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EXCLUSIVE: Goodfellas has acquired world gross sales rights for Iranian director Ali Asgari’s satire Divine Comedy, following a filmmaker’s mission to dodge censorship, forward of its world premiere in Venice’s Orizzonti sidebar.
The darkish comedy, satirizing Iranian movie censorship and bureaucratic absurdity, attracts on Asgari’s personal experiences in his native Iran, the place he was slapped with a journey ban and had his private belongings confiscated after exhibiting his movie Terrestrial Verses in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2023.
The new characteristic follows 40-year-old filmmaker Bahram who has spent his total profession making movies in Turkish-speaking Iranian Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran, none of which have ever been screened within the nation.
When his newest work is as soon as once more denied permission by the Ministry of Culture, the censorship pushes him to the sting of defiance.
With his sharp-tongued, Vespa-riding producer Sadaf by his facet, Bahram embarks on an underground mission to showcase his movie to an Iranian viewers, dodging authorities censors, absurd paperwork, and his personal self-doubts.
The solid options Bahram Ark , Sadaf Asgari, Hossein Soleimani Mohammad Soori and Amirreza Ranjbaran, who’ve all labored on Asgari’s earlier movies.
“Divine Comedy is about a filmmaker whose work was never permitted to screen in his own country. For me, the greatest dream has always been to watch my films with audiences in Iranian cinemas, something that has never happened. With Goodfellas by my side, I’m confident this film will reach cinemas around the world, where I can share it with international audiences,” mentioned Asgari.
The Orizzonti choice marks a return to the Venice sidebar for Asgari, who was on its jury final yr alongside the likes of Debra Granik and Christos Nikou, having beforehand world premiered his first characteristic Disappearance there to acclaim in 2017.
Divine Comedy reunites Asgari with producer Milad Khosravi, who collaborated with the director on Terrestrial Verses and his subsequent documentary Higher than Acidic Clouds, which world premiered at IDFA.
“As his producer, and it’s actually an honor to have earned his belief as soon as once more. With the help of Goodfellas, we goal to convey this daring and recent voice of Iranian cinema to audiences around the globe, mentioned Khosravi.
Coproducers are Kadraj Film (Turkey), Zoe Films (Italy), Salt for Sugar Films (France), and Studio Zentral (Germany). Goodfellas has acquired world gross sales rights aside from Switzerland, Italy and Iran and Turkey.
Dissident Iranian author, director and producer Asgari has devoted his filmmaking profession to capturing people dwelling on the margins of society in Iran as they try navigate its draconian guidelines and paperwork.
His quick movies More Than Two Hours (2013) and The Silence (2016) had been nominated for the Cannes Palme d’Or, whereas his 2014 work The Baby performed in Venice’s quick movie competitors. Asgari’s second characteristic Until Tomorrow premiered on the 2022 Berlinale in Panorama.
After premiering at Cannes, third movie Terrestrial Verses theatrically launched in additional than 10 territories internationally, drawing greater than 100,000 spectators in France and 26,000 in Italy.
Further Venice titles on the Goodfellas slate embrace Taiwanese star Shu Qi’s directorial debut Girl, which is able to premiere in Competition.