“Nine Days,” starring Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz and Bill Skarsgard, has been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last month, the distributor announced Friday.
Directed by Edson Oda, “Nine Days” takes place in a house, distant from the reality we know, and centers on a reclusive man named Will (Duke) who interviews prospective candidates Emma (Beetz), Kane (Skarsgård), Kyo (Benedict Wong), and Mike (David Rysdahl), who are each personifications of human souls, for the privilege that he once had: to be born in the real world. The others however, will cease to exist.
Oda also wrote the screenplay. Arianna Ortiz also co-stars.
SPC took North American rights, along with Latin America, Eastern Europe, Middle East, India, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, South Africa, Benelux, and Thailand and on all airlines worldwide.
The film is a co-production between Juniper Productions, Mandalay Pictures, Nowhere, MACRO Media, and The Space Program, in association with Mansa Productions, Oak Street Pictures, 30WEST, Baked Studios and Datari Turner Productions. The film premiered last month at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.
The project is produced by Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall of Nowhere, Matthew Lindner of Juniper Productions and Datari Turner. Executive producers are Charles D. King, Kim Roth, Gus Deardoff, Kellon Akeem, Yandy Smith, Renée Frigo, Beth Hubbard, Trevor Groth, Winston Duke, Caroline Connor, Will Raynor, Mark C. Stevens, Mark G. Mathis, Kwesi Collisson, Larry Weinberg, George A. Loucas, Michelle Craig, and Piero Frescobaldi.
“Nine Days is one of those rare movies that will have a long life and stand the test of time,” Sony Pictures Classics said in a statement. “It’s about alternate realities–Black Mirror on the big screen, with touches of Wings of Desire and The Matrix. It offers surprises galore and marks the birth of a major filmmaker. We are excited to be introducing ‘Nine Days’ to audiences around the world.”
“I grew up watching and admiring countless Sony Pictures Classics’ movies,” Oda said in a statement. “So many of their films–and the filmmakers they supported–ignited my passion for cinema and also propelled me to become a filmmaker. I’m so happy, humbled and honored to be working with them and can’t wait to share ‘Nine Days’ with the world.”
“It’s a dream come true to have made a film that Tom, Michael and Dylan love and want to give a theatrical release. Their sincere passion for ‘Nine Days’ has been infectious and, in handing over our film, we can think of no better partners than Sony Pictures Classics,” the producers Berman, Kongsved, Lindner, Tunstall, and Turner said in a statement.
The deal was negotiated by Larry Weinberg of Mandalay Pictures, and 30WEST and CAA Media Finance who are co-repping North American rights on behalf of the filmmakers.
Sony Pictures Classics ultimately had a busy Sundance, as the distributor is releasing “Charm City Kings” this spring and also acquired “The Father” starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman, the international documentary “The Truffle Hunters” and the drama “I Carry You With Me.”
THR first reported the news.