Neon has nabbed North American rights to Memoria, the Tilda Swinton-starring Colombian drama from Palme d’Or-winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
The secretive project stars Swinton, Jeanne Balibar, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Juan Pablo Urrego and Elkin Diaz. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but it is set in Colombia and reports have said it follows an orchid farmer (Swinton) visiting her ill sister in Bogota.
Thai filmmaker Weerasethakul picked up the coveted Palme d’Or in Cannes in 2010 for his Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, which was the country’s entry for that year’s Academy Awards, though it was not nominated.
Memoria was produced by Weerasethakul’s Kick the Machine, Burning and Illuminations Films.
The deal was negotiated by Jeff Deutchman on behalf of Neon and Thania Dimitrakopoulou of German sales agent The Match Factory on behalf of the filmmakers.
At last year’s AFM, Neon bought Bong Joon Ho’s 2019 Palme d’Or winner Parasite, which has now grossed more than $7 million in the U.S. and $102 million worldwide.