Music Box Films Buys Cannes’ Un Certain Regard-Prizewinning ‘Rodeo’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Music Box Films has acquired North American rights to “Rodeo,” the bold feature debut of Lola Quivoron which premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes where it won the Coup de Cœur du Jury special prize.
Produced by Charles Gillibert (“Annette”) at CG Cinema and represented by Les Films du Losange, “Rodeo” stars newcomer Julie Ledrue a Julia, a hot tempered and fiercely independent young woman who infiltrates an underground dirt bike community in France.
More from Variety
After a chance meeting at an urban ‘Rodeo,’ Julia finds herself drawn into a clandestine and volatile clique and striving to prove herself to the ultra-masculine group, but is she is faced with a series of escalating demands that will make or break her place in the community.
“Stylish and untamed, ‘Rodeo’ was one of the most energetic films we experienced at Cannes this year,” said Music Box Films’ Brian Andreotti. “Lola Quivoron’s dynamic depiction of an adrenaline-fueled subculture and Julie Ledru’s indomitable performance announce the arrival of two major new talents on the international film scene.”
The deal was negotiated on behalf of the filmmaker by Alice Lesort at Les Films Du Losange and Andreotti at Music Box Films.
Les Films du Losange has sold the critically acclaimed movie around the world to major distributors, including Madman in Australia and New Zealand, Koch Film in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, I Wonder in Italy, Caramel in Spain, Cineart in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Folkets Bio in Sweden, Galapagos in Poland, Vertigo in Hungary, Best Film in the Baltics, Five Stars in Former Yugoslavia, Hugoeast in China and Tel Aviv Cinematheque in Israel.
“Rodeo” will be released in France by Les Films du Losange. Negotiations are ongoing in Japan, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Les Films du Losange is rolling off a strong Cannes film festival, where it also handled Mia Hansen-Løve’s “One Fine Morning” starring Lea Seydoux. The film was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and sold in over 70 territories. The company also repped “De Humani Corporis Fabrica” by Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor which was jointly acquired by Grasshopper Film and Gratitude Films in the U.S.; as well as the 4K restoration of Jean Eustache’s “The Mother and the Whore” which was picked up by Janus Films for North America, the U.K., and Ireland.
Music Box Films’s recent releases include the Oscar-nominated documentary “Writing With Fire,” Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney’s low-fi “Strawberry Mansion,” and seven-time César award-winning “Lost Illusions” directed by Xavier Giannoli.
Upcoming Music Box releases include the Directors’ Fortnight Brazilian film “Medusa;” Sundance-premiering genre-bender “Leonor Will Never Die” and Mark Cousins’ “The Story of Film: A New Generation.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
