20/05/2013 - The current Palme d’Or contender, Asghar Farhadi’s The Past and former winners the Dardenne brothers with their new project Two Days, One Night have found US distributors

The specialised arm of US major Sony Pictures Classics (SPC) has inked with Memento Films International a multi-territory deal on Asghar Farhadi’s French language drama The Past [+see also:
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The film, starring Berenice Bejo, Ali Mosaffa and Tahar Rahimhas received rave reviews from the media in Cannes, following its world premiere on Friday. SPI had a very positive experience with Iranian director Farhadi’s previous film A Separation, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012.

The Past is one of Memento Film International’s hottest titles in Cannes. Other territories that acquired it include Benelux (Cineart), Switzerland (Frenetic), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Portugal (Alambique), Greece (Seven Group), Turkey (Mars Production), Poland (Kino Swiat), Latin America (California Filmes), Hong Kong (Golden Scene), South Korea (Mirovision), Taiwan (Maison Motion), Australia (Madman) and Middle East (Falcon). Memento Film Distribution opened the film on May 17 in 52 French cinemas.

Another US distributor, Sundance Selects/IFC Films has pre-bought rights from Wild Bunch to the French language Two Days, One Night by Palme d’Or winning directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. French star Marion Cotillard plays a young woman who has only one weekend to convince her colleagues that they must give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her job. Shooting of the Belgian/French co-production starts this summer.