Saban Films Makes Aggressive Second Acquisition at Tribeca Film Festival with BACKTRACK

Saban Films is in final negotiations on a seven-figure acquisition deal for the U.S. rights to BACKTRACK starring Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, THE PIANIST), Sam Neill (JURASSIC PARK, THE VOW) and Robin McLeavy (THE LOVED ONES, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER).

Written and directed by Michael Petroni (THE BOOK THIEF, THE RITE), the film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18. This marks Saban’s second Tribeca Film Festival pick up, having purchased the North American distribution rights to Ben Palmer’s romantic comedy, MAN UP, starring Lake Bell and Simon Pegg. 

In BACKTRACK, troubled psychotherapist Peter Bowers (Adrien Brody) is suffering from nightmares and eerie visions. When he uncovers the horrifying secret shared by his patients, he is put on a course that takes him back to the remote hometown he fled years ago. There in False Creek he is consumed by solving a decades-old mystery that holds the key to his strange and menacing delusions.

Saban Films President Bill Bromiley said, “BACKTRACK is an unexpected and haunting psychological thriller. Michael Petroni is a great storyteller and his film was a major standout in the Tribeca Film Festival. This will be a strong addition to the Saban slate.”

BACKTRACK is produced by Jamie Hilton, Antonia Barnard and Michael Petroni. Executive producers include Compton Ross, Phil Hunt and David Evans. The film was financed by Screen Australia with Head Gear Films and Metrol Technology in association with Screen NSW and Deluxe Australia.

Bill Bromiley and Ness Saban are negotiating the acquisition deal, which includes a theatrical commitment, on behalf of Saban Films with CAA and Bankside Films on behalf of the producers. 

Saban Films launched just prior to the 2014 Cannes International Film Festival where they acquired THE HOMESMAN, starring Academy Award® winners Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank following its world premiere in competition. Saban Films released THE HOMESMAN stateside with Roadside Attractions on November 14th.

Saban Films have been active since their launch, acquiring the U.S. rights to: HOW TO MAKE LOVE LIKE AN ENGLISHMAN starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba; Philip Martin’s THE FORGER starring John Travolta; AMERICAN HEIST starring Hayden Christensen, Academy Award Winner® Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune “AKON” Thiam; TRACERS starring Taylor Lautner; and Alex and Ben Brewer’s THE TRUST starring Nicolas Cage.

Saban Films, an affiliate of Saban Capital Group (“SCG”), is a film acquisition and distribution company which acquires high-quality, feature films to distribute in North America. 

Focusing on commercial, talent driven films, the company looks at projects in all stages of production for release across multiple platforms, including a day and date theatrical/VOD release strategy. Based in Los Angeles, Saban Films was established by Haim Saban, SCG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and is led by Bill Bromiley who serves as president, Shanan Becker, Chief Financial Officer and Ness Saban, Director of Business Development.

Bankside Films is a leading international sales and film finance company for independent films.  The company offers a bespoke sales and executive producer service to production companies representing between eight and ten films per year.

The company seeks to finance and distribute distinctive films of quality for the theatrical market internationally. Bankside Films is one of the UK’s foremost investors in film production. Bankside Films has distributed BELLE by Amma Asante, starring Gugu Mbatha Raw and Tom Wilkinson, FREEHELD by Peter Sollett, starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon and Steve Carell and is currently working on WAR ON EVERYONE by John Michael McDonagh starring Alexander Skarsgard, Michael Pena and Theo James.

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