“Bull” is charging ahead. Samuel Goldwyn Films has secured North American rights to Annie Silverstein’s feature debut, Deadline confirms. The coming-of-age rodeo drama made its world premiere at Cannes in May and recently took home three honors from the Deauville Film Festival, including its Grand Prize.
Set in Texas, “Bull” explores the friendship between Abe (Rob Morgan), an aging black bullfighter, and Kris (Amber Havard), a white teen whose mother is incarcerated. Silverstein and Johnny McAllister penned the script.
“I didn’t know anything about black cowboy culture — it’s not taught, and it’s not represented in cinema,” Silverstein told us. She was inspired to make “Bull” after meeting a man who came from a black cowboy family while on location scouting for a different project.
“We saw Annie’s vision and talent when we watched ‘Bull’ and are excited of bringing this internationally acclaimed film to U.S. audiences,” said Peter Goldwyn.
Silverstein added, “We are thrilled to be working with Samuel Goldwyn to bring ‘Bull’ to audiences across North America. Their long tradition of supporting daring independent cinema, as well as emerging and original voices, makes them the perfect partner for our film.”
No word on a release date for “Bull” just yet.
Silverstein’s 2014 short “Skunk” was awarded Cannes’ Cinéfondation prize.
Samuel Goldwyn Films’ also recently acquired Sonejuhi Sinha’s “Stray Dolls” and Martha Stephens’ “To the Stars.” The former is a crime drama about a former gang member working as a maid in a motel and the latter is a coming-of-age story following a bullied teen living in small-town Oklahoma.
