Apple picks up 'Boys State' documentary for Sundance high of $12M

Apple and A24 have bought the worldwide rights to political documentary Boys State for a reported $12 million, the largest-ever sale price for a documentary at the Sundance festival.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Apple and A24 have acquired worldwide rights to the documentary Boys State, a political coming-of-age story which examines the health of American democracy. A source pegged the deal at $12 million, which marks the largest sale for a documentary ever at a festival. A24 will release the film theatrically.

The previous record for the largest documentary sale at Sundance was 2019's Knock Down the House, which sold for $10 million. Sources say Netflix and Hulu were also bidding at $12 million.

Directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, the film is about an unusual experiment where 1,000 17-year-old boys from Texas gather to create a representative government from the ground up:

High-minded ideals collide with low-down dirty tricks as four boys of diverse backgrounds and political views navigate the challenges of organizing political parties, shaping consensus and campaigning for the highest office at Texas Boys State — governor.

Apparently, the film got "sustained standing ovations" at its premiere on Friday, and has drawn strong reviews. In a statement the directors said:

"It's been an incredible experience watching audiences fall in love with Boys State at Sundance... Along with Concordia Studio, we are thrilled to partner with two incredible companies, Apple and A24, that will help bring Boys State to audiences all over the world."

There is no indication as to when the film will be released on Apple TV+.