1 September, 2010
Busy Roadside Attractions has acquired US rights to Ondi Timoner’s topical documentary and potential awards contender Cool It ahead of its world premiere in Toronto. ContentFilm International is handling international sales on the title and will be in Toronto talking to buyers. Maple Pictures holds Canadian rights. Timoner, a two-time Sundance Grand Jury prize winner with Dig! and We Live In Public, trains her sights on the controversial political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, who debunks much of the climate change debate and proposes a radical solution for change. Roadside is planning an autumn release in time for awards consideration. 1019 Entertainment principals Terry Botwick produced with Sarah Gibson and Timoner, while Botwick’s business partner Ralph Winter is executive producer. “Many docs we see are satisfied to introduce yet another problem to fret about,” Roadside Attractions co-president Eric d’Arbeloff said, “but Cool It is so exciting because it’s radically structured toward solutions. In the same way our movie The Cove demonstrated that a small group of activists can change the world, we think that this brave film could help start real progress on global warming.” d’Arbeloff and attorney Greg Bernstein negotiated the acquisition with Botwick and attorney Steve Fayne of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. Roadside has been active in the market of late and recently acquired US rights to I Love You Phillip Morris and Biutiful. ContentFilm International president Jamie Carmichael said: “We were fascinated by Bjorn’s argument and we all have to think very carefully about what he has to say. He’s turned the problem of climate change on its head and delivered an extraordinarily exciting alternative solution.”
