LONDON — Leading world sales house Beta Cinema is in negotiations to close a U.S. distribution deal for “Child’s Pose,” which Romania selected to compete for the Academy Award for best foreign-language film last week.
Calin Peter Netzer’s family drama, which won this year’s Berlinale’s Golden Bear, has been sold to 21 territories.
In Western Europe and North Africa, territories already sold include Germany/Austria/Switzerland (X-Verleih), France/Algeria/Morocco/Tunisia (Sophie Dulac Distribution), Italy (Teodora Film), Benelux (Contact Film), Portugal (Alambique) and Spain (Golem).
Nordic territories sold are Norway (Tour de Force), Denmark (Camera Films) and Iceland (Bio Paradis).
Territories sold in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe are Poland (Aurora Films), Hungary (Cirko Film), Czech Republic/Slovakia (Film Europe), Serbia and Montenegro (Discovery Film and Video), and Greece (Seven Group).
In the Middle East and Asia Pacific, territories closed are Israel (Lev Cinemas), South Korea (Entermode Corp.), Japan (Magic Hour), Taiwan (Swallow Wings) and Australia/New Zealand (Palace Films).
In Latin America, the pic has gone to Mexico (Cinemas Nueva Era) and Brazil (Imovision).
Beta also is in negotiations with buyers in Turkey, China and the Middle East.
Pic, which was penned by Netzer and Razvan Radulescu (“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”), is described in Variety’s review as a “dissection of monstrous motherly love.” The critic adds, “It’s also a razor-sharp jibe at Romania’s nouveau riche (the type is hardly confined to one country), a class adept at massaging truths and ensuring that the world steps aside when conflict arises.”
Luminita Gheorghiu, in her first starring role, plays the monstrous mother in question, a perf that the Variety reviewer describes as a “tour-de-force.” Gheorghiu’s credits include “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days” and “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu,” for which she won best supporting actress at the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. awards.
“Child’s Pose” was produced by Parada Film and Hai-Hui Entertainment, with backing from HBO Romania.
