After securing the rights to the sex comedy The Overnight, The Orchard has made its second major deal at Sundance with its acquisition of the North American rights to another festival favorite, Joe Swanberg’s Digging for Fire. Best known for his work in the mumblecore movement, Swanberg has directed eighteen feature films to date, including Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007), Drinking Buddies (2013), 24 Exposures (2013), and Happy Christmas (2014).
Co-written by Swanberg and Jake Johnson (who also worked with him on Drinking Buddies), Digging for Fire is the story of a troubled married couple who, after discovering the possible evidence of a murder, embark on separate adventures over the course of a weekend. According to a press release, Swanberg describes the idea of marriage presented in the film as “two individuals agreeing to be in a relationship, rather than two people melting into one thing.” Digging for Fire features an impressive cast, which includes Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt, Orlando Bloom, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Judith Light, and Jenny Slate.