Under The Milky Way Acquires Music Biopics DALIDA and DJANGO for US Release

Under The Milky Way has acquired US domestic theatrical rights to Award-winning music biopics DALIDA and DJANGO, it was announced by company co-founder Alexis Derendinger. UNDER THE MILKY WAY are prepping DALIDA and DJANGO for theatrical releases commencing in Fall 2017 and Early 2018 respectively.

Accomplished filmmaker Lisa Azuelos' much-anticipated DALIDA biopic goes backstage with the enchanting Egyptian-born Italian singer who became France's reigning pop star from the 1950s to the 1980s.

On the acquisition of DALIDA, Derendinger commented: "Quite simply, we were blown away by Sveva Alviti's performance in DALIDA. In her time, Dalida sold more records than Madonna and inspired generations of music lovers around the world. We are thrilled to bring Lisa Azuelos's masterful interpretation of her story to US audiences."

Recording in more than five languages, Dalida sold a record-breaking 170 million albums during her lifetime, with chart-topping hits spanning Edith Piaf-esque classics to emotional disco numbers. Following Dalida's extraordinary rise from beauty pageant contestant to cabaret artist to international superstar, this visually stunning new film tells a captivating story of professional success and personal tragedy in exquisite period detail. Italian-model-turned actress Sveva Alviti paints a nuanced portrait of the star in her breakthrough role. DALIDA is directed by Lisa Azuelos (LOL, QUANTUM LOVE) and stars Sveva Alviti, Riccardo Scamarcio, Jean-Paul Rouve and Nicolas Duvauchelle.

Opening Film of the 2017 Berlin Film Festival and an official selection of Rendez-vous With French Cinema, DJANGO is a powerful biopic which will immerse viewers in a tumultuous chapter in the life of one of the 20th century's greatest musical geniuses: the legendary Romani jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Derendinger continued: "We were also astonished by first time filmmaker Etienne Comar's DJANGO, with Reta Kateb giving a powerhouse performance as the beloved musician and exceptional artist Django Reinhardt, fighting against Nazi-occupied France and the treatment of his community. In this time of political uncertainty worldwide, we believe the film will strike a chord with a wide audience domestically."

DJANGO is the much anticipated wartime biopic of the world-famous jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, elegantly interpreted by Reda Kateb (A Prophet, Zero Dark Thirty).

As the toast of 1943 Paris, Django thrilled audiences with his distinctive brand of "hot jazz" and charmed a league of admirers including his muse "Chinese Puzzle," played by Cécile de France. But even as the rise of Nazism forces Reinhardt- whose music is considered degenerate under the Third Reich- to make a daring escape from Paris, he refuses to be silenced, using his music as a form of protest. Kateb's powerful performance leads this spirited biopic that will keep audiences on their tapping toes.

DJANGO is directed by writer/producer of "OF GOD AND MEN" Etienne Comar
and stars Reda Kateb ("A PROPHET") and Cecile de France ("HEREAFTER").

ABOUT UNDER THE MILKY WAY A Digital Distributor with 13 offices around the world, Under The Milky Way has steadily acquired a slate of critically acclaimed foreign gems for theatrical release in the US. Their most recent acquisitions include environmental documentary and European box-office smash hit Tomorrow from France, Cannes Un Certain Regard favorite The Student, French thriller Made in France, indie rom-com Swim Little Fish Swim and French comedy What's in a Name?

Photo Credit: Under The Milky Way

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