Magnolia Pictures has picked up US rights to Quentin Dupieux’s surreal French comedy Mandibles, one of the most talked-about films at Venice Film Festival.
The film earned a strong reception on the Lido and stars Gregoire Ludig and David Marsais as friends who try to train a giant fly they find in the boot of a car in the hope of getting rich.
The cast includes Adele Exarchopoulos, India Hair, Romeo Elvis, Coralie Russier, and Bruno Lochet.
Hugo Selignac and Vincent Mazel produced Mandibles for Paris-based Chi-Fou-Mi Productions. Patrick Quinet of Artemis Productions in Brussels is co-producer with Memento Films head Alexandre Mallet-Guy.
Magnolia previously released Dupieux’s 2010 feature Rubber and plans a 2021 release for Mandibles, which is also an official Telluride selection this year.
In its review Screen described the film as “Dumb and Dumber on the Cote D’Azur” and noted its “skewed view of a part of France more commonly associated with monied glamour”.
“It’s really hard to make smart look stupid but Quentin Dupieux has managed the feat spectacularly,” said Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles. “Mandibles had me howling. I wish I could have seen it in a packed theatre.”
“I’m thrilled to be working again with Magnolia,” said Dupieux, whose Deerskin played in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight last year. “They are the best fit for the film.”
Magnolia executive vice-president Dori Begley and senior vice-president of acquisitions John Von Thaden negotiated the deal with Wild Bunch International, WTFilms and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
Magnolia’s upcoming releases include Roy Andersson’s 2019 Venice Silver Lion winner About Endlessness, Julien Temple’s Crock Of Gold – A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan, Alex Winter’s documentary Zappa, and Lance Oppenheim’s documentary Some Kind Of Heaven.
No comments yet