Weeks after its
premiere at the Cannes film festival, art-house drama Shortbus , featuring scenes in which actors engage in
actual sex, has landed a deal for commercial release in
North America. Independent studio ThinkFilm plans to
give the $2 million film a platform launch in the
fall, eventually bringing it to specialty theaters
across the country.
But several
sexually explicit moments in the unrated picture present a
marketing challenge for the distributor. The largely
improvised movie explores the lives of seven straight
and gay New Yorkers seeking an emotional connection
with one another. The sex is presented as one part of
the characters' complex lives, which intersect at the
Bohemian salon Shortbus.
The film was
written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, who made his
feature directorial debut on the cult hit Hedwig
and the Angry Inch, about a transgender punk rocker
from East Berlin on tour in the United States. The
depiction of actual sex in Shortbus drew much
attention last month at Cannes, where the film debuted
out of competition.
"TV sales are
out, and it probably can't be sold at Blockbuster or
several other chains," said one competing distributor, whose
company was a final contender in the negotiations to
acquire the film. That distributor, who declined to be
named, bowed out when, he said, the filmmakers sought
a $500,000 price tag for North American rights.
Nevertheless, a
number of indies expressed interest in the finished
movie, for which filmmakers spent more than a year raising
financing. "We had 11 other offers on the table,
including video companies who would allow us to use
the advance for a service deal and a pay-cable network
we're continuing to talk with, who may talk to ThinkFilm
about licensing TV rights," Mitchell said. "Then we
were getting calls from studio specialty divisions
wondering why they were out of the running."
While Mitchell
said those distributors eventually got cold feet over the
content, executives from two of those companies said they
had the go-ahead from their corporate parents to
pursue the movie but that the economics of the deal
didn't make sense given the high price tag and limited
revenue streams. According to sources close to the
production, ThinkFilm, Magnolia, IFC Films, and
Roadside Attractions in conjunction with Netflix were
the final contenders.
"ThinkFilm just
kept coming at us and had the best offer," said
Mitchell, though the filmmakers declined to specify how much
the company offered. According to Mark Urman, head of
ThinkFilm's theatrical division: "We all saw it
together and were unanimous about it. It's quite
groundbreaking, and we were all impressed with how natural
and normal and comedic the extreme sex became without
being offensive."
Urman doesn't
appear daunted by the marketing challenges. "Maybe we
won't take TV ads," he said cheekily. "I'll save money." He
plans to release the film as soon as possible. "There'll be
enormous pre-awareness, and once you let the cat out
of the bag, that cat should be allowed to prowl," he
said.
Mitchell pointed
to several alternative marketing strategies, including a
"virtual salon" Web site where people can upload their
films, music, art, and literature; a competition for
"best performers"; and Shortbus-themed salons
and concerts at colleges around the country. The film
has been sold to more than 20 international
territories, which producer Howard Gertler said will cover
the film's budget. (Gregg Goldstein, Reuters)