INDOMINA AND BET FALL FOR LUV
03.19.2012
Sundance Feature Competition Film Set for North American Theatrical Release and Broadcast Premiere
Los Angeles, CA (February 11, 2012) – LUV, the dramatic thriller which premiered at Sundance in the feature competition, has been acquired by The Indomina Group and BET Networks. The film will receive a significant North America theatrical release from Indomina, tentatively set for Fall 2012, followed by a broadcast premiere on BET – which has acquired television rights exclusive in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, as well as certain ancillary rights on other platforms.
LUV (n.b. All Caps) is directed by Sheldon Candis and written by Candis and Justin Wilson. The film stars Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Meagan Good, Lonette McKee and Michael Kenneth Williams.
LUV follows 11-year-old Woody Watson, a timid Baltimore orphan who dreams of a better life -- and awaits the return of his absent mother. Woody also reveres his uncle Vincent as the father figure he never had. A street hustler and former drug dealer, Vincent's fresh off an eight-year stint in prison and wants a new direction.
When Vincent bypasses his nephew's school one day and offers to show Woody how a man handles his business, Woody jumps at the opportunity to join his uncle on a field trip of life lessons. But the temptations of Vincent's old life of crime return to haunt him, and a day once bright with optimism quickly spirals downward into a world of violence. Coming of age all too fast by day's end, Woody starts to doubt his hero and ultimately must decide where to stand.
Indomina Vice Chairman and CEO Jasbinder Singh Mann said, "'LUV' is a highly engaging film with resounding performances from a brilliant cast. It has everything we look for in a film and we believe it will resonate with audiences."
BET’s President of Original Programing, Loretha Jones, said “We’re excited to add LUV to the existing slate of films that constitute a significant part of our programming. It has an outstanding cast, and tells a compelling story that is not only entertaining, but relatable for the BET audience.”
“I’m delighted to have found such a great home with two forward thinking companies like Indomina and BET,” said Candis.
The film’s producers are Jason Michael Berman, W. Michael Jenson, Gordon Bijelonic, Datari Turner, Joel Newton, James R. Rosenthal, Common and Derek Dudley. The executive producers are Thomas B. Fore, Michael Finley, Dwayne Robinson, Sandra R. Berman, Mark G. Mathis, Steven Saxton and Mary Vernieu. LUV features original music by Interscope artist Blaqstarr.
The deals were negotiated by Cinetic Media and ICM on behalf of the filmmakers; Senior Vice President of Distribution and Marketing, Bruce Kirkland, and Vice President of Acquisitions, Rob Williams on behalf of Indomina, and Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Darrell E. Walker on behalf of BET Networks. International rights are being represented by Eric Christenson of Hollywood Studios International, with the film screening this week at the European Film Market. Candis and Wilson are represented by Jeremy Platt and Jelani Johnson at Generate. ICM also represents Michael Rainey, Jr., Danny Glover and producer Jason Michael Berman.
Recent acquisitions for The Indomina Group's releasing division include Ice-T’s performance documentary “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap,” that was acquired this year at Sundance Film Festival, "A Fantastic Fear of Everything" starring Simon Pegg, and the thriller "Life Without Principle" - the newest film from internationally acclaimed director/producer and contemporary maestro of Hong Kongese action cinema Johnnie To. In 2011 Indomina released the highly acclaimed epic adventure "Detective Dee and The Mystery of the Phantom Flame" directed by Tsui Hark, one of the highest grossing Chinese films at the US box office in recent years; the romantic comedy "Griff the Invisible," starring Ryan Kwanten ("True Blood"); Yuen Woo Ping's martial arts feature "True Legend," starring Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Michelle Yeoh and the late David Carradine; and Teddy Chan's award-wining "Bodyguards & Assassins." Indomina is teaming with Samuel L. Jackson to produce a new live action "Afro Samurai" film based on the popular animated series that has spawned an impressive franchise and a global following.
About Indomina
The Indomina Group is a vertically integrated independent studio launched in 2008 by Vice Chairman and CEO Jasbinder Singh Mann. Operating in Los Angeles and the Dominican Republic, Indomina takes a transmedia approach to collaborating with content creators around the world to bring innovative entertainment properties to the market. The global operations of Indomina include the production and distribution of motion pictures, television, music, interactive games, and the ownership of world-class studio facilities and production services. Indomina Releasing, the North American distribution division of the Indomina Group, maintains an exclusive distribution deal with Vivendi Entertainment that spans home video, digital, internet, television, VOD and mobile platforms and reinforces Indomina's strategy to establish a leadership position in the independent film market, focusing on genre based content and creating a destination for young, dedicated consumers of the fanboy culture. The Indomina Group has also partnered with world-renowned Pinewood Studios Group, to build, operate, manage and market a new state-of-the-art film and television studio facility in the Dominican Republic. "Pinewood Indomina Studios" will be a full-service, world-class production facility for film, TV, and other related media content.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
For more information, please contact:
Sunny Helali, Indomina Media, Inc.
310-271-4500