Saban Films
EXCLUSIVE: Here in Cannes, Saban Films has inked a deal for North American rights to Keanu Reeves romantic crime thriller Siberia. Bill Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban Films, with Endeavor Content on behalf of the filmmakers.
Reeves stars opposite Ana Ularu (Inferno) in the fearture from director Matthew Ross (Frank & Lola), with supporting cast including Molly Ringwald (Riverdale) and Pasha Lychnikoff (Ray Donovan).
Penned by Scott B. Smith from a story by Hamel and Smith, Siberia follows Lucas Hill (Reeves), an American diamond trader who sells blue diamonds of dubious origin to buyers in Russia. As the deal quickly begins to disintegrate, he falls into an obsessive relationship with a Russian cafe owner (Ularu) in a small Siberian town while colliding with the treacherous world of the diamond trade.
Producers are Stephen Hamel (Passengers) and Reeves of Company Films, Gabriela Bacher of Summerstorm Entertainment/Film House Germany, Dave Hansen and Braden Aftergood.
Above is the first-look photo of Reeves in the movie.
At Cannes, Saban Films also just picked up Kristoffer Nyholms Keepers, starring Gerard Butler, Peter Mullan and Connor Swindells. Earlier this year, the company bought Craig William Macneills Lizzie, starring Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart out of Sundance.
“Siberia is a fresh departure from your average love story, balancing the high-wire act of being a thriller with pacing that keeps you on your toes till the last frame,” said Bromiley.
Cassian Elwes helped arrange financing and is executive producing with Marc Hansell, Devan Towers, and Jere R. Hausfater; Wayne Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones of The Fyzz; Christian Angermayer and Klemens Hallmann of Film House; Chris Lemole and Tim Zajaros of Armory Films; and Phyllis Laing and Jeff Beesley of Buffalo Gals. IM Global is handling international sales.
Ross first feature, Frank & Lola, premiered to acclaim at Sundance in 2016, where it was picked up by Universal.
Saban Films current slate includes Brad Silberlings war thriller An Ordinary Man starring Ben Kingsley and Alexandre Moors The Yellow Birds starring Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston and Jennifer Aniston.
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