Cowboy Pics moseying with 'Rule'

By Ian Mohr

NEW YORK -- Cowboy Pictures has lassoed North American theatrical distribution rights to The Slaughter Rule, with plans to roll out the film nationally following a "sneak screening" on the Sundance Channel next month. Sundance Channel has pay TV and home video rights and will release Rule on VHS and DVD on Feb. 18.

Rule stars David Morse (CBS' Hack) and Ryan Gosling (The Believer) in the story of a young man grappling with the death of his father and with his own identity in rural Montana. Kelly Lynch and Clea Duvall co-star.

Rule was co-penned and co-directed by Alex and Andrew Smith and produced by Michael Robinson and Gregory and Gavin O'Connor. The project -- originally developed through the Sundance Institute in 1998 -- screened at the Sundance Film Festival this year.

The pact was brokered for Cowboy by president John Vanco. Sundance Channel was repped by executive director Christian Vesper. The filmmakers were repped by Gregory O'Connor and Cinetic's Micah Green.