Wim Wenders’ Classic Rock-Infused ‘Perfect Days’ Has Buyers Circling in Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)

Manori Ravindran
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” is a hot property in Cannes, and it’s yet to even premiere.

Several buyers are currently circling the Japan-set, music-infused title from master filmmaker Wenders, which bows in competition on Thursday. Sources tell Variety that interested parties so far include Utopia, MUBI, Sideshow and Janus Films and Sony Pictures Classics.

More from Variety

Wenders’ “Perfect Days” follows Tokyo toilet cleaner Hirayama, who seems content with his simple life. Outside of his everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for books and, in particular, for music. Over the course of the film, a series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” star Koji Yakusho — whom some critics have tipped as a contender for Cannes’ best actor prize on Saturday — leads the cast as Hirayama. He also co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.

Wenders, who is also at Cannes with a documentary on German artist Anselm Kiefer, previously revealed that “Perfect Days” uses only source music to convey Hirayama’s favorite songs. The title “Perfect Days” is itself a reference to the classic Lou Reed tune “Perfect Day,” and it’s understood the film features songs by the likes of Van Morrison, Otis Redding and Patti Smith.

Given the pic’s musical bent, a U.S. frontrunner could emerge in Utopia, which has been carving out a name for itself in music-centric movies, and may be a good fit. The distributor, set up by filmmaker and musician Robert Schwartzman, bought rock doc “Meet Me in the Bathroom” last year, and is currently in post on a film about British Invasion band “The Zombies.”

Another strong leader is indie distributor and streamer MUBI, which in early 2022 bought The Match Factory, the German sales agent shopping the film, though the two companies have always claimed a church-and-state set up. Sony Pictures Classics also has recent form for edgy stories set in Asia — the company bought Davy Chou’s “Return to Seoul” last year ahead of its Cannes world premiere.

Variety understands that Match Factory, which is selling the film, warned prospective buyers early on that the sales process could take time. The movie has Japanese financiers (producers include Tokyo’s Master Mind and Spoon, alongside Wenders Images) that have requested detailed distribution presentations from buyers ahead of making any decisions.

The sales market is finally heating up in Cannes, where it’s been deathly quiet all week — Netflix swooped for Todd Haynes’ buzzy “May December” for $11 million, while Neon picked up French director Justine Triet’s Hitchcockian courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall.” It’s clear that buyers are being extra cautious due to trying economic conditions. A sluggish U.S. specialty market is also prompting more vigilance around the kinds of movies that are acquired, with buyers on the lookout for titles with built-in hooks, conceits or star power that will translate on the big screen.

Wenders’ international breakthrough came with “The American Friend” (1977), an adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel. Since then, he has been honored with countless awards at festivals around the world, including the Golden Lion at Venice for “The State of Things” (1982); the Palme d’Or at Cannes and a BAFTA for “Paris, Texas” (1984); the director’s prize in Cannes for “Wings of Desire” (1987); and the Silver Bear for “The Million Dollar Hotel” (2000) at Berlin.

His documentary films “Buena Vista Social Club” (1999), “Pina” (2011), and “The Salt of the Earth” (2014) have all been nominated for an Oscar.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.