Suits Dispute Distribution Rights to Sundance Winner ‘Push’
Two companies have filed lawsuits claiming they have the rights to distribute Sundance film festival winner Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire.
The movie, which tells the story of an illiterate incest victim in 1980s Harlem, won both the grand jury and audience awards at the festival, the Associated Press reports. The suits were filed by Lionsgate Films and The Weinstein Co.
The Weinstein Co. claims it had a ”firm agreement” for distribution rights. But Lionsgate claims Weinstein had no deal because it never reached an accord on international rights and profit-sharing, Reuters reports. Lawyers Bert Fields and David Boies represent Weinstein.
Sales agent Cinetic Media claims Weinstein was a bidder for the movie, but never closed the deal, the Los Angeles Times reports.
