Via Deadline, Protagonist Pictures have closed a deal with Wild Bunch to obtain French all-rights for their new film Official Competition starring Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas. The Spanish-speaking comedy was very well received at its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Penelope Cruz plays movie director Lola Cuevas who has been hired by American billionaire Felix Rivero, played by none other than Antonio Banderas. Said billionaire impulsively decides he wants to produce a movie.

They are joined by Argentinian actor Oscar Martinez who will be playing actor Ivan Torres in the film.

The director of the actual movie, not to be confused with the movie inside the movie, is Mariano Cohn and Gaston Duprat based on a script they wrote with the help of Andres Duprat.

Wild Bunch head of distribution Jerome Rougier had this to say about the film: “It is a very rare and very enjoyable film, written, acted, and directed with great finesse and humor. We’re thrilled and excited to bring this unique and smart comedy to the French audience next year.” Protagonist Pictures Head of Sales Janina Vilsmaier added: “French audiences adore this kind of elevated, cerebral comedy and our esteemed friends at Wild Bunch are the perfect partners to deliver Official Competition nationally.”

Official Competition is expected to do well even on an international scale as many other distributors worldwide have already made deals with MediaPro, the Spanish producer of the movie. Curzon in the UK, Lucky Red in Italy, Studiocanal in Germany, MK2 Mile End in Canada, Hakuhodo in Japan, and many more have already bought the rights for distribution.