June 3, 2004 – IFC Films has acquired North American distribution rights for Dana Brown's homage to off-road racing's premiere event Baja 1000 titled Dust to Glory. The deal was completed at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival and was announced today by IFC President of Entertainment, Jonathan Sehring.
"Given the record-breaking success of Touching the Void, we felt Dana's film would be a great fit for IFC, especially since Step into Liquid, his first film, has become the definitive film on surfing," commented Sehring.
Often referred to as "the most famous race that no one has ever seen," Dust to Glory, re-teams Step Into Liquid producers C. Rich Wilson and Scott Waugh of Bronwa Pictures with Producer and Baja champion, Mike McCoy to help Dana capture the legendary Baja 1000 on film. The sprawling ambitious film used more than 50 cameras, 4 helicopters, a four passenger race buggy camera car and a crew of over 80 to film the longest continuous point-to-point race in the world, which takes place in the perilous desert of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. Also contributing to Dust to Glory is SCORE helmsman Sal Fish, Director of Photography, Kevin Ward, and Associate Producer Marty Fiolka.
"We were impressed with how IFC handled Touching the Void, and the raw enthusiasm they expressed for the subject matter of Dust to Glory" said Director Dana Brown, "which is as important to us as it is to the people committed to this incredible sport".
In addition to more than 200 hours of footage from the 2003 Baja 1000, Dust to Glory also features archival footage from the inaugural off-road race 36 years ago, which attracted such luminaries as Steve McQueen and James Garner. The footage was supplied by Bruce Brown, the famed director of Endless Summer and On any Sunday, who is part of the production team and the filmmaker's father.
The deal was negotiated for IFC Films by Director of Acquisitions, Sarah Lash. Greg Johnson and Peter Newman of Gotham Sales negotiated on behalf of the filmmaker. Legal representation on behalf of BronWa Pictures was provided by Chris Husband of Bear, Abrahamson, & Kaller.
For more information on the film or to view the trailer, visit: www.d2gfilm.com.
IFC Entertainment
IFC Films is a leading theatrical film distribution company bringing the best of independent and specialized films to theaters. Releasing approximately 10 films per year, IFC Films builds its slate of titles from an aggressive acquisitions program and selected in-house productions. Recent IFC Films include; Touching the Void which recently broke box office records to become among the top ten grossing documentaries of all time, 2003 Oscar®-nominated My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mamà También, Richard LaGravenese and the late Ted Demme's documentary A Decade Under the Influence, Intermission, The Saddest Music in the World, Camp, Kitchen Stories and Casa De Los Babys. It was recently announced that IFC Films is co-distributing Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.