ARRI Media International has acquired international distribution rights to Andrei Konchalovsky’s Michelangelo biopic “Il Peccato” (“Sin”), which will have its world premiere as a Special Closing Event at the 14th Rome Film Festival (Oct. 17-27).
Written by Konchalovsky and Elena Kiseleva, the film is set in Florence in the 16th century and follows Michelangelo through “the agonies and ecstasy of his own creative genius, as two rival noble factions compete for his loyalty,” according to ARRI.
Although widely considered a genius by his contemporaries, Michelangelo, played by Alberto Testone (“Suburra”), is reduced to poverty and depleted by his struggle to finish the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When his commissioner and head of the Della Rovere nobility Pope Julius II dies, Michelangelo becomes obsessed with sourcing the finest marble to complete his tomb.
The artist’s loyalty is tested when Leo X of the rival Medici family ascends to the papacy and charges him with a lucrative new commission – the façade of the San Lorenzo Basilica. “Forced to lie to maintain favor with both families, Michelangelo is progressively tormented by suspicion and hallucinations, leading him to ruthlessly examine his own moral and artistic failings,” ARRI said.
Konchalovsky is widely recognized as being one of the world’s leading arthouse auteur directors. He successfully crossed over into Hollywood with films such as “Runaway Train” (1985), which was nominated for three Academy Awards. He won a Primetime Emmy for directing “The Odyssey” in 1997, and was nominated or a Primetime Emmy for directing 2003’s “The Lion in Winter.”
Konchalovsky’s two most recent films, “The Postman’s White Nights” (2014) and Holocaust drama “Paradise” (2016), premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival, where he earned the Silver Lion for best director for both titles. The latter was
shortlisted for the Academy Award as best foreign language film and was sold internationally by ARRI Media International.
“Il Peccato” is a Russian-Italian co-production and was produced by Alisher Usmanov, Andrei Konchalovsky Studios, and Jean Vigo Italia together with RAI Cinema. Walt Disney Studios/Sony Pictures Releasing will release the picture in Russia and 01 Distribution will release it in Italy.
“Following our success story with Andrei Konchalovsky’s most recent film ‘Paradise’ we are very happy and truly honored to be continuing our collaboration with such a visionary and highly respected filmmaker,” said Moritz Hemminger, deputy head of
sales at ARRI Media International.
Other titles in ARRI Media International’s market lineup include Christian Schwochow’s “The German Lesson,” Hueseyin Tabak’s “Gipsy Queen,” Johannes Naber’s “Curveball,” and family titles such as “The Ogglies,” “Four Enchanted Sisters,” The Magic Kids – Three Unlikely Heroes,” and “The Three !!!.”
ARRI Media International, part of the ARRI Group, specializes in the international distribution of festival titles such as Konchalovsky’s “Paradise,” Caroline Link’s “Exit Marrakech,” Edgar Reitz’s “Home From Home,” and Stephan Komandarev’s “Directions,” and commercial films such as Sven Unterwaldt’s “Help, I Shrunk My Teacher,” Arni Olafur Asgeirsson’s “Ploey,” and Andrew Desmond’s “The Sonata.”