IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to Black 47, director Lance Daly’s Irish historical thriller making its North American premiere at next month’s Toronto Film Festival.
Black 47, starring James Frecheville as an Irish ex-soldier waging a bloody crusade against the British in 1847, made its debut at the Berlin Film Festival. IFC will be released theatrically in the U.S. on September 28.
A premiere in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is set for Sept. 5 through Wildcard Distribution. Altitude Film Distribution will release the film in mainland Britain on Sept. 28.
Said director Daly, “I’m really looking forward to collaborating with IFC, in reaching out to both Irish-American audiences who will find so much personal relevance in the story behind the Irish exodus to north America, and to their wider audience (who can also claim part-Irishness after seeing this movie!).”
Daly said Black 47 marks the “the first time the Great Irish Famine has been dramatized for the big screen and it will be fascinating to see how Americans and Canadians react to these images of our past, to this extraordinary story, and to the blend of action, history, and drama that our cast and crew worked so hard to create.”
Jonathan Sehring and Lisa Schwartz, Co-Presidents of IFC Films said, “We are honored to be able to release a film with such deep historical significance. It truly is a rallying cry for many Irish people who have felt their story has gone too long untold, and Lance has done an extraordinary job of presenting the film’s unique setting with warmth, passion, and sincerity. We are extremely proud to be sharing this impressive work with American audiences.”
The film, produced by Macdara Kelleher, Tim O’Hair, Arcadiy Golubovich and Jonathan Loughran, also stars Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Jim Broadbent, Freddie Fox, Barry Keoghan, Sarah Greene and Moe Dunford.
The logline: In 1847, battle-hardened soldier Feeney (Frecheville) deserts the British army to return home to Ireland, where he finds his country ravaged beyond recognition by the Great Famine. When he discovers that his mother has died of starvation and his brother has been hanged by the British, something snaps, sending Feeney on a relentless quest to get even with the powers-that-be who have wronged both his family and his country. There is only one man who can stop Feeney’s bloody crusade: disgraced British army veteran Hannah (Hugo Weaving), whose own loyalties may be more complex than they appear.
The deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions at IFC Films and CAA on behalf of the filmmaker.
Source: Read Full Article