New York, NY – September 7, 2007 – IFC Entertainment announced today that it acquired the North American rights to Baltasar Kormakur's thriller Jar City. The film was recognized at the 2007 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it received the festival's top award, the Crystal Globe, and was a hit as official selection at Telluride. Jar City will be screened at this month's Toronto International Film Festival.
"It's easy to see why Jar City has been the most popular film in his country's history," said Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment. "It's one of the most riveting, exciting pieces of filmmaking to come out of Iceland while also commenting on the danger's of genetic research. We look forward to bringing it to an American audience."
Veteran filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur boasts an award winning career which includes Icelandic indie hit comedy 101 Reykjavik, award winning drama The Sea, and 2005's thriller A Little Trip to Heaven which starred academy award winner Forest Whitaker. His latest work Jar City, is an adaptation of one of Arnaldur Indrioason's best selling detective novel series and stars Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson, Agusta Eva Erlendsdottir and Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson. Producers of the film include Agnes Johansen, Kim Magnusson and Lilja Palmadottir. Dominating the Edda Awards last year, (Iceland's annual Film and Television Awards) Jar City took home five of the prestigious Icelandic trophies including director of the year, feature film of the year, actor of the year, best sound or music, and supporting actor of the year.
A thriller set in the beautiful landscapes of contemporary Iceland, Jar City follows Erlunder (Ingvar Sigurdsson) as he investigates what at first seems to be the pointless murder of an old retiree. Erlunder and his quirky assistants gradually uncover a crime, stretching back 30 years, that has had a slow corrupting impact on the lives of disparate individuals from the highs and lows of society. Together, they uncover secrets with clues that relate to the genetic bloodline of an entire country. Kormakur's film is one part gruesome forensic thriller, one part Zolaesque study of the social roots of crime and one part character study.
Arianna Bocco, Vice President of Acquisitions and Production and Lizzie Nastro, Director of Acquisitions and Production negotiated the acquisition of the film on behalf of IFC. Trust Films and ICM co-represented North American rights on the project. Sales Executive Natja Noviani Rosner negotiated on behalf of Trust Films, which represents worldwide sales. ICM also represents Kormakur.
About IFC Entertainment
IFC Entertainment consists of IFC Films, a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters; IFC First Take and IFC In Theaters, the operations that together make up IFC Entertainment's theatrical and on-demand day and date initiative; IFC Productions, a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects; the IFC Center, an art house in NYC and IFC Films on Demand, video-on-demand offerings.
IFC Entertainment is in the Toronto International Film Festival this year with eight films including 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS which won the Palme d'or in Cannes and recently won the FIPRESCI for BEST Film of the Year from the International Film Critics; Gus Van Sant's Cannes award winner PARANOID PARK; Harmony Korine's MISTER LONELY; Hou Hsiao hsien's FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON starring Juliette Binoche; Christophe Honore's French hit LOVE SONGS; Catherine Breillat's THE LAST MISTRESS starring Asia Argento and Jacques Rivette's THE DUCHESS OF LANGEAIS. Recent successes include Patrice Lecontes's MY BEST FRIEND, Susanne Bier's AFTER THE WEDDING, Ken Loach's Palme d'Or winner THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY and the current release DEEP WATER.
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, Rainbow Sports Networks managed FSN Bay Area and FSN New England, 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 First Take/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.