101 Studios Picks Up U.S. Rights To LA BELLE EPOQUE

101 Studios announced today they have acquired the US rights to director Nicolas Bedos' La Belle Epoque starring Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet, Dora Tillier, Fanny Ardant, and Pierre Arditi. The film premiered in Cannes and Toronto to glowing reviews. Bedos was most recently the recipient of the Variety's "Directors To Watch" award for the film at the 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival. La Belle Epoque is slated for a Spring 2020 US theatrical release.

La Belle Epoque was released by Pathe Films in France on November 6, 2019 and continues its successful run with over 1.3M admissions (approximately 8M USD). The film is also enjoying success in other European countries like Italy where it has made over 1.7M USD so far.

"We were struck by Nicolas' touching yet sharp-minded take on a romantic comedy and the impeccable performance given by Daniel Auteuil, who continues to be a tenacious force in French cinema. We're simply delighted to give this film a platform for American audiences to discover it," said David Glasser, CEO.

La Belle Epoque is a mind-bending comedy about the travails of romance and the irresistible allure of the past. Disillusioned sexagenarian cartoonist Victor has lost his job and is on the outs with his wife Marianne when enterprising entrepreneur Antoine approaches him with an intriguing proposition-the chance to revisit the glory days of his youth, and his relationship, by traveling back through time. Intrigued, the avowed technophobe hires Antoine's virtual reality company to return him to May 16, 1974, the day he met Marianne in a café in Lyon, and soon finds himself drawn to Margo, the actress playing the younger incarnation of his spouse.

"We are thrilled that La Belle Epoque will soon be released in the USA and found a great home with 101 Studios who has the capacity of optimizing its release and exhibition in the USA thanks to their background with other French high concept films in the past," said Ardavan Safaee, President of Pathe Films.

Marie-Laure Montironi, EVP International for Pathe added, "We hope French cinema will continue travelling all around the world for decades and believe more than ever in the diversity of theatrical experiences. We are delighted to meet with new companies that follow this goal as well."

The deal was negotiated by Head of Acquisitions James Allen, Glasser, James Gold and Leif Cervantes of Sheppard Mullen on behalf of 101 Studios and Marie-Laurie Montironi on behalf of Pathé.

To post a comment, you must register and login.