February 26, 2008–“Sunshine Cleaning,” the dramatic entry in the 2008 Sundance Film Fest, has been picked up by Overture Films for an approximately $2 million. Directed by Christine Jeffs (“Rain,” “Sylvia”), the film stars Amy Adams and Emily Blunt as sisters who earn their keep as a cleaning team who mop up crime scenes. Scripted by Megan Holley, the serio-comedy also stars Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn and Clifton Collins Jr.
The film was hard sell at Sundance Fest because the filmmakers were trying to recoup their cost, which was around $7 million. Distributors were concerned that the family comedy-drama’s title and the casting of Alan Arkin would promote too much comparison to “Little Miss Sunshine.”
Overture is considering changing the title but plans to release the picture in the fourth quarter of this year or first of next year.
“Sunshine Cleaning” was produced by Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf and Jeb Brody of Big Beach, the same shingle behind “Little Miss Sunshine” and Back Lot’s Glenn Williamson.
Overture, a division of Starz, has been around for nearly a year and a half and their first theatrical releases are just hitting the marketplace. Their first picture, the comedy “Mad Money” opened in January, followed by spring releases of the Sundance indies “Sleepwalking” and “The Visitor.”
Fall slate includes “Righteous Kill” with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino and Overture’s debut inhouse production, the thriller “Traitor.” Comedies “Last Chance Harvey” and “Humboldt Park” follow.
Big Beach recently sold Ramin Bahrani’s “Chop Shop” a 2007 Cannes and Toronto Fest screener. Beach is in post-production on Michael Caine starrer “Is Anybody There” and in pre-production on a Sam Mendes helmed film scripted by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida.
