“The Childhood of a Leader,” starring Berenice Bejo and Robert Pattinson, has found a new home in the U.K. following the insolvency this week of its former British distributor, Metrodome.
The film’s sales company Protagonist Pictures moved quickly to rehome Brady Corbet’s pic, which opens Friday in the U.K. The movie’s British release will now be handled by Soda Pictures.
The film, described by the Guardian as “steely, sinister and utterly gripping,” won the award for best debut at last year’s Venice Film Festival, as well as the director’s award for Venice’s second-tier Horizons section.
Edward Fletcher, managing director for Soda Pictures, commented: “The circumstances surrounding Metrodome are deeply upsetting to all of us at Soda — as a fellow independent film distributor, we are acutely aware of the challenges faced in today’s marketplace, and we are completely committed to continuing their wonderful work. We will be looking to make the transition as seamless as possible, and wish the entire Metrodome team the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
Mike Goodridge, Protagonist CEO, said: “We are deeply saddened by the situation at Metrodome. Its dedicated team has worked tirelessly to position ‘The Childhood of a Leader’ in the U.K. market, but our urgent priority this week was to ensure a smooth release for the film. Our international sales manager George Hamilton swung into action and we are thrilled that Soda Pictures has picked up the baton.”
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The movie, which also stars Liam Cunningham, Stacy Martin and newcomer Tom Sweet, is loosely based on Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1939 short story of the same name, and “imagines the wealthy, dysfunctional and unhappy childhood of someone fated to become a fascist leader,” according to the Guardian, which awarded the film a maximum five stars.
Earlier this week, Metrodome entered “administration,” the U.K. equivalent of Chapter 11, which gives it protection from creditors following insolvency. Home entertainment distributor 101 Films acquired many of Metrodome’s library titles, but the fate of its forthcoming theatrical releases is in doubt. Its most high-profile upcoming releases were Oliver Assayas’ “Personal Shopper,” starring Kristen Stewart, and Terence Davies’ “A Quiet Passion.”
