Sony Pictures Buys Rights to Cannes Festival Frontrunner LEVIATHON

By: Courtnie Mele May. 24, 2014

According to Variety, Sony Pictures Classics bought the rights to Andrey Zvyagintsev's Leviathon. The deal was negotiated Friday night at the Cannes Festival. The film has so far been one of the most applauded films at the festival and is a frontrunner for the Cannes Festival's Palme d'Or in tonight's ceremony.

Sony Pictures Classics stated, "As good as the greatest of Russian novels, 'Leviathan' is a spectacular movie. We can't wait to bring it to American audiences."

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Leviathon is written by Zvyagintsev and Oleg Negin and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky. The story is loosely based on The Book of Job. It takes place in Northern Russia and follows a man who faces horrible consequences for trying to stand up against his town's corrupt mayor. It stars Alexey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova and Vladimir Vdovichenkov.

Rodnyansky said, "We are so happy to have 'Leviathan' in the expert hands of the team at Sony Pictures Classics. This film is very special to us as filmmakers; it tells powerful and Universal truths that are grounded in a personal and intimate story. We believe it is Andrey Zviagentsev's finest work to date and we are proud that American audiences will see it."