Sundance | SPC gets two

Sony Pictures Classics has finally sealed the deal for North American rights to James Toback's docu "Tyson," unspooling in the Sundance Film Festival's Spectrum section. SPC began talks to acquire the controversial boxer's portrait after its Cannes fest preem.
NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony will join the project as exec producer.
As reported earlier, the distrib is also near a pact for U.S. rights to Carlos Cuaron’s dramedy “Rudo y Cursi,” ahead of its Sundance world preem.
Pic reunites “Y Tu Mama Tambien” co-stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna as two brothers who become rivals on the soccer field. It opened December 19 in Mexico to good business.
“Rudo y Cursi” is the first project to come out of Cha Cha Cha, the production shingle of helmers Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Alfonso Cuaron, who is Carlos’ brother. Cha Cha Cha has a financing and distribution deal with Focus Features, which has all rights to the pic outside the U.S. Cha Cha Cha retained U.S. rights. WMA and CAA co-repped the film.

Regent Releasing has acquired Lynn Roth's period drama "The Little Traitor," starring Alfred Molina as a British officer in occupied Palestine. Pic won the Audience Award at the Palm Beach Int'l. Film Festival and is set to unspool at the Palm Springs fest on January 16. Regent will release the film in Fall of 2009.
French actress Isabelle Huppert will serve as Jury President of the 62nd Festival du Cannes.
Michael Jones is the film festival editor at Variety.com.












