Just in from Slamdance, which ends today:

There have been two definite acquisitions of films that screened at Slamdance this year:

Anchor Bay picked up U.S. distribution for "Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer," and Neoclassics Films picked up worldwide rights (except canada) for "Portage," which is now re-titled "Crooked Lake."

Here's Slamdance's description of the former film: "After witnessing the brutal murder of his family, Jack Brooks is left with an unquenchable fury that he is constantly fighting to control.
Now working as a local plumber and struggling in a relationship with his girlfriend Eve, Jack's life has become a downward spiral. One night, Jack attempts to fix Professor Crowley's old, rusted pipes, but unknowingly awakens an ancient evil. Lured by this demonic power, Professor Crowley discovers a monstrous black heart that quickly forces its way inside of him. Possessed by the heart now beating in his chest, the professor starts a slow, gruesome transformation. Jack realizes he can't run from his past, and quickly discovers the true purpose of his inner rage." It was directed and co-written by Jon Knautz, and Robert Englund (Freddie Krueger) starred. See him above in a photo taken this week by Tribune photographer Robert Hirschi.

Here's Slamdance's description of the latter film: "In this sensual, intense, indie feature drama, a quartet of teenage girls embark on a canoe-and-camping trip with a slightly older male guide in the endless wilderness of the Canadian Shield. His younger sister Steph – who is desperately afraid of the water – is one of the campers. Once the group is underway, romantic tensions erupt and disaster strikes, forcing the girls to face a grueling and desperate trip back to civilization. Shot in tight close-ups with a fluid camera that sees the landscape first as an embodiment of desire and second as a distortion of reality, 'Portage' crackles with suspense and intrigue. It will leave you wondering about the mysteries of the adolescent heart and mind, the bonds of family, and to the looming influence of nature and landscape. Portage makes for an elemental example of the cinematic survival story, in the tradition of 'Deliverance' and 'Open Water.'" Written and directed by Matthew Miller, Ezra Krybus, Sascha Drews, with a cast of unknowns.