Two recent 2017 Sundance Film Festival acquisitions of note…

First, FilmRise has picked up North American rights from to “Dayveon” with plans for a late spring theatrical release.

Making its World Premiere at the festival as a NEXT selection, the film hails from Arkansas-based filmmaker Amman Abbasi who makes his feature directorial debut with “Dayveon,” which follows 13-year-old Dayveon who spends a sweltering summer days roaming his rural Arkansas town after his older brother dies. When he falls in with a local gang, he becomes drawn to the camaraderie and violence of their world. The cast includes Devin Blackmon, Kordell “KD” Johnson, Dontrell Bright, Chasity Moore, Lachion Buckingham, and Marquell Manning.




And second, Fox Searchlight paid a reported $4 million for the crowd-pleasing documentary “Step,” from director Amanda Lipitz.

The film chronicles the senior year of a girls’ high school step team in inner-city Baltimore, as they try to become the first in their families to attend college. The girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest in their troubled city.

“Step” is making its World Premiere in the U.S. Documentary Competition section of the Sundance Film Festival.

No release date set for yet.