German rights for Peepli Live acquired before official Berlinale Special Screening
Mumbai, 15 February 2010: After rave audience and critics reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, Peepli Live, directed by Anusha Rizvi, co‐produced by UTV Motion Pictures & Aamir Khan Productions has just been picked up by specialty film German distribution company Rapid Eye Movies. Theatrical release for Peepli Live in Germany is planned for third quarter of 2010. Rapid Eye has also acquired the Home Video and Television for the territory.
Stephan Holl, founder of Rapid Eye Pictures commented on his acquisition, "We are thrilled to bring to the German audience a true Indian art house film that entertains whilst telling a serious story"
Amrita Pandey, VP, International Distribution and Syndication, UTV Motion Pictures, said, "Rapid Eye is an ideal distribution partner for us to plan a theatrical Germany release for the film."
Peepli Live is Anusha Rizvi’s first feature. It is a fresh and intelligently spun satire of the real‐life epidemic of farmer suicides that have plagued India for the past decade. With a deft hand, Rizvi infuses humor and buoyancy in depicting this tragic predicament, illuminating the true colors of many corridors of Indian society. Peepli Live, is the first Indian film ever to be selected at the Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Dramatic competition) and is also screening in out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival.
Critics who have watched the film say:
“A peppy screwball comedy with elements of social satire... Debuting writer‐director Anusha Rizvi manages to wrest a lively feature out of a gravely serious issue, capturing the desperation of India's village farmers, as well as the nation's shift from agriculture to industrialization, without losing sight of the entertainment principle.” – Rob Nelson, VARIETY
“A comic gem set in India's beleaguered rural communities... Both funny and sobering, this film, produced by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan (the Oscar‐nominated "Lagaan"), aims beyond Indian audiences.” – Kirk Honeycutt – THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
UTV Software Communications Ltd. Regd. Office: Parijaat House, 1076, Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli Naka, Mumbai – 400 018. • Tel.: 2490 5353 • Fax: 2492 0804 • http://www.utvnet.com
“PEEPLI LIVE is a film about land ownership and suicide that makes you laugh. In her debut feature, Anusha Rizvi entertains with a bawdy take on the rural class struggle as she examines a serious injustice in India today. Her comedy is as wildly funny as it is outrageous.” – David D’Arcy, SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
About UTV: UTV Software Communications Limited is India’s leading global integrated media house with business interests in Television, Movies, Broadcasting, Games Content and New Media. UTV India & its subsidiaries (UTV) create, aggregate and disseminate content of various genres across varied distribution platforms.
About UTV Motion Pictures Established in 1995, UTV Motion Pictures has played an active role in pioneering the studio model in the Indian film industry, where it is able to leverage script development, budget and time management and international distribution.
UTV Motion Pictures has emerged as a strong player in Indian and International cinema with the success of movies like Rang De Basanti, Khosla Ka Ghosla, The Namesake, A Wednesday & I Think I Love My Wife. UTV has co-produced movies like Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa-Akbar, which was the biggest blockbuster of 2008 and M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening which is amongst the top grossers in Hollywood. UTV has also distributed movies like Aamir Khan's directorial debut Taare Zameen Par & his production Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na in the international markets. Following an successful line up of films in the year 2009 which comprised of blockbusters like Dev.D, Kaminey and Wake Up Sid UTV has an equally aggressive slate of movies like Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti, Sanjay Leela Bansali’s Guzaarish, Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar, and many more.
UTV Software Communications Ltd. Regd. Office: Parijaat House, 1076, Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli Naka, Mumbai – 400 018. • Tel.: 2490 5353 • Fax: 2492 0804 • http://www.utvnet.com