News

Cannes, France (May 18, 2010) – Berry Meyerowitz, President & CEO of Phase 4 Films, announced today the acquisition of North American rights to the 2010 South-By-Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival Audience Award-winner BROTHERHOOD. Directed by Will Canon, co-written by Canon and Doug Simon, and starring Jon Foster, Trevor Morgan, Arlen Escarpeta, and Lou Taylor Pucci, BROTHERHOOD is an edge-of-your-seat thriller set in the world of college fraternity hazing. The film was produced by Chris Pollack, Steven Hein, Tom O’Hair, and Jason Croft, and was executive produced by Jamie Patricof, Kevin Iwashina, Darryn Welch and Chris Ouwinga. Phase 4 will release the film theatrically later this year.

“There is a reason that this was one of the most talked about films at this year’s SXSW film festival,” says Meyerowitz. “Will Canon is an incredibly talented filmmaker on the rise and BROTHERHOOD marks an audacious and gripping feature debut. Phase 4 is proud to be able to bring this film to audiences across the U.S. and Canada.”

Said Canon, “We are thrilled that BROTHERHOOD has landed a super home with Phase 4. They have exciting ideas that are perfect for the film, and I look forward to partnering with them in the coming months.”

BROTHERHOOD tells the story of college freshman Adam Buckley (Morgan) who finds himself blindfolded in the back of a van facing the fact that he must rob a convenience store as the final step of initiation into the Sigma Zeta Chi fraternity. When things go horribly wrong, Adam realizes he is on his own and up against the very “brotherhood” he sought to be a part of.

BROTHERHOOD has received early critical acclaim. Variety’s Joe Leydon called the film "Ingeniously constructed and propulsively paced...," while Stephen Davis from the College Movie Review said BROTHERHOOD is “Fun, entertaining and downright brutal...”

The deal for BROTHERHOOD was negotiated by Meyerowitz and Larry Greenberg, Phase 4 Films’ SVP of Acquisitions, with Kevin Iwashina of IP Advisors, Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films and Darin Frank & John Hassig of Eisner, Frank and Kahan. In addition to co-repping, XYZ also arranged a portion of the film's financing. Cinema Management Group is selling foreign rights.

For more information on BROTHERHOOD please visit www.brotherhoodthemovie.com.

About the Filmmaker:
Canon is an honors graduate of New York University's film program. While at NYU, he wrote and directed the award-winning short film Roslyn, which has aired on Showtime, The Sundance Channel, and HBO. Canon was then selected to participate in the new Directors Lab at Fox Searchlight Pictures. BROTHERHOOD is based on Roslyn, and is his first feature film.

About Phase 4 Films:
Launched last year, Phase 4 distributes feature films and special interest content across all media in the North America. The company’s 2009 slate included 50 DEAD MAN WALKING, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess, and Matt Tyrnauer’s acclaimed VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR. Phase 4 recently acquired the U.S. rights to Brigitte Berman’s documentary HUGH HEFNER: PLAYBOY, ACTIVIST AND REBEL; the romantic comedy-drama, THE FREEBIE starring Dax Shepherd; the romantic comedy FINDING BLISS starring Leelee Sobieski, Denise Richards, Jamie Kennedy and Kristen Johnston; and the action thriller DEAD MAN RUNNING starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

For further information, contact:
Michael Kupferberg
42West
646-723-9697