“Jeanne” (“Joan of Arc”), Bruno Dumont’s musical sequel to “Jeanette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc,” has been sold to multiple major territories by Paris-based Luxbox.
Written by Dumont and based on the writings of France’s Charles Péguy, “Joan of Arc” adapts the second and third parts of the stage play “The Mystery of the Charity of Joan of Arc.” These take Joan of Arc’s story through her victorious battles against the English, to court case and death, burnt at the stake.
In the 15th century, France and England both claimed the French throne as their own. Believing herself ordained by God, young Joan takes charge of the armies of the King of France. Eventually Joan is captured and the Church puts her on trial, charged with heresy, a crime punishable by death.
The companies and territories in which Luxbox has closed deals so far are Brooklyn-based indie distributors Kimstim in the U.S., New Wave in the U.K., Grand Film in Germany, Spain’s Pecker Audiovisual, Interior XIII in Mexico and Colombia, Outside the Box in Switzerland.
Luxbox has also closed with Contact for the Netherlands, Film Europe in Czech Republic, Spentzos in Greece and 2i Film D.O.O. in former-Yugoslavia.
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According to Luxbox founders Hédi Zardi and Fiorella Moretti, further territories are in discussion.
“Jeanne” is produced by 3B Productions in association with Cinecap 2. It played in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section where it received a special mention and is currently nominated for best feature at France’s Louis Delluc Awards. Young leading lady Lise Leplat Prudhomme has also been pre-selected as a rising French actress (“Révélation”) at the French Academy César Awards.
“’Joan of Arc’ is New Wave’s sixth film from Bruno Dumont. We are very pleased to continue our long association with one of France’s foremost directors,” said Robert Besson of New Wave.
“We are thrilled to be working with Luxbox again on Bruno Dumont’s follow up to ‘Jeannette.’ His attention to images, choreography and gestures of power is simply hypnotic. As with all Dumont’s work, the film gives audiences a unique artistic experience,” said KimStim’s co-president Mika Kimoto.
For their part, Zardi and Moretti stated: “It’s a pleasure to defend a daring cinema that is not afraid to surprise us and lead us to a stimulating aesthetic purity,”
They went on: “Since the Cannes Festival, the film has taken the time to convince passionate distributors who have seen in this proposal a real delight for the viewer. Bruno Dumont is a secure artistic value and an undisputed timeless author.”