Press Releases

NEW YORK – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights worldwide, excluding France and German speaking Europe, to Michael Angelo Covino’s THE CLIMB. The film premiered at the 2019 Cannes International Film Festival.

Directed by Covino and written by Covino and Kyle Marvin, the film stars Covino, Marvin, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt, and Judith Godrèche.

Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond — until Mike sleeps with Kyle's fiancée. THE CLIMB is about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It is also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.

Topic Studios (Leave No Trace, Spotlight) produced and financed the film. Producers are Noah Lang, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin. Executive Producers Michael Bloom, Ryan Heller Adam Pincus and Gilda Moratti.

"To know my first movie will open with the same logo as so many of my favorites is hard to fathom,” said Covino. "I can’t wait to work with Tom, Michael and the entire Sony Classics team to share it with the world.”

Said Sony Pictures Classics, "A new American independent voice just launched in Cannes. Emotionally intelligent, funny, hip and a little crazy, audiences everywhere will love it. And we are so thrilled to be releasing THE CLIMB around the world."

"We are incredibly proud of Michael, Kyle and everyone who touched this exceptional film," said Maria Zuckerman, EVP of Topic Studios. "We’re also so happy to have Sony Pictures Classics as our partner to help audiences worldwide discover it.”

The deal was negotiated by Endeavor Content and Memento Films International on behalf of the filmmakers. 
 
The Match Factory sells Marco Bellocchio’s THE TRAITOR worldwide, including Sony Pictures Classics for the US and additional territories
 
Following a thirteen-minute standing ovation at Marco Bellocchio’s THE TRAITOR, which premiered yesterday in Competition at Cannes, The Match Factory has announced deals on multiple territories. 
 
Sony Pictures Classics is boarding the film in North and Latin America, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. The deal was closed between Michael Weber, Managing Director of The Match Factory, and Sony Pictures Classics.
 
The leading arthouse sales agent has also secured distribution in Spain (Vertigo), Germany (Pandora), Benelux (Cinemien), Japan (Klockworx), China, Poland (Gutek), Greece (Seven), Russia (Magic Films), Czech Republic and Slovenia (Aerofilms), Portugal (Alambique), Austria (Filmladen), Hungary (Mozinet), Romania (Independenta), Former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom) and Bulgaria (Artfest). More deals to follow.
 
The film was released in Italy by 01 Distribution on the same day as the premiere in Cannes, which also marked the 27th anniversary of the death of judge Giovanni Falconi. The Italian box office has already taken over 100.000 Euro from the first day of release, with the project currently in second place on the charts. Ad Vitam is bringing the film to French territory on November, 6th 2019.
 
THE TRAITOR is a co-production between IBC Movie, Kavac Film with Rai Cinema, Ad Vitam Production, Match Factory Productions and Gullane Productions. Pierfrancesco Favino stars with Maria Fernanda Candido, Fabrizio Ferracane, Luigi Lo Cascio, Nicola Cali, Giovanni Calcagno, Fausto Russo Alesi and Bruno Cariello.
 
The film follows the epic mafia trial of one of the most infamous Mafiosi of all time, Tommaso Buscetta. In the early 1980’s, an all-out war rages between Sicilian mafia bosses over the heroin trade. Tommaso Buscetta, a made man, flees to hide out in Brazil. Back home, scores are being settled and Buscetta watches from afar as his sons and brother are killed in Palermo, knowing he may be next. Arrested and extradited to Italy by the Brazilian police, Buscetta makes a decision that will change everything for the Mafia: He decides to meet with Judge Giovanni Falcone and betray the eternal vow he made to the Cosa Nostra.
 
Bellocchio wrote the script with Ludovica Rampoldi, Valia Santela and Francesco Piccolo while the striking cinematography is credited to Vladan Radovic. The film is produced by Simone Gattoni, Beppe Caschetto, Michael Weber, Viola Fügen, Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane and Alexandra Henochsberg.