The Weinstein Company Acquires Australian Charmer THE SAPPHIRES

The Weinstein Company Acquires Australian Charmer THE SAPPHIRES

FILM TO LIGHT UP SCREEN AS OFFICIAL SELECTION AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

NEW YORK, May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that they have acquired from Goalpost Film worldwide rights, with the exception of the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Israel, Portugal and airlines, to THE SAPPHIRES. The film, directed by acclaimed Aboriginal actor and theater director Wayne Blair, stars funnyman Chris O'Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS, FRIENDS WITH KIDS), Deborah Mailman (RADIANCE, OFFSPRING), who was the first Aboriginal actress to win the AFI Award for Best Actress, Jessica Mauboy (BRAN NUE DAE), an Australian pop artist who was the runner-up on Australian Idol in 2006 and breakout stars Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell. The screenplay was written by Aboriginal playwright Tony Briggs, whose mother and family members were part of The Sapphires group, and Keith Thompson. Warwick Thornton, previous winner of the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for SAMSON AND DELILAH, is the film's Director of Photography. The announcement was made today by TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein, COO David Glasser, and Co-SVPs of Acquisitions Negeen Yazdi and Dan Guando.

Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian Aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group The Sapphires entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam in 1968. Cynthia (Tapsell), Gail (Mailman), Julie (Mauboy) and Kay (Sebbens) are discovered by Dave (O'Dowd), a good-humored talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. As their manager, Dave books the sisters their first true gig giving them their first taste of stardom, and travels them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops.

The film has been chosen as an Official Selection for the 65(th) Cannes Film Festival and will play on May 19(th), which is the first Saturday of the festival.

"THE SAPPHIRES is a rare and special film, and all of us on director Wayne Blair's team are thrilled to be working with The Weinstein Company which we know will be the very best home for this film," said Goalpost Film's Tristan Whalley.

Added Goalpost Pictures' Rosemary Blight, "Passionate, innovative and creative marketing and distribution is what independent films require to reach an audience. The Weinstein Company is one of the most talented distributors of independent films in the world, and we are thrilled that THE SAPPHIRES is in such great hands. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the extraordinary work of the cast and crew led so magnificently by director Wayne Blair."

Said Weinstein, "These girls light up the screen as much as their music lights up the stage. We're thrilled to bring the stories and music from these sisters to audiences all over the world."

Added Guando and Yazdi, "Wayne Blair tells this story in the most charming way by capturing the excitement, heartbreak and joy these girls experienced on their incredible journey. This is a very real, entertaining and touching story with a stellar cast and an incredible soundtrack. We've been passionate about this project since the day we read the script, and have always felt that it would be a perfect fit for The Weinstein Company."

Produced by Blight and Kylie du Fresne, THE SAPPHIRES is a Goalpost Pictures Australia production.

On behalf of TWC, the deal was negotiated by Glasser, Yazdi and Michal Steinberg, TWC SVP of Acquisitions and Business Affairs.

Whalley and Blight negotiated on behalf of Goalpost, and Christos Michaels and Nicki Parfitt on behalf of Lee and Thompson.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes. TWC releases took home eight 2012 Academy Awards(®), the most wins in the studio's history. The tally included Best Picture for Michel Hazanavicius's THE ARTIST and Best Documentary Feature for TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay's UNDEFEATED. THE ARTIST brought TWC its second consecutive Best Picture statuette following the 2011 win for Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as GRINDHOUSE; I'M NOT THERE; THE GREAT DEBATERS; VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; THE ROAD; HALLOWEEN; THE PAT TILLMAN STORY; PIRANHA 3D; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; A SINGLE MAN; BLUE VALENTINE; THE COMPANY MEN; MIRAL; SCRE4M; SUBMARINE; DIRTY GIRL; APOLLO 18; OUR IDIOT BROTHER; I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT; SARAH'S KEY; SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D; MY WEEK WITH MARILYN; THE IRON LADY; and W.E. Currently in release are THE ARTIST; CORIOLANUS; UNDEFEATED; and BULLY. Upcoming releases include THE INTOUCHABLES. Recently wrapped was SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, and currently in production is DJANGO UNCHAINED.

TWC is also active in television production, led by former Miramax Films President of Production and current President of Television Meryl Poster, with credits including the Emmy® nominated and Peabody Award winning reality series Project Runway, spin-off series Project Accessory and Project Runway All Stars, the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency which also received a Peabody Award. The company is currently in pre-production on the martial-arts epic Marco Polo for Starz as well as production on the second season of Mob Wives and the newest installment in the series' franchise Mob Wives Chicago. TWC additionally has 17 series in different stages of development, including The Nanny Diaries, being adapted for ABC by Amy Sherman Palladino (Gilmore Girls).

SOURCE The Weinstein Company

The Weinstein Company

CONTACT: Selena Saldana, The Weinstein Company, Office: +1-212-941-3845, Cell: +1-219-902-3054, Selena.Saldana@weinsteinco.com

Web Site: http://www.weinsteinco.com


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