Oscilloscope Takes North American Rights to Berlinale Winner ‘Summer 1993’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired North American rights to Carla Simon’s “Summer 1993,” which won the best first feature prize at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
The Spanish film also took home the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus section for young people’s cinema in Berlin. It recently screened at the Malaga Film Festival of Spanish-Language Cinema, where it won the Golden Biznaga for best Spanish film. Oscilloscope will release the film theatrically in late 2017.
“Six-year-old Frida looks on in silence as the last objects from her recently deceased mother’s apartment in Barcelona are placed in boxes. Although her aunt, uncle, and younger cousin Anna welcome her with open arms, it’s only very slowly that Frida begins to get used to her new home in the countryside,” according to a statement.
“Punctuated by moments of youthful exuberance and mature ruminations, this coming-of-age drama, set amongst summery hues, is an extraordinarily moving snapshot of being a child in an adult world, anchored by two flawless performances by its two young stars.”
Simon said: “The U.S.A. was the country that made me believe I could become a filmmaker when I spent an exchange year at UCSB studying film. It makes me feel extremely happy that eight years later my first feature film will be released there.”
Oscilloscope’s Dan Berger said: “Carla’s film is smart, subtle, sweet, and touching. She has an uncanny ability to welcome us into this specific and small world yet make us feel at home and like everything is larger than life. ‘Summer 1993’ is deeply endearing and also deeply universal. We’re very excited to introduce it to audiences.”
The film was produced by Valerie Delpierre at Inicia Films and co-produced by Maria Zamora at Avalon. Jan Naszewski’s New Europe Film Sales handles world sales and has already secured releases in key European territories, including France, where it was acquired by Pyramide.
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