New Wave Films has acquired UK-Ireland distribution rights to Victor Erice’s Close Your Eyes, which was the subject of a controversy over its inclusion in the Cannes Premiere section in May instead of the main Competition.
Having acquired the film from Spain-based sales agent Film Factory, New Wave is scheduling a release for early 2024.
Spanish director Erice did not attend the world premiere of his film at Cannes this year, in protest at what he considered to be a lack of “dialogue and consultation” around the film’s selection.
The 83-year-old director, for whom Close Your Eyes is a first feature film in 30 years, wrote an open letter in Spanish newspaper El Pais during the festival. In the letter, Erice claimed he had been waiting to hear if the film would be in Competition so he could assess options for its launch were it not; and he only found out it was not when the line-up was announced on April 14.
Erice claimed it had an offer to open Directors’ Fortnight, plus other offers from Locarno and Venice.
The festival responded with a statement claiming that the selection “took place under the usual conditions of the selection process.”
Close Your Eyes centres on the return of a mystery about a Spanish actor who disappeared during filming, with police concluding he fell off a cliff.
Erice began his feature filmmaking career 50 years ago with The Spirit Of The Beehive. His most recent film was 1993’s The Quince Tree Sun (international title: Dream Of Light), released by Artificial Eye, whose then-managing director Robert Beeson now runs New Wave.
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