Indie Sales has unveiled a slew of deals on Belgian director Laura Wandel’s debut feature and bullying drama Playground following its buzzy premiere in Cannes Un Certain Regard in July.
The Paris-based company has sold the film to Austria (Stadtkino), Canada (Maison 4/3), China (DDDream), Denmark (Angel Films), France (Tandem), Greece (Cinobo), Israel (Lev), Portugal (Films4You), Spain (Avalon), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Switzerland (Outside the Box), UK and Ireland (New Wave Films).
Set in Belgium, the drama revolves around a seven-year-old girl who finds herself torn between the world of children and adults when she witnesses her big brother being bullied at school but he orders her to remain silent about his plight.
The feature was warmly reviewed in Cannes with critics highlighting Wandel as a filmmaker to watch.
It went on to win the Fipresci prize and has since been invited to a raft of festivals including San Sebastian and the BFI London Film Festival.
It was Wandel’s second time in Official Selection in Cannes after her short Foreign Bodies screened in 2014.
The 100% Belgian production was produced by Stéphane Lhoest at La Louvière-based Dragons Films with Jan de Clercq co-producing for Lunanime. Sister distribution label Lumière will release the film in the Benelux in October and Tandem is also planning an autumn release in France.
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