Cannes: Arnaud Desplechin’s ‘A Christmas Tale’ is first competition sale to US
In the first US sale of a Competition title at Cannes, Wild Bunch has sold Arnaud Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale to IFC.
The family drama, which screens here on Friday, stars an ensemble cast including Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, Chiara Mastroianni, Emmanuelle Devos, Anne Consigny and Melvil Poupaud.
Produced by Why Not, it will be released by Bac in France.
Furthermore, Wild Bunch has closed a Japan sale on Steven Soderbergh’s Che Guevara films to Nikkatsu – the double-feature is also running in Competition.
Deals on Ken Loach’s Eric Cantona-related project – reported yesterday – have closed with Icon in the UK, Diaphana in France and Bim in Italy.
Bim has also picked up Gaspar Noe’s Enter The Void and Radu Mihaileanu’s The Concert.
Also in Italy, Medusa has taken Woody Allen’s as-yet untitled new film starring Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. Disney has picked up rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea in France and the US.
Separately, IFC announced it has taken US rights to Joshua Safdie’s Directors’ Fortnight comedy The Pleasure Of Being Robbed, which will get its international premiere here on May 23. IFC’s vice-president of acquisitions and production Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment.
Ken Loach to Make Eric Cantona Biopic
An intriguing team, led by Ken Loach, is working on a project that was originated by football legend Eric Cantona.The project, with the working title Looking For Eric is part of the Wild Bunch Cannes slate.
The French company is closely guarding the details but Screen sources suggest that French star came up with the idea from which Paul Laverty has written the screenplay.
Sources also suggest it has been set up as a co-production with Cannes favourites Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes‘ Les Films Du Flueve in Belgium.
Loach’s regular producer Rebecca O’Brien is also on board.
No further details are available at this stage, although the film does not appear to be a biopic.
French international Eric Cantona’s sporting reputation was built as a flamboyant and sometimes eccentric star for Manchester United in England.
After retiring from the game he moved into film acting with appearances including Elizabeth in 1998. He directed his first feature Apporte-moi Ton Amour in 2002.
