netflix; to television with the Film Independent Spirit Award® nominated docu-series Love Fraud and the Emmy Award® winning and Peabody Award® nominated 16 Shots, both on Showtime; and the upcoming surfing documentary series, 100 Foot Wave on HBO/HBO Max; as well as pioneering podcasts (the return of Politically Re-Active with W. Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu on Warner Media Podcast Network; the IDA Award® winning investigative podcast, Somebody, with iHeartMedia); and The Messenger, on Audible Plus. Films from Topic Studios include Michael Angelo Covino’s The Climb (Sony Pictures Classics); and Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse, starring Toni Collette and Damian Lewis with Bleecker Street. Topic Studios is also ramping up its scripted television division, having set up two premium dramas arising from their previous first-look deal with Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip), including the adult thriller Savannah with PKM Productions for Amazon Studios; and is developing an English-language adaptation of the critically acclaimed Israeli HOT comedy, Nehama, among other projects.