The Weinstein Company announced Wednesday that it has acquired North American distribution rights to "This Must Be the Place," a dramatic thriller starring Sean Penn and directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
The Italian/French/Irish co-production — jointly made by Lucky Red, Indigo Film and Medusa Film — premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
It stars Penn as an aging rock star who sets out to find his father's executioner, an ex-Nazi war criminal who is a refugee in the U.S.
Frances McDormand and Judd Hirsch co-star.
The complete Weinstein release is below:
TWC PICKS UP SEAN PENN STARRER THIS MUST BE THE PLACE BY AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER PAOLO SORRENTINO
Acquires All Rights For North America
New York, NY, September 21, 2011 – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that it has acquired from the producers Lucky Red, Indigo Film and Medusa Film all rights to THIS MUST BE THE PLACE for North America. The Italian/French/Irish co-production from award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino (IL DIVO, THE CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE) premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as part of the official selection.
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE, starring Sean Penn and written by Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello, tells the story of an aging rock star on a journey of self-discovery. The film is produced by Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima for Indigo Film, Andrea Occhipinti for Lucky Red and Medusa Film in co-production with ARP in France and Element Pictures in Ireland in association with Pathè International, Italian leading banking group Banca Intesa and the support of Eurimages and the Irish Film Board.
“I'm thrilled to be working with Harvey. He has a very deep appreciation of the film and a clear vision for its release, and he loves to come to Rome,” said Sorrentino.
Said TWC COO David Glasser, “We couldn’t be happier to be working with such a talented team of filmmakers. THIS MUST BE THE PLACE is cinematic artistry at its finest and we are very glad it’s found its home with TWC.”
TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein commented, “Sorrentino is a true auteur. We were gripped by his film and are excited to share it with American audiences. Sean proves once again that he is one of the finest actors of our time.”
The deal was negotiated for TWC by COO, David Glasser and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Business Affairs, Michal Podell Steinberg; and for the filmmakers by Rich Klubeck and Jim Meenaghan at United Talent Agency and attorney Iddo Arad, from Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.
