NEON has taken U.S. rights to Andrei Konchalovsky’s Dear Comrades!, which made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival where it won the Special Jury Prize. As announced this morning, film is Russia’s official submission for the 2020-2021 Oscars.
Dear Comrades! follows the rebellious workers from the small industrial town of Novocherkassk in 1962 who go on strike after the communist government raises food prices . The massacre which ensues is seen through the eyes of a devout party activist.
Konchalovsky co-wrote with Elena Kiseleva with the pic being produced by Alisher Usmanov. Julia Vysotskaya, Vladislav Komarov, Andrei Gusev, Yulia Burova, Sergei Erlish star.
Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for NEON with Jean-Christophe Simon and Julien Razafindranaly from Films Boutique.
Konchalovsky’s most recent work includes Il Peccato (The Sin). His two previous features, The White Nights of Postman and Paradise, brought him best director Silver Lions at the Venice International Film Festival. His work has also won him numerous accolades, including the Cannes Grand Prix Spécial du Jury, a FIPRESCI Award, three Golden Eagle Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Last year, Russia’s Oscar entry Beanpole from Kantemir Bagalov made the foreign film shortlist.
NEON released last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Parasite, which broke barriers for a foreign language film with the award ceremony’s top prize as well as wins for Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best International Film. NEON recently acquired Venice’s Grand Jury Prize Winner Michel Franco’s New Order, as well as Night of Kings, Philippe Lacôte’s Ivory Coast Oscar Submission. The company has several projects in various stages of development and production, including Pablo Larrain’s Spencer, Ben Wheatley’s Horror Film In The Earth, and The Painter and the Thief narrative remake.