inks

U.S.

deal

Montreal: Following a year of negotiations, Sony Picture Classics has acquired all u.s. rights to the Denys Arcand movie Love and Human Remains.

The deal was announced by Pierre Latour, president of Max Films International, the film’s exporter, and Marcie Bloom, Sony Picture Classics copresident.

Latour says the $6 million Arcand film will have a theatrical release in some 25 major u.s. centers by the end of April and will be rolled out to a further 25 cities – up to 200 prints – before the onslaught of summer blockbuster releases by the majors.

‘I think it’s a good deal,’ says Latour. ‘We wanted to sign with a serious company which would make real p&a money available and help position the film with the exhibitors. Sony Pictures has the ability to do that in theaters and can benefit from the parent company’s strength in home video and other media.

‘Sony will position Love and Human Remains as the third Arcand picture, his first North American English-language film, but they certainly won’t downplay its explicit sexuality,’ says Latour.

Sony is redoing the film’s publicity campaign for the u.s., and Latour says some of the tv advertising is likely to be directed at the considerable gay constituency in the States. He is hopeful the film will receive an NC-17 rating.

Love and Human Remains was produced by Roger Frappier of Max Films, Montreal, and Peter Sussman of Atlantis Films, Toronto. Executive producer credits go to Frappier, presently shooting Robert Menard’s L’Enfant d’eau on location in the Bahamas, and Latour.

Scripted by Genie nominee Brad Fraser from his own successful stage play, the film is a tale of urban alienation in the 1990s, a comedic and disturbing portrait of the search for love in all its permutations.

Love and Human Remains was released in theaters in Canada earlier this year by Max Films Communications and grossed about $750,000 in the combined French and English markets.

Arcand’s earlier pictures, The Decline of the American Empire and Jesus de Montreal, were also released in subtitled format in the u.s. Combined, they grossed just over $5 million.

Internationally, Love and Human Remains is being distributed by Polygram in the u.k. and bim in Italy, where Latour says the box office has been positive. Other European releases, including Germany, are slated for early 1995.

Pay-tv rights in Canada are held by The Movie Network and Super Ecran. Latour is negotiating a sale to conventional tv.

Until Dec. 2 the Museum of Modern Art in New York is presenting a retrospective of Arcand’s work. It is said to be the largest u.s. tribute to a Canadian director.