Sony Pictures Classics had what can only be called a “great festival” at Cannes. It came to the festival representing Foxcatcher and Mr. Turner, which respectively won the Best Director and Best Actor awards, and subsequently bought the rights to other notable films such as Leviathan, which won Best Screenplay. The distributing company has now finished its time at Cannes on a high note after it acquired the U.S. rights to The Salt of the Earth, the Un Certain Regard Special Prize-winning documentary from directors Wim Wenders (Pina, Wings of Desire) and Juliano Salgado.
The film concerns the long career of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado (Juliano’s father), noted for such esteemed collections as Workers and Migrations and, according to The Guardian, his “amazing persistence and facility for empathizing with his subjects.”
Though directors Wenders and Salgado had initially pursued their own films on the famed photographer, they eventually found enough common ground in their respective projects that they decided to combine their efforts. Both expressed satisfaction in having Sony Pictures Classics as the film’s U.S. distributor.
In addition to chronicling the photographer’s extensive works, the film explores his latest project Genesis, in which he photographs both lands untouched by humans and his personal life, ranging from his crucial partnership with his wife Lélia Deluiz Wanick and his dedication to humanitarian efforts.
Sony Pictures Classics has not yet announced a release date, but given the positive reviews so far and the high profile of Wim Wenders, we will keep an eye out for the latest news on the film.
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