Louis Garrel’s ‘The Innocent’ Sets U.S. Release With Janus Films; Deal Negotiated By Wild Bunch Int’l
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EXCLUSIVE: Janus Films has acquired North American rights for Louis Garrel’s The Innocent in which he also stars alongside Roschdy Zem, Anouk Grinberg and Noémie Merlant.
The film, which world premiered at Cannes Film Festival last May, is a frontrunner in France’s upcoming César Awards (February 24) with 11 nominations, including for best film and best director.
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The comedy will make its U.S. premiere at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York in March and Garrel is scheduled to attend.
Janus Films plans a theatrical release on March 17, followed by a Criterion Channel streaming premiere.
Garrel directs and co-stars in The Innocent as Abel, a suspicious, young man who tries to derail his mother’s new relationship with recently released convict Michel, played by Roschdy Zem.
Tár supporting actress Merlant plays Abel’s friend and accomplice who joins him on the mission to discredit Michel. Grinberg plays Abel’s mother.
The film was produced by Anne-Dominique Toussaint at Les films des Tournelles.
“The Innocent is a total crowd-pleaser, at once a clever, upbeat heist comedy and a love letter to the craft of acting, featuring two of the finest performers of their generation, Louis Garrel and Noémie Merlant, in an ensemble whose captivating chemistry gives the film its genuinely infectious charm,” said Janus Films.
Having begun his cinema career as an actor, Garrel has since emerged as an accomplished writer-director in his own right, with previous directorial credits including The Crusade, A Faithful Man and Two Friends.
The deal was negotiated by Janus Films and Wild Bunch International.
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