Buyers hungry for Match Factory's Lunchbox

The Match Factory has closed a slew of deals for The Lunchbox, Ritesh Batra’s debut feature that was the hit of Cannes Critics’ Week.

After its previously announced sale to North America (SPC), presales to Italy (Academy Two), Benelux (Cinemien), and Switzerland (Filmcoopi), the film has now sold to the UK (Artificial Eye), Australia/New Zealand (Madman), Japan (Longride), Spain (Vertigo), Poland (Gutek Film), Portugal (Alambique), Greece (Feelgood), Turkey (Filmarti), Ex-Yugoslavia (Demiurg), Israel (Lev Films), CIS/Baltics (EEAP), Korea (Peter Pan), Taiwan (Joint), Hong Kong (Edko), Singapore (Lighthouse), Mexico (Cine Video Y TV), Colombia/Central America (Babilla Cine), and Brazil (Imovision). Happiness will release in France.

Negotiations are underway for Thailand, the Middle East and South Africa.

Irrfan Khan stars in the heartwarming story of a disillusioned government servant who starts a relationship with a housewife (Nimrat Kaur) through notes in a mis-delivered lunchbox.

The film won the Grand Rail D’Or Viewer’s Choice Award.

“I am delighted about the cooperation with producers Gunneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap on our first Indian film, which has turned out wonderful in all aspects,” said Michael Weber, managing director of The Match Factory.

“We knew that Ritesh Batra’s beautiful story could become a crowdpleaser, but its overwhelming reception exceeds all expectations and confirms our trust in his talent and the new wave of Indian Cinema.”

The Lunchbox was produced by Gunneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap of Sikhya Entertainment (India) and Arun Rangachari of Dar Motion Pictures (India), co-produced by Nina Lath Gupta of NFDC (India), Shanaab Alam, Vivek Rangachari, Sunil John, Nittin Keni, Karsten Stöter and Benny Drechsel of Rohfilm (Germany), Čedomir Kolar, Marc Baschet and Danis Tanović of ASAP Films (France), and executive produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher of CineMosaic, Irrfan Khan and Ritesh Batra.