TIFF 2010 Buyer’s Club: #4. Robert Redford’s The Conspirator

#4. The Conspirator

The Gist: Set against the turbulent backdrop of post-Civil War Washington, rookie lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) reluctantly agrees to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright Penn) – the lone woman charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. When his colleagues, friends, and true love begin to desert him, Aiken must rely on Mary’s spirited daughter Anna (Evan Rachel Wood) to help piece together the events leading up to the assassination.

Director: Robert Redford — Sales Agent: Focus Features International

Selling Point: Period piece directed by American legend with a soild cast in James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachel Wood and Tom Wilkinson assures plenty of clout and if Fox Searchlight’s Conviction tanks at the fest (both narratives feature someone who is set on proving someone else’s innocence) then this could be the film fetching the biggest purchase price. 

Suited For: Perfectly suited for a studio looking to add either last minute item to award season, or is set on adding quality item to 2011 slate.