Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights from Participant Media to “Aquarela,” a Russian nature documentary that premiered at the Venice International Film Festival.
SPC also picked up all rights in Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Scandinavia, South Africa, and India to the film and with plans for a 2019 release.
Russian director Victor Kossakovsky’s film looks at the transformative beauty and raw power of water. Water itself is the main character in the film, with Kossakovsky traveling between Russia’s Lake Baikal to Angels Falls in Venezuela and Miami during Hurricane Irma.
The film is also shot at a rare 96 frames-per-second as a means of capturing water’s force and visceral feeling in striking visual detail.
“For me, ‘Aquarela’ represents a personal journey that encapsulates every possible emotion – from joy and ecstasy to angst and awe – providing a unique lens that allows audiences to develop a deeper connection to the beauty and power of water in all its forms,” Kossakovsky said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful and excited to be working with Sony Classics; their track record for bringing thought-provoking and inspiring films like ‘Aquarela’ is unparalleled.”
The film reunites Michael Barker and Tom Bernard with Participant Media after having previously collaborated on last year’s Best Foreign Language Film winner at the Oscars, “A Fantastic Woman.” They also collaborated on documentaries “Merchants of Doubt,” “Standing Operating Procedure” “Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains.”
The film is presented by Sony Pictures Classics and Participant Media together with Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Creative Scotland, BFI, Deutscher Filmförderfonds – DFFF, Medienboard Berlin – Brandenburg and Danish Film Institute, in association with Cactus World Films, aMa.ja.de Film, Aconite and Danish Documentary production, in co-production with Louverture Films and Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg in association with ARTE and Rio Negro Producciones and Ánorâk Film. “Aquarela” received additional financial support from Sundance Film Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, The Government of Greenland, Eurimages and RBB TV. Endeavor Content and Lionsgate International are handling international sales.
“Aquarela” is a UK, German and Danish production, directed by Kossakovsky, produced by Aimara Reques, Heino Deckert and Sigrid Dyekjær, and co-produced by Joslyn Barnes, Susan Rockefeller, Emile Hertling Péronard. Executive Producers include Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Mark Thomas, Isabel Davis, Sawsan Asfari, Maya Sanbar, Madge Bray, Matthias Ehrenberg and Frank Lehmann.
The deal was negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics and Endeavor Content on behalf of Participant Media.
89 Stunning Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Studio (Exclusive Photos)
Elle Fanning, "Teen Spirit"
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Elle Fanning, Clara Rugaard, Zlatko Buric and director Max Minghella, "Teen Spirit"
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Elle Fanning, "Teen Spirit"
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Alexander Skarsgård, "Hold the Dark"
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Mia Goth, Robert Pattinson and director Claire Denis, "High Life"
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Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gael Garcia Bernal, "Kindergarten Teacher"
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Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Kindergarten Teacher"
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Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Kindergarten Teacher"
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Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Kindergarten Teacher"
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Director Alonso Ruizpalacios and Gael Garcia Bernal, "Museo"
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Brian Tyree Henry, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell and Daniel Kaluuya, "Widows"
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Elizabeth Debicki, "Widows"
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Colin Farrell, "Widows"
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Cynthia Erivo, "Widows"
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Kyle MacLachlan and Maria Bello, "Giant Little Ones"
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Kyle MacLachlan and Maria Bello, "Giant Little Ones"
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Radhika Apte and Dev Patel, "The Wedding Guest"
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Radhika Apte and Dev Patel, "The Wedding Guest"
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Nicole Kidman, "Destroyer"
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Sebastian Stan, Nicole Kidman, Tatiana Maslany and Karyn Kusama, "Destroyer"
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Paul Dano, "Wildlife"
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Paul Dano and Carey Mulligan, "Wildife"
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Jena Malone, "The Public"
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Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, and Michaek K. Williams, "The Public"
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Emilio Estevez, "The Public"
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Michael Kenneth Williams, "The Public"
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Director Jason Reitman, Matt Bai and Jay Carson, "The Frontrunner"
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Adam Stein, Lexy Kolker and Zach Lipovsky, "Freaks"
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Garrard Conley and Joel Edgerton, "Boy Erased"
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Jason Sudeikis, Judy Greer, Lee Pace, Nick Hamm and Isabel Arraiza, "Driven"
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Isabel Arraiza, "Driven"
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Lily Rose Depp, "A Faithful Man"
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Lily Rose Depp, Louis Garrel and Laetita Casta, "A Faithful Man"
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Laetitia Casta, "A Faithful Man"
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Laetita Casta and Lily Rose Depp, "A Faithful Man"
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Y'Lan Noel, "The Weekend"
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Werner Herzog, "Meeting Gorbachev"
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Alexis Bloom, "Divide and Conquer The Story of Roger Ailes"
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Taylor Hickson, "Giant Little Ones"
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Karyn Kusama, "Destroyer"
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László Nemes, "Sunset"
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Lee Chang-dong, "Burning"
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Steven Yeun, "Burning"
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Darren Mann, Josh Wiggins, and Taylor Hickson, "Giant Little Ones"
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Zlatko Buric, "Teen Spirit"
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Clara Rugaard, "Teen Spirit"
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Max Mingella, "Teen Spirit"
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Darren Mann, "Giant Little Ones"
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Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, "Never Look Away"
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Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
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Nicole Taylor and Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
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Nicole Taylor and Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
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Jessie Buckley, "Wild Rose"
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Christian Slater, "The Public"
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Joel Edgerton, "Boy Erased"
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Josh Singer, "First Man"
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Josh Wiggins, "Giant Little Ones"
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Liam Neeson, "Widows"
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Louis Garrel, "A Faithful Man"
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Sebastian Koch, "Never Look Away"
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Sebastian Stan, "Destroyer"
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Tatiana Maslany, "Destroyer"
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Thomas Mann, "The Land of Steady Habits"
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Tom Schilling, "Never Look Away"
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Errol Morris, "American Dharma"
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Judy Greer, "Driven"
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Lukas Dhont, "Girl"
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Toronto Film Festival 2018: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Elle Fanning, Robert Pattinson and more stop by our studio
