Robert Pattinson's 'Good Time' scores key deals

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EXCLUSIVE: Cannes title secures mix of traditional distributors and Netflix on a number of key territories.

Robert Pattinson in Good Time

Memento Films International (MFI) is reporting “sell-out sales” on Josh and Benny Safdie’s Cannes Palme d’Or contender Good Time, in a mix of deals combining a multi-territory Netflix SVOD accord with a slew of theatrical pick-ups.

The heist thriller, starring Robert Pattinson, marked the brothers’ Cannes Competition debut after previously playing in Directors’ Fortnight with The Pleasure Of Being Robbed and Daddy Longlegs.

Paris-based MFI said Netflix has picked up the film for a SVOD window in Spain, Italy, UK and Ireland, Scandinavia, Israel, Portugal, Bulgaria, Russia, CIS, the Baltics, ex-Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Netflix acquired the film after the initial sales launch at the AFM last November in a deal stipulating that the streaming giant allow a theatrical release in territories where distributors wanted to take on the title.

As a result, Good Times has been sold for theatrical release and remaining rights into the following Netflix territories: Spain (CDC), Italy (Movies Inspired), Scandinavia (Cinemanse Oy), Portugal (Midas), Russia, CIS and the Baltics (Voxell-Rocket), ex-Yugoslavia (Megacom), Czech Republic (Bohemia), South Korea (Activers), Singapore (Anticipate Pictures), Japan (Fine Films) and Australia and New Zealand (Hi Gloss Entertainment).

Most of these deals were done in the run-up to and during Cannes. A theatrical deal for the UK is pending.

Theatrical deals

A number of traditional theatrical deals have also been sealed on the film – mainly at the AFM – to France (Ad Vitam), Germany and German-speaking territories (Ascot Elite), Benelux (Cinéart), Greece and Cyprus (Feelgood), Turkey (Fabula), Latin America (CDC United Network), Hong Kong and Macau (Bravo Pictures), Taiwan (Encore Film), India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives (PVR), South Africa (Times Media Films), Middle East (Falcon) and airlines (Captive). A China deal is also in the works.

As previously announced US distributor A24, which has an exclusive pact with Amazon Prime Instant Video to stream its slate, acquired North American rights on the eve of the AFM.

It has scheduled an August 11 release for the US.

MFI COO Nicholas Kaiser said the sales roster was a sign of how the international distribution scene was evolving in the age of streaming giants like Netflix.

“What you see is an interesting mix of traditional distributors and Netflix on a number of key territories,” he commented. “At Cannes this year, we could see that distributors are curious about Netflix and how a combined release can work.”

The were no details on what sort of window, if any, there would be between the theatrical releases and Netflix’s launch of the title on its platform.

The official announcement of the Netflix deal comes some three weeks after a Cannes Film Festival marked by the controversysurrounding the selection of Netflix Original productions Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories for Competition.