Park City, UT – January 25, 2012 – IFC Films announced today from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights to Josh Radnor’s LIBERAL ARTS. Radnor also wrote the screenplay, produced and stars in the film. In addition to Radnor, the film was produced by Jesse Hara and BCDF partners Brice Dal Farra, Claude Dal Farra, and Lauren Munsch, and it co-stars Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Academy Award nominee Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), four-time Emmy Award winner and five-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner Allison Janney (Juno, The Help), Elizabeth Reaser (The Family Stone, Twilight) and John Magaro (The Brave One). The film made its world premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on January 22nd. IFC plans to release the film theatrically later this year.
In the film, bookish and newly single Jesse Fisher (Radnor) returns to his alma mater for his favorite professor’s retirement dinner. A chance meeting with Zibby (Olsen) – a precocious classical music-loving sophomore – awakens in him long-dormant feelings of possibility and connection.
President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films Jonathan Sehring said, “There is a reason this is one of the hottest films at Sundance right now. Josh Radnor delivers a poignant and smart comedy, with incredible acting and a terrific screenplay. We are also very happy to be continuing our relationship with the great people at BCDF Pictures.”
BCDF states, “We have really enjoyed working with Josh Radnor and this incredible cast on Liberal Arts. IFC’s collaborative spirit and passion for the film makes them the perfect distributor. We are pleased to be continuing our relationship with Jonathan Sehring, Arianna Bocco, and the entire IFC team.” Producer Jesse Hara, Tom Sawyer Entertainment, adds, “Josh has crafted a beautiful film that is both moving and incredibly funny. As someone who grew up watching and loving IFC films, I am so excited to partner with them in bringing this movie to audiences."
BCDF Pictures has also produced Higher Ground (Sundance 2011), Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding (Toronto 2011), Bachelorette (Sundance 2012), and Predisposed (Sundance 2012). IFC Films recently acquired North American rights to distribute Bruce Beresford’s Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding, and will release the film this summer. The film stars Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Chace Crawford, and Elizabeth Olsen.
The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films, with Jay Cohen and Jen Dana at The Gersh Agency on behalf of the filmmakers.
Radnor previously wrote, directed, and starred in the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award–winning film happythankyoumoreplease. Radnor is best known for his starring role on the television program How I Met Your Mother. His theatre work includes The Graduate on Broadway, opposite Kathleen Turner and Alicia Silverstone.
IFC Films is a sister division to IFC Midnight and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
About IFC FILMS
Established in 2000 and based in New York City, IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of quality talent-driven 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) platform, reaching nearly 50 million homes. Some of the company’s successes over the years have included My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Touching the Void, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Gomorrah, Che, Summer Hours, In the Loop, Antichrist, Wordplay, Cairo Time, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, Tiny Furniture and Carlos. Over the years, IFC Films has worked with established and breakout auteurs, including Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Miranda July, Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noe, Todd Solondz, Cristian Mungiu, Susanne Bier, Olivier Assayas, Jim McKay, Larry Fessenden, Gregg Araki, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, as well as more recent breakouts such as Andrea Arnold, Mia Hansen Love, Corneliu Porombiou, Joe Swanberg, Barry Jenkins, Lena Dunham, Aaron Katz, Daryl Wein and Abdellatif Kechiche. IFC Films is a sister division to Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.