Sundance: Searchlight taming 'Beasts'

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Searchlight is in active talks to acquire Ben Zeitlin's ''Beasts of the Southern Wild,'' emerging from a swarm of suitors who've been circling the Sundance hit.No deal is in place, and sources caution that other buyers are still in the mix. But multiple people familiar with the negotiations say Searchlight is intent on bagging its quarry, the tale of a six-year-old girl (Quvenzhan Wallis) who lives in a southern Delta community at the edge of the world.WME Global is selling domestic rights to the pic, which has seen a flood of interest come in since its debut at the Eccles Theatre on Friday. Though the unusual pic has its detractors, the reception from critics and bloggers has been glowingly positive.Sony Pictures Classics, Focus Features and The Weinstein Co. had all been circling the film, which Zeitlin co-wrote with Lucy Alibar.Fox Searchlight was an active buyer at last year's Sundance, where they purchased high-profile acquisition titles such as ''Another Earth'' and ''Martha Marcy May Marlene.'' Sources believe that the distrib is likely to close on ''Beasts'' soon.Zeitlin, who two weeks ago was named one of Variety's 10 directors to watch, is currently without representation, though there's likely to be an agency feeding frenzy after the festival for the young director who created the film via Sundance Labs.''Beasts of the Southern Wild'' will screen on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at various locations. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com