Cannes: Sundance Selects Nabs U.S. Rights to Roman Polanski’s ‘Venus in Fur’

Sundance Selects has acquired U.S. rights to Roman Polanski’s Venus in Fur.

With a screenplay by Polanski and David Ives and based on the critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning play by Ives, the film stars Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathieu Amalric and was produced by Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde.

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The film made its world premiere in competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. 

Set in modern-day Paris, Venus in Fur follows writer-director Thomas (Amalric) and a pushy, foul-mouthed actress named Vanda (Seigner) who bursts into auditions in a whirlwind of erratic energy. Vanda’s emotionally charged audition for the gifted but demanding playwright becomes an electrifying game of cat and mouse that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, seduction and power, and ultimately, attraction and obsession.

Sundance Selects made a splashy showing at this year’s Cannes. In addition to Venus in Fur, the distributor also acquired Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme D’Or winner Blue Is the Warmest Color; Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Jury Prize winner Like Father, Like Son; Clio Barnard’s Directors Fortnight title The Selfish Giant; Francois Ozon’s Young & Beautiful; and Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne’s Two Days, One Night.

“Venus in Fur proves once more why Roman Polanski is one of the world’s premier auteurs,” Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring said. “It is a brilliant cinematic adaptation in every way and features two powerful performances from Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathieu Amalric. We are honored to have the chance to work with Roman, Robert and Alain and everyone involved with this film.”

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Polanski won the Academy Award for Best Director in 2003 for his film The Pianist. His other acclaimed films include Tess, Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, The Ghost Writer and Repulsion.

Venus in Fur marks the onscreen reunion of Amalric and Seigner, who starred opposite one another in Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

The deal for the film was negotiated by Sundance Selects/IFC Films’ Arianna Bocco. Resolution’s Jeff Berg repped the filmmakers.