Distributor plots theatrical release for autumn. Separately, FilmRise acquires Marjorie Prime, Gravitas Ventures takes California Typewriter, Oscilloscope picks up Polina and Summer 1993, and Paladin and Electric Entertainment acquire The Drowning.

the young karl marx

The Orchard has acquired all US distribution rights to Oscar-nominee Raoul Peck’sThe Young Karl Marx.

Peck’s latest film premiered at the Berlinale in February on the heels of his Oscar nomination for the documentary I Am Not Your Negro.

Directed, produced and co-written by Peck with Pascal Bonitzer, The Young Karl Marx explores the origins of the international socialist movement, the emergence of the Communist League and its founding document,The Communist Manifesto written by Marx and Friedrich Engels. 

The film paints a portrait of the two young men who, with the support of Marx’s wife Jenny, passionately believed in the vision of a humane society and the revolutionary power of the abused and oppressed. The film stars August Diehl, Stefan Konarske and Vicky Krieps.

“There’s no question that Raoul Peck is a filmmaker of astounding vision and talent and The Young Karl Marx is no exception,” Paul Davidson, The Orchard’s executive vice-president of film and television, said. “We’re personally thrilled to be working with Raoul and his producing team to bring his newest film to audiences later this year.”

Peck added: “A few years back, while the world was going through yet another financial crisis, I felt the need to go back to the basics: the analysis of the violent capitalist society we are still embedded in, through these three young Europeans of wealthy families (Karl, Friedrich and Jenny) who decided to change this utterly unequal world.

“And they eventually did; though not the way they imagined it. I am thrilled to be working with The Orchard to bring the film to the American audience later this year.”

Nicolas Blanc, Remi Grellety, Robert Guediguian and Peck produced. The Orchard closed the deal with ICM Partners and Films Distribution on behalf of the filmmakers.

  • FilmRise has acquired US rights from Cinetic Media to Michael Almereyda’s Marjorie Prime starring Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins, Geena Davis, and Lois Smith.
  • Gravitas Ventures has acquired US rights from Preferred Content to Doug Nichol’s documentary California Typewriter. The distributor plans a theatrical release in Los Angeles, New York and a dozen additional markets in the late summer.
  • Oscilloscope Laboratories has picked up North American rights to Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Venice 2016 premiere Polina from TF1 Studio. Oscilloscope will release theatrically in July. The istributor has also acquired North American rights to Carla Simón’s Summer 1993 and plans a year-end theatrical release. Jan Naszewski’s New Europe Film Sales handles world sales and has licensed France to Pyramide, among others.
  • Paladin and Electric Entertainment will release Bette Gordon’s psychological thriller The Drowning onMay 10. The film is based on Pat Barker’s novel Border Crossing, about violence in children. Electric brokered the deal.