Colfer's comedy film gets distributor

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NEW YORK, June 19 (UPI) -- Tribeca Film says it has acquired the U.S. rights to "Glee" star Chris Colfer's big-screen debut, the high-school comedy "Struck By Lightning."

Colfer also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this spring. Directed by Brian Dannelly, it co-stars Allison Janney, Polly Bergen, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Hyland and Angela Kinsey.

Tribeca Film said it plans a late 2012 theatrical and Video on Demand release.

"Showcasing his remarkable talents not only as an actor but as a writer and storyteller, Chris Colfer infuses this reinvention of the high-school comic-drama with such spirit and joy that he almost makes us fondly nostalgic," Geoff Gilmore, chief creative officer of Tribeca Enterprises, said in a statement. "Rousing, fresh, superbly acted by a strong ensemble, and wonderfully directed by Brian Dannelly, we are delighted to be partnering with Chris and his fellow filmmakers to share this new take on a classic genre for a new generation."

"I'm so thrilled to be partnering with a company as passionate about this film as we are," Colfer said.

"I was hoping 'Struck by Lightning' would end up somewhere like Tribeca Film, because I watch films all the time on demand," Dannelly said. "It's exciting that an independent film like ours can now be seen by so many people -- instantly -- at the same time the film is premiering in theaters."

"High-school senior Carson Phillips was destined for bigger things than his close-minded small town could ever offer. He was on a path to greatness, but destiny had a different plan when he was suddenly killed by a bolt of lightning in his school parking lot," a synopsis said. "Demonstrating that life is what happens while you're busy planning your future, Carson recounts the last few weeks of his life via witty, insightful flashbacks."