Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Polish Oscar Entry ‘The Peasants’ From ‘Loving Vincent’ Filmmakers

Sony Pictures has snapped up rights in North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand to The Peasants, the latest animated feature from Loving Vincent helmers DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman, which world premiered in Special Presentations at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. Further details on release plans have not yet been disclosed.

Recently selected by Poland as its official entry for Best International Feature at the 2024 Oscars, and set to contend in the Best Animated Feature category, as well, The Peasants is based on the same-name, early 20th century novel by Polish author Władysław Reymont. The film tells the story of Jagna, a young woman determined to forge her own path within the confines of a late 19th century Polish village — a hotbed of gossip and ongoing feuds, held together, rich and poor, by pride in their land, adherence to colorful traditions and a deep-rooted patriarchy. When Jagna finds herself caught between the conflicting desires of the village’s richest farmer, his eldest son and other leading men of the community, her resistance puts her on a tragic collision course with those around her.

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Like the Welchmans’ immaculate, Academy Award-nominated Vincent Van Gogh pic Loving Vincent, The Peasants was shot in live-action before being turned into painted animation by a group of 100+ painters over a period of more than two years.

The project is Sony Pictures Classics’ latest with Breakthru Films, which is one of the producers on its upcoming pic A Winter’s Journey. Referred to by Sony Pictures Classics as “an indescribable experience and achievement created by singular amazing artists,” the film was produced by Breakthru Films and co-produced by Digitalkraft d o.o., Art. Shot vsį, Breakthru Productions Sp. z o.o., Canal + Polska S.A., Narodowe Centrum Kultury, Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury, and SKP Ślusarek Kubiak Pieczyk Sp. k., in association with New Europe Film Sales and Carte Blanche, and with the support of Polish Film Institute, Film Center Serbia, and Lithuanian Film Center. It was co-financed by The Polish National Foundation and financed by funds from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

“100 years ago, Reymont, an author little known outside of Poland, won the Nobel Prize for Literature and his book travelled to over 100 countries worldwide. We hope our adaptation of his book, The Peasants, brought to life in oil-painting animation will similarly reach out and touch audiences around the globe and, like he did, find award success too,” said the Welchmans. “There could be no better partner in this endeavor than Sony Pictures Classics, with their incredible catalogue that includes many of our favorite films of all time and iconic animations that achieved the very rare feat of being nominated in the Best International Film category at the Oscars® and Golden Globes®.”

The deal was negotiated between SPC, Jan Naszewski of New Europe, and Nick Shumaker from Anonymous Content.

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