In today’s film news roundup, “Between Two Ferns: The Movie” is unveiled, “Friedkin Uncut” gets a fall release and Sony Classics buys “The Traitor” at Cannes.
MOVIE RELEASES
Netflix has set a Sept. 20 release date for Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns: The Movie,” based on his 11-year-old talk show.
Galifianakis made the announcement during a Netflix awards event with David Letterman on Thursday night. Galifianakis co-wrote the movie with Scott Aukerman, who’s directing the film.
Aukerman was the director of 14 of the 21 episodes of the talk show, which began in 2008 with an interview with Michael Cera. The most recent “Between Two Ferns” aired in 2018 with Jerry Seinfeld, Wayne Knight and Cardi B.
Aukerman and Galifianakis are producing with Funny or Die’s Caitlin Daley and Mike Farah. The logline involves the comedian and his crew taking a road trip to complete a series of high-profile celebrity interviews and restore his reputation.
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Ambi Distribution has set a U.S. theatrical release for director Francesco Zippel’s documentary “Friedkin Uncut” for the fall.
It will be released in multiple markets in conjunction with Sarah Wexler’s Amor Media and will be available on Tatatu following a traditional theatrical and home entertainment release.
Friedkin is the director of “The French Connection,” “The Exorcist,” “Sorcerer,” “Cruising,” “To Live and Die in L.A.” and “Killer Joe.” He started his career at the age of 16 as a mailroom boy at WGN-TV. He won the Academy Award for best director for 1971’s “The French Connection,” which also won best picture. He received a best director nod two years later for “The Exorcist,” one of its 10 Oscar nominations.
The documentary premiered last fall at the Venice Film Festival. It includes appearances by Ellen Burstyn, Wes Anderson, Dario Argento, Damien Chazelle, Francis Ford Coppola, Willem Dafoe, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright.
SALE
Sony Pictures Classics has bought U.S. rights to Marco Bellocchio’s “The Traitor” following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Sony Pictures Classics is boarding the film in North and Latin America, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. The Match Factory has also secured distribution in Spain (Vertigo), Germany (Pandora), Benelux (Cinemien), Japan (Klockworx), China, Poland (Gutek), Greece (Seven) and Russia (Magic Films).
“The Traitor” is a co-production between IBC Movie, Kavac Film with Rai Cinema, Ad Vitam Production, Match Factory Productions and Gullane Productions. Pierfrancesco Favino stars with Maria Fernanda Candido, Fabrizio Ferracane, Luigi Lo Cascio, Nicola Cali, Giovanni Calcagno, Fausto Russo Alesi and Bruno Cariello.
The film follows the trial of Italian mafioso Tommaso Buscetta, a key mob figure who turned state’s evidence after he was arrested and extradited to Italy by the Brazilian police. The news was first reported by Deadline.