Press Releases

NEW YORK (May 24, 2013) - Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all North American rights to the Viewer's Choice Award, Grand Rail d'Or, winner at the 2013 Critics' Week, THE LUNCHBOX. The film, written and directed by Ritesh Batra, stars Irrfan Khan (LIFE OF PI), Nimrat Kaur and Nakul Vaid. THE LUNCHBOX is produced by Gunneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap of Sikhya Entertainment (India) and Arun Rangachari of Dar Motion Pictures (India), co-produced by Nina Lath Gupta of NFDC (India), Shanaab Alam, Vivek Rangachari, Sunil John, Nittin Keni, Karsten Stöter and Benny Drechsel of Rohfilm (Germany), Cedomir Kolar and Marc Baschet of ASAP Films (France), Danis Tanovic and executive produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher of CineMosaic, Irrfan Khan and Ritesh Batra.

In THE LUNCHBOX, a mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.

"I am thrilled SPC is on board with THE LUNCHBOX. The film is a delicate story with lots of humour and pathos, and SPC is a good home for our film and a great team," says Director Ritesh Batra.

Guneet Monga of Sikhya Entertainment adds, "I am excited to associate with SPC for THE LUNCHBOX. This bolsters my belief in good films and encourages the new wave of Indian Cinema. Hopefully, this landmark relationship will only mark as one of many more collaborations in the near future. Being associated with SPC for the first Indian-French-German co-production truly marks this as a celebration of International Cinema from India."

"THE LUNCHBOX is one of those enchanting movies that will have audiences and critics floating on air. We are so happy to be bringing this movie to the American public. This movie represents the birth of a major international filmmaker," states Sony Pictures Classics.

This deal, negotiated by Michael Weber of The Match Factory, continues Sony Pictures Classics' long relationship with The Match Factory and Weber, most recently with the films FILL THE VOID and WADJDA.

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 31 Academy Awards® (27 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 135 Academy Award® nominations (109 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for 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 Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Bebe Lerner - (323) 822-4800
Sheri Goldberg - (646) 723-3800