Sideshow and Janus Films have picked up the North American distribution rights to “Tori and Lokita,” the refugee drama from two-time Palme D’Or winning directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.
The film stars Pablo Schils and Joely Mbundu as a young boy and adolescent girl who have traveled alone from Africa to Belgium and face a serious test of their friendship as they grapple with the difficult conditions of their exile. The film received a special award at Cannes in honor of the festival’s 75th anniversary.
“’Tori and Lokita’ is an immediate classic and shows these master filmmakers working at their highest level, focused with a newfound intensity on the issues plaguing our time,” Sideshow and Janus said in a statement. “The Dardenne brothers have had a profound influence on an entire generation of filmmakers, and we cannot wait to bring this film to the public, including both fans of the Dardennes’ body of work, and younger cinephiles who are sure to recognize the brothers’ profound influence on cinema today.”
This is the second Cannes pickup this week for Sideshow and Janus, as the pair also acquired the rights to “EO,” a film that follows the adventures of a donkey through modern Europe which won the Jury Prize at the festival. The deal was negotiated by Wild Bunch International and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers with Janus Films and Sideshow.