Sundance: AGC International Nabs Foreign Rights to ‘Ask Dr. Ruth’ (EXCLUSIVE)
By Brent Lang
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – AGC International has nabbed international distribution rights to “Ask Dr. Ruth,” one of the hottest documentaries at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Indeed, the legendary sexologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer was one of the biggest celebrities at the mountainside retreat — no small feat for a gathering that attracted the likes of Shia Labeouf, Mindy Kaling, and Zac Efron.
Domestic rights for “Ask Dr. Ruth” previously sold to Hulu, which is partnering with Magnolia Pictures on a theatrical release. AGC International, is the foreign sales and distribution arm of AGC Studios, which was launched by former IM Global CEO Stuart Ford. In the year it has been in business, AGC Studios has been involved with such high-profile projects as Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9” and the Roland Emmerich World War II epic “Midway.”
“Ask Dr. Ruth” was directed by Emmy-nominee Ryan White (“Serena,” “The Case Against 8”) and produced by Delirio Films’ Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett (“Honey Boy,” “Mike Wallace Is Here”), Tripod Media’s Jessica Hargrave (“Good Ol’ Freda,” “Pelada”). The film boasts revelatory interviews with Westheimer. She recounts her no-holds barred approach to advising people on enjoying a better sex life and strengthening their relationships. She also recounts her youth escaping the Holocaust, her stint as a sniper in Israel’s war for independence, and her barrier-shattering television career.
“We have long admired Ryan White and his work, and the team fell in love with this special film, and Dr. Ruth’s exceptional life story,” Rachel Traub, AGC’s VP of non-fiction content, said in a statement. “On the heels of such a wildly successful Sundance premiere we are thrilled to help spread Ruth’s message and incomparable spirit to a global audience.”
The deal was negotiated by Traub and AGC’s VP of legal and business affairs Anant Tamirisa on behalf of AGC and by Jonathan Gray of Gray Krauss Sandler Des Rochers LLP on behalf of Delirio Films. Ryan White is represented by WME.
AGC International will screen and introduce the film to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin next week.
