LOS ANGELES (November 5, 2018) – Saban Films has acquired North American distribution rights to Derrick Borte’s American Dreamer starring Jim Gaffigan (Chappaquiddick, Chuck) in his debut performance as a leading man.

American Dreamer, which made its World Premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival to a sold-out house, follows a down-on-his-luck ride share driver who makes extra cash chauffeuring a low-level drug dealer around town. He soon finds himself in a serious financial bind and decides to kidnap the dealer's child. As the night grows darker, the tension grows as he escorts the drug dealer in search of the missing child. The film was well received with The Hollywood Reporter calling Gaffigan’s performance “dramatically satisfying.”  Robbie Jones (Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor), Isabel Arraiza (“Elementary”), Alejandro Hernandez {“New Amsterdam”), and Tammy Blanchard (Into the Woods), co-star.

Directed by Borte (London Town, The Joneses) and penned with co-writer Daniel Forte (H8RZ), the film was produced by Scott Lochmus (To Dust, The Joneses) for Storyland Pictures, in association with the Virginia Film Office and Old Dominion University. Jonathan Gray, Mary Vernieu, XYZ Films and Sugar Studios executive produced.

Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley commented, “Borte has helmed an intimate and unsettling film. Gaffigan performs as never seen before; he brings to life a subtle and tense portrait.” 

Ness Saban and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban Films, with XYZ Films’ Nate Bolotin on behalf of filmmakers.

Most recently, Saban Films acquired James Marsh’s King of Thieves starring Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay and Michael Gambon. At the latest Toronto International Film Festival, the company acquired: Richard Says Goodbye, the Wayne Roberts-directed drama that stars Johnny Depp, and Sarah Daggar-Nickson’s A Vigilante starring Olivia Wilde.

Saban Films’ slate also includes: Stephan Rick’s elevated genre film The Super starring Val Kilmer; Between Worlds starring Nicolas Cage; the anthology Berlin, I Love You with Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Jim Sturgess; the Gerard Butler starrer The Vanishing;David L.G. Hughes’ Viking Destiny; Alexandre Moors’ The Yellow Birds starring Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston and Jennifer Aniston; Eshom and Ian Nelms’ lauded feature Small Town Crime starring John Hawkes and Octavia Spencer; and Ivan Kavanagh’s Never Grow Old starring John Cusack and Emile Hirsch. 

Since the company’s launch in 2014, Saban Films has released over 40 films with successes that have run the gamut from critically acclaimed theatrical films such as The Homesman, to one of the biggest Fathom events in 2016 with Rob Zombie’s horror thriller 31.  Saban Films, in partnership with Roadside Attractions, most recently released Craig William Macneill’s racy drama Lizzie, starring Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart. Other recent releases include: Brad Silberling’s war thriller An Ordinary Man starring Academy Award® Winner Ben Kingsley; and Alexandros Avranas’ Dark Crimes starring Jim Carrey and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

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About Saban Films

Saban Films, an affiliate of Saban Capital Group (“SCG”), is a film acquisition and distribution company which acquires high-quality, feature films to distribute in North America.  Focusing on commercial, talent driven films, the company looks at projects in all stages of production for release across multiple platforms, including a day and date theatrical/VOD release strategy. Based in Los Angeles, Saban Films was established by Haim Saban, SCG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and is led by Bill Bromiley who serves as President, Shanan Becker, Chief Financial Officer and Ness Saban, Vice President of Business Development.

About Storyland Pictures

Storyland Pictures was founded by Scott Lochmus and Derrick Borte who are thrilled to include American Dreamer to their growing roster of independent features. Storyland Pictures was launched with their first film, The Joneses (Roadside Attractions), which was celebrated worldwide. They continue to produce innovative and thought-provoking films including this year’s Tribeca Audience award winning FilmTo Dust (GDE), Boaz Yakin’s Boarding School (Momentum Pictures), H8RZ (Filmbuff), London Town (IFC Films), Pottersville (Netflix).