Wolfe Video has acquired the worldwide DVD/VOD rights (except France) to the critically-acclaimed drama The Wise Kids, a character-driven coming-of-age story that Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called “Honest, observant, and subtle” and Stephen Holden of The New York Times declared “a tenderhearted gem.” The deal was brokered by Wolfe President Maria Lynn with Orly Ravid at The Film Collaborative. The film, which follows three teenage friends as they contemplate their next stage of life following graduation, was a critical and popular success on the festival circuit. The film has won numerous awards, including the Grand Jury Awards for “Outstanding US Narrative Feature” and “Outstanding U.S. Screenwriting” at 2011 Outfest, the Audience Award for “Best Narrative Feature” at NewFest, and the Jury Awards for “Best Narrative Feature” and “Best Ensemble” at Atlanta’s Out on Film. The film is scheduled to debut on VOD in November, followed by its release on DVD in January 2013.
“The Wise Kids touches upon many universal topics affecting today’s youth,” said Wolfe President Maria Lynn. “What impressed me the most is the film’s authenticity in its portrayal of kids grappling with the pervasive religious beliefs of their parents as they struggle to choose their own path.”
“I’m so grateful that The Wise Kids has found a wonderful, welcoming home at Wolfe,” said Director Stephen Cone. “I truly could not be more pleased to be partnering with the remarkable Maria Lynn and the entire Wolfe team, whose enthusiasm for and commitment to this release are what every filmmaker desires for their film.”
For more information on the film, visit http://www.thewisekids.com/.
SYNOPSIS: A thoughtful and evocative Southern coming-of-age drama, The Wise Kids takes place in the transitional space between high school and college, when life seems to be all questions and no answers, and the future is scarily wide open. Set in and around a Charleston, SC Baptist church, weaving through this ensemble piece are three main characters – Brea, an introspective pastor’s daughter experiencing debilitating doubt, the hyperactive Laura, Brea’s best friend and a devout believer, and Tim, the open-hearted son of a single father, confronting his homosexuality for the first time. Tensions and buried feelings abound, as colleges are chosen and adults behave badly, as Brea, Laura and Tim attempt to hang onto what they have, all the while yearning to break free.