IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Peter Sattler’s directorial debut “Camp X-Ray,” which stars Kristen Stewart as a Guantanamo Bay guard, the company announced Thursday.
Sattler also wrote the film, which was produced by Gina Kwon and executive produced by Emmy Ellison, Lindsay Williams, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, David Gordon Green and Sophia Lin.
Payman Maadi and Lane Garrison co-star in the movie, which premiered in competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Stewart plays a young woman who joins the military to be part of something bigger than herself and her small town roots, but ends up as a rookie guard at Guantanamo Bay. Her mission is far from black and white, as she is surrounded by hostile jihadists and aggressive male squadmates. When she strikes up an unusual friendship with one of the detainees (Maadi), both of their worlds are forever shifted.
“Peter Sattler has made a stirring, sensitive and thought-provoking film that features two powerhouse performances by Payman Maadi and Kristen Stewart,” said Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films. “Maadi proves once again that he is a force to be reckoned with and Stewart undoubtedly gives the best and most moving performance of her already remarkable career.”
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The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, SVP of acquisitions and productions at Sundance Selects/IFC Films, with UTA Independent Film Group and André Des Rochers of Gray Krauss Stratford Sandler Des Rochers LLP on behalf of the filmmakers.
IFC Films also acquired two other films at Sundance this year — Jim Mickle’s “Cold in July” starring Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson and Vinessa Shaw; and John Slattery’s directorial debut “God’s Pocket” starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks, and John Turturro.
IFC Films also showcased the world premiere of Michael Winterbottom’s “The Trip to Italy” starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and held a special screening of Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” which stars Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater. The film chronicles one family’s journey over the course of twelve years.
IFC Films’ sister label IFC Midnight also acquired Jennifer Kent’s psychological horror film “The Babadook” starring Essie Davis, which premiered in the festival’s Midnight section.