The SXSW Film Festival, annual meeting place for that infamous interconnected movement of new American filmmakers known as Mumblecore, has yielded a deal for the new film from prolific DIY director Joe Swanberg. In a pact brokered in recent days, IFC Entertainment quickly acquired worldwide rights to Swanberg and Greta Gerwig's "Nights and Weekends," announcing the deal as the film had its world premiere tonight (Sunday) here in Austin, TX. and less than a year after distributing Swanberg's "Hannah Takes The Stairs," which debuted here last March.

Get the full story at indieWIRE.com.

On the morning that the 2008 Sundance Film Festival kicks off in Park City, UT, Zeitgeist Films has announced its acquisition of Yung Chang's acclaimed first feature, "Up The Yangtze," a documentary about the effects of the construction of the massive Three Gorges Dam that is displacing millions and destroying national landmarks in the country. Set for its U.S. premiere tomorrow (Friday) in Sundance's world documentary competition, the film debuted back in November at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and will be released theatrically by Zeitgeist in April. The film, produced by Mila Aung-Thwin, John Christou and Germaine Ying Gee Wong, is from the National Film Board of Canada, which also handled the Zeitgeist release, "Manufactured Landscapes." [Eugene Hernandez]

Get the full story at indieWIRE.com.

A script and just two minutes of footage were enough to sell upstart distribution company Summit Entertainment on North American rights to the unfinished sophomore feature from filmmaker Rian Johnson ("Brick"). In one of the most aggressive acquisitions ever, Summit poached "The Brothers Bloom," a movie that many expected would go on the market at the Sundance Film Festival early next year. The unspecified eight-figure deal would have made major headlines had the sale played out in Park City early next year. In a swift move, Summit simply pulled the anticipated project from an acclaimed emerging filmmaker off the market. [Eugene Hernandez]

Get the latest at indieWIRE.com.

Alan Ball's "Nothing is Private" has been acquired by Warner Independent Pictures, in a deal just announced at the Toronto International Film Festival. The company said tonight that it is in final negotiations to partner with Netflix's Red Envelope Entertainment on a deal that includes North American rights and multiple other territories. The deal is the second acquisition of a provocative American film today in Toronto, on the heels of Overture Film's acquisition of North American rights to Tom McCarthy's "The Visitor."

indieWIRE takes a closer look at both films in a story published this evening. Read the full article at indieWIRE.com.

In Toronto tonight, Miramax Films may be celebrating this evening's TIFF debut of The Coen Brothers' "No Country For Old Men," but company president Daniel Battsek can also toast his pre-buy of U.S. rights to filmmaker Fernando Meirelles' "Blindess." Adapted from Jose Saramago's acclaimed novel by celebrated Canadian writer, actor and director Don McKellar, the film stars Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Alice Braga, Danny Glover and Gael Garcia Bernal. The movie is produced by Niv Fichman, Andrea Barata Ribeiro, and Sonoko Sakai and executive produced by Gail Egan and Simon Channing-Williams. [Eugene Hernandez]

Get more on the deal now in the indieWIRE.com Buzz section.

IFC Entertainment confirmed a deal today for Baltasar Kormakur's "Jar City," jumpstarting dealmaking here in Toronto. The company nabbed the film, which won the top prize at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival back in July, prior to "Jar City"'s popular U.S. debut at last weekend's Telluride Film Festival. An unconventional detective story, it follows an aging police detective's search for a loner's murderer and covers events spanning thirty years. [Eugene Hernandez]

Get the complete story now at indieWIRE.com

indieWIRE's Toronto Festival coverage is available anytime in a special Toronto '07 section.

Strand Releasing has acquired Francois Ozon's latest, "Time To Leave" (Le Temps qui reste), in a deal negotiated with Celluloid Dreams. The film, starring Jeanne Moreau, is screening in Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Charlotte Mickie from Celluloid Dreams negotiated the pact with Jon Gerrans from Strand. Strand is planning a July '06 release for the film.

A week before the launch of the Toronto International Film Festival, Fox Searchlight Pictures has acquired the opening-night world premiere, writer-director Deepa Mehta's "Water." Nicole Sperling reports in the Hollywood Reporter.

Sundance Channel announced today the acquisition of the pay television rights to six documentary films from the worldwide international documentary sales company Films Transit. The titles are: Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott’s "The Corporation," Dane Elon’s "Another Road Home," Oren Seidler’s "Bruce and Me," Andrew Douglas’ "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus," John Appel’s "The Last Victory," and Carey Schonegevel’s "Original Child Bomb." The films will make their U.S. television premieres on Sundance Channel in late 2005 and early 2006. The deals were negotiated by Christian Vesper, Vice President, Acquisitions, Program Planning & Scheduling, on behalf of Sundance Channel, and by Diana Holtzberg, Acquisitions, Project Development, & Sales Director at Films Transit International, Inc.

Sundance Channel acquired home video and U.S. pay television rights to the Anglo-Irish drama Omagh directed by Pete Travis and written by Guy Hibbert and Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday). Omagh will be released by Sundance Channel Home Entertainment on DVD and VHS through Hart Sharp Video on October 11th, 2005 and will make its U.S. television debut on Sundance Channel in 2006. For more information, visit the Sundance Channel website.

Wolfe Releasing has acquired two films, both of which will be released this fall. Cassandra Nicolaou's "Show Me" is a psychological thriller, while Angelina Maccarone's "Unveiled" is described as a political drama, the film was formerly titled "In Orbit." Both films are set for summer festival travel, including screenings at Frameline29 in San Francisco and Outfest in Los Angeles.