Sundance 2012, Day 7: Let's make a deal

January 25, 2012|Ty Burr, Globe Staff

The business side of Sundance has shuddered into life the last few days and deals are finally getting done, even as the festival starts winding down. HBO bought " Me @ the ZOO," a documentary about internet madman Chris " Leave Britney Alone!" Crocker. Focus picked up " For a Good Time, Call...," a comedy about two roommates (Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller) who start a phone sex business; audience response was positive if not over the moon. Sony Pictures Classics bought distribution rights to divorce rom-com " Celeste and Jesse Forever" and disappearing-60's-rocker documentary " Searching for Sugar Man," both well-received, while the new LD Distribution snagged midnight mumblecore horror movie (you heard me) " Black Rock."

Even Stephen Frears' " Lay the Favorite," widely pegged on shuttle buses and in ticket lines as the single worst film of the festival, looks like it will be picked up by Weinstein, a company not given to turning up its nose at any movie with Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta-Jones, no matter how miscalculated. If there's a mid-fest winner, though, it's probably Fox Searchlight, which not only grabbed rights to the year's one genuine buzz movie, " Beasts of the Southern Wild," but also bought crowd favorite " The Surrogate" (photo above), starring John Hawkes as a man in an iron lung looking to lose his virginity to a sex surrogate played by Helen Hunt.

The amount Fox Searchlight paid for "Beasts" wasn't immediately disclosed, but I hope it wasn't too much: This fiercely original fable will be a tough sell even on the specialty circuit. (Although you could easily push it as "Whale Rider" with a side of po-boys and peyote.) "The Surrogate" went for $6 million, the festival's biggest sale to date, and my hunch is that it's a smart deal. Released at the right time and properly promoted, it could be one of those small films that ends up with critical plaudits and awards bling. Remember "Winter's Bone"? That netted Hawkes an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. "The Surrogate" could conceivably get him nominated for best actor.