IFC Films buys U.S. rights to 'Killer'

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SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- IFC Films has purchased the U.S. rights to "Killer Inside Me," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, an industry trade newspaper says.

Variety.com reported the sale of the movie from filmmaker Michael Winterbottom to the distributor was finalized Saturday for nearly $1.5 million. "Killer" ignited a bit of controversy at the annual film festival due to its explicit violence against women.

The film, based on a novel by Jim Thompson, stars Casey Affleck as a small-town sheriff in Texas with murderous desires.

"Killer," which is based on a script from John Curran, also stars Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman and Kate Hudson.

Producers of the film, due for summer release, are Andrew Eaton, Chris Hanley and Brad Schlei.

Variety said obtaining the movie's U.S. distribution rights marks the most recent pick-up of a controversial movie by IFC Films. It previously bought the rights to "Antichrist" after it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009.