Video Contests, Film Festivals, and Awards

Film Movement (http://www.filmmovement.com), the North American film distribution company that brings first-run, award-winning independent and foreign films to fans all across the U.S. and Canada, announced their acquisition of GRIGRIS. The fifth feature film from director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, who also directed Film Movement’s A Screaming Man, received the Vulcan Award for technical achievement at the Cannes Film Festival last month. The film tells the eponymous story of a 25-year-old Chadian who dreams of being a dancer despite his paralyzed leg and the demands of his family weighing on him. GRIGRIS will have a New York theatrical opening in Q1, 2014, with a limited national roll-out to follow.

Synopsis of GRIGRIS:
Despite his paralyzed leg, 25-year-old Grigris dreams of being a professional dancer, making some extra cash putting his moves to good use at a local club every weekend. His dreams are tested when his step-father falls critically ill and he’s forced to turn to the illicit trade of oil trafficking to pay the hospital bills. When he befriends a beautiful but damaged prostitute, the two will try to start a new life together. But their pasts threaten to follow them all too closely, putting their dreams in peril.

Accolades for GRIGRIS:
An “elegant, geographically vivid pic…” -Guy Lodge, Variety

“Haroun’s calm, simple filming style gives the movie a dry intensity that makes [it] riveting.” -Tim Grierson, Paste Magazine

Acclaim for GRIGRIS:
WINNER – Vulcan Award for Technical Achievement, Cannes Film Festival

The acquisition of GRIGRIS was negotiated by Film Movement’s President, Adley Gartenstein and VP of Acquisitions and Distribution Rebeca Conget, and Agathe Valentin, Head of International Sales at Les Films du Losange.

“It is an honor to be the distributor now of two films by Mr. Haroun-Saleh, who with each of his features establishes himself deeper as not only one of the most respected voices in African cinema today, but also as one of the top international auteurs working in contemporary cinema, period.” says Rebeca Conget, Film Movement’s VP of Acquisitions and Distribution.

About FILM MOVEMENT

Launched in 2003, Film Movement is a full-service North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, based in New York City. Film Movement has released more than 250 feature films and shorts from 50 countries on six continents, including top prize winners from Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca and other prestigious festivals. Film Movement releases its films through numerous distribution channels, including thousands of art-house cinemas, universities and libraries; home video (Blockbuster, Netflix and Amazon); television outlets (Sundance Channel, HBO, IFC and Showtime); Cable Video on Demand (including its very own branded cable VOD platform—Film Festival on Demand—available in over 50 million US homes); In-flight Entertainment (Continental and Alaska Airlines) and broadband outlets (iTunes, Hulu, YouTube and Amazon). For more information, please visit http://www.filmmovement.com.

Resources:

www.filmmovement.com