Freestyle buys domestic rights to Hamptons prize winner Riley
Jeremy Kay in Los Angeles	25 October 2004 04:00
Susan Jackson, Mark Borde and Mike Doban's fledgling US distributor Freestyle Releasing has acquired all North American rights from Visualeyes Productions and Jellyworks to Eddie O'Flaherty's directorial debut Fighting Tommy Riley. CURB Entertainment will handle international sales on the title, which won the Kodak Award For Cinematography at the 12th annual at the Hamptons International Film Festival at the weekend and is based on JP Davis' screenplay about a veteran boxing trainer who teams up with a promising fighter. "Eddie O'Flaherty and JP Davis have delivered a knock-out feature film debut of fierce intensity with beautifully realized characters, exceptionally acted by all, with veteran character actor Eddie Jones giving a powerful star turning performance which is the tragic centre of the film," Freestyle chief executive officer Jackson said in a statement. "The fight scenes are spectacular in their reality and the film is a great combination of character, action and story." Jackson negotiated the deal with Bettina Tendler O'Mara on behalf of Visualeyes Productions and Jellyworks. Jackson's company Turtles Crossing merged with Borde's theatrical distribution and consulting company Innovation Film Group and the theatrical distribution arm of Doban's Arcangelo Entertainment to create Freestyle Releasing in September 2004.