IFC Films nabs "Sightseers" dark comedy before Cannes premiere

 May 23, 2012 - 16:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Ben Wheatley's "Sightseers" in advance of its Wednesday, May 23 premiere in the Directors Fortnight section at Cannes, The Wrap reported.

A dark comedy from the director of "Kill List" and "Down Terrace," "Sightseers" stars Steve Oram and Alice Lowe, who also co-wrote the screenplay. It follows a couple ("psychotic caravaners," Wheatley has called them) on an ill-fated van trip through the British Isles.

"We've been looking for a comedy as original and hilarious as our past successes 'In the Loop' and 'The Trip,' and we are thrilled to say we have found it in 'Sightseers,'" said IFC/Sundance Selects president Jonathan Sehring in a release announcing the acquisition.

The deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco for IFC and Ben Roberts at Protagonist for the filmmakers.

IFC Films and its sister companies Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight are already represented at Cannes by Walter Salles' "On the Road" and Cristian Mungiu's "Beyond the Hills" in the main competition, and by Adam Leon's "Gimme the Loot" in Un Certain Regard and Rodney Ascher's "Room 237" in Directors Fortnight.