Film Movement has swooped in to take North American rights on Huo Meng’s Silver Bear winner Living The Land and is planning a theatrical release for next year.
The film, which premiered in Berlin’s main competition last month, is set in 1991 as China undergoes sweeping socio-economic changes forcing many out of their countryside homes and into the big cities.
Berlin-based m-appeal is handling sales on Living The Land, which Screen’s critic described as an “intimate epic… deeply poignant yet staunchly unsentimental”.
The film has also sold to Bir Film for Turkey, Falcon for Indonesia, Beta Films for Bulgaria, and Lev Cinema for Israel, following previously announced deals to Spain, Portugal, Norway and France. All distributors plan to release the film theatrically.
It is Huo Meng’s second feature following his debut Crossing The Border - Zhaoguan, which had its world premiere at the 2018 Pingyao International Film Festival and also screened at the Berlinale in 2020.
Living The Land is executive produced by Yao Chen and produced by Zhang Fan. The production companies involved are Floating Light Film and Culture, Shanghai Film Group, Phoenix Legend Films, Bad Rabbit Pictures and Lianray Pictures.
Michael Rosenberg, president of Film Movement, said: “Huo’s sophomore feature heralds the arrival of a major talent. We were completely absorbed in his intimate epic at the Berlinale and look forward to bringing this visually captivating saga to North American audiences.”
Other titles on Film Movement’s current slate including Julie Keeps Quiet and Lou Ye’s An Unfinished Film.
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