Weinsteins’ Get Rights Out of the Blue

The Weinstein Company and IFC Entertainment have co-acquired all North American rights to the controversial drama Out of the Blue which will be released though IFC’s First Take day and date banner and hit theatres simultaneously with VOD. The Weinstein Company will be releasing the film on DVD through Genius Products. The joint announcement was made today by Michelle Krumm, Executive Vice President of Acquisitions for The Weinstein Company and Jonathan Sehring, IFC Entertainment President.

Tim White and Steven O’Meagher produced the film that was financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air, TV3 and Dendy Films. Out of the Blue is a Southern Light and Desert Road Films production AND premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival.

Written by Graeme Tetley with director Robert Sarkies, Out of the Blue is the true story of David Gray who, on November 13, 1990, shot and killed over a dozen townspeople in his hometown Aramoana, a quiet and tight knit community on New Zealand’s South Island. It starsMatt Sunderland and Karl Urban and was shot on location earlier this year in New Zealand’s Otago region.

“This is one of the eeriest and most riveting films I have seen and is definitely a stand out that will have people on the edge of their seats in front of both big and small screens across the states,” stated Jonathan Sehring.

Robert Sarkies commented, “To achieve US distribution with two such prestigious companies shows the film has universal themes that go beyond mere depiction of a dark page in our history. I’m honored to be able to bring this moving true story to a North American audience.”

The Weinstein Company purchased the rights from NZ Film. Michelle Krumm brought the project to The Weinstein Company. Genna Terranova, Vice President of Acquisitions and Eileen Rodriguez, Director of Acquisitions, negotiated the deal on behalf of The Weinstein Company. Kathleen Drumm, Head of Sales and Marketing and James Thompson, Business Affairs Executive, negotiated on behalf of NZ Film. Arianna Bocco negotiated on behalf of IFC.