Criterion and IFC

[NilbogSavant]

I hope they include The Farmer's Daughter.

[chaddoli]

Looks fun

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised it went to IFC. Supposedly a lot of studios were looking at picking the film up. It's had one of the best receptions of the various gala screenings so far.

Didn't IFC start their "Midnight" line for genres films? Sounds like they picked it up for that.

They did. Not really sure what this Midnight line is suppose to be. They issued a press release about it in the spring but so far I haven't seen any of the projects attached to the brand differentiated in any way from anything else IFC releases. There's no "midnight" listing on the site and the "midnight" branding on the dvd/blus has so far failed to materialize.

They seem to be making a pretty half-hearted effort with this venture. Same goes for "Sundance Selects". What's that all about?

They definitely branded the Human Centipede: Full Sequence teaser with the "Midnight" label, but not Enter the Void. I wouldn't be surprised if that piece of garbage ends up on Criterion, vomit.

[aox]

I just realized that Police, Adjective is still MIA on DVD

Just a heads up: This film is now streamable on Netflix.

[Tom Hagen]

They definitely branded the Human Centipede: Full Sequence teaser with the "Midnight" label, but not Enter the Void. I wouldn't be surprised if that piece of garbage ends up on Criterion, vomit.

So don't buy it. I happen to think Antichrist is a pile of junk, but what do I care if Criterion shifts units with it?

[ianungstad]

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An interesting article about Carlos and the difficulties IFC are having with qualifying for awards. Apparently they've decided to focus on the Golden Globes and Emmys in the tv categories.

There's a VERY interesting bit mentioned in the article. IFC is rereleasing the documentary Shoah this December. The doc was released by New Yorker but has been long out of print in North America. Looks like IFC picked up the rights at some point.

I wonder if Criterion has any interest in releasing Shoah as part of their IFC deal?

“I can’t recall anything like this before,” said Sehring. “[The 14-part German television series] ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ never had a film version, and [the nine-hour documentary] ‘Shoah,’ which we’re re-releasing this December, didn’t have a shorter version. The only thing I can think of like this was ‘Das Boot,’” the Oscar-nominated 1981 German film which was initially released as a feature, then expanded into a European miniseries.

[ianungstad]

MPI are releasing Enter the Void on January 25. I know that some people were hoping Criterion would release it....

MPI has skipped over the following films : Police; Adjective/ No One Knows About Persian Cats/ Father of My Children/ Life During Wartime.

Don't know if they'll show up in the collection or not but they would seem likely candidates.

[ianungstad]

IFC Films has acquired rights to Claude Lanzmann's nine-and-a-half hour Holocaust documentary. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, it will be re-released in New York City on December 10 at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and on December 24 at IFC Center. It will be released nationally in 2011. The landmark film features interviews wih survivors, bystanders and perpetrators of the Holocaust in 14 countries. It was first released in New York City in 1985 and won several honors, including prizes from the National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, BAFTA, the Cesars and IDA Awards. IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring said, "It is a profound honor to be entrusted with the re-release of Shoah. We believe it is important to keep the legacy of this peerless film alive by bringing it to new audiences, and we will aggressively pursue younger audiences and critics to discover the film for the first time."

[mfunk9786]

If Life During Wartime comes out, I really hope that means it'll be paired with a Criterion Blu-ray of Happiness. Does anyone know who currently holds the rights to that film?

[knives]

The best answer I can find is Lionsgate, who put out the DVD, but they could have easily licensed from any number of companies.

[Tribe]

In light of the relationship between Criterion and IFC, I'd be very surprised if the Shoah news doesn't result in a Criterion Release.

[MoonlitKnight]

Yes, "Life During Wartime" and (finally) "My Winnipeg," please, Criterion. [-o<

[Tribe]

Not sure if this is old speculation (it likely is), but it's my understanding IFC will be releasing Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch theatrically. On the other hand, Criterion's release of Dumont's La Vie de Jesus and Humanite are long stalled for some undisclosed reason...but if the wait is for a timed release along with Hadewijch, I won't be disappointed.

