"Audiences just love this movie. It takes them on a journey to a place they've never been before, and it's just joyous," said Rice, who declined to discuss the mechanics of the acquisition. "I think it's one of the best movies of the year, and that's what awards are given for. It is an utterly complete cinematic experience."
Producer Colson said that just as the movie is a fable about fate, so too is the story of "Slumdog Millionaire's" zigzagging path to the screen.
"It's a movie about destiny, and we've had some twists and turns ourselves," Colson said. "Is Fox Searchlight a better distributor for the film today than Warner Independent was 12 months ago? I don't know. I'd like to think Warner Independent would have done a great job, but they never got a chance to show us what they could do.
"But is the movie in a better position than it was four months ago? The answer is a categorical yes. Because now it will get a chance at the life it deserves."
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john.horn@latimes.com
