Open Road to nab Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer’s “Black and White”September 26, 2014 - 13:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Open Road Films is in talks to acquire U.S. rights to the Kevin Costner starrer Black and White, The Hollywood Reporter said. The racially-themed drama, which made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 6, is being acquired for its awards-season potential, sources say — particularly Costner and co-star Octavia Spencer's performances. Written and directed by Mike Binder and based on a true story, the film centers on an attorney (Costner) who becomes embroiled in a custody battle with the paternal grandmother (Spencer) of his biracial granddaughter, whom he is raising after his wife and daughter have died. Anthony Mackie, Andre Holland, Bill Burr, Mpho Koaho, Gillian Jacobs, Jennifer Ehle and 10-year-old newcomer Jillian Estell round out the cast. Binder and Costner previously collaborated on The Upside of Anger. Costner and Binder produced the film alongside Todd Lewis. Cassian Elwes executive produced. In his review in THR, Jordan Mintzer wrote that Black and White "creates a believable story raising questions about parenthood and racial prejudice in modern-day Los Angeles." THR's Scott Feinberg called it "one of the best movies that has already screened at the Toronto Film Festival but hasn't yet found a U.S. distributor." IM Global is handling international sales on the film. Open Road declined comment. Top stories Ara Aivazian said Azerbaijan continues the traditions of Turkey after seizing territories and forced Armenians out. The creative crew of the Public TV had chosen 13-year-old Malena as a participant of this year's contest. She called on others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech. Penderecki was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Partner news | Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State to travel to Armenia Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs James C. O’Brien will travel to Yerevan on June 10-12. |