Cannes-Bound ‘Left-Handed Girl,' ‘Heads or Tails?' Producer Cinema Inutile Takes Stake in 1-2 Special
The New York and Tokyo-based production company, which has been steadily building a slate of festival darlings, has joined as a founding partner in the recently launched North American distributor headed by Jason Hellerstein, a former Sideshow executive who debuted the venture in February.
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Cinema Inutile slate includes recent festival hits 'Stranger Eyes' (Venice Competition 2024), 'Happyend' (Venice Orizzonti 2024), and 'Viet and Nam' (Cannes Un Certain Regard 2024). Its development pipeline features collaborations with art-house heavyweights including Ruben Östlund's 'The Entertainment System Is Down,' Manuela Martelli's 'The Meltdown,' and Jim Jarmusch's 'Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.'
The move represents a significant evolution for Cinema Inutile, expanding its end-to-end capabilities in the independent space. The company now stands positioned to shepherd projects from development through theatrical release, a rarity in today's challenging art-house market.
The announcement comes as Cinema Inutile celebrates a banner year on the festival circuit, with two high-profile entries set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival: Shih-Ching Tsou's 'Left-Handed Girl' (co-written and edited by 'Anora' helmer Sean Baker) in Critics' Week, and Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis' 'Heads or Tails?' in Un Certain Regard.
The theatrical-first strategy represents a bullish stance on traditional exhibition at a time when many independent distributors are pivoting toward streaming and day-and-date strategies. 1-2 Special plans to release up to 10 films annually, with Radu Jude's 'Kontinental '25' from this year's Berlinale marking its inaugural acquisition.
'This partnership with 1-2 Special is a natural and exciting next step for Cinema Inutile,' Lo told Variety. 'Be it 'The Settlers,' 'Girls Will Be Girls,' or 'Stranger Eyes,' we've always championed stories that challenge conventions and ignite conversation. Collaborating with Jason, who shares that same passion for risk-taking cinema, is incredibly inspiring.'
'We're both committed to supporting films that deserve to be seen on the big screen, and to creating a home for filmmakers who bring new and unique perspectives to the conversation,' Lo added.
Cinema Inutile is represented by Hayden Goldblatt at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.
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