Sony Pictures Classics announced that they have acquired the rights in North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand to Take Shelter. The film is written and directed by Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories) and stars Academy Award® nominee Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon and Kathy Baker. The film is in dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

Take Shelter is produced by Tyler Davidson under his Strange Matter Films banner, and Sophia Lin, and executive produced by Sarah Green, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Colin Strause, Greg Strause, Richard Rothfeld, Chris Perot, and Christos Konstantakopoulos. CAA, which reps Nichols, Shannon, Chastain, Whigham, and the Strause brothers, set up the film’s financing and brokered the deal with Sony Pictures Classics.

Take Shelter is a haunting tale that will creep under your skin and expose your darkest fears. Curtis LaForche (Shannon) lives in a small town in Ohio with his wife, Samantha (Chastain), and daughter, Hannah, a six-year-old deaf girl. When Curtis begins to have terrifying dreams, he keeps the visions to himself, channeling his anxiety into obsessively building a storm shelter in his backyard. His seemingly inexplicable behavior concerns and confounds those closest to him, but the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within his community can’t compare with Curtis’s privately held fear of what his dreams may truly signify.

“This film promises to be ‘a can’t miss’ in the marketplace. With ‘Shotgun Stories,’ Jeff Nichols instantly became a major independent filmmaker. His screenplay for ‘Take Shelter’ is emotional, deep and timely. Michael Shannon is one of America’s great actors and Sarah Green is one of the finest producers we’ve worked with. We are also excited about collaborating with producers Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin and our good friend Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and look forward to bringing the film to American audiences,” states Sony Pictures Classics.

[ via press release ]