Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Cannes Competition drama The Beloved has secured a North American release with Kino Lorber.
The Spanish-language film stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem opposite recent Pedro Almodóvar collaborator Victoria Luengo in performances that drew widespread acclaim in Cannes.
The father-daughter drama, which will get its North American premiere at Toronto, sees “an acclaimed Spanish director (Bardem) reunite with his estranged daughter (Luengo), an unsuccessful actress, to shoot a film. The two need to handle their strained relationship and the past issues neither wants to address directly.”
The movie, which is written by Sorogoyen and frequent collaborator Isabel Peña, will be released theatrically in Spain on August 26 followed by a qualifying run in the U.S. later this year. Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release in early 2027 in key markets, followed by a digital, educational, and home video release.
Javier Bardem is expected to be campaigned for the Best Actor Oscar by Kino Lorber after he drew rave reviews for his turn in Cannes. Deadline’s Damon Wise called the drama “an incredible achievement” and noted “Javier Bardem’s career has been building up to this stunning moment.”
Bardem has previously received four Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Supporting Actor as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (2007). The Best Actor category this year is considered one of the most competitive with Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, John Malkovich, Robert Pattinson and Sebastian Stan among a deep field.
Spain is expected to announce its selection for the Best International Film category next month. The Beloved will face stiff competition from fellow Cannes darling La Bola Negra, which has many fans.
The North American deal was negotiated by Kino Lorber VP of Acquisitions Karoliina Dwyer and Eva Diederix of Goodfellas.
Sorogoyen, Oscar-nominated for his 2019 live action short Madre, said of the deal: “I am absolutely pleased that Kino Lorber—a 100% independent company fully committed to the importance of the theater experience—will be distributing our film in the U.S. The taste they have demonstrated throughout their career, their discernment, and their track record of bringing international auteur cinema to audiences assure us that The Beloved is in the best possible hands. It is an agreement I welcome with great enthusiasm.”
“The Beloved draws you into its world from the very first moments, and it’s immediately clear that you’re in the hands of a master filmmaker,” commented Lisa Schwartz, Chief Distribution & Revenue Officer for Kino Lorber. “Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo deliver tour de force performances as father and daughter, and it’s thrilling to watch these incredibly gifted actors match each other at every turn. We’re excited to partner with Rodrigo and the film team to bring The Beloved to North American audiences.”
The Beloved is a Movistar Plus Original Film in coproduction with Caballo Films, El Ser Querido AIE, and Le Pacte. The film is produced by Nacho Lavilla and Eduardo Villanueva and executive-produced by Javier Bardem and Clara Lago.
Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.
Comments On Deadline Hollywood are monitored. So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong.
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );