Sony Snags Sundance Winner

IndieWire reports that Sony recently acquired Quinceanera, the film that won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance in January. No numbers are reported, but judging by the collective enthusiasm on both sides of the deal, the studio must've put up a hefty offer. The plan is to keep the film in the festival circuit for the summer, then release it to theaters in August. Convenient, when you figure that's right around the time the film world starts thinking in Oscar terms.
The movie, which takes its name from the Latino celebration customary for a girl on her fifteenth birthday, was a rapid development for directorsWash Westmoreland andRichard Glatzer, conceived in January and shot in three weeks that April. It centers around a fifteen year old who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, kicked out of her house and living with an uncle and gay cousin; the filmmakers highest priority, according to the IndieWire interview, was the authenticity of the film.
Sony Classics, who's sealed the rights for both US and Latin American distribution, probably sees more than just the real-to-life images of the film. They're looking ahead, most likely interested in mimicking the success of other recent Sundance acquisitions. Last year, Paramount went home with Hustle & Flow on its line-up; something tells me Three 6 Mafia wouldn't be Oscar winners had it not been for last year's record-setting distribution deal.
You can bet that Sony has quite the same expectations for their newest addition. This time next year, it might just be Quinceanera we're talking about.
from Film Fodder