In a significant move at the Venice International Film Festival, Fine Line Features has successfully secured the North American distribution rights for Julian Schnabel's second film, "Before Night Falls."

This acquisition comes after a competitive bidding process, highlighting the film's growing buzz since its premiere on Monday.

Sony Pictures Classics has also made headlines by acquiring the North American rights to Ed Harris's directorial debut, "Pollock."

"Before Night Falls" has been a hot topic at the festival, with distributors eager to finalize a deal before its official screening. Following its Venice debut, the film is set to appear at prestigious festivals in Toronto, New York, and San Sebastian.

The agreement was finalized on Friday, with reports suggesting the deal closed for between $1 million and $1.5 million. Bids were placed by Paramount Classics and Sony Pictures Classics, with amounts of $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively, while USA Films and Fox Searchlight also made earlier offers.

The deal was facilitated by Fine Line's president, Mark Ordesky, in collaboration with producer Kilik and Bart Walker from ICM. Additionally, an agreement has been established with the Overseas Film Group to handle international sales for the film. Prior to the festival, distribution rights in Italy were secured by Key Films.

Ordesky praised the film, stating, “This is a sublime film with an unforgettable central performance by Javier Bardem. Julian’s vision of this poignant, humanistic story is incredibly seamless. I was utterly captivated.”

The film is adapted from the renowned autobiography of Cuban author Reinaldo Arenas, detailing his impoverished upbringing, his struggles against Castro's regime as a political dissident and homosexual, and his eventual escape to New York during a 1980 amnesty for individuals in similar circumstances. Arenas passed away in New York in 1990.“I was driven to share this narrative,” Schnabel expressed to Daily Variety.
“It revolves around an individual existing on the fringes, seeking refuge, and ultimately facing confinement, who arrived in New York yet failed to discover the utopia he envisioned. My intention wasn’t to craft a political narrative, but I believe it’s crucial to amplify the voices of those who have endured hardship. This film fundamentally centers on freedom, a right that every individual deserves.”

Spanish actor Bardem, renowned for his roles in Pedro Almodovar’s “Live Flesh” and John Malkovich’s directorial debut “The Dancer Upstairs,” takes on the role of Arenas. He is joined by Olivier Martinez and Andrea Distefano, while Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, and Michael Wincott feature in supporting parts.

Schnabel is known for “Basquiat,” which debuted in competition at the Venice Film Festival in 1996. Alongside directing “Before Night Falls,” he collaborated with Cunningham O’Keefe and Lazaro Gomez Carriles on the screenplay.

“We are targeting a December release because we believe both Javier and the film hold significant Oscar potential,” Ordesky mentioned.
“If we proceed with December, we plan to start with a platform release before expanding in January and February.”

Sony Pictures Classics presented “Pollock” on Thursday within the Cinema of the Present series. This film chronicles the tumultuous life of American expressionist artist Jackson Pollock, featuring Harris in the lead role alongside Marcia Gay Harden, Amy Madigan, Jennifer Connelly, Bud Cort, John Heard, and Val Kilmer. It was produced by Fred Berner, Jon Kilik, and James Trezza.

The acquisition was reportedly finalized late Friday by Michael Barker and Tom Bernard from Sony, along with executive producer Peter Brant, who confirmed the deal was settled in Venice but withheld further details. Sony was unavailable for comments over the Labor Day weekend. Additionally, a separate agreement was made last week with Alliance to manage international rights.

‘Princess’ Premiere

Other notable films showcased over the weekend at Venice included “The Princess and the Warrior,” the first feature by German director Tom Tykwer since his global success with “Run Lola Run.” Recently acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, this romantic thriller received a generally favorable reception, although many festival attendees suggested that the 135-minute runtime could benefit from some edits. The latest Sony acquisition, “Brother,” directed by the renowned Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano, has sparked mixed reactions.

In a similar vein, Universal's entry, “The Man Who Cried,” directed by Sally Potter and set in the 1930s, also received divided opinions.

This film features a star-studded cast, including Christina Ricci, Cate Blanchett, and John Turturro, who all attended its world premiere in Venice.

Among the competition entries, “Platform” by Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke stood out, capturing the experiences of youth in a provincial village over a decade of cultural shifts. Critics praised its lengthy runtime, which exceeds three hours.

However, “Before Night Falls” has garnered the most unanimous acclaim, with Javier Bardem being a strong contender for the festival's Best Actor award.

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