[Forrest Taft]

I noticed IFC is releasing White Material in the US. A great movie, and one I hope ends up with a spine number. Claire Denis + Criterion = \:D/

[heredity4me]

I noticed IFC is releasing White Material in the US. A great movie, and one I hope ends up with a spine number. Claire Denis + Criterion = \:D/

Couldn't agree more. I saw White Material on Friday and thought it was beautiful. I saw my first Claire Denis movie in January (35 Shots of Rum) and discovering her career has been one of the highlights of my year.

[ianungstad]

The Playlist has an interview with the president of IFC briefly discussing some changes to the company in 2011. All the art house films will now be released under the moniker "Sundance Selects", with the initial wave of titles being : The Time That Remains, Kaboom, Heartbeats, Certified Copy, The Princess of Montpensier, Caves of Forgotten Dreams.

What kind of films are they going to acquire for IFC Films then?

Looking at the website, it seems to be more commercial/star-studded indies. Though if they were planning to rebrand IFC films as a more mainstream outlet, they should have found better films than The Other Woman, Peep World, Super, which were all critically panned at their Toronto debuts. (Super looks like it could be a guilty pleasure at best)

Doesn't seem like a smart business idea to me.

[Minkin]

So, does this spell the end for the Criterion and IFC relationship (beyond the initial batch)? I can't think of anybody who would be inclined to buy something simply because it had Sundance plastered on it. Do they think they can turn a better profit by keeping everything in house? I am under the impression that this decision came from the higher-ups at Rainbow to consolidate..

I will be livid if No One Knows about Persian Cats doesn't make it to Criterion

[Jeff]

So, does this spell the end for the Criterion and IFC relationship (beyond the initial batch)?

I wouldn't think so. The article makes it sound like this is just a new theatrical branding. IFC still doesn't have their own home video distribution, so they're going to need to continue to use MPI and Criterion.

[Minkin]

So, does this spell the end for the Criterion and IFC relationship (beyond the initial batch)?

I wouldn't think so. The article makes it sound like this is just a new theatrical branding. IFC still doesn't have their own home video distribution, so they're going to need to continue to use MPI and Criterion.

“In January, Sundance Selects will become a full-fledged distribution label and we will be distributing theatrically, on home video and on VOD with the Sundance Selects label.

So, either Criterion will have a stupid Sundance sticker on it or Sundance is weaseling away business.

[justeleblanc]

Does anyone have any idea as to what IFC will do with their still unreleased 2007/2008 titles such as:

A Girl Cut in Two
Man From London
My Winnipeg
Duchess of Langeais

Or better yet, does anyone have a contact with IFC?

[ianungstad]

I talked to Guy Maddin and he said that Criterion doesn't currently have any plans to release either of his IFC films but he would love it if they wanted to.

It's not on your list but Criterion confirmed to me via email that they would release Catherine Breillat's The Last Mistress and also hinted at this on Facebook awhile back.

[ianungstad]

IFC announced two acquisitions this week : Tabloid (Errol Morris) and Brighton Rock (Rowan Joffe)

Tabloid will almost certainly be released by Criterion. Brighton Rock got very middling reviews, so chances are slim to none.

[Harmonov]

Ian - do you think the Sundance Selects will go to Criterion? I would be all for this since Morris should definitely be in the Collection. I've been hoping that Criterion has snapped up The Thin Blue Line, but Mulvaney has told me twice that they hadn't. Perhaps this acquisition of Tabloid, should it go to Criterion, jump starts negotiations for TBL.

[swo17]

I believe Jeff said elsewhere that Sundance Selects is just the name of the theatrical distribution arm for IFC, and that a film being released that way wouldn't necessarily preclude a Criterion release.

[Harmonov]

I hope that is the case, swo. I'd love to see as much Morris in the Collection as possible. Why not start with Tabloid?

[matrixschmatrix]

You can physically see Morris in Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, if that helps