Neon has secured the United States distribution rights for Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's upcoming French-language movie 'All of a Sudden.' The deal, estimated in the seven-figure range, marks the first major transaction at the European Film Market. The film stars Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto and is inspired by real-life letters exchanged between individuals facing terminal illness.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, acclaimed for his 2021 film 'Drive My Car,' which earned four Academy Award nominations including best director and best international feature (the latter of which it won), has completed shooting on 'All of a Sudden.' The movie, set in Paris, follows Marie-Lou Fontaine, portrayed by Virginie Efira of 'Benedetta,' a nursing home director in the Paris suburbs. She introduces the 'Humanitude' method, facing resistance from her team, and forms a transformative bond with Mari Morisaki, played by Tao Okamoto from 'The Wolverine,' a terminally ill Japanese playwright.
Together, the characters convert the facility into a beacon of resistance and humanity amid institutional constraints. The story draws loose inspiration from the book 'When Life Suddenly Takes a Turn: Twenty Letters Between a Philosopher with Terminal Cancer and a Medical Anthropologist' by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono. Production wrapped in the fall, with filming on location in Paris.
Cinefrance handles international sales, partnering with Bitters End for Asia. Additional deals include Plaion for Germany and Austria, and September Film for Benelux. Producers involve Cinefrance Studios, Office Shirous and Bitters End in Japan, Heimatfilm in Germany, and Tarantula in Belgium. Distribution in France goes to Diaphana, and in Japan to Bitters End.
Hamaguchi's recent works include 'Evil Does Not Exist,' which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received the Silver Lion and Fipresci prize, alongside the experimental silent film 'Gift.' This acquisition underscores Neon's continued interest in international arthouse cinema following Hamaguchi's global breakthrough in 2022.
