After a rapturous world premiere on the Palais des Festivals on Saturday night time and an 11-minute standing ovation, Jacques Audiard’s newest Cannes Competitors entry Emilia Perez is nearing a cope with Netflix for North America and the UK.
The Spanish-language musical crime comedy, starring Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña and Édgar Ramirez, has been one of many buzziest tasks to return to market in Cannes this yr, with a number of U.S. distributors providing on the movie because it premiered on the weekend. Netflix has swooped in for North American and UK rights to the unique title in a deal that we’re listening to is within the excessive seven figures. The pact is in its closing phases.
Deadline understands that numerous key worldwide territories are all near being performed, with CDC United Community additionally taking rights for Latin America. Pathé pre purchased the title for French talking territories coming into the competition, making it the one presale for the completed movie earlier than its Cannes premiere.
The home quantity alone is within the excessive seven figures, which we perceive to be a document home quantity for a foreign-language movie. The streamer clearly believes within the film and it’s conceivable it will get an awards push later this yr, particularly provided that Netflix’s upcoming movie slate lacks a few of the apparent awards contenders of latest years.
Emilia Perez follows the story of Rita (Saldaña), an overqualified and undervalued lawyer at a big agency that’s extra fascinated about getting criminals off the hook than bringing them to justice. Sooner or later, she is given an sudden means out, when cartel chief Manitas (Gascón) hires her to assist him withdraw from his enterprise and understand a plan he has been secretly making ready for years: to turn into the lady he has all the time dreamt of being.
Cannes darling Audiard, whose movies Rust and Bone, Paris 13th District and Deephan have all performed in Competitors in Cannes (the latter successful the Palme d’Or in 2015), wrote the screenplay with frequent collaborator Thomas Bidegain and Léa Mysius.
Why Not Productions’ Pascal Caucheteux produces with Audiard and Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent Productions, a movie division of the luxurious trend home. Library Footage Worldwide financed the mission.
Deadline’s Stephanie Bunbury in her overview stated: “On paper, it seems mad as a free wheel. A largely Spanish-language musical a few Mexican druglord having a intercourse change, that includes a onetime Disney teen star Selena Gomez as a gangster’s spouse…however right here it’s on the display screen, a musical marvel.”
Netflix is doing the deal for Emilia Perez with CAA Media Finance and The Veterans. Pathé will launch the title in France on August 28.