Charlize Central

ThinkFilm has won the battle for “Battle in Seattle,” acquiring all U.S. rights for about $2 million.

“Battle,” which sports an all-star ensemble led by Charlize Theron, had its world premiere Saturday night at the Toronto International Film Festival and marks Stuart Townsend’s directorial debut. The film is set amid the protests and riots that surrounded the World Trade Organization’s 1999 meeting in Seattle.

The deal was ThinkFilm’s second buy at Toronto this year. It scored the biggest sale of the fest’s opening days when it picked up “Then She Found Me,” Helen Hunt’s directorial debut, taking U.S. distribution rights for slightly less than $2 million.

The filmmakers were repped by Endeavor Independent, which also handled a number of last year’s big Toronto sales such as “Rescue Dawn” to MGM; “El Cantante,” which it co-repped with William Morris Independent, to Picturehouse; and “You Kill Me,” which it co-repped with ICM, to IFC.

“We started the festival with the biggest sale, and we ended the festival with the biggest sale,” ThinkFilm head of U.S. theatrical Mark Urman said. “It’s been a wonderful Toronto for ThinkFilm.”

Source: backstage.com