HBO has acquired the U.S. television rights to the documentary “Tickled” and Magnolia has picked up North American theatrical rights and world rights outside of North America excluding Australia and New Zealand.
The deals were announced made following the film’s world premiere in the world documentary section at the Sundance Film Festival. Magnolia will be representing “Tickled” next month at the Berlin Film Festival.
“Tickled” is co-directed by David Farrier & Dylan Reeve and produced by Carthew Neal. The film was financed by the New Zealand Film Commission and MPI.
Farrier is an Auckland-based TV and radio reporter/personality who specializes in the weird and bizarre side of life. The film focuses on his stumbling upon a “competitive endurance tickling” competition — and comes up against fierce opposition as he delves deeper.
Dennis Harvey said in his review for Variety: “An alarming cautionary tale about how easy it is in the Internet age to ruin people’s lives while hiding behind a cloak of anonymity, the pic boasts a humorously titillating entry hook that soon gives way to an engrossing conspiracy-thriller.”
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Josh Braun of Submarine negotiated the HBO deal and Braun, Matt Burke, Dan Braun, David Koh and Ben Braun of Submarine negotiated the Magnolia deal with Dori Begley and John Von Thaden.
