Cannes: Sundance Selects Nabs U.S. Rights to Jury Prize Winner ‘Like Father, Like Son’

Japanese drama examines two families whose 6-year-old sons were switched at birth

Sundance Selects announced Sunday from the Cannes Film Festival that the company is acquiring U.S. rights to Japanese writer-director Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Jury Prize winner "Like Father, Like Son," from Wild Bunch.

The film made its world premiere this week in Competition at the festival. The film mixes drama and humor as it examines the agony of two families who are informed that their 6-year-old sons were switched at birth.

Also read: Cannes: Lesbian Drama 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' Wins Palme d'Or

Sundance Selects' buyers have been extremely busy at the festival. They've acquired U.S. rights to Palme d'Or winner "Blue Is The Warmest Color," as well Competition titles "Young & Beautiful" from Francois Ozon and "Two Days, One Night," starring Marion Cotillard. The company also picked up North American rights to Clio Barnard’s Directors Fortnight Europa Cinema Label Award-winner "The Selfish Giant."

With a screenplay by Kore-eda, "Like Father, Like Son" stars Fukuyama Masaharu, Ono Machiko, Maki Yoko, and Lily Franky, and was produced by Kameyama Chihiro, Hatanaka Tatsuro, and Tom Yoda.

Also read: Cannes: Sundance Selects Nabs Rights to Francois Ozon's 'Young & Beautiful'

“'Like Father, Like Son" proves once again that Kore-eda Hirokazu is an exquisite filmmaker, artist and storyteller," said Sundance Selects/IFC Films President Jonathan Sehring. "We welcome the opportunity to work with him again on this beautiful gem of a film which today deservedly took home the Jury Prize at Cannes.”

Sundance Selects’ sister label IFC Films previously released Hirokazu’s"Still Walking" and "Nobody Knows."

The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, sr. vice-president of acquisitions and productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films, with Carole Baraton at Wild Bunch on behalf of the filmmakers.

Sundance Selects is a sister label to IFC Films and IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks.

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