WORLDVIEW ENTERTAINMENT
ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO
MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS’S “THE SEARCH”
STARRING BÉRÉNICE BEJO AND ANNETTE BENING
Filming is underway, Wild Bunch commencing foreign sales at AFM
November 6, 2013 (Los Angeles, CA) — Worldview Entertainment has closed a deal for the North American distribution rights for Academy Award winner Michel Hazanavicius’s drama, “The Search,” starring Academy Award nominees Bérénice Bejo and Annette Bening. Hazanavicius wrote the screenplay and is reuniting with Academy Award winning producer Thomas Langmann, and his award winning production team from “The Artist.” Worldview’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E. Johnson will executive produce. “The Search” is the second acquisition for Worldview this year following the pre-Cannes pick-up of the competition title, “Jimmy P.,” starring Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, which was later sold to IFC Films.
“The Search” is the story of an NGO worker who forms a special relationship with a young boy in warn-torn Chechnya and is based on Academy Award winner Fred Zinnemann’s Oscar-winning 1948 film, with the same title, which is set in post-World War II Berlin. The production is currently filming in the country of Georgia before moving to France. Wild Bunch is handling international sales and is introducing to the film to buyers at AFM. CAA represented Worldview on the acquisition.
“Worldview is thrilled to partner with Michel and Thomas as they reunite after their Oscar-winning success with “The Artist.” This film is a daring and heart-wrenching story and we believe it will be masterfully executed,” said Worldview CEO, Christopher Woodrow.
Leading up to AFM, Worldview Entertainment announced plans to finance and produce the crime thriller, “Candy Store,” starring Robert De Niro, Jason Clarke and Omar Sy, which Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan will direct; Takashi Miike’s crime thriller, “The Outsider,” starring Tom Hardy; “Term Life” for Universal Pictures, directed by Peter Billingsley and starring Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld; and Kim Farrant’s thriller, “Strangerland,” starring Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving.
Worldview’s impressive 2013 slate includes two studio co-financing deals: Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu’s comedy, “Birdman,” with Fox Searchlight and New Regency, starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis and Academy Award nominee Edward Norton; and Daniel Espinosa’s crime thriller, “Child 44,” with Summit/Lionsgate, starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Academy Award nominee and Gary Oldman. The company also financed and produced Kate Barker Froyland’s drama, “Song One” starring Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway which just wrapped; Zach Braff’s drama, ‘Wish I Was Here,” starring Braff and Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson; will be reteaming this fall with David Gordon Green on the drama “Manglehorn,” starring Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Holly Hunter; and the horror thriller, “Beyond the Green Inferno,” the sequel to Eli Roth’s, “The Green Inferno,” which will be directed by Nicolas Lopez;
Worldview had six films premiere on the festival circuit this fall: Academy Award nominee Atom Egoyan’s crime thriller, “Devil’s Knot,” starring Academy Award winners Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon, which was acquired by Image Entertainment; Eli Roth’s horror thriller, “The Green Inferno,” which was acquired by Open Road Films; David Gordon Green’s drama, “Joe,” starring Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan; Ti West’s thriller, “The Sacrament,” which was acquired by Magnolia Pictures; Guillaume Canet’s crime thriller, “Blood Ties,” starring Academy Award nominee Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana and Academy Award nominee James Caan which Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions acquired; and Jehane Noujaim’s Egyptian revolution documentary, “The Square,” which recently opened theatrically.
About Worldview Entertainment
Worldview Entertainment is a leading independent motion picture studio that finances, produces and acquires theatrical quality feature films with budgets up to $50 million for worldwide distribution. The company is backed by a strong capitalization and represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Worldview was founded in 2007 and is based in New York City.
