Cannes Market Dailies

Leading entertainment company Arclight Films, led by Chairman Gary Hamilton, announced today the company will handle worldwide distribution rights for the completed feature film BUTTER. The warmhearted teen comedy is written and directed by Emmy Award-winning director and producer Paul A. Kaufman (“Run the Wild Fields,” NCIS: Los Angeles”) based on award winning writer Erin Jade Lange’s wildly acclaimed book of the same name. The film boasts a star-driven cast headlined by Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion), Annabeth Gish (Mystic Pizza, Nixon, “The Haunting of Hill House”), McKaley Miller (Ma, “Hart of Dixie”), and introducing Alex Kersting as Butter who stunned audiences in Crypt TV’s “Stoneheart.”

Kaufman received an Emmy Award for Best Director for Showtime’s “Run the Wild Fields” and was honored with a Directors Guild of Canada nomination for Best Director for biopic "Magic Beyond Words: The JK Rowling Story" which also won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Television Movie or Miniseries. Kaufman’s credits also include the CBS top-rated television series "NCIS: Los Angeles" and Direct TV’s critically acclaimed “Rogue” which starred Thandie Newton.

In BUTTER, a lonely teenager named Butter announces online, that on New Year’s Eve, just three weeks away, he will live stream his own demise by eating himself to death. This sax playing, plus-sized student hopes to make a meaningful statement, filled with sympathy and understanding from his peers. Instead, he’s met with cheers of acceptance and encouragement and of being in vogue, which begins to feel a lot like popularity - and that feels good.

“We are thrilled to bring this star-driven feature film to the international marketplace and announce BUTTER as one of our many new and exciting titles for our Cannes 2020 slate. BUTTER marks the first of several projects brought to us by Matt Williams and we look forward to this successful collaboration with our friends at FAE Film & Television. Our buyers are looking for top-level films to drive their distribution timeline, and BUTTER ticks all the boxes. It is a dynamic original storyline that appeals to all demographics, boasting a cast that delivers and brings this unique heartwarming story to life,” stated Hamilton.

“We are delighted to have Arclight represent BUTTER. They are known for having great taste in films and we look forward to working closely with their sales team on our unique and special film,” said Kaufman.

The film’s hopeful message not only inspires but also aspires to make a real impact through the creation of the Butter Army, an army of people and non-profit organizations from around the US with the commonality of bringing awareness and education for anti-bullying, suicide prevention, body shaming and mental illness. Partner organizations include the JED Foundation and Seize the Awkward with resources that can be found at The National Suicide Prevention Line (800) 273-TALK (8225) and Crisis Text Line – TEXT 741711.

The film is a production from The Power of Us Entertainment and Branded Pictures Entertainment produced by Paul A. Kaufman (“Run the Wild Fields,” NCIS: Los Angeles”), J.Todd Harris (Bottle Shock, The Kids Are All Right, Piranha 3D), and Christina Sibul (Thirteen).

BUTTER joins the dynamic slate of Arclight titles being presented ahead of the Cannes 2020 market. Current slate of available titles include Twist starring Michael Caine, Lena Heady, and Rita Ora, the epic female-driven action film Tomiris, haunting thriller Let It Snow, Here Are the Young Men starring Travis Fimmel, Dean-Charles Chapman, Finn Cole and Anya Taylor-Joy, sci-fi live action mecha film Heavens: The Boy and His Robot, Sundance’s critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Possessor starring Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh, directed by Brandon Cronenberg and will be released in the US by NEON, and the true-life prison break story, Escape From Pretoria, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

ABOUT ARCLIGHT FILMS

Arclight Films is one of the world's leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home entertainment.  Arclight Films has sold over 300 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner Crash, Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee Bobby and Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke, and the Academy Award® nominated feature First Reformed (for Best Original Screenplay). 

Arclight Films’ slate includes the adventure-comedy feature The Portable Door starring Christoph Waltz and Guy Pearce, the space sci-fi feature Aurora starring Megan Fox, the live-action mecha film Heavens: The Boy and His Robot, the Australian action thriller Long Gone Heroes starring Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, and Maggie Q, Twist currently in production and starring Michael Caine and Here are the Young Men starring Travis Fimmel, Dean Charles Chapman, Finn Cole and Anya Taylor-Joy, the sci-fi thriller Possessor starring Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Sean Bean, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, directed by Brandon Cronenberg which premiered in competition at Sundance 2020 and will be released in the US by NEON, and the big budget Chinese co-production Killer 10. 

The company’s recent films include the highly anticipated Hotel Mumbai starring Armie Hammer, Dev Patel, Nazanin Boniadi, Anupam Kher, and Jason Isaacs, directed by Anthony Maras released in the US by Bleecker Street, the true-life prison break story Escape From Pretoria starring Daniel Radcliffe released in March 2020 in the US by eOne, the powerhouse actioner Triple Threat starring Chinese stars Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais and Tiger Chen, and the Vietnamese action thriller Furie both films released by Well Go USA in March 2019, the 2019 Berlin Film Festival official selection Öndög from Berlin Golden Bear winning director Wang Quan'an, and the successful biopic Jungle starring Daniel Radcliffe released by eOne. 

Arclight's past films include 2016 Official Cannes Directors' Fortnight selection Dog Eat Dog starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe, The Confirmation starring Clive Owen and Maria Bello, directed by Academy Award-winner Bob Nelson (Nebraska), 2016 Sundance Official Selection Frank & Lola starring Imogen Poots and Michael Shannon, Predestination starring Ethan Hawke released through Sony Pictures, Last Knights starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, and Shangri-La Suite starring Emily Browning and Luke Grimes. 

Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hits Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek 2 and action thriller Bait 3D (the highest grossing Australian film in the history of Chinese cinema), and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non-Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster Forbidden Kingdom starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 Blades starring Donnie Yen, and legendary auteur Chen Kaige's Sacrifice. 

The latest additions to Easternlight includes Guardians Of The Tomb starring Kellen Lutz and Bingbing Li, Snow Girl And The Dark Crystal starring Bingbing Li, Wolf Warrior starring Wu Jing (which opened #1 at the Chinese Box Office, earning more than $32.5M in one weekend), Special Id Starring Donnie Yen, and Badges Of Fury. 

Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto.