The producers’ tactic of resisting US offers for Jonathan Teplitzky’s The Railway Man until after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival looks to have paid off.
The Weinstein Co. has bought the US rights to the drama starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman for about $US2 million.That’s TWC’s second high-profile Australian acquisition following the deal for US rights to John Curran's Tracks after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
The deal for The Railway Man was brokered by CAA. The film starring Firth as a former prisoner-of-war who confronts his Japanese torturer, with Kidman as his wife, opens in Australia on Boxing Day via Transmission Films.
The UK-Australian co-production got a standing ovation but mixed reviews at Toronto, and several critics were tipping a US deal would soon be signed. The awards corridor in the US through the end of this year is crowded so TWC will likely launch the drama in the first quarter of 2014.
"With remarkable performances from Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman and Jeremy Irvine, Jonathan Teplitzky has crafted a moving and compelling film based on an incredible true story of Eric Lomax, who was a POW during World War II," said Harvey Weinstein. "After watching people jump to their feet applauding when the credits rolled with tears in their eyes, we knew this was a film we wanted to help take to audiences across America."
Lionsgate pre-sold the film to every major territory internationally. The producers are Chris Brown, Andy Paterson and Bill Curbishley.