London-based production, finance and sales company Film Constellation and the global curated streaming service MUBI have partnered to host an exclusive premiere of Werner Herzog’s “Family Romance, LLC” on July 3 in the U.S., featuring an exclusive introduction and interview with Herzog.
In other international territories, the company is collaborating with the local theatrical distributor, including U.K. distributor Modern Films, Artplex in Brazil, PVR in India, I Wonder in Italy, who will participate in the preview event for their local release.
Herzog, who not only directed but also served as writer and cinematographer, will introduce the virtual premiere and conclude with an exclusive 15 minute Q&A.
The special preview will be hosted on MUBI and will be available to stream for free for 24-hours in more than 150 countries, including the U.S. and Canada.
“Family Romance, LLC” is the latest feature from Herzog (“Aguirre, The Wrath of God”; “Cave of Forgotten Dreams”). Receiving its premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the film tells the story of a Tokyo-based company that offers the perfect stand-ins for absent family members, friends or admirers – available to rent for any occasion.
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In a fictionalized take on this real-life company, Herzog follows founder Yuichi Ishii as he helps his clients make their dreams come true. But when the mother of 12-year-old Mahiro hires Ishii to impersonate her missing ex-husband, the line between performance and reality threatens to blur.
The film blends fiction storytelling with documentary-style visuals for “a striking meditation on truth and artifice in the age of loneliness,” according to a statement.
Film Constellation’s Fabien Westerhoff said: “I have long admired MUBI’s curatorial approach, it is exciting to harness their global footprint to the service of the film’s individual territory releases. This is an example of how streamers and cinemas can work together.”
The film will officially and exclusively release on MUBI July 4 in the U.S., Canada, Germany, LATAM (excl. Brazil), Turkey, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Film Constellation’s slate includes Sundance and SXSW Midnight horror hit “Relic” by Nathalie Erika James, Bowie origin-story “Stardust” from BAFTA-nominated Salon Pictures, Berlinale Encounters title “Funny Face,” written and directed by Tim Sutton, Sundance competition films “The Evening Hour,” directed by Braden King, and “Farewell Amor,” written and directed by Ekwa Msangi.