Tribeca Film has acquired US rights to The Bang Bang Club, a gripping drama based on the incredible lives of a group of young photojournalists whose graphic images drew the world’s attention to South Africa during the last stages of apartheid while enduring the stresses, tensions, and moral dilemmas of working in situations of extreme conflict.
The Bang Bang Club was the name given to four young photographers, Greg Marinovich, Kevin Carter, Ken Oosterbroek and Joao Silva, whose photographs captured the final bloody days of white rule in South Africa and the final demise of apartheid. The film, based on the page-turning book of the same name, tells the remarkable and sometimes harrowing story of these young men – and the extraordinary extremes they went to in order to capture their pictures. The film stars Ryan Phillippe (Stop-Loss), Malin Akerman (Watchmen), Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights), Neels Van Jaarsveld and Frank Rautenbach.
The character-driven drama, written and directed by Steven Silver (The Diameter of a Bomb), had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is a Foundry Films/Out of Africa production from producers Daniel Iron, Lance Samuels and Adam Friedlander.
Tribeca Film will release it theatrically in the second quarter of 2011, as well as on video-on-demand, and other platforms.
“The Bang Bang Club takes you deep inside the final days of apartheid, showing you everything these photographers went through in order to show the world what was unfolding there,” said Nick Savva, Director, Acquisitions for Tribeca Film. “The entire cast delivers compelling performances and the experience of watching the film is unforgettable. Tribeca Film is proud to be able to introduce US audiences to this film.”
“Tribeca Film will be able to champion The Bang Bang Club in truly unique ways,” said Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “We will offer audiences a range of avenues through which they can discover this extraordinary and effective work. Along with our partners at American Express, we look forward to working with Entertainment One, Steven Silver and his producing team to maximize the potential for this film.”
“Entertainment One has been intimately involved and a firm believer in this film since its earliest days,” said Charlotte Mickie, EVP, Entertainment One Films International. “This project has been a 10-year labor of love for Steven Silver and everyone involved in the project, notably the stellar cast, was infected by the passion he brought to this film. We’re thrilled that audiences across the U.S. will have the opportunity to get caught up in this moving drama.”
“I could not be happier that Tribeca has come aboard,” said Silver. “The film, the story, and the real people whose experiences we share, are very important to me. Tribeca gets the film, they get us – we are in great hands and I am excited about what they can do to bring the film to U.S. audiences.”
“Both Lance Samuels and I are delighted to have Tribeca as our new partner in our film,” said Iron. “Their commitment to the film’s release is wholly evident to us and we are proud to be working with them.”
The deal was negotiated by Adam Sloan, EVP, Tribeca Enterprises and Randy Manis, Tribeca Film’s acquisitions consultant, with Daniel Iron from Foundry Films and Charlotte Mickie from eOne, the film’s international sales agent.
source: Tribeca Film