IFC Films Acquires Rights To Dominic Savage’s ‘The Escape’ Starring Gemma Arterton

IFC Films has acquired the U.S. and Canadian rights to The Escape,  a drama from writer-director Dominic Savage starring Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Escape, which is heavily improvised, follows Tara (Arterton) who loves her children deeply and all those around her. Despite her seemingly perfect life, Tara feels trapped; she knows there is something fundamentally missing. When her friends and family fail to understand the depth of her desperation, her ideas and feelings are so overwhelming that she has to run away, to find a place where she can be herself again. She goes on a courageous and perilous journey, leaving her husband and abandoning her children. Through a series of dangerous and incendiary encounters, she discovers the woman she really is, what she really feels and the life she really wants.

“Dominic Savage has created a thoughtful and extremely moving drama that features a powerhouse performance by Gemma Arterton,” said Arianna Bocco, EVP Acquisitions and Productions at Sundance Selects/IFC Films. “Following its fantastic reception at TIFF, we’re thrilled to be in business with the filmmaking team to release this film to audiences.”

Producer Guy Heeley added: “IFC Films are the ideal company to release our film in the U.S. because of their incredible track record of supporting directors with distinct, personal visions. We can’t wait to let discerning North American audiences get to see this unique film.”

The film also stars Frances Barber, Marthe Keller and Jalil Lespert. Heeley produced the film for Shoebox Films with Arterton, Paul Webster, Julian Bird and Joseph Berry Jr serving as executive producers. Financing for the film came from Lorton Entertainment.

The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco from Sundance Selects/IFC Films with ICM Partners and Nada Cirjanic from Independent.