Metrodome Group

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING has been picked up by METRODOME DISTRIBUTION for theatrical distribution in the UK and Ireland from co-producer and sales company HandMade Films International it was announced today.

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING received its World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival last month and attracted fierce competition for the rights in a number of major territories including the UK. The film went on to win the Jury Prize at the Vancouver Film Festival.

The UK deal was struck between HandMade’s Guy Collins and Metrodome’s Peter Urie after a period of intense negotiations with several potential UK distributors that started immediately after the Premier screening. Strong pre-Toronto buzz meant that around 200 press and industry attendees were turned away from the first market screening at Toronto, which subsequently played to 6 more packed screenings and a standing ovation at the Gala screening.

The film will be released in March 2009, catering to both the specialised and multiplex circuits due to it's star draw and high thriller elements. Early predictions from positive trade and consumer press reviews indicate strong cross over/ mainstream box office returns. They also strongly predict awards attention for the incredible performances, in particular Jim Sturgess, who will almost certainly be considered for BAFTA recognition in 2010.

“We were impressed by Metrodome’s enthusiasm and detailed marketing and distribution plan for the theatrical release. Nothing was held back,” says HandMade Films International chairman Guy Collins. “Future Films’ Stephen Margolis and I were determined having taken production financial risks and with a film capable of delivering at the box office, that we were going to license the UK rights to a distributor who would put their full weight behind the film and maximise our return”

Peter Urie of Metrodome Distribution comments, “I am delighted that we will be releasing FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING in our territory and to be working with HandMade and Future Films. This is an excellent film and really delivers the goods as a nail-biting thriller with a career-best performance from Jim Sturgess. We believe the film will be a shot of adrenalin to the UK box office next year and completely fits in with our goal to work with the very best high quality independent films.“

HandMade quickly closed sales in various territories including Australia (Village Roadshow), Scandinavia (Svenske), Germany and Austria (ARD Degeto), Spain (Festival Films), Russia (Paradise) and Benelux (EFP). Other sales include Greece (Odeon), Portugal (Lusomundo), Brazil (Imagem Filmes), Poland (Vision), Czech Republic/Slovakia (Intersonic), Hungary (Intersonic), Former Yugoslavia (VTI), Romania (Odeon), Middle East (ECS), Turkey (Fida), and South Africa (Ster-KineKor). TVA acquired Canadian distribution rights via Brighlights during production. HandMade is looking to complete sales in the rest of the available territories and work with the William Morris agency to close the US rights.

Co-produced by Handmade Films, Future Films and Canada’s Brightlight Pictures with support from Northern Ireland Screen and Telefilm, Canada, Fifty Dead Men Walking was written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Kari Skogland (The Stone Angel). The film stars Jim Sturgess (21, Across The Universe) as real life former IRA infiltrator Martin McGartland, Sir Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast, Gandhi) as British Special Branch Officer ‘Fergus’, Kevin Zegers (It’s a Boy/Girl Thing, Transamerica), Natalie Press (Red Road, My Summer of Love) and Rose McGowan (Grindhouse, The Black Dahlia).

Based on Martin McGartland's shocking real life story and book, Sturgess plays a young lad from west Belfast in the late 1980s, recruited by the British Police to spy on the IRA. He works his way up the ranks as a volunteer whilst feeding information to his British handler and saving lives in the process; until one day he is exposed, captured and tortured to within an inch of his life. He escaped dramatically by throwing himself from a tower block window and is still in hiding today.