Endeavor Content, New Europe Board Venice & Toronto Title ‘The Disciple,’ Executive Produced by Alfonso Cuaron

Naman Ramachandran
·2 min read

Endeavor Content and New Europe Film Sales have picked up North American and European sales, respectively, for Indian filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane’s Venice and Toronto title “The Disciple.”

The film is executive produced by Alfonso Cuaron, who mentored Tamhane after he made his feature debut with “Court.”

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“Court” won more than 30 awards at film festivals worldwide including best film in the Horizons section at the 2014 Venice Film Festival, where Tamhane was also awarded the “Lion Of The Future.”

Set in contemporary Mumbai, “The Disciple” follows an Indian classical music vocalist who, after years of diligent training and tradition, begins to wonder whether it’s really possible to achieve the excellence he’s striving for.

“The Disciple” debuts in official competition at Venice, marking the first Indian film to do so since Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” in 2001, which went on to win the Golden Lion. The film has also been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival.

“I met Chaitanya through a mentorship program where I had the opportunity to watch his very superb debut film, ‘Court,'” said Cuaron. “I was immediately impressed by his sense of cinema and fearless confidence to tell stories. He was part of most of ‘Roma’’s process and I jumped to the opportunity to be part of the process of his second film ‘The Disciple.’ I believe Chaitanya is one of the most important new voices of contemporary cinema.”

The project won the Sundance Institute Open Borders Fellowship.

The film is produced by Vivek Gomber via his Zoo Entertainment. Gomber also produced and acted in “Court” and is one of the stars of Mira Nair’s series adaptation of Vikram Seth’s “A Suitable Boy,” that is currently airing on the BBC and will close Toronto.

“We are thrilled to work with Chaitanya on his new film. We were big fans of “Court” and loved how ‘The Disciple’ gave us a rare and profound insight into a unique world and group of people. The movie is a special experience,” said Jan Naszewski, CEO of New Europe Film Sales.

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