New York, NY – February 11, 2008 – IFC Entertainment announced today that it acquired all North American rights to Terry Kinney's evocative comedy Diminished Capacity, which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The announcement, made by IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring, comes on the heels of IFC's recent acquisition of Lance Hammer's Ballast, which also debuted at the Festival.
"Terry is such a respected and multitalented artist whose work throughout the years on stage and on screen has entertained and inspired critics and audiences alike," said Sehring. "Diminished Capacity combines an all-star cast whose comedic timing and sympathetic characters create the perfect formula for a unique cinematic experience."
Director Terry Kinney who, alongside Gary Sinise and Jeff Perry, co-founded Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, directed A Streetcar Named Desire, A Clockwork Orange, and Streamers. Kinney's Broadway credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which won the Tony Award for best revival. In addition to his writing and directing credits, Kinney is an established actor having appeared in several plays, including Balm in Gilead, Orphans, Buried Child, and The Grapes of Wrath, for which he received a Tony nomination. Kinney's film appearances include Save the Last Dance, Sleepers, Fly Away Home, and The Last of the Mohicans.
"I am pleased and enthusiastic to collaborate with IFC, a company that embodies the meaning of independent filmmaking, and a great supporter of artists from the outset," said Kinney.
Based on a novel by Sherwood Kiraly, who is also the film's screenwriter, Kinney's Diminished Capacity stars Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda and Virginia Madsen. The film is produced by Celine Rattray, Galt Niederhoffer, and Daniela Tapling Lundberg from Plum Pictures along with Tim Evans.
Diminished Capacity follows Cooper (Matthew Broderick), a Chicago newspaper editor who is demoted from the politics pages to the comics after a concussion leaves him unfocused, with short-term memory loss. He travels home to Missouri to visit his aging Uncle Rollie (Alan Alda), who, on the verge of losing his home and exhibiting signs of senility, spends his time stubbornly refusing to pay bills, compulsively drying socks, and sitting by the lake editing "fish poetry." But when Uncle Rollie shows Cooper a near-mint-condition Frank "Wildfire" Schulte baseball card, the two men – along with Cooper's high school sweetheart, Charlotte (Virginia Madsen) – drive back to Chicago hoping to sell the antique card at a memorabilia convention. Kinney's film is a bittersweet comedy about people coming together and memory falling apart, exploring the value of memories and who we are without them.
Arianna Bocco, Vice President of Acquisitions and Production negotiated the acquisition of the film with Sarah Lash from Cinetic who represented the filmmakers.
About Plum Pictures
Plum Pictures was formed in September 2003 by Celine Rattray, Galt Niederhoffer and Daniela Taplin. Since then, Plum has been extraordinarily prolific, bringing seven films to Sundance?including this year's Diminished Capacity, starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda, Virginia Madsen; and Birds of America, starring Matthew Perry, Ben Foster, Ginnifer Goodwin and Hilary Swank. In 2007, the all-woman team had three films at Sundance: Grace is Gone, directed by James C. Strouse and starring John Cusack; Dedication, directed by Justin Theroux and starring Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore; and Great World of Sound directed by Craig Zobel.
Plum's past credits include The Ground Truth: After The Killing Ends (2006), which was released by Focus Features, as well as Lonesome Jim (2005), directed by Steve Buscemi, starring Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler, and The Baxter (2004) starring Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Williams, and Justin Theroux, both released by IFC Films. Watching the Detectives, starring Lucy Liu and Cillian Murphy, will be released in 2008.
Plum has two films in post production: Bart Got a Room starring William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines; and Trucker starring Michelle Monaghan and Benjamin Bratt. Currently, Plum is in production on New York, I Love You, a project comprised of short films by a roster of directors that includes Anthony Minghella, Mira Nair, and Brett Ratner.
About IFC Entertainment
IFC Entertainment consists of IFC Films, a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent films to theaters and to the on-demand platform, day and date, reaching over 45 million subscribers. The company's brick and mortar home, The IFC Center, features state-of-the-art cinemas with luxurious seating and high-definition digital and 35mm projection, located in the heart of New York City's West Village.
Recent and upcoming IFC releases include: 2007 Palme d'Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days , which also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Film; Gus Van Sant's award winning Paranoid Park ; Harmony Korine's Mister Lonely; Hou Hsiao Hsien's Flight of the Red Balloon starring Juliette Binoche; and Catherine Breillat's The Last Mistress starring Asia Argento. Other critically acclaimed films include Patrice Lecontes's My Best Friend, Susanne Bier's academy award nominated After the Wedding and Ken Loach's 2006 Palme d'Or winner The Wind that Shakes the Barley .
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.