Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: In another late night Sundance Film Festival deal, Exclusive Media-owned Exclusive Releasing is closing a deal for U.S. rights to Two Mothers, the Anne Fontaine-directed drama that premiered last Friday at the Eccles Theatre. Deal is a low seven figure advance and includes a few other territories, but most of the foreign territories belong to Gaumont, which funded the film. Pic is described as a gripping tale of love, lust and the power of friendships of two lifelong female friends who fall in love with each other’s sons. Naomi Watts and Robin Wright play the moms, and Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville also star. Oscar-winning screenwriter Christopher Hampton penned the adaptation of Doris Lessing’s short story.

The deals calls for a traditional theatrical release through Exclusive Releasing, the distribution company that Exclusive co-chairmen Guy East and Nigel Sinclair launched last September, headed by Scott Pascucci and Matt Brodlie. There is a significant P&A and screen commitment for what will shape up as a specialized film release in the summer. Numerous bidders circled the film, some proposing a multi-platform strategy, but Exclusive Media’s Exclusive Releasing was most aggressive for its new release enterprise. CAA brokered the deal with Brodlie and Gaumont International chief Cécile Gaget. Here’s the official release:

Exclusive Media’s newly launched Exclusive Releasing label has acquired U.S. rights UK and CIS for Two Mothers. The sexy drama set in Australia that will get a day-and-date release.

The story revolves around the passionate affairs of two lifelong friends who fall in love with one another’s sons. Directed by Anne Fontaine and written by Academy Award winner Christopher Hampton, adapted from Doris Lessing’s Nobel Prize novel, the tale of love, lust and friendship stars Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville.

Two Mothers premiered at Eccles Theatre on Jan. 18 as part of Sundance’s Premieres category in the presence of Anne Fontaine and the cast.
The sale marks the first acquisition for Exclusive Releasing, headed by Scott Pascucci and Matt Brodlie. The company was launched in September at the Toronto Film Festival.

The deal was negotiated by Exclusive head of acquisitions Matt Brodlie and CAA and head of Gaumont Intl Cécile Gaget.