Nacho Vigalondo Is Coming To America For GANGLAND!

This is - by far - the best news I've had all week.

Los Angeles (July 30, 2009) – Through their co-venture Film Rites, partners Mandate Pictures and Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Steve Zaillian announced today that Pat Healy will scribe GANGLAND, a comedy based on an original idea by Nacho Vigalondo (TIMECRIMES) that Vigalondo will also direct.

The comedy will follow a team of videogame developers who get in over their heads when they promise to deliver the most realistic game of all time - GANGLAND - and soon find themselves having to survive by their own wits in a real life criminal underworld.

Vigalondo, for the record, is an absolute genius. More below the break!

Steve Zaillian will produce and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Garrett Basch brought in the project and will oversee in some producing capacity with Tendo Nagenda. Film Rites has a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Zaillian & Basch are already in business with Vigalondo, producing the English-language adaptation of his acclaimed Spanish film TIMECRIMES at UA/MGM:

“Nacho’s work in Spain is consistently innovative and energetic. In particular, we’re huge fans of his film, TIMECRIMES, and are excited to have the chance to develop another of his very original ideas with our partners at Mandate,” says Zaillian.

Nacho Vigalondo is the celebrated Spanish filmmaker who received an Academy Award® nomination for his short film 7:35 IN THE MORNING. His feature film TIMECRIMES made its American debut at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Vigalondo is repped by ICM, Dave Chariton at Miners Mills Entertainment, and attorney David Weber at Sloane Offer Weber Dern.

Pat Healy most recently wrote for HBO's IN TREATMENT. His scripts SNOW PONIES and STRANGE SKIES have garnered much attention and were included on the “Black List”. Healy has also starred in such television shows as 24 and GREY'S ANATOMY, as well in films such as ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD. He is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Steve Zaillian received an Academy Award® for his screenplay, SCHINDLER’S LIST. His other screenplays include the Academy Award®-nominated AWAKENINGS, THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, and AMERICAN GANGSTER. He co-scripted CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, THE INTERPRETER, and the Academy Award®-nominated GANGS OF NEW YORK, and wrote and directed SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, A CIVIL ACTION, and ALL THE KING’S MEN. Zaillian and Film Rites are repped by WME and Gang, Tyre, Ramer and Brown.

Dan Freedman brokered the deals on behalf of the venture.

About Film Rites
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Steve Zaillian’s Film Rites joined with Mandate to produce modestly budgeted, character-driven films, and the partners have a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment. Film Rites is producing projects Zaillian will write and/or direct, and films from emerging writers and filmmakers. Mandate cofinances and handles international sales for all of the films developed and produced as part of the pact. Some of the projects under this arrangement are the debut feature length screenplay from leading photojournalist and acclaimed short film auteur, Jens Assur entitled CLOSE FAR AWAY; MY DINNER WITH HERVE which will be written and directed by Sacha Gervasi, a former journalist who conducted the last interview with French actor Herve Villechaize - - best known as “Tattoo” on the television series, “Fantasy Island” -- days before the actor committed suicide; and the UNTITLED CRYONICS PROJECT, a dark comedy to be written by Zach Helm and directed by Academy Award®-winner Errol Morris.