BY CYNDI GREENING, PARK CITY, UTAH (CINEMA MINIMA) — Documentaries are selling well at Sundance 2008.
ESPN announced that it has acquired Sundance soccer documentary KICKING IT, the story of seven soccer players from six countries as they participate in the 4th annual Homeless World Cup. The film was directed by Susan Koch and produced by Ted Leonsis (who executive produced last year’s NANKING). ESPN will retain exclusive television rights worldwide, and execute the film’s digital distribution while working with the filmmakers to secure theatrical, DVD and other distribution.
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED has been acquired internationally by The Weinstein Company, the company announced Saturday morning. The international deal excludes all U.S. and Canadian rights, as well as U.K. television rights. The film was directed by Marina Zenovich.
Other documentaries rumored to be close to selling or in negotiations include RECRUIT (formerly AN AMERICAN SOLDIER), director Edet Belzberg’s story of Louisiana Sergeant, First Class Clay Usie, one of the most successful recruiters in the history of the U.S. Army; director Nanette Burstein’s AMERICAN TEEN, 
which is really about a group of Indiana teens, and SECRECY, the Peter Galison and Robb Moss documentary about the U.S. government’s penchant for keeping things hidden from the public.
It was reported earlier that THE BLACK LIST: VOLUME ONE was acquired early by HBO Documentary Films and international competition doc UP THE YANGTZE was acquired by Zeitgeist Films.
In the realm of dramatic film, all international rights outside the U.S. for Lance Hammer’s BALLAST have been acquired by Paris-based Celluloid Dreams.
Fortissimo Films has announced a deal for worldwide sales rights to the closing night film, CSNY DEJA VU. A look at Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s 2007 “Freedom of Speech Tour,” the film was directed by Neil Young.
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