Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jan 29, 2017 17:05:15 GMT -6
variety.com/2017/film/markets-festivals/beach-rats-sundance-1201972566/
Sundance: Neon Nabs ‘Beach Rats,’ Drama About Gay Teenager
Neon has nabbed “Beach Rats,” a drama about a Brooklyn teenager’s struggles to come to grips with being gay, following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
It’s the third purchase for the indie label out of the festival. Earlier, Neon picked up rights to “Ingrid Goes West,” an Audrey Plaza comedy, and “Roxanne Roxanne,”a hip hop drama. It also nearly snagged “Patti Cake$,” ultimately losing out on the buzzy rap dramedy after the filmmakers decided to accept Fox Searchlight’s lower offer.
Set in Northern Italy in the summer of 1983, Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of André Aciman’s 2007 novel is a quietly intoxicating sun-dappled romantic idyll that’s as leisurely yet deliberate as an Eric Rohmer film. It unfolds spontaneously, yet each action — a debate over linguistics, the savoring of fresh apricot juice, a stolen kiss — is suffused with a weighted sensuality. It's a quality that emerges right out of the heightened adolescent consciousness of Elio (Timothée Chalamant), a precocious 17-year-old Italian-American who finds himself falling for Oliver (Armie Hammer), the doctoral student who has moved into his family’s vacation villa to assist the boy’s professor father (Michael Stuhlbarg). Hammer, looking like an all-American god, acts with a cunning, close-to-the-vest authority reminiscent of Jon Hamm on "Mad Men," and the film’s vision of gay love is at once liberated and furtive, blissed-out and cut with a sweet ache of nostalgic yearning. -Owen Gleiberman
Sundance: 13 Biggest Breakout Performances
Neon is a new player on the indie scene. It was founded by Alamo Drafthouse creator Tim League and former Radius-TWC chief Tom Quinn. The company wants to release as many as 10 films a year.
“Beach Rats” earned strong reviews for its moody look at a pre-gentrified slice of Brooklyn. It also attracted raves for newcomer Harris Dickinson’s feature film debut. He plays Frankie, who spends his evenings searching the internet for men to have sex with, and his days hanging out with some neighborhood delinquents. “Beach Rats” was written and directed by Eliza Hittman. She won the directing award at this year’s Sundance.
Financial terms of the “Beach Rats” sale were not disclosed. UTA Independent Film Group negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.
Sundance: Neon Nabs ‘Beach Rats,’ Drama About Gay Teenager
Neon has nabbed “Beach Rats,” a drama about a Brooklyn teenager’s struggles to come to grips with being gay, following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
It’s the third purchase for the indie label out of the festival. Earlier, Neon picked up rights to “Ingrid Goes West,” an Audrey Plaza comedy, and “Roxanne Roxanne,”a hip hop drama. It also nearly snagged “Patti Cake$,” ultimately losing out on the buzzy rap dramedy after the filmmakers decided to accept Fox Searchlight’s lower offer.
Set in Northern Italy in the summer of 1983, Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of André Aciman’s 2007 novel is a quietly intoxicating sun-dappled romantic idyll that’s as leisurely yet deliberate as an Eric Rohmer film. It unfolds spontaneously, yet each action — a debate over linguistics, the savoring of fresh apricot juice, a stolen kiss — is suffused with a weighted sensuality. It's a quality that emerges right out of the heightened adolescent consciousness of Elio (Timothée Chalamant), a precocious 17-year-old Italian-American who finds himself falling for Oliver (Armie Hammer), the doctoral student who has moved into his family’s vacation villa to assist the boy’s professor father (Michael Stuhlbarg). Hammer, looking like an all-American god, acts with a cunning, close-to-the-vest authority reminiscent of Jon Hamm on "Mad Men," and the film’s vision of gay love is at once liberated and furtive, blissed-out and cut with a sweet ache of nostalgic yearning. -Owen Gleiberman
Sundance: 13 Biggest Breakout Performances
Neon is a new player on the indie scene. It was founded by Alamo Drafthouse creator Tim League and former Radius-TWC chief Tom Quinn. The company wants to release as many as 10 films a year.
“Beach Rats” earned strong reviews for its moody look at a pre-gentrified slice of Brooklyn. It also attracted raves for newcomer Harris Dickinson’s feature film debut. He plays Frankie, who spends his evenings searching the internet for men to have sex with, and his days hanging out with some neighborhood delinquents. “Beach Rats” was written and directed by Eliza Hittman. She won the directing award at this year’s Sundance.
Financial terms of the “Beach Rats” sale were not disclosed. UTA Independent Film Group negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.