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Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired theatrical and DVD/VOD rights to the Julia Dyer-directed drama The Playroom and has slated a February 9, 2013 release date. Set in the suburbs during the 1970s, Playroom tells the story of the Cantwell family, who are trying to find their way in a world changing too fast for their liking. John Hawkes (The Sessions) and Molly Parker (Dexter) star as the hard-drinking parents of Maggie (newcomer Olivia Harris), who is grappling with her parents’ flawed choices. The film, which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, was produced by Stephen Dyer and Angie Meyer. The deal was negotiated by Freestyle CEO Susan Jackson and Head of Acquisitions Chris Charalambous, and Bill Straus of BGP and Jonathan Gray of Gray, Krauss Stratford des Rochers.
Freestyle Acquires ‘The Playroom’
OSCARS Q&A: John Hawkes
Cari Lynn is an AwardsLine contributor.
Writer/director Ben Lewin’s boldly endearing film The Sessions is the true
story of quadriplegic journalist and poet Mark O’Brien, who, at 38 years old, set about losing his virginity by hiring a sex surrogate, played by Helen Hunt. Veteran actor John Hawkes plays O’Brien in the film, embracing a physically and emotionally challenging role. In a recent 
interview with AwardsLine, Hawkes discussed the challenges of embodying a character who can’t move his body.
AwardsLine: How did this script come to you and how daunting—or not—was playing a man whose only movement was limited to the neck up?
John Hawkes: I’d had some luck with the film Winter’s Bone and after that I got sent some scripts to consider. I hadn’t seen a character like this before—and that was the daunting part. Mark O’Brien lived in an iron lung from 6 years old on and only had 90 degrees of movement with his head. I wasn’t interested in him being more of an able-bodied Mark O’Brien and was glad the script wasn’t written that way. Disabled sex isn’t something we talk about a great deal, and I’m always interested in subjects I don’t know about.
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Toronto: Fox Searchlight Brings ‘The Sessions’ To Reignite Awards Talk
Fox Searchlight brought its Sundance pickup and Oscar hopeful, The Sessions, to the Toronto International Film Festival today to kick-start the
film’s October launch. (Now set for October 26 but very possibly moving up a week to the 19th). Last January, the film debuted under the title The Surrogate and immediately sparked early 2012 awards talk, particularly for the performances of John Hawkes and Helen Hunt. It’s a small 
but surprisingly funny and ultimately quite touching film that drew so many big laughs at today’s Elgin Theatre screening the dialogue was drowned out during some scenes, usually those between Hawkes and William H. Macy. There were three standing ovations for the director and principal stars, a very enthusiastic response to be sure.
Fox Searchlight Co-Presidents Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley were there and said after the Sundance sale no cuts were made to the film and none requested by the MPAA in order to get the ‘R’ rating (for some explicit but tastefully shot sexual content).
Gilula notes that with so many movies competing for attention at TIFF it’s tough for a movie that debuted at Sundance or Cannes. Media, he says, just want to spotlight the newest movies even though this one doesn’t even open until next month. At this point it is the mini-major’s only fall/holiday release, and it’s hoping to build strong word of mouth and awards attention. The studio is still trying to determine whether to push Hunt for lead or supporting. (The Oscar winning star of As Good As It Gets could probably slip comfortably into either slot.) Fox Searchlight also have summer releases Beasts Of The Southern Wild and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on their potential awards plate. And there still is the possibility of a last-minute contender coming in December if they decide to rush Hitchcock. Read More »
Hot Trailer: ‘The Sessions’
Here’s the trailer for the Sundance hit acquired by Fox Searchlight, with John Hawkes as a paralyzed man who is determined to lose his virginity. Helen Hunt and William H. Macy co-star. Screened at Sundance as The Surrogate and based on a true story, the movie written and directed … Read More »
Fox Searchlight Closing In On $6M Deal For ‘The Surrogate’: Sundance
EXCLUSIVE: The Surrogate has breathed some life into the so far sluggish Sundance acquisitions market. Following a heated bidding battle among multiple distributors since the film debuted midday today at the Eccles Theater, I’m told that … Read More »
FX’s ‘Outlaw Country’ To Do Pilot Reshoots
FX’s pilot Outlaw Country is undergoing a retooling. The original script, written by Josh Goldin and Rachel Abramowitz, has been given a rewrite by Goldin, Abramowitz and Outlaw Country‘s executive producer/co-showrunner David Manson. There will be substantial reshoots, which … Read More »
Steven Spielberg’s Abe Lincoln Film Casts Up
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 5, 2011) – Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill and Joseph Cross are in negotiations to join the cast of DreamWorks Studios’ “Lincoln,” it was announced today by DreamWorks partners Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider.
Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Vera Farmiga’s Sundance Debut ‘Higher Ground’
Sony Pictures Classics bought North American, Australian and New Zealand rights to Higher Ground, the directorial debut of actress Vera Farmiga that made its debut at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. She stars with John Hawkes (Oscar-nominated for Winter’s Bone), … Read More »
Indie Spirit Nominations Could Predict Oscar
Analyzing today’s 26th Annual Independent Spirit Award nominations, I would say Winter’s Bone, the film that led with the most nods, is also the one to beat, particularly after its triumphs at Monday night’s Gotham Awards where it took the Best Ensemble and Best Feature awards. … Read More »
Jamie-Lynn Sigler To Star in Lifetime Pilot; John Hawkes Joins FX’s ‘Outlaw Country’
EXCLUSIVE: I hear The Sopranos alumna Jamie-Lynn Sigler has been tapped to star opposite Sherry Stringfield as the lead in Lifetime’s untitled Josh Berman pilot. In another key pilot casting, … Read More »
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