Redford 'Company You Keep' bought by Sony

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- All U.S. rights to director Robert Redford's "The Company You Keep" have been obtained by Sony Pictures Entertainment's art-house film division, Sony said.

The political action thriller, which Redford also co-produced and stars in, is to have its world premiere Sept. 6 at the 69th Venice International Film Festival in Italy, the oldest international film festival in the world, which starts next week. The festival is also known by its Italian name, translated as the International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art.

"The Company You Keep" will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 9, the festival's Web site says.

Sony Pictures Classics has not announced the thriller's nationwide U.S. release date.

The film is about young journalist Ben Shepard, played by Shia LaBeouf, who stumbles on the story of his career when he uncovers the identity of wanted ex-radical Weather Underground 1970s activist Jim Grant (Redford), who has been underground for five decades.

The film's other stars include Julie Christie and Susan Sarandon as other former Weather Underground members.

British-American screenwriter Lem Dobbs adapted the script from the 2003 novel by Neil Gordon. Dobbs' most recent film is the action thriller "Haywire," directed by Steven Soderbergh.

"Robert Redford's film is classic storytelling at its best, and we are really looking forward to bringing the film to the American audience," Sony Pictures Classics said in a statement.