The WrestlerTuesday, September 9-------"It's the quietest Toronto Film Festival that I can remember", one prominent distributor commented to me yesterday. But despite the indie sector being in a cautious mood, a number of Toronto films have announced major distribution deals.

Less than 24 hours after it won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Darren Aronofsky's drama The Wrestler has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Fox Searchlight, the specialty division of 20th Century Fox (the distributor behind such recent hits as Juno and Little Miss Sunshine). The film, which features a comeback performance by Mickey Rourke that could well see him in contention for acting honors during awards season, screened in Toronto over the weekend to an enthusiastic response. Apparently a bidding war ensued, with Fox Searchlight the apparent victor. After its Toronto screenings, the film will close the New York Film Festival next month. 

Another high profile pick up was announced yesterday. IFC Films has acquired the North American rights to veteran Swedish director Jan Troell's Everlasting Moments. IFC Films will include the film in its IFC in Theaters program, which simultaneously releases a film in traditional cinemas and on video-on-demand platform on the same date. Everlasting Moments received a high profile launch at the Telluride Film Festival over Labor Day Weekend, including a special tribute to veteran director Jan Troell. The film is represented by Scandinavian sales agent Nordisk International.

The musical documentary Soul Power, directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and featuring a who's who of r+b musicians, has been purchased by French powerhouse sales rep Celluloid Dreams. The film documents the three-night long concert held in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974 during the famous "rumble in the jungle" heavyweight boxing fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The musical performers, a mix of American and African talents, include BB King, James Brown, The Spinners and Miriam Makeba, among others. Celluloid Dreams is fielding offers here in Toronto, after the film had very positive press and public screenings.

Disgrace, a drama based on writer J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel, has been sold to Canadian distributor Maximum Film Distribution. The Australian film, directed by Steve Jacobs, stars John Malkovich as a college professor who has a destructive relationship with one of his students and hides away his guilt in the Australian outback. The film is being represented internationally by Fortissimo Films. More deals are expected as the Festival enters its final week.  

Sandy Mandelberger, Toronto FF Dailies Editor