The usual excitement is in the air at the French Riviera this year for the 79th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival and as usual, sales were made for the most popular or intriguing entries that appeared to guarantee views whether they were in theaters or on TV screens.
The Cannes Film Market (formally known as Marché du Film) runs conjointly with the renowned festival since its origin in 1939 and has affectionately become called “The heart of the film industry”. Though a business hub marketplace, this portion of the festival has garnered a reputation for conducting business with a mind of leisure that is hoped to be encapsulated within the acquisition in question, as the sea and sun provide the perfect environment akin to any summer holiday; It is also known for this because of the many highly-acclaimed & major award-winning films that have historically been acquired here for global distribution in the past.
The steps at Le Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France.
One of the recent film acquisitions is 109 Billion Followers written & directed by Ela Thier. The premise follows young film student that keeps to herself as she befriends a homeless man that guides her on a spiritual journey when she uses him as the topic of her documentary project. The movie stars the ever-distinctive J.K. Simmons as the spirit guide, with an unexpected screen companion that happens to be his own daughter, Olivia Simmons who portrays the protagonist. The family duo take a crack at a non-seasonal Scrooge story with a modern twist that is said to tug at the heart strings, which is no surprise considering the emotionally intelligent content previously created by Thier, such as the award-winning Tomorrow Ever After. If interested, Ela Thier’s demo reel video can been seen here for a taste of this film’s vibe.
“I wrote this script specifically for father-daughter team, J.K. and Olivia Simmons, because I know that their relationship will light up the screen and steal hearts,” Thier says. “Our connection with our parents or caregivers can be fraught with pain and complexities, and influence all of our subsequent relationships in life. This film is my love letter to all parents, including my own.”
Though details of the project were first announced in 2024, the global rights for this project were initially acquired by S&R (Scatena & Rosner) Films (who have distributed indie films worldwide) and are representing the film at the seaside festival market for open discussions to be optioned if not fully purchased at le marché.
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