By Monday evening in Park City studios and streamers were understood to be in hot pursuit of the Alison Brie-Dave Franco body horror Together , by far the most broadly appealing acquisitions target in what Sundance buyers agree has otherwise been a desert of commercial prospects. Buyers including Apple, A24, Focus Features, Amazon, and Searchlight Pictures are among those who were either in attendance at the premiere or who have since seen it.
Real-life item Alison Brie and Dave Franco play a fragile, sexless couple who make an ill-fated move to the countryside for her job, only to get sucked into in an outlandishly horrific predicament that brings them back together in a way they could scarcely have imagined.
WME Independent handles worldwide sales. Other fiction features without distribution have impressed over the first five days, despite the preponderance for bleak stories that some observers say has set a rather sullen table for the US acquisitions space in the months ahead.
With sales activity taking its usual sweet time to kick into action, industry sources agreed that after the first weekend Sundance had thrown up fiction features with name cast that are likely to figure in conversations in the coming days and weeks. There have been worthwhile discoveries, too, which would appear to paint a promising picture at least of the creative health of the independent community.
The hope is that financiers take notice and form meaningful ties with emerging talent. Dramatic Competition, based on his Sundance short selection, about a year-old fresh out of prison who must learn how to handle his new adult independence. The early word from Park City among acquisitions and other industry executives is that Frett and his lead Stephan James are names to remember. Screen International is the essential resource for the international film industry.
