Tribeca has not traditionally been known for much of a marketplace. Yet, amidst the majority of films entering Tribeca without distribution, a few
lucky have already been snatched up.
Early in the fest, ESPN Films bought the right for the doc “The Lost Son of Havana,” directed by Queens-native Jonathan Hock. With the Farrelly brothers as backers and exec producers, and Chris Cooper as narrator, the film tells the story of baseball pitcher Luis Tiant (Boston Red Sex, Cleveland Indians) returning home to Cuba and witnessing the immense transformations his country has undergone.
HBO claimed TV rights to “Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi,” a documentary about the 24-year-old Afghani “fixer” translator who was kidnapped and killed by the Taliban in 2007. The film is set to premiere in August.
This past Sunday, First Run Features picked up “Defamation,” a doc exploring current issues of anti-Semitism and identity crises in and around the Jewish community.
Meanwhile,
companies are vying for “Eclipse,” Tony-nominated writer/director
Conor McPherson’s drama starring Ciaran Hinds, Iben Hjejle and Aidan Quinn.
Submarine Entertainment, Lionsgate, Magnolia and Roadside are allegedly in a
cash battle for the film’s rights, which could mark Tribeca’s biggest sale in
four years. Recession? Movie companies–even "indie" ones—don't stop for a silly little recession.
