IFC Films has struck an agreement with the Criterion Collection for the release of select titles from IFC's library. The first Blu-ray in the deal was '
Gomorrah', which is slated for a November 24 release, but IFC confirmed Tuesday a larger partnership between the two companies, encompassing twelve titles on Blu-ray and/or DVD. The next title in the deal is Steven Soderbergh's two-part biopic '
Che' in December.
The new-release titles slated for a 2010 release include: 'Everlasting Moments' (
Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick, Jan Troell, Sweden, 2008), 'Summer Hours' (
L'heure d'été, Olivier Assayas, France, 2008), 'The Secret of the Grain' (
La graine et le mulet, Abdellatif Kechiche, France, 2007), 'Hunger' (Steve McQueen, UK, 2007), and 'Still Walking' (
Aruitemo aruitemo, Hirokazu Kore-Eda, Japan, 2008). Note that some of them may be released in standard definition only, as it just happened with Arnaud Desplechin's 'A Christmas Tale'. We shall have to wait for the individual announcements to know for sure.
Upcoming library titles include Alfonso Cuarón's 'Y tu mamá también' and Christopher Nolan's debut feature film 'Following'.
“From the inception of IFC Films, we modelled our acquisition strategy on Criterion's but with the intent on focusing on the auteurs of today,” IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring said. “It's a great honor and thrill for us to embark on this partnership with them. They are the golden seal of approval.”
Criterion's Peter Becker added: “IFC Films has been on an incredible roll, hunting down daring international films and spotting film-makers whose work will stand the test of time. Criterion has always presented a mix of international classics and director-approved editions of important contemporary films, so this new slate of releases fits our mission perfectly.”
Variety notes that IFC also has a partnership from this summer with MPI Media Group to release genre titles in bare-bones DVD editions, while reserving the right to select prestigious titles for the full “collector's edition” treatment with Criterion.
“The Criterion name provides a tremendous amount of credibility and prestige, and knowing IFC has a working relationship with Criterion could give us an edge in negotiations,” said Lisa Schwartz, IFC's exec VP of sales and business development.