Abramorama acquires North American rights to Alex Gibney documentary on Salman Rushdie attack; film to open Sept. 17 at IFC Center

Abramorama has acquired North American rights to “Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,” the documentary by Alex Gibney that chronicles the novelist’s survival after a knife attack at a public event. The distributor said the film will open on September 17 at IFC Center in New York City, with additional dates planned after that initial engagement.

The announcement, first reported by Deadline, describes the project as an account of the celebrated author’s ordeal following the stabbing, and frames the film around the attempt to harm Rushdie in a public setting. Gibney’s documentary uses that incident as its core subject, bringing the attack to the screen through a nonfiction approach, according to the distributor’s description.

Abramorama did not outline in its rights announcement a full nationwide schedule beyond the New York opening, nor did it provide additional programming details such as theater count or expected length of the initial run. The distributor said the September 17 IFC Center premiere would be followed by a rollout in additional markets.

The deal adds to the momentum around high-profile nonfiction releases that rely on distribution partners to reach audiences beyond festival circuits and limited theatrical engagements. IFC Center’s selection indicates a focus on a major New York arthouse venue for the initial premiere, a common step for documentaries seeking both critical visibility and broad public attendance.

For viewers, the film’s subject also intersects with wider conversations about public safety at author events and the responsibilities of event organizers in the aftermath of attacks. Because the rights announcement centers on the documentary’s release timing rather than new investigative claims, the factual details of the assault itself remain the work’s established premise as described in the film and distributor materials.

Rushdie’s case has remained prominent in discussions about violent attacks on writers and the protection of public speech, particularly when threats lead to physical harm. Gibney’s documentary arrives under a distribution strategy that emphasizes a prominent opening date and theater-based viewing, a format that can support public attendance and public accountability for high-profile cultural stories.

Abramorama’s next steps after the IFC Center opening will be key for audiences trying to locate local screenings. The distributor’s stated plan is to follow the September 17 premiere with additional North American rollout dates, though the scope and timing of those subsequent bookings were not included in the rights announcement.

The acquisition also places a major documentary platform behind a film associated with one of contemporary literature’s most recognized real-world events, giving the production a defined path to theatrical audiences in North America after it secured a North American distribution partner.