IN ITS SECOND DEAL AT THE 2004 AFM, TLA RELEASING ACQUIRES FROM SOGEPAQ THE SPANISH CRIME THRILLER BY ENRIQUE URBIZU, BOX 507 (LA CAJA 507)

In its second acquisition during the 2004 American Film Market, TLA Releasing has picked up the Spanish crime thriller BOX 507 (LA CAJA 507), directed by Enrique Urbizu and written by Urbizu and Michael Gaztambide.

TLA acquired the US/Canadian home entertainment distribution rights to the film from Sogepaq and will release the film on DVD/VHS in fall/winter 2004. TLA Releasing was represented by TLA partner and Director of Acquisitions Richard A. Wolff, and Sogepaq was represented by Deputy Director of Distribution Simon de Santiago.

While best known for its catalog of gay and lesbian-themed films, TLA has also become a leading distributor of Spanish films in the U.S. Theatrically, it released Juan Luis Iborra and Yolanda Garcia Serrano’s sex comedy Km. 0 in 2003 (which it also acquired from Sogepaq) and Ventura Pons’ FOOD OF LOVE in 2002, and it has Eloy de la Iglesia’s BULGARIAN LOVERS slated for 2004.

It has five Spanish titles in its DVD/VHS catalog, including another Sogepaq title, AMOR DE HOMBRE (LOVE OF A MAN). On the first day of the 2004 AFM, TLA expanded its Spanish line by acquiring the gay family comedy BEAR CUB, by Miguel Albaladejo.

BOX 507 (Spain, 2002, 112 min) begins with a bank robbery. The robbers force the bank manager, a mild mannered man (Antonio Resines) who is still mourning the death of his daughter, to open the vault, and then they lock him in as they escape. While waiting to be rescued, the manager finds information in a security deposit box that proves his daughter’s death was not an accident. He vows to avenge her and soon becomes embroiled in political intrigue, corruption and violence.

“With its intricate, unpredictable plot and violent action, BOX 507 is in the best tradition of CHINATOWN, LA CONFIDENTIAL and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS,” said Mr. Wolff. “It grabs the audience by the throat at the beginning and has them gasping in astonishment at the end. We are proud to add it to our collection of great Spanish films.”

“TLA Releasing did a wonderful job with the release of Km. 0, so we are pleased to continue our relationship,” said Mr. de Santiago. “American audiences appreciate great thrillers, so we have been eager for them to see BOX 507. We can think of no one better to bring it to American homes than TLA.”

With eight features to his credit, Enrique Urbizu has done drama and comedy, but his forte is the thriller, creating such films as CACHITO, INFIDELITY and ANYTHING FOR BREAD. His most-honored film is BOX 507, which won two 2003 Goya Awards and took two more nominations, won the 2003 Sant Jordi Award for Best Picture, won the 2002 Ondas Award for Best Director, and swept the 2003 Cognac Festival of Crime Drama with the Critics Award, Grand Prix, Premiere Award and Special Prize.