Documentary trends are difficult to nail down as the sheer proliferation of content keeps the subject matter broad, but a mini-trend seems to be emerging in ought-8’s documentary slate.  A number of recent pics are focusing on the addictions, habits, and casual self-destruction or escapism that accompany modern life.  Documentary’s revenge on fiction or an answer to the age of ‘truthiness’?

Recently acquired by Magnolia Pictures, Bigger Stronger Faster, a standout doc at this year’s Sundance, takes a hard and honest look at steroid use in the steroid nation.

And two upcoming documentaries at SXSW (which stars this Friday) Second Skin and Super High Me, take a look at, respectively, massively multiplayer online games and marijuana use.

All of these films are not interested in judgment or cautionary tales as much as they are invested in looking at real-world ramifications of “bad behavior.” What is coming across in the films is that every day in every way, people are looking for some way to check out of reality.

Film fan bloggers are up in arms all over the information superhighway over the recent announcement that Sony Pictures Classics has purchased distribution rights to Sundance fest favorite The Wackness. The film features unlikely cast-mates Ben Kingsley and Mary-Kate Olsen (we were all wondering when these crazy kids would finally get together), in a dark comedy about getting high and getting therapy.

The Specialty Film Division for Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Classics is taking a blog-beating for its film’s poor box office showings, moving too slow to go into wide release, and just generally not being hip enough to handle the promotion of non-mainstream films in the manner that Fox Searchlight and Focus Features have come to excel at. 

Well, I may be sent to Hell for it, but I am going to defend SPC on this one.

Just in case you missed the brouhaha (thanks to Cinematical for the summary):
Neil Miller (Film School Rejects)
Peter Sciretta (Slashfilm)
Alex Billington (First Showing)
Edward Douglas (ComingSoon.net)
Josh Tyler (Cinema Blend)

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"Indie Film Distributor Spotlight: Sony Pictures Classics deserves an Indie Spirit Award. Really."

The Sundance Film Festival, though firmly in its mid-twenties and suffering all the expected crises, is one of the world’s most important cinema venues. It’s been said that what plays well up in the mountains of Park City this year will be trickling into the Hollywood mainstream by the summer after next.  If this is true, the 2008 iteration of the festival leaves us with a lot to think about.  Here are 5 things to chew on as American movies face what is likely a pivotal year.

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"Sundance Film Festival 2008: Five Key Trends and Must-Knows for Indie Directors and Producers"

CAA? Creative Artists Agency?  The cabal of super-agents who changed the movie business in America in the 80s, introduced the ‘package deal’, drove up actor’s salaries, and have now, with their ceaseless expansion into sports and the far east, seem poised to take over the world?

Yes, CAA is so big, so ubiquitous, that, paradoxically, sometimes we don’t even bother to pay attention.

CAA’s Sundance Scorecard:

Hamlet 2 - CAA sold this one to Focus Entertainment for around $10 Million.  The big sale of the festival.

Choke - CAA managed to convince Fox Searchlight to put up $5 million for this adaptation of the Chuck Palahniuk novel.

Henry Poole is Here - CAA brokered this 3.5 million deal. Overture Films now owns the U.S. distribution rights.

American Teen - this documentary on a high school in Indiana was sold to Paramount Vantage after a long negotiation session.  Cinetic and CAA repped.  Deal is worth 1 million and includes all world rights excluding the UK.

Submarine Entertainment, found at the unassuming website submarine.com (home of a mysterious, lo fi, and little-bit-creepy splash page), are quickly becoming a Sundance mainstay, especially after previous successes as sales agents for Super-Size Me (2005) and Control Room (2004). Yet another New York producer’s rep company (though they also much more), twin brothers Josh and Dan Braun and former CAA agent Kevin Iwashina arrive at Sundance 2008 with an intriguing roster of documentaries and feature fiction including The Duplass Brothers comedy Baghead.

How are they doing so far?  Submarine Entertainments’ 2008 Sundance Scorecard:

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired Cinetic and Submarine Entertainment repped.  Sold to the Weinstein Company.

Kicking It Submarine repped for Worldwide Sales. Sold to ESPN.

The Black List Submarine brokered the deal (along with Arthouse Films). Sold to HBO.

Baghead - Josh Braun brokered a low six-figure deal with Sony Pictures Classics.

Cinetic Media is hardly an unknown around the Sundance Film Festival, but the majority of movie goers will be hard pressed to say they recognize the name or logo.  That’s because Cinetic Media occupies the nether realm of broker, a position they occupy so successfully that Defamer jokingly called them, three years ago, the Sundance Unseen Hand.

Now in 2008, things haven’t changed much, except perhaps Cinetic are much less ‘unseen’.  The Hollywood Reporter ranked legendary lawyer/producer/sales agent and Cinetic Founder John Sloss and his partner, former CAA top agent Bart Walker, number 21 in their list of the 50 most powerful indie related execs. At Sundance, Cinetic is well known for their annual party...and for having an uncanny knack for being close to all the best deals.

Cinetic Sundance 2008 Scorecard (so far):

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired Cinetic and Submarine Entertainment repped the deal.

UPDATE (23 Jan): American Teen: this documentary on a high school in Indiana was sold to Paramount Vantage after a long negotiation session.  Cinetic and CAA repped.  Deal is worth 1 million and includes all world rights excluding the UK.

Just passed the half way point in the festival, and sales at Sundance 2008 have been a bit disappointing.  Though commentators last week were predicting loose purse-strings in Park City in response to the threat of a prolonged writers’ strike (fears mitigated last Thursday by the DGA’s deal-making), the perceived over-spending of last year has so far resulted in a more conservative buyer’s marketplace.

What’s the deal so far? Kudos to considerate and writerly spout.com blogger Karina Longworth for providing this Sundance 2008 Scorecard.  The 2008 list of sold films is notable, so far, for the preponderance of documentaries.

Here’s the link: Sundance 2008 Deals

HBO, Weinstein, United Artists, ESPN(!) – the usual suspects.  But what about the others?  Throughout the rest of the week, we’ll be profiling some of the lesser known Sundance deal makers.  Stay tuned.

The National Film Board of Canada is schlepping an excellent slate of films to Park City this week including the absolutely gorgeous short animated film Madame Tutli-Putli. This hand crafted stunner was licensed at MIPCOM '08 to Canal + France, ARTE, and Switzerland's TSR. Already a winner at last year's Cannes Film Festival, this crowd favourite is sure to bring attention to the many other worthy NFB produced films playing this year at Sundance. These films, created with pure passion and commitment, represent some of the finest results socially conscious government funded arts can produce.

Take a look at this clip of Madame to get the cinephilic juices flowing, and check out some of the great coverage of Sundance 2008.




Madame Tutli-Putli - Distributed by The National Film Board of Canada


NEWS FLASH: The National Film Board of Canada's UP THE YANGTZE is the official first sale at Sundance 2008. It was acquired by Zeitgeist, for release in April.