June 13, 2000
Fine Line Features Explores Human Nature
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In a preemptive strike, Fine Line Features President Mark Ordesky announced today that the company acquired the rights in North America to Human Nature, an extremely unique comedy currently in production. The film, based on a script by Charlie Kaufman and directed by music video sensation Michel Gondry, stars Tim Robbins, Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill), Miranda Otto (Thin Red Line) and Rosie Perez. Scheduled to wrap production on June 30, Human Nature is produced by Anthony Bregman, Ted Hope, Spike Jonze and Kaufman. The film is a Good Machine Production in association with Beverly Detroit and Partizan, Jonze and Kaufman's production company. StudioCanal fully financed the film and is handling international sales. Rachael Horovitz, Senior Vice President of Production and Acquisitions, will oversee the project on behalf of Fine Line.
A philosophical burlesque, Human Nature follows the ups and downs of an obsessive scientist, a female naturalist, and the man they discover, born and raised in the wild. As scientist Nathan (Robbins) trains the wild man (Ifans) in the ways of the world - starting with table manners - Nathan's lover Lila (Arquette) fights to preserve the man's simian past, which represents a freedom enviable to most. In the power struggle that ensues, an unusual love triangle emerges exposing the perversities of the human heart and the idiosyncrasies of the civilized mind. Human Nature is a comical examination of the trappings of desire in a world where both nature and culture are idealized.
In commenting on the successful bid to land the project for the studio, Ordesky said, "The creative collaboration of Michel, Charlie, Spike and Good Machine was simply irresistible. The script has so many fans within the company, and the casting is so perfect, we feel extremely fortunate to have landed the film at this stage."
Ordesky and Jamie Kershaw, Vice President of Business Affairs for Fine Line, negotiated the deal with David Linde of Good Machine International (GMI) and Howard Cohen of UTA who represented StudioCanal. Sue Bodine of Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz and Weinstein LLP represented the production.
Michel Gondry's credits include music videos for Björk, The Rolling Stones, Beck, Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz and Sheryl Crow and award winning commercials for Levis and The Gap. Human Nature is Gondry's feature film debut.
Kaufman and Jonze's previous collaboration, Being John Malkovich, won the Gran Prix Award at the 1999 Deauville Film Festival, as well as the Fipresci Award for Best Film (out of competition) at the 1999 Venice Film Festival. Malkovich received four Golden Globe nominations, three Academy Award nominations, and won two Independent Spirit Awards (Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay). It also received the Best First Film award from the New York Film Critics Circle and was named one of the top 10 films of 1999 by the National Board of Review.
Fine Line Features is currently in release on The Cup and The Filth and the Fury, a documentary on the Sex Pistols. Additional titles scheduled for release in 2000 include: Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa's The Five Senses starring Mary Louise Parker; Sundance award-winner Saving Grace starring Brenda Blethyn and Craig Ferguson; French director Frederic Fonteyne's An Affair of Love; director Lars Von Trier's Cannes film festival favorite Dancer in the Dark starring Björk and Catherine Deneuve; and David Mamet's State and Main featuring an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Charles Durning, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pattie Lupone, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, David Paymer, Rebecca Pidgeon and Julia Stiles. Other productions underway for the company include: The Sleeping Dictionary, starring Jessica Alba and Hugh Dancy; Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming's directorial debut, The Anniversary Party, and I was Amelia Earhart starring Julianne Moore.