EXCLUSIVE: Palme d’Or contender sold to more than 20 territories.

DHEEPAN

Celluloid Dreams has closed more than 20 territories for Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan ahead of its Competition screening next week.

Set against the backdrop of a down-at-heel Paris suburb, the film revolves around a Tamil freedom fighter, called Dheepan, who has fled the civil war raging in his native Sri Lanka only to be confronted by urban violence in his new life in the French capital.

In Europe, Celluloid has sold the film to Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Benelux (Lumière), Scandinavia (Triart), Italy (Cinema), Iceland (Greenlight), Greece (Seven), Former Yugoslavia (2i Film), Hungary (Cirko), Poland (Solopan), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Film Europe) andRomania (Independenta 97).

In Asia, it has been for Japan (Longride Inc.), South Korea (Green Narae), Hong Kong (Edko), China (DDDream).

Elsewhere, it has also sold to Latin America (California), Australia and New Zealand (Transmission), Middle East (Front Row) and Israel (United King).

As previously announced, it has also been picked up for the UK (StudioCanal), (France) UGC and the US (Sundance Selects).

Written by Audiard and respected screenwriter Noé Debré, the film is produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat of Why Not Productions.

Wild Bunch, which is co-selling the title, is currently working on deals to Germany, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Taiwan and India.

Additional Taxi Sales

Celluloid’s Panahi also announced new sales on Jafar Panahi’s Berlinale Golden Bear winner Taxi.

Since Berlin, the film has sold to Benelux (Imagine), Denmark (Camera), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Norway (Arthaus), Spain (Wanda), Portugal (Midas), Greece (Feelgood), Turkey (Mor), Hungary (Cirko), Poland (Solopan), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Film Europe), Baltics (Must Kasi), CIS (Maywin).

In Asia Pacific, it has sold to Australia and New Zealand (Madman), UK (New Wave), South Korea (Cinelux), Taiwan (Maison Motion), Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Singapore (Luna Film) China (DDDream).

In Latin America, it has been picked up for Brazil (Imovision) and Columbia (Cine Colombia). Moving Turtle has acquired it for Middle East.

There have been previously announced deals to the US (Kino Lorber), UK (New Wave), Germany-Austria (Weltkino), Italy (Cinema – Valerio De Paolis), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Norway (Arthaus), Poland (Solopan), Ex-Yugoslavia (I2 Films), Baltics (Must Kasi), Columbia (Cine Columbia).

Memento Films Distribution, which took French rights, is currently showing the film on 413 screens across France where it has been seen by more than 456,000 spectators since April 15.