27-09-2007

Hungarian animated film The District! set for North American release

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    Montreal-based Atopia Distribution (www.atopia.com) has acquired North American rights to Aron Gauder's biting animated comedy The District!


    Set in Budapest's so-called gypsy ghetto, the film features Hungarian prostitutes rapping and pokes fun at U.S. President George W. Bush's foreign policy.

    Billed in America as a sort of Eastern European South Park, the film played well to audiences in the festival circuit in 2004 and 2005. It was featured at festivals in Toronto, Rotterdam, Seattle, Philadelphia, Austin, Mar Del Plata, Melbourne, and Karlovy Vary.Atopia will expose the film in a limited release across the U.S. and Canada next month, mostly in major cities, before launching its new title on DVD in December.

    Atopia's Pascal Maeder and Mitch Davis sealed the deal with the Hungarian rights holder, SzimplaFilm (http://cine.hu/t9/nyito_h.html).

    The €3.1 million (78 million forint) production reportedly earned a healthy €4 million (100 million forints) at the local box office.