Altered Innocence Takes North American Rights To “Provocative” French Family Drama ‘Endless Summer Syndrome’ – Cannes Market

Zac Ntim
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Altered Innocence has picked up all North American rights to Iranian filmmaker Kaveh Daneshmand’s first feature film Endless Summer Syndrome which debuted last year at Tallinn Black Nights before playing Raindance, Goa IFF, and Fantaspoa.

The deal was completed this week in Cannes. Altered Innocence has said they plan to release the film theatrically in late 2024.

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Endless Summer Syndrome is a black comedy about a family coming apart at the seams when the mother gets an anonymous call from her husband’s colleague about an alleged affair with one of their adopted children. Daneshman has described the film as “a provocative take on parental responsibility, who, when confronted by their own truths, take risks that lead to dangerous consequences.”

The film’s full synopsis reads: When Delphine gets an anonymous call from her husband’s colleague about an alleged affair with one of their adopted children, her ideal of filial freedom is put to the cruelest of tests. She decides to quietly observe her family for a shred of evidence; anything to subside her fear and erase doubt. After the truth presents itself in an unexpected, shocking manner, Delphine chooses to look past the blame for a permanent solution.

“Besides being a very provocative, entertaining, and sexy drama, the film also takes an in-depth and warm look at the nuclear family,” Frank Jaffe of Altered Innocence said. “By the time the filmmakers have made you feel right at home on this bright summer day drinking cocktails by the pool and sunbathing, they pull the rug out from under you, making the drama all the more intense. North American audiences will be wildly entertained.”

Daneshman added: “It is a pleasure to work with a label that has distributed titles from the likes of Ozon, Mandico, and Noé. We can’t wait for our release in North America and the reaction of the audience to our “sunny, funny, dirty drama” as Frank has described ‘Endless Summer Syndrome’ himself in the most effective way.”

The deal was negotiated between Jaffe from Altered Innocence and the filmmakers Kaveh Daneshmand and Gem Deger.

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