THINKFilm Acquires Theatrical Rights To “ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED” From HBO

NEW YORK (RUSHPRNEWS) JULY 8, 2008 – THINKFilm has acquired from HBO, the US theatrical and home video rights to ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED, Marina Zenovich’s acclaimed documentary about the public scandal and private tragedy that drove the legendary director from the United States more than 30 years ago. The film, which had its world premiere at Sundance 2008, will make its international debut in the official selection at the forthcoming Cannes Film Festival.

HBO will air ROMAN POLANSKI on June 9th, with THINKFilm’s theatrical engagements beginning with a New York opening on July 11th. The deal, which was jointly announced by THINKFilm President Mark Urman and Sheila Nevins, president, HBO Documentary Films, is the latest and most innovative collaboration between the two companies, whose long series of partnerships has yielded two Oscar wins, most recently with this year’s “Taxi to the Dark Side.”

About the acquisition, Urman says, “Marina’s film is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in years. It is as compulsively enjoyable as the juiciest tabloid yet it also serves as a stunning indictment of our tabloid-crazed culture. Buoyed by HBO’s terrific promotional support, the film should have enormous want-to-see, and exhibitor interest in the film couldn’t be higher.” Urman, who served as Polanski’s publicist for several years in the 90’s, was interviewed by Zenovich on background at the earliest stages of production.

Of Urman’s involvement as the film’s distributor she says, “While researching this film I discovered that Mark had worked with Roman Polanski. After talking to him, I realized that he had a real understanding of the story and knows how to get it to the biggest audience. Having THINK and HBO behind the film is every documentary filmmaker’s dream.”

ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED, A THINKFilm and HBO Documentary Films release, is directed by Marina Zenovich, written by Zenovich, Joe Bini and P.G. Morgan, produced by Zenovich, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, and Lila Yacoub, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and Randy Wooten, with cinematography by Tanja Koop and editing by Joe Bini.