Eric Bana in the Australian crime drama "The Dry" – Variety

In today's movie news, Eric Bana will star in the Australian drama "The Dry", Magnolia buys "Hail Satan?", And the entry to the South African Oscars "Sew winter on my skin "gets an American distribution.

MOLDING

Eric Bana will play the Australian crime drama "The Dry", an adaptation of Jane Harper's hit novel, which will begin shooting in February.

Robert Connolly will create a script that he co-wrote with Harry Cripps. The Australian Bruna Papandrea produced through her production company Made Up Stories alongside Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky. Bana and Connolly are executive producers with Ricci Swart and Andrew Myer.

"The Dry" won the Ned Kelly Award for best first crime novel in 2017 and was voted best crime and thriller at the British Book Awards of 2018. The story centers on a police officer who returns to the city where he has grown up to investigate a murder-suicide.

"The Dry" will be the first Australian film for Bana since 2007, entitled "Romulus, my father". He is currently appearing on Bravo's "Dirty John" detective series.

ACQUISITIONS

Magnolia Pictures has acquired the rights to Penny Lane's documentary "Hail Satan?" Following the announcement of her first appearance in the American documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

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The film traces the rise of the satanic temple and its enigmatic leader Lucien Greaves. The group uses satanic images to promote egalitarianism, social justice and the separation of church and state.

"Penny Lane has made a revealing and completely satisfying film about the aliens who have united around the common causes of love and religious freedom," said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. "Hi Satan?" Is as uplifting and hilarious as it is stimulating. "

The film is a production of Hard Working Movies produced by Gabriel Sedgwick. The film received a grant from the Catapult Film Fund, the Sundance Institute documentary program with the JustFilms / Ford Foundation, Rooftop Films, Cinereach, Chicken & Egg Pictures and Colgate University.

Magnolia plans to start selling international rights at the European Film Market at the Berlin Film Festival.

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Juno Films has acquired the exclusive North American rights to "Sew the Winter to My Skin" by South African director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka.

The film was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival and is the best candidate for foreign cinema in South Africa. The film will open in New York in 2019, followed by a national roll-out to US theaters, as well as digital, educational and home video.

Based on a true story, John Kepe was a popular hero of the time of apartheid who proclaimed himself "Boschberg's Samson". For decades, Kepe stole cattle and other property from white settlers and shared his loot with the impoverished indigenous population. He escaped capture for 12 years before being taken to court and sentenced to death for murder whether or not he committed it.

Juno's latest publications include "Cielo" and "God knows where I am".