NEW YORK, NY (February 25, 2020) — IFC Films announced today that it is acquiring U.S rights to UNDINE written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Christian Petzold (PHOENIX, BARBARA, TRANSIT), starring Paula Beer (TRANSIT, FRANTZ) and Franz Rogowski (TRANSIT). In Petzold has previously won the Silver Bear at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival for his film BARBARA, and was also selected as the German entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. UNDINE premiered in competition in the 2020 Berlin Film Festival. IFC Films will release the film in the fall of 2020.
In UNDINE, Petzold reworks the ancient myth of the mysterious water spirit in the modern world. Set in Berlin, UNDINE works as a historian lecturing on Berlin’s urban development. She knows all about the Humboldt Forum, and has a knack for dressing. She is nonchalantly beautiful, and the way she imparts her knowledge about the city that was built on a swamp is as professional as it is graceful. But Undine’s world collapses when the man she loves leaves her. Soon the ancient myth catches up with her and Undine has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water. UNDINE is the story of a life-or-death love, splendidly and effortlessly told.
Arianna Bocco EVP of Acquisitions and Productions of IFC Films said, “We are so excited to be back in business with Christian again after the successful release of PHOENIX. He is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in film today and we are delighted to bring UNDINE to cinemas nationwide.”
Director, Christian Petzold added, “I am thrilled that IFC Films has picked up UNDINE for US Distribution. I am looking forward to showing the film in the theaters around the country and am excited to see how it will be received by the American audiences.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by IFC Films with The Match Factory on behalf of the filmmaker.
###
ABOUT IFC FILