Canadian Studio Plans to Distribute Moore's 9/11 Film

The New York Times > Business > Media & Advertising > Canadian Studio Plans to Distribute Moore's 9/11 Film: "It will be released on June 25 in about 1,000 theaters. IFC Entertainment is putting up 25 percent of the theatrical distribution costs, which could range from $8 million to $10 million, said executives involved in the deal. Showtime, which already has a deal in place with Lions Gate, will show the film on pay cable.

Big studios like Warner Brothers and Paramount shied away from distributing the film, according to several people close to the negotiations. Focus Features, the Universal studio owned by General Electric, was heavily involved in the bidding, but Robert C. Wright, G.E.'s vice chairman, was called to ensure there would not be a conflict, they said.

Ultimately, the Weinsteins struck a deal with Lions Gate, a studio based in Canada that has distributed Miramax movies that have proved controversial in the past.

Jon Feltheimer, the chief executive of Lions Gate, said: "We're distributing this movie because we think it's a good movie, and a good piece of business. We don't shy away from those kinds of controversies, but we're certainly sensitive to it."