Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Scandinavia, South Africa, and India from Participant Media to Victor Kossakosvky’s water-themed documentary “Aquarela.”
The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and also screened at the London Film Festival. Sony Classics is planning to release “Aquarela” in 2019.
“Aquarela” is filmed at a rare 96 frames-per-second and attempts to capture the sheer force and capricious will of Earth’s most precious element.
“For me, ‘Aquarela’ represents a personal journey that encapsulates every possible emotion – from joy and ecstasy to angst and awe – providing a unique lens that allows audiences to develop a deeper connection to the beauty and power of water in all its forms,” Kossakovsky said. “I am deeply grateful and excited to be working with Sony Classics; their track record for bringing thought-provoking and inspiring films like ‘Aquarela’ is unparalleled.”
Guy Lodge praised “Aquarela” in his review for Variety: “Kossakovsky offers a dazzling overview of simple H2O in its shifting array of forms, from the frozen-over Lake Baikal in Southern Siberia to the rains lashing Miami in the midst of Hurricane Irma to the intangible rainbow rising from the tumble of Venezuela’s Angel Falls.”
The film is presented by Sony Pictures Classics and Participant Media together with Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Creative Scotland, BFI, Deutscher Filmförderfonds – DFFF, Medienboard Berlin – Brandenburg and Danish Film Institute, in association with Cactus World Films, a Ma.ja.de Film, Aconite and Danish Documentary production, in co-production with Louverture Films and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg in association with ARTE and Rio Negro Producciones and Ánorâk Film.
“Aquarela” received additional financial support from Sundance Film Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, The Government of Greenland, Eurimages and RBB TV. Endeavor Content and Lionsgate International are handling international sales.