CANNES — Paris-based production-sales company MPM Film has acquired worldwide rights outside South America to Carolina Jabor‘s “Liquid Truth.”
The feature marks the second fiction feature directorial outing by producer-director Jabor, who debuted with “Good Luck,” a box office hit, and also directed documentary “O mistério do samba.” One of the fast-rising women art film directors in Brazil, Jabor also has a cachet as a TV director, helming multiple episodes of Conspiraçao’s flagship TV hit, “The Invisible Woman.”
Produced by top Brazilian independent company Conspiraçao Filmes, whose credits include Andrucha Waddington’s “Lope,” omnibus feature “Rio, I Love You,” and Globo Filmes –the film arm of Brazilian media giant Globo, “Liquid Truth” was 100% financed by Globo using its access to Brazilian tax-break money.
The international sales agent deal was brokered by Ricardo Monastier for MPM and Leonardo Barros for Conspiracao.
Based on a recent stage play by Catalan author Josep Maria Miró whose original title is “Archimedes Principle,” the story turns on a charismatic swimming teacher accused of kissing a seven-year-old student on the mouth, who suffers virtual lynching on the internet. “Truth” stars Brazilian actor Daniel Oliveira.
“The film is about a person who is condemned before being judged via a trial. It’s a very solid drama offering a story that could happen anywhere to anybody nowadays,” Conspiraçao partner Leonardo Barros told Variety at Cannes.
The script is penned by actor-writer Lucas Paraízo, whose credits include the only Brazilian feature at an official Cannes section this year: Fellipe Barbosa’s “Gabriel and the Mountain,” which has won on Thursday a France 4 Visionary prize in Cannes Critics’ Week for outstanding creativity and innovation.
Marie-Pierre Macia founded MPM Film ten years ago. As a sales company, its slate has included Anita Rocha da Silveira’s Venice player “Kill Me Please” and Mahmoud Sabbagh’s “Barakah Meets Barakah.” As production company MPM has backed Bela Tarr’s “The Turin Horse,” a Berlinale Silver Bear winner, Paz Encina’s “Memory Exercises” and Lucrecia Martel’s “Zama” among others.
“Truth” is one of the latest films from a burgeoning arthouse cinema scene in Brazil, powered by Brazilian government funding through the Fondo Setorial Audiovisual (FSA).
One suffering a paucity of theater screens in Brazil, select art films are sometimes notching up healthy audiences in domestic, while making their presence felt at major festivals abroad. Brazil had nine films selected in major sections at this year’s Berlinale, a presence only bettered by Germany, the U.S., France and Canada.
“Brazil is offering a new auteur-driven cinema with an increasing international appeal,” said Jabor, citing Anna Muylaert’s Sundance and Berlin winner “The Second Mother” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “Aquarius,” a Cannes competition contender last year.
“These features are part of a trend that didn’t exist ten years ago,” Jabor enthused.
“One of the most distinctive keys to this new Brazilian cinema is the variety of its productions,” added Barros.
“Truth” is expected to be ready for delivery by September. Brazilian distributor will be announced shortly.
