* The Following Info Is From Magnolia Pictures:
New York – November 5th, 2009 – The Wagner/Cuban Companies’ Magnolia Pictures announced today that it acquired US rights to Dagur Kári’s THE GOOD HEART, starring Brian Cox, Paul Dano and Isild Le Besco. The film, which bowed recently at the Toronto Film Festival, stars Cox as Jacques, the curmudgeonly owner of a gritty New York dive bar that serves as… home to a motley assortment of professional drinkers. Jacques is determinedly drinking and smoking himself to death when he meets Lucas (Dano), a homeless young man who Jacques decides will be a fitting heir to the bar after his own inevitable passing.
The third feature film from Kári, whose other works include Nói and Dark Horse, THE GOOD HEART is a warm-hearted character study with terrific performances, and a love letter to the city’s sordid watering holes. The film will be released as part of Magnolia’s Ultra VOD program next year, premiering on VOD platforms nationwide a month prior to its theatrical release.
“We’re delighted to be working with Dagur, who has crafted a beautiful tribute to a New York institution—the dive bar,” said Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles. “Brian Cox is one of the best actors working today, and gives a dynamite performance that we’re excited to share with American audiences.”
Dagur Kári said, “Magnolia is a company that I really admire, and I am thrilled about the fact that they are releasing THE GOOD HEART in the US. I look forward to working with them.”
“Our deal with Magnolia Pictures ensures us that THE GOOD HEART is in great hands. They are, without a doubt, one of the best in the business at distributing independent movies. We’ve had great dealings with them in the past as they handled the distribution of our Oscar-nominated short The Last Farm. We look forward to work with them again,” said producer Skúli Malmquist.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia’s Senior Vice President Tom Quinn, Vice President of Acquisitions Dori Begley, and Head of Business Affairs Chris Matson, with Victoria Cook of Cinetic. Wild Bunch, a financier of the film, is selling the picture internationally.
About Magnolia Pictures
Magnolia Pictures (www.magpictures.com) is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically-integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that also includes the Landmark Theatres chain, the production company 2929 Productions, and the high definition cable network HDNet. Magnolia’s recent releases include such critically acclaimed films as James Marsh’s Oscar-winning Man On Wire, Tomas Alfredson’s Let The Right One In, James Gray’s Two Lovers, Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc with Michael Pollen and Eric Schlosser, Guillermo Arriaga’s The Burning Plain, Steven Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience, Kirby Dick’s Outrage, Anne Fontaine’s The Girl From Monaco, Erick Zonca’s Julia, Lynn Shelton’s Humpday, and Bobcat Goldthwait’s World’s Greatest Dad. Upcoming releases include John Woo’s Red Cliff, Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother, Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love, Conor McPherson’s The Eclipse and many more.
