Cinedigm Acquires TUSCALOOSA with Devon Bostick & Stranger Things’ Natalia Dyer

Cinedigm Corp (NASDAQ: CIDM) announced today that it has acquired North American rights to ‘70s coming-of-age tale TUSCALOOSA. Helmed by veteran music video director 

Philip Harder

, who also wrote the screenplay, the film stars 

Devon Bostick

 (Okja), 

Natalia Dyer

 (“Stranger Things”), 

Marchánt Davis

 (The Day Shall Come), 

Tate Donovan

 (Rocketman), and Def Jam hip hop artist 

YG

 (White Boy Rick). TUSCALOOSA premiered at the Nashville Film Festival in October, and, following additional festival engagements, Cinedigm will release the picture in theaters, on digital, and on demand on March 13, 2020.

TUSCALOOSA is based on the sweeping Southern novel by W. Glasgow Phillips.  As racial tension simmers in the late summer heat, a forbidden love affair ignites between recent college grad Billy (Bostick) and free-spirited mental patient Virginia (Dyer). The relationship between Billy and his psychiatrist father (Donovan) unravels as Billy discovers the truth behind his father’s involvement in his mother’s mysterious disappearance and the local police’s racial violence against his childhood best friend (Davis) and a radical civil rights activist (YG).

“With its rich visual detail and rural setting, TUSCALOOSA vividly captures small-town Alabama in the 1970s,” said Yolanda Macias, Cinedigm’s Executive Vice-President of Acquisitions.  “As the film’s young characters face issues and tensions that still resonate today, Philip Harder’s beautiful direction further imbues the film with an edgy, modern vibe through dynamic lensing and the evocative use of music.”

The film was produced by Patrick Riley. Executive Producers include Scott Franklin (The Wrestler, Black Swan), Brian & Josh Etting (Angel of Mine), Jenny Daly, Erik Helgeson, Dan Riley, and Tate Donovan.

“We were attracted to Cinedigm for its eclectic film library and proven ability to reach diverse audiences across varied demographics,” said Patrick Riley. “Their team brings experience and great energy and ideas for grassroots promotion and social media tactics, which we believe is the right strategy for TUSCALOOSA.”   

The deal was negotiated by Yolanda Macias and Cynthia Royce for Cinedigm and Brian Etting, Josh Etting, and Patrick Riley on behalf of the filmmakers.

ABOUT CINEDIGM

Since inception, Cinedigm has been a leader at the forefront of the digital transformation of content distribution. Adjusting to the rapidly transforming business needs of today’s entertainment landscape, Cinedigm remains a change-centric player focused on providing content, channels and services to the world’s largest media, technology and retail companies. Cinedigm’s Content and Networks groups provide original and aggregated programming, channels and services that entertain consumers globally across hundreds of millions of devices. For more information, visit www.cinedigm.com.

Jill Newhouse Calcaterra [e-mail]