Slony Sow’s Franco-Japanese culinary comedy Umami starring Gérard Depardieu has racked up a slew of international sales through Paris-based MPM Premium.
The film has sold across Europe to Jerome Hilal’s brand new distribution label Zinc in France, Neue Visionen in Germany and Austria, Praesens in Switzerland, Vernice in Spain and J&J in the Netherlands.
Rialto has also snapped up the rights in Australia in New Zealand, New Cinema will distribute in Israel and Otaku in the Baltics. In Asia, the film will head to China via Age of Smart Screen Co. and to Taiwan with Sky Digi Entertainment. Umami will be available for in-flight entertainment via Encore.
Umami sees Depardieu star as a chef on a quest for the ultimate flavour after a near-death experience, reuniting with veteran actor Sandrine Bonnaire and Pierre Richard.
Japanese cast members include pop star and actress Kyoko Koizumi and actors Kyozo Nagatsuka, Akira Emoto and Eriko Takeda.
Umami shot in France’s Loire Valley region and in Japan and made its market debut at the Unifrance Rendez-vous in Paris in January.
The film is the second feature from Sow following Parisiennes which also starred Takeda, this time as a Japanese writer who heads to Paris in search of inspiration for her next novel.
MPM Premium has also sold Wolf And Dog, which won the director’s prize at Venice Days Giornate Degli Autori, to Azimut in Italy, Epicentre in France and ConUnPack in Spain. Claudia Varejao’s Portugese title is the director’s first feature and follows a group of queer teenagers growing up in a religious town in the Azores.
MPM Premium will be at Italian market MIA this week, launching pre-sales on Sylvie Gautier’s first feature Brillantes starring Celine Sallette, Eye Haidara and Camille Lellouche. The French-language title is produced by Stéphanie Douet for Sensito Films.
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