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Exclusive: The dealmaking has begun. Searchlight Pictures closed the first major deal on the ground at the Sundance Film Festival — $10 million for worldwide rights for A Real Pain, directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg. He stars with freshly minted Emmy-winning Succession star Kieran Culkin as mismatched cousins David and Benji. They reunite for a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother, but older tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family’s history. The film will get a big theatrical release later this year.

Pic also stars Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan (Beasts of No Nation), Liza Sadovy (A Small Light) and Daniel Oreskes (Only Murders in the Building), and it’s produced by Topic and Fruit Tree, with Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Ewa Puszczynska, Jennifer Semler, Eisenberg and Emma Stone all producing. The film, playing in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance, has been a buzz title...

Kris Bowers, Ben Proudfoot directed Telluride premiere.

Searchlight Pictures and L.A. Times Studios have acquired Breakwater Studios’ awards contender short The Last Repair Shop.

The film just earned two Critics Choice Association nominations for best short documentary and best score and was included on Doc NYC’s 15-film Short List.

The Last Repair Shop is co-directed by Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot and will debut on November 8 for free on Los Angeles Times’ YouTube channel and the company’s website.

The film premiered in Telluride and received its international premiere at Calgary International Film Festival where it won the grand...

Searchlight Pictures and the L.A. Times Studios on Wednesday announced their boarding of The Last Repair Shop, an acclaimed documentary short, which just received two Critics Choice Association nominations and a spot on Doc NYC’s Short List, on the heels of its premiere at Telluride.

Co-directed by Oscar- and Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker and musician Kris Bowers, as well as Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot, the film likely to be put up for awards consideration will become available to stream for free globally November 8th, via the Los Angeles Times’ YouTube channel and latimes.com. Check out a new trailer for the short above.

“We’ve discovered such a special film with The Last Repair Shop, and we’re thrilled to be working with Ben and Kris,” said Searchlight Pictures Presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield. “This is the kind of story we need right now, and we are proud...

Theatrical release planned; further details to follow.

Searchlight Pictures has picked up worldwide rights from WME Independent to Sundance crowd-pleaser Theater Camp from Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and plans a theatrical release.

The mockumentary from PictureStart, Topic Studios, and Gloria Sanchez Productions is the second major acquisition announcement on Monday after Netflix picked up Fair Play in a deal in the 20m range.

The US Dramatic Competition entry earned a strong reception following the world premiere at the Eccles Theatre on Saturday and centres on the eccentric staff at an upstate New York theatre camp who must band together...

Searchlight Pitures has won a fierce bidding war for one of the buzziest Sundance crowd-pleasers. The Disney-owned distributor has closed a worldwide rights deal for the well-reviewed and well-received “Theater Camp,” with distribution rights going for around 8 million, according to an insider with knowledge of the deal.

The feature adaptation of Nick Lieberman’s 2020 short film of the same name will receive a theatrical release. It premiered in the dramatic competition on Saturday afternoon at the Eccles Theater in Park City and received a standing ovation.

The mockumentary stars comedic ensemble Gordon, Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect”), Noah Galvin (“Booksmart”), Jimmy Tatro (“American Vandal”), Patti Harrison (“Together Together”), and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”). Penned by Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman and Platt, and based on their short film, the film was produced by Will Ferrell, Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman, Platt, Erik Feig, Samie Kim Falvey, Julia Hammer, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman, and Jessica Elbaum.

“Theater Camp,” a loving mockumentary about thespians starring Ben Platt and Molly Gordon, has sold to Searchlight following its premiere at this year’s at Sundance Film Festival. The deal, which is for worldwide rights, came together for 8 million and includes a theatrical release.

Gordon and Nick Lieberman directed the crowd-pleaser, which also features Noah Galvin, Jimmy Tatro, Patti Harrison and Ayo Edebiri. “Theater Camp” takes place at a scrappy overnight camp in upstate New York and begins as AdirondACTS founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma. In her absence, her crypto bro son Troy and some quirky instructors are left to keep the financially strapped theater haven afloat during the summer.

“We could not possibly imagine a better home for ‘Theater Camp’ than Searchlight Pictures! It is an absolute dream to become a part of their incredible and rich history that includes so many of our favorite films,...