ThinkFilm, City Lights Add Up to "Ten"

[Posted by Gregg Goldstein] ThinkFilm and City Lights Home Entertainment have partnered to purchase North American rights to David Wain's Ten Commandments satire "The Ten," sharing the $4.5 million plus a substantial P&A commitment for the Sundance festival film

ThinkFilm will handle theatrical distribution and television rights, while City Lights will handle DVD and digital distribution through its partnership with Warner Music Group's WEA Corp. Both companies will share revenue from all distribution venues.

The episodic film features an all-star cast, including Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder, Jessica Alba, Adam Brody, Liev Schreiber, Justin Theroux, Gretchen Mol, Oliver Platt and Famke Janssen.

"We thought it was a hilarious, funny, movie, and that if we brought it to an audience with brains and style, it would have the ability to do better than [ThinkFilm's] 'The Aristocrats' or 'Strangers with Candy'" said ThinkFilm head of US theatrical Mark Urman. "It's a very smart brand of seemingly dumb comedy, and we know these guys will be great to work with."

The film premiered Jan. 19 at the Library Center Theatre as one of the most anticipated potential indie buys but had a slow sales burn, with Weinstein Co. and 2929 Entertainment's distribution channels among several parties expressing interest in the film. As of late Thursday night, ThinkFilm was closing its side of the partnership with City Lights.

"Ten" was produced by City Lights Pictures in association with M.E.G.A. Films and Centrifugal Films. It was produced by Jonathan Stern, M.E.G.A.'s Morris S. Levy, Wain, Rudd and Ken Marino. The executive producer is City Lights Media Group CEO Danny Fisher.

The film was repped by Cinetic.