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Breaking Glass Pictures has picked up North American distribution rights to Chilean producer Omar Zuñiga’s directorial feature debut, “The Strong Ones” (“Los Fuertes”).

Meikincine Entertainment handled the sale.

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best International Narrative Feature and the Audience Award at OutFest LA as well as Best Narrative Film at Florida’s OutShine Film Festival, “The Strong Ones” has been on the global film festival circuit and will soon have its New York premiere at NewFest.

Set against the dramatic beauty of southern Chile, “The Strong Ones” follows Lucas who travels to a remote town to visit his sister. There he meets Antonio who works on a local fishing boat. An intense romance grows between them despite their contrasting world views.

“This beautifully produced and acted film is about strength, love, finding oneself and about a deep connection between two men,” said Rich Wolff, CEO, Breaking Glass Pictures.

Veteran actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd, known for appearing in several Spike Lee movies, was reportedly shot dead in Atlanta over the weekend. According to police spokesman Officer Anthony Grant, police responded to an emergency call at around 1:45 a.m. on Saturday morning where they found the Tony-nominated actor unresponsive with several gunshots wounds in his back. He was then pronounced dead by responding paramedics, and homicide detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Byrd was 70 years old.

Saddened by the news, Spike Lee took to Instagram to comment on Byrd's passing. Including a photo of Byrd in Clockers, Lee writes, "I'm So Sad To Announce The Tragic Murder Of Our Beloved Brother Thomas Jefferson Byrd Last Night In Atlanta,Georgia. Tom Is My Guy, Here Below You See Him As The Frightening Character Errol Barnes In Clockers."

Lee added, "Brother Byrd Also Did His Thang In My Joints- Chi-raq,...

Tony-nominated actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd who is best known or his many roles in Spike Lee’s films was found killed in Atlanta. He was 70.

According to media reports, Byrd was found unresponsive early Sunday morning. Paramedics pronounced him dead as they found multiple gunshot wounds in his back.

Byrd was a frequent collaborator with Lee, appearing in eight of his films including Clockers, Get on the Bus, Girl 6, He Got Game, Bamboozled, Red Hook Summer, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and Chi-Raq. He also appeared in the Netflix series adaptation of Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It. His film credits also include the 1996 crime drama Set It Off as well as the Oscar-winning pic Ray.

A graduate of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Byrd made his Broadway debut in the revival of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Carl Gordon, Charles S. Dutton and Stephen McKinley Henderson.

Thomas Jefferson Byrd, an actor in several of Spike Lee’s films, was killed in Atlanta on Saturday, the Atlanta Police Department confirmed to Variety. He was 70.

On Saturday, Atlanta police officers were dispatched to 2259 Belvedere Ave., responding to a call about an injured person at 1:45 a.m. Upon arrival, officers located Byrd lying unresponsive at the location. Emergency medial services responded to the scene, identified Byrd and pronounced him dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the back.

Homicide detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the investigation is currently ongoing. The Atlanta Police Department tells Variety that the information is preliminary in nature and could change as the investigation continues or new information comes to light.

Byrd appeared in several of Lee’s films, including “Clockers,” “Get on the Bus,” “Bamboozled,” “Chi-Raq,” “Red Hook Summer,” “Girl 6” and “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus.” He...