NEW YORK, NY (August 5, 2014) – IFC Films announced today that the company is acquiring North American rights to Shawn Christensen’s BEFORE I DISAPPEAR. The screenplay is written by Christensen, who appears alongside Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley, Richard Schiff and Ron Perlman. The film was produced by Damon Russell, Lucan Toh, Christensen, Wesley and Terry Leonard, and executive produced by Christopher Eoyang, Nick Harbinson, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo. BEFORE I DISAPPEAR had its world premiere at the 2014 South By Southwest Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
The film will have its International premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in the Venice Days sidebar and will be released in the US in November 2014.
Based on the 2013 Academy Award-winning short film “Curfew,” BEFORE I DISAPPEAR follows Richie who, at the lowest point in his life, receives a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his eleven-year old niece for the evening.
Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: “‘Curfew’ was only a glimpse at Shawn’s incredible talent, and we cannot wait to bring his fully realized vision to audiences nationwide. BEFORE I DISAPPEAR marks an amazing feature directorial debut.”
Lucan Toh, of Wigwam Films, added: “Working with Shawn and watching his screenplay take shape into such a poignant and well-crafted feature has been a tremendous experience. We are delighted to be working with IFC Films to bring the film to audiences across North America.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions and Sean Berney, Manager of Acquisitions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers.
IFC Films is a sister label to IFC Midnight and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
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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 quality talent-driven independent film. Some of the company’s successes over the years have included MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, TOUCHING THE VOID, GOMORRAH, CHE, SUMMER HOURS, IN THE LOOP, ANTICHRIST, WORDPLAY, CAIRO TIME, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, TINY FURNITURE, YOUR SISTER’S SISTER, CARLOS, THE TRIP, SLEEPWALK WITH ME, FRANCES HA, THE CANYONS, AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS and CRYSTAL FAIRY. Recent and upcoming IFC Films titles include Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke and Lorelei Linklater; and Michael Winterbottom’s THE TRIP TO ITALY starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. IFC Films is a sister label to Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.