Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired North American rights to Richard Shepard’s documentary "I Knew It Was You" for an undisclosed sum, the company announced on Tuesday.
The documentary explores the life of "Godfather" actor John Cazale.
The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and aired on HBO June 1.
Oscilloscope will forgo a theatrical release for the movie, but will release it on DVD this fall.
Cazale’s film career consisted of just five movies, but all of them were Academy Award nominees for Best Picture: "The Godfather," "The Godfather: Part II," "The Conversation," "Dog Day Afternoon" and 'The Deer Hunter."
Best remembered for his portrayal of Michael Corleone's doomed and dim-witted brother Fredo, Cazale's promising career was cut short when he died of bone cancer in 1978.
Adam Yauch, head of Oscilloscope, referenced Cazale's most famous role in announcing the acquisition, saying, “Oscilloscope is the Fredo of independent film, so it’s an honor to put this film out.”
The documentary features interviews with actors and directors who knew or worked alongside Cazale such as Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, Robert De Niro, Richard Dreyfuss, Meryl Streep and Sidney Lumet, as well as a younger generation inspired by Cazale, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Brett Ratner.
It includes clips from Cazale’s movies and rarely seen photos and home video.
The film was produced by Ratner and Stacey Reiss.
