Neon Makes First Cannes Acquisition With Pablo Berger’s Animated ‘Robot Dreams’

In its first acquisition at the Cannes Film Festival, Neon has picked up North American rights to director Pablo Berger’s animated feature “Robot Dreams” ahead of its world premiere in Cannes on Saturday.

The Spanish filmmaker of “Blancanieves” based his first animated feature on the award-winning graphic novel by Sara Varon. “Robot Dreams” screens Saturday in the Special Screenings section of the festival.

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Neon previously scored three consecutive Palme d’Or wins with “Parasite,” “Titane” and “Triangle of Sadness.”

“Robot Dreams” is described as a “universal exploration of the importance and fragility of friendship.” It follows DOG, a New York canine who decides to build himself a robot companion. They become inseparable, to the rhythm of 1980s New York city, until the sad summer night when DOG is forced to abandon ROBOT at the beach.

Berger is also a producer on the film, alongside Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Diaz and Ángel Durández, with Jérôme Vidal, Sylvie Pialat and Benoit Quainon coproducing. The deal was negotiated by Sarah Colvin on behalf of Neon with Adeline Fontan Tessaur co-founder of Elle Driver, who represents worldwide sales rights to the film in Cannes.

Fontan Tessaur remarked, “I could not be more proud to have this genius rock-and-roll team on board to distribute this absolute wonder. We know that Neon will know how to get this film that overflows with emotion to the largest possible audience.”

Also at the festival, Neon is premiering Alice Rohrwacher’s “La Chimera” with Josh O’Connor and Isabella Rossellini.

Other projects in development and production at Neon include Hunter Schafer’s feature film debut “Cuckoo,” “The Painter and the Thief” narrative remake, Asif Kapadia’s “2073,” Joshua Oppenheimer’s Golden Age musical “The End,” starring Tilda Swinton, “Seeking Mavis Beacon” from director Jazmin Jones, “Cassandra at the Wedding,” based on the Dorothy Baker novel and Kitty Green’s “The Royal Hotel,” starring Julia Garner.

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