Shawn Christensen‘s “Before I Disappear” has been picked up by IFC Films for North American distribution, the company announced Tuesday.
The film, which stars Christensen, Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum and Paul Wesley (“The Vampire Diaries”), will have its international premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in the Venice Days sidebar and will be released in the U.S. in November 2014. It had its world premiere at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
Based on the 2013 Academy Award-winning short film “Curfew,” the feature follows Richie (Christensen) who, at the lowest point in his life, receives a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his 11-year old niece Sophia (Ptacek) for the evening.
“‘Curfew’ was only a glimpse at Shawn’s incredible talent, and we cannot wait to bring his fully realized vision to audiences nationwide,” Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said. “‘Before I Disappear’ marks an amazing feature directorial debut.”
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The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, senior vice president of acquisitions and productions and Sean Berney, manager of acquisitions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers.
IFC Films is a sister label to IFC Midnight and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.