'The Surrogate,' With Helen Hunt And John Hawkes, Picks Up Biggest Sundance Sale So Far

John Hawkes is no stranger to Sundance. Though he's still not quite a household name, he's managed to achieve a certain indie ubiquity in Park City over the years -- featured in 2011's "Martha Marcy May Marlene" and picking up an Oscar nomination for his role in another Sundance favorite, "Winter's Bone."

This year, Hawkes is back at the festival with "The Surrogate," which, judging from its reception at its premiere this week, looks to be an early contender for next year's Oscar season.

The film follows a poet dying of polio (Hawkes) who hires a "sex surrogate" (Helen Hunt) to take his virginity before he dies. The Australian director Ben Lewin, who helmed "The Surrogate," had polio a child and lost the use of his legs. At the Q&A after the premiere of the film at Sundance, Lewin -- who approached the stage on crutches -- and Hawkes received a rapturous standing ovation.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Fox Searchlight has already picked up the rights to that film for $6 million, making it the biggest sale of the festival thus far. Other films, like Bradley Cooper's "The Words" and Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg's "Celeste and Jesse Forever" have sold for $3.5 million and $2 million, respectively.

Speaking with New York Magazine, Hawkes said he's not a big fan of the spotlight. "It's been a lot of talking about myself and the film, a lot of photographs and things," he said. "No offense, it’s not my favorite part about the process, but I do want to help the film."

Comments

[Hickspy]

10:49 AM on 01/31/2012

No.

Because when is the last time a movie out this early won anything?

[GetAGrip12]

05:47 PM on 01/31/2012

It hasn't been released yet... It was just bought by Fox Searchlight, which will now strategize on when and how to release the film. It might not come out until fall or next winter.

[Highball]

01:43 AM on 01/31/2012

It sounds like an interesting film, and I like Hawkes a lot. But I simply cannot stand Helen Hunt. *sigh*

[Mike Vids]

06:46 AM on 01/28/2012

20 years ago, Helen Hunt appeared in another Sundance film called the Waterdance where she played the lover of a guy that became paralyzed from a hiking accident. Weird coincidence that she'd end up playing another role of this type. Looks like a good movie, though.

[Apotropoxy]

12:07 AM on 01/28/2012

Go John!
Greetings from an old actor friend in Austin.

[itsjules]

10:46 PM on 01/27/2012

First off, calling the editor: "...who helmed "The Surrogate," had polio a child and lost..."--probably meant to say "had polio AS a child."

What I wanted to say was, I love John Hawkes. He's been amazing in everything in which I've seen him, and I'm sure he's devastating in this. I probably won't get to see it til it's out on video, but I'll keep an eye out for it.

[JonRaymond]

04:04 PM on 01/27/2012

So all I need to close a six mil deal with Fox Searchlight is to invest two mil of my own and marry a Fox Searchlight producer who can close Helen Hunt.

[hplhenry]

11:25 PM on 01/27/2012

Ah but you've got to find the right project to invest your 2 mil in. That's the tricky part.