Tree Of Life Finds A Distributor, Fox Searchlight To Release The Film In 2011

Well I’ll be damned; it looks like we finally have something solid to stand on when it comes to Terrence Malick’s upcoming film, the much talked about, massively hyped, The Tree Of Life.

And it’s bittersweet.

According to a press release issued on Thursday, Malick (The Thin Red Line, Days Of Heaven) has found a distributor for his film, in the form of Fox Searchlight, who will be releasing the film in 2011.   We also now know a bit of what the film actually is about.   The film ‘is an impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950’s chronicling the journey of the eldest son, Jack (Sean Penn), through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years ‘“ try to reconcile the complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt).   Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.’ Just as heavy as we thought.

Personally, this is good news, shrouded in a mist of horrible news.   I get the fact that knowing that the film has a distributor is a great thing.   I couldn’t be happier to see the film finally have a home, especially after the long and tedious road it has taken to get to the big screen, and the seemingly troubled implosion of its former backers, Apparition.   Make it Fox Searchlight, and you have a perfect name to take this material.   They take much more arthouse films, which Tree Of Life is, and give them wider releases then most, so we all can rightfully expect to see this flick relatively soon after its initial release.   Oh, and this makes a Cannes 2011 premiere almost certain.

However, with the Fox Searchlight purchase, also comes the fact that the film is getting released in 2011.   You have a company with a massive fall/awards season slate, with films like Conviction, Black Swan, and 127 Hours, meaning that no matter how complete the film is (and it’s apparently done and even ready to screen in secret screenings), there is just no funds to push this film out with any respectable push.   If a different distributor came in, say, Sony Pictures Classics, do I think it would be different? Not sure.   However, it has to be a factor, or else this film is really a year off.

That all said, at least we know we’ll be getting the film, so this is great news to me.

What do you think?

Here’s the press release:

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES ACQUIRES

TERRENCE MALICK’S “THE TREE OF LIFE”

Specialty Arm Acquires U.S. Rights from River Road Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, CA September 9, 2010 – Fox Searchlight Pictures Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley announced today that the company has acquired U.S. rights from River Road Entertainment to the epic drama THE TREE OF LIFE.   Written and directed by Terrence Malick, THE TREE OF LIFE stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain.   The film was produced by Bill Pohlad, Sarah Green, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Grant Hill.   Fox Searchlight Pictures will release the film in 2011.

“Terrence Malick has crafted a deeply moving, keenly observed and magisterial film,” said Utley and Gilula.   “Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and the entire cast’s performances are simply amazing.   This is a signature film by a signature filmmaker and we are proud to be releasing it.” 

“Terry Malick has given us another masterpiece that is both profoundly moving and stunningly beautiful,” said Pohlad. ‘And there is no better partner than Fox Searchlight to bring this film to audiences. Their ability to distribute and market independent films with a passion and creativity is incredibly rare in our industry.’

From the acclaimed director of such classic films as BADLANDS, THE THIN RED LINE and DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE TREE OF LIFE is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950’s chronicling the journey of the eldest son, Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn), through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years – trying to reconcile the complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt).   Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

The deal was brokered on Fox Searchlight’s side by Executive Vice President of Worldwide Acquisitions Tony Safford and Senior Vice President of Business Affairs Megan O’Brien.   Mitch Horwits, President of River Road Entertainment negotiated on behalf of the company.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a specialty film company that both finances and acquires motion pictures.   It has its own marketing and distribution operations, and its films are distributed internationally by Twentieth Century Fox.   Fox Searchlight Pictures is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.

River Road Entertainment is one of the leading independent production companies known for developing, producing and financing unconventional feature films and documentaries that astonish, inspire, reveal and provoke. The company’s pictures include Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, Sean Penn’s Into the Wild, and the upcoming Fair Game, starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn with Doug Liman directing.