Press Releases

NEW YORK (August 5, 2015) - Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired worldwide* rights to Don Cheadle's directorial debut, MILES AHEAD. MILES AHEAD tells the story of a few lost days in the life of Miles Davis (Cheadle), the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period, conspires with a Rolling Stone writer (McGregor) to steal back his music, and relives the years he had with his great love, Frances Taylor (Corinealdi). The film was recently announced as this year's Closing Night selection for the 53rd New York Film Festival.

Written by Steven Baigelman and Cheadle, MILES AHEAD stars Cheadle, Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield. Cheadle, Lenore Zerman, Pamela Hirsch, Daniel Wagner, Robert Ogden Barnum, Darryl Porter and Vince Wilburn, Jr. produced the film. Mark Amin, Baigelman, Jonathan Gardner and Brian Pope executive produced. Davis' son, Erin Davis, and daughter, Cheryl Davis, are also executive producers, and the film was made with the participation of The Miles Davis Estate. The film was financed by BiFrost Pictures.

"Miles was many things…a supreme artist and a national treasure but also an enigma to those around him, especially during his so-called quiet period," said Cheadle. "With the family's blessing and Miles' tenets on creativity as our guide, we used these cloistered years as a jumping off point to compose the story of a self-exiled artist creating his own ‘centrifugal adventure' to spin himself back into playing music again. And now I'm delighted that we've found the perfect partners in Michael, Tom and the SPC team to take this journey with us."

"What Don Cheadle has done here with the spirit of Miles Davis is truly astounding. We are not only witnessing for the first time this part of Miles Davis' story as it deserves to be told, but also the birth of a major film director who happens to portray the iconic musician in a jaw dropping performance. This movie will be embraced by audiences everywhere and we are so pleased to help make that happen," stated Sony Pictures Classics.

The deal was negotiated by SPC with UTA Independent Film Group, which arranged the financing and represented the filmmakers in the deal. IM Global handled pre-sales in multiple territories.*

*Pre-sale territories were Portugal, Switzerland, UK, Ex-Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel and Middle East.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.

Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 158 Academy Award® nominations (132 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

Press Contact:

Bebe Lerner
(323) 822-4800

Sheri Goldberg
(646) 723-3800