ThinkFilm, HBO pick up "Favela"

ThinkFilm and HBO/Cinemax Documentary Films have jointly acquired Jeff Zimbalist and Matt Mochary's documentary "Favela Rising."

ThinkFilm, the New York-based indie distributor, and HBO, the Time Warner cable service, previously collaborated on the distribution of the Oscar-nominated docu "Spellbound" and the Oscar-winning docu "Born into Brothels."

"Favela," which had its world premiere at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the best new documentary filmmaker prize, has just been short-listed for two International Documentary Assn. awards, competing for the best feature prize as well as the Pare Lorentz Award honoring activism and lyrical vision.

The film, which will open theatrically in 2006, is a U.S.-Brazilian co-production that offers an account of Anderson Sa, a former drug trafficker from a Rio de Janeiro slum who becomes a social activist and uses music and dance to combat violence and oppression. Sa's grassroots Afro-Reggae movement becomes an important force in unifying his city, combating teenage drug armies and overcoming police corruption. It was filmed during more than two years in Rio.

"Jeff and I are so excited that ThinkFilm and HBO have chosen our film out of the dozens of great films this year," said Mochary. Zimbalist added, "ThinkFilm and HBO are the two best distributors of documentary films. As a duo, they are the gold standard."

Stephen Raphael and Ben Feldman repped the filmmakers. Daniel Katz, vp acquisitions, and U.S. theatrical division head Mark Urman represented ThinkFilm, while John Hoffman, HBO supervising producer, and Sheila Nevins, HBO president of documentary programming represented, HBO. Lumina Films recently acquired international rights.

Afro-Reggae, as a musical movement, has an affiliated non-profit organization called Grupo Cultural Afro-Reggae that operates classes for more than 2,000 favela youths, and all of the "Favela" investors have committed their net proceeds from the film to this charity. Additionally, Mochary has started the Mochary Foundation, designed to promote similar activities involving education and the arts in U.S. inner-city schools.

"Favela Rising" is a production of Sidetrack Films, Mochary and Zimbalist, in association with VOY Pictures.