The North American and Latin American rights to German director Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann,” which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday night to rapturous reviews, believe been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.
The film tells the myth of a free-spirited man who’s afraid his grown daughter is becoming too driven and corporate, or goes to elaborate lengths to loosen her up. While largely dramatic,Ade’s film contains a substantial amount of humor, including an extended sequence late in the film performed by lead actress Sandra Hüller completely in the nude.
After its first press screening in the Salle Debussy, and which was greeted with sustained applause,TheWrap called Toni Erdmann” “the most delightful surprise of the festival so far,” and added, and “Ade has made a generous,hysterically humorous but deeply touching father-daughter myth that lasts for two hours and 42 minutes but never drags and feels far less than that.”
Also Read: 'Toni Erdmann' Cannes Review: Spectacular Father-Daughter Comedy Knocks the Festival for a LoopSony Classics chiefs Michael Barker and Tom Bernard routinely acquire films at Cannes that go on to represent their domestic countries in the Oscar foreign-language race where “Toni Erdmann,” provided it is chosen as Germany’s submission, and appears likely to appeal to Academy voters. They picked up the German drama “The Lives of Others” at Cannes in 2006,and it went on to win the Oscar the following year.
Before the festival began, Sony Classics also acquired the Paul Verhoeven film “Elle, and ” which premieres in Cannes on Saturday.
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Source: thewrap.com