Sundance’s "Tyrannosaur" Heads to Strand; D Films

By Peter Knegt (February 11, 2011) IndieWire


Paddy Considine’s well-received directorial debut “Tyrannosaur” has been picked up for release in the U.S. and Canada out of the European Film Market. Protagonist Pictures announced that Strand Releasing will release the film in the U.S., and D Films will handle Canada.


“Paddy Considine, an actor who launched his career in Shane Meadows’ ‘A Room For Romeo Brass,’ makes an assured step behind the camera with ‘Tyrannosaur,’ his first feature,” Eric Kohn wrote in an indieWIRE review of the film out of Sundance. “The discomfiting story of a middle-aged drunkard overcoming his booze-fueled woes, Considine announces his directorial vision with a morbid character piece sustained by two remarkably intense performances. Following up his acclaimed short “Dog Altogether,” Considine’s film strikes an alarming note in its very first scene and sustains that uneasiness throughout.”


The film has also sold since Sundance to Wild Bunch for Benelux, and Front Row Filmed Entertainment for the Middle East.  Distributors already in place include Optimum Releasing for the UK, Madman for Australia and New Zealand, and Non Stop Entertainment for Scandinavia.


Full press release below.


PROTAGONIST PICTURES today announced that it has concluded its North American sales on Paddy Considine’s critically acclaimed debut feature TYRANNOSAUR, to Strand Releasing for the US and to D Films for Canada. The film screens at the European Film Market this week.


The deals were closed following the film’s world premiere at Sundance, where it walked away with two major awards (World Cinema Directing Award, Dramatic, and World Cinema Special Jury Prize, Dramatic, for Breakout Performances by Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman).


The film has also sold since Sundance to Wild Bunch for Benelux, and Front Row Filmed Entertainment for the Middle East.  Distributors already in place include Optimum Releasing for the UK, Madman for Australia and New Zealand, and Non Stop Entertainment for Scandinavia.

Writer/Director Paddy Considine, who made his name in front of the camera (Dead Man’s Shoes,  Red Riding Trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum), previously wrote and directed the short film Dog Altogether for Warp Films, winning the Best Short Film BAFTA and BIFA awards as well as the Silver Lion award at Venice in 2007.  Dog Altogether starred both Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman and introduces the story which TYRANNOSAUR now continues. 


Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction.  As his life spirals into turmoil a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah (Olivia Colman), a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret of her own. The film also starts Eddie Marsan (Happy Go Lucky, The Disappearance of Alice Creed).


The sales deals were negotiated by Ben Roberts, Charlotte Van Weede and Simon Osborn for Protagonist, Jon Gerrans and Marcus Hu, Co-Presidents for Strand Releasing; Jim Sherry, President and CEO for D Films; Pim Hermeling CEO for Wild Bunch Benelux; and Gianluca Chakra, CEO and Managing Director for Front Row Filmed Entertainment.


Tyrannosaur is produced by Diarmid Scrimshaw, who has worked with Considine on several projects including his award-winning short Dog Altogether for Warp Films. Scrimshaw has produced most of the visual content for the Arctic Monkeys including their feature-length concert film Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo directed by Richard Ayoade.


TYRANNOSAUR is a Warp X and Inflammable Films presentation, backed by Film4, the UK Film Council, Screen Yorkshire, Optimum Releasing, EM Media, Madman and Nonstop Entertainment.


Original Article