Pretty Pictures, Fortissimo team up for Rasoulof's Good Bye

James Velaise’s Pretty Pictures has acquired world rights to Iranian director Mohammaed Rasoulof’s Un Certain Regard last-minute addition Good Bye (Be Omid E Didar), and has teamed up on the project with Fortissimo Films.

Pretty Pictures will handle and release the film in France, and Fortisssimo will handle rest-of-world sales.

Velaise had negotiated the rights with Rasoulof’s production company in Iran, and then the deal with Fortissimo was negotiated with Chris Paton, Fortissimo’s SVP of Acquisitions.

The director, a collaborator with Jafar Panahi, has been banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, so he had to make Good Bye in ‘semi-clandestine conditions.’

Leyla Zareh, Fereshteh Sadreorafai, Shahab Hoseini and Roya Teymorian star in the story of a young lawyer in Tehran who wants a visa to leave the country.

The director’s previous films include The White Meadows, Iron Island and Twilight.

Zareh and other cast members are expected to attend the official screening in Cannes, on Saturday. Rasoulof is banned from travelling outside Iran so he won’t be attending.

Velaise said: “We are delighted to have acquired Mohammad Rasoulof’s wonderfully topical new film, especially after  having previously  handled  his last  film The White Meadows. We will release both films theatrically in France this autumn. I am however greatly saddened that the director is not allowed to leave Tehran so as to present the film himself in Cannes, the actors will however surely make up for it.”

Paton added, “We have long admired Rasoulof’s work. With his brave voice and wonderful storytelling, he connects the world with daily life in contemporary Iran. We are honoured to work with him and with Pretty Pictures to bring this film to international audiences.”