Chilean director Pablo Larraín’s exciting new film, Neruda, world premiered in the 2016 Cannes Film Fest in the Directors’ Fortnight section.
The Orchard has acquired North American distribution rights from Participant Media and will release the film after it plays at the New York Film Fest.
Larraín was last in Cannes Film Fest with a previous film, No, which was later nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Written by Guillermo Calderon, Neruda stars Gael Garcia Bernal, Chile’s Luis Gnecco (HBO’s “Profugos”), and Mercedes Moran (The Motorcycle Diaries), and is produced by Juan de Dios Larraín.
The tale is set in Chile in 1948, during the Cold War. In congress, Senator Pablo Neruda accuses the government of betrayal and is thereupon swiftly impeached by President Videla.
Police Prefect Óscar Peluchonneau is assigned to arrest the poet, and Neruda tries to flee the country with his wife Delia del Carril, but they are forced into hiding.
In the struggle with his nemesis Peluchonneau, Neruda sees an opportunity to reinvent himself. He plays with the Prefect, leaving clues designed to make their game of cat-and-mouse more dangerous, and more intimate.
In this story of persecution, Neruda recognizes his own heroic possibilities and unique opportunities to become both a symbol for liberty and a literary legend, a poet of the people, appealing to a wide variety of groups, intellectuals, striking workers, and even prostitutes.
Combining fact, fantasy, and speculation, Neruda defies the conventions of a mainstream biopic, reaffirming Larrain’s belief that every film is political and that the function of art is to illuminate as well as provoke the viewers. End result is not just a thoughtful and provocative film, but also a formally inventive work of art that resonates with the public on any number of levels. In placing Neruda in his specific historical and political context, Larrain also raises some more general concerns about identity transformation, art, and politics.
“Neruda blew us away. Pablo has created a lush, layered film of beauty filled with amazing performances and a style so unique and compelling,” said Paul Davidson, EVP of Film and TV at The Orchard. “We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to be a part of this film’s journey to audiences and work with Pablo and our good friends at Participant.”
“Pablo has made an extraordinary film that grapples with art, politics and love in a way that defies all expectations. We are incredibly proud of our continuing partnership with our friends Pablo and Juan. Paul and his team at The Orchard stepped up immediately after our first screening, and we are confident they will deliver the film to the widest possible audience,” said Jonathan King, EVP of Narrative Films at Participant Media.
About Director Pablo Larrain
Pablo Larraín was born in Chile in 1976. He is a founding partner, with his brother Juan de Dios Larrain, in the production company Fabula.
His feature films include Fuga, Tony Manero (Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight), Post Mortem (Venice Film Fest), No (Directors’ Fortnight and Oscar nominee as Best Foreign Language Film), The Club (Berlinale Grand Jury Prize Silver Bear, Golden Globes nominee as Best Foreign Language Film).
Neruda is Larrain’s sixth feature film. His new film, Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, just premiered at the Venice Film Fest (in competition)