According to Variety, Neon has acquired North American rights to Racer and the Jailbird at the Berlin Film Festival. Neon is a newly-formed distribution company founded by Alamo Drafthouse’s Tim League and Tom Quinn. Helmer Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead) re-teams with Belgian star Matthias Schoenaerts (A Bigger Splash) in the Belgium-set French language film. Roskam, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré penned the screenplay.

The romantic thriller centers on the complicated love story between a gangster (Schoenaerts) and a race car driver (Adèle Exarchopoulos, Blue is the Warmest Color). Stone Angels and Savage Film will produce and Pathé and Wild Bunch will co-produce. Wild Bunch will handle international sales while Pathé will distribute in France.

Bart Van Langendonck of Savage Film said, “Michaël and I are very excited to team up again with Tim League who had a big hand in the launch of our first film Bullhead in 2011.” Pierre-Ange Le Pogam of Stone Angels added, “We know that Tom, Tim, and their team will be great partners; passionate, as Michaël, Bart, and myself have been working to create this movie with passion. This is exciting.”

Neon has not yet announced a theatrical release date.