Sony Pictures Classics (SPC) has acquired all media rights to Sundance Audience Award winner Shayda for North America, Latin America, Benelux, Eastern Europe, Portugal, the Middle East and Turkey.
Written and directed by Iranian-Australian filmmaker Noora Niasari as her feature debut, the film had its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance and is currently being offered for remaining territories by HanWay Films at Berlin’s European Film Market.
Shayda stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Osamah Sami and Leah Purcell in the story of an Iranian woman living in Australia who finds refuge in a women’s shelter with her 6-year-old daughter but is threatened when the husband she fled reenters her life.
The Origma 45 production is produced by Vincent Sheehan and Niasari in association with Dirty Films, Parandeh Pictures and The 51 Fund and executive produced by Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton, Coco Francini, Caitlin Gold, Lindsay Lanzillotta, Lois Scott, Naomi McDougall Jones and Nivedita Kulkarni.
Niasari commented: “I have held the deepest admiration for Sony Pictures Classics since childhood. For my debut feature to be distributed by them is a dream. I know they will set the stage for a wonderful release, so that audiences worldwide can experience the emotional depth and power of Shayda.”
A statement from SPC said: “With Shayda, Noora Niasari makes an impressive feature debut. Her characters are beautifully relatable and her relationships formed with honesty, humanity and the warmth that can come from family and community. It is our pleasure to bring this story and Noora to audiences everywhere.”
No comments yet