Sundance

The Wagner/Cuban Company's Magnolia Pictures and Paramount Pictures announced today a collaboration to bring HAPPY CHRISTMAS to theatrical and home viewing audiences.   The new film, written and directed by Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies) and produced by Swanberg, Peter Gilbert and co-produced by Alicia Van Couvering, will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this Sunday. HAPPY CHRISTMAS stars Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham and Swanberg.

Magnolia Pictures is handling U.S. theatrical and VOD distribution, while Paramount Home Media Distribution will handle U.S. physical home entertainment and all international rights.

Anna Kendrick plays Jenny, an irresponsible 20-something who comes to Chicago to live with her older brother Jeff (Swanberg), a young filmmaker living a happy existence with his novelist wife Kelly (Lynskey) and their two-year-old son. Jenny's arrival shakes up their quiet domesticity as she and her friend Carson (Dunham) instigate an evolution in Kelly's life and career. Meanwhile, Jenny strikes up a rocky relationship with the family's baby sitter-cum-pot dealer (Webber). 

This is Kendrick's second collaboration with Joe Swanberg following Drinking Buddies, also distributed by Magnolia. As in Drinking Buddies, Swanberg's unique improvisational techniques in HAPPY CHRISTMAS create a dramatic experience full of naturalism, humor and warmth.

"I'm excited to continue my relationship with the innovative people at Magnolia and to start a new relationship with Paramount," said Swanberg. "HAPPY CHRISTMAS is a personal and important film for me and I can't imagine better partners to help connect it with audiences around the world."

"We're thrilled to be in business with Joe again on this lovely gem of a film," said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. "Joe's skill with actors is formidable, and this terrific cast gives wonderful performances all around."

"We are looking forward to bringing this original, fresh film to home viewing audiences in the U.S. and internationally," said Syrinthia Studer, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Acquisitions, Paramount Home Media Distribution. "HAPPY CHRISTMAS has broad appeal, an exceptional cast and an engaging story that we believe will be well received both here and abroad."

The deal was negotiated by Paramount Home Media Distribution, Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions
Dori Begley and Magnolia VP of Acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg, with Swanberg, Alicia Van Couvering and André Des Rochers of Gray Krauss Stratford Sandler Des Rochers LLP on behalf of the filmmakers.

Magnolia is eyeing a theatrical release in the summer of 2014.

About Magnolia

Magnolia Pictures (www.magpictures.com) is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically-integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that also includes the Landmark Theatres chain and AXS TV. Recent releases include the riveting killer whale doc Blackfish, David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche, Terrence Malick's To The Wonder, Joe Swanberg's Drinking Buddies,Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt, Danish thriller A Hijacking, Kevin Macdonald's How I Live Now, hit documentaries Muscle Shoals, Jiro Dreams of Sushi and The Queen of Versailles, and the Academy Award nominated A Royal Affair. Magnolia's upcoming releases include Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac, Richard Ayoade's dystopian vision The Double, the raucous Alan Partridge starring Steve Coogan, Lukas Moodysson's We Are the Best!,  Norwegian thrillers Pioneer and Ragnarok, and many more.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution

Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC's home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.