Neophyte indie distributor 1-2 Special has acquired North American distribution rights to Kontinental ’25, the new film from Radu Jude, the Romanian auteur behind Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn and Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. The deal was negotiated by Luxbox on behalf of the filmmakers with 1-2 Special.
An absurdist comedy-drama about Romania’s housing crisis and the country’s conflicted middle class, Kontinental ’25 follows a homeless man who seeks shelter in a house cellar and the well-meaning bailiff (Eszter Tompa) ordered to carry out his eviction. It premiered last week in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay.
“Dear friends, the makers of Kontinental ’25 are happy to be able to share the film, which takes place in the Transylvanian region of Romania, with the American audiences,” said Jude. “For me personally, as the writer-director of the film, America is first and foremost the country of cinema (even when a bunch of crooks run it) and I deeply hope our film will meet a great audience there, people who are curious to see how the world looks like in a faraway land. As for Canada, we are very honoured to show our film in a brave and independent country.”
Kontinental ’25 marks the first acquisition by 1-2 Special, a New York-based distributor which launched earlier this month. “There couldn’t be a better first acquisition for us than the newest film from Radu Jude, one of the most innovative and provocative filmmakers working today,” said Jason Hellerstein of 1-2 Special. “It’s a privilege to work with Radu to bring Kontinental ’25 to audiences across North America.”
A festival and arthouse favorite, Jude is arguably the most radical and unpredictable filmmaker to emerge from the Romanian New Wave movement of the early 2000s. He has built up a devoted fanbase for his acerbic but usually comic critique of modern society, particularly the Kafka-esque world of post-socialist Romania. His COVID-era sex satire Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn won Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2021 and was released by Magnolia Pictures stateside. Mubi released Jude’s last film, the three-hour black-and-white feminist drama Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World, in North America and across multiple international territories.
“We are excited to partner with a newly established company committed to supporting innovative cinema and bold directors,” Jennyfer Gautier and Fiorella Moretti of Luxbox said, of the deal with 1-2 Special. “We have full confidence in Jason Hellerstein’s vision, as he has already demonstrated a keen eye for groundbreaking films, and we believe Kontinental ’25 will find its perfect place in the lineup he is curating.”
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Publish date : 2025-02-28 05:25:00
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