ARP has taken distribution rights in France to Huo Meng’s Berlinale competition title “Living the Land,” which will have its world premiere Friday. World sales agency M-Appeal finalized the deal at the opening of the European Film Market.
Set in 1991, as China is going through sweeping socio-economic changes, “Living the Land” follows 10-year-old Chuang, whose family is caught between the weight of tradition and the pull of progress. A teaser clip of the film was released to Variety today.
ARP has acquired all rights and will release the film theatrically in France. The distributor has been instrumental in introducing Asian cinema to French audiences, bringing acclaimed titles such as Zhang Yimou’s “Raise the Red Lantern” (Venice Silver Lion), “The Story of Qiu Ju” (Venice Golden Lion), “To Live” (Cannes Grand Prize), Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine” (Cannes Palme d’Or), and Wong Kar-wai’s early films, from “Days of Being Wild” to “Happy Together.”
“We have been mesmerized by the beauty and emotional depths of ‘Living the Land,’ an immersive and moving journey into the daily lives of a rural Chinese village,” Michèle Halberstadt, CEO of ARP, told Variety. ARP previously partnered with M-Appeal on the French release of “Return to Dust.”
The film marks Huo Meng’s second invitation to the Berlinale, following a screening of his debut feature “Crossing the Border — Zhaoguan” in 2020, invited by Jia Zhangke to be part of the Special Program “On Transmission” to celebrate the 70th edition of the festival.
“Living the Land” is executive produced by Yao Chen, a celebrated actress and producer in China, and produced by Zhang Fan. The production companies are Floating Light Film and Culture, Shanghai Film Group, Phoenix Legend Films, Bad Rabbit Pictures and Lianray Pictures.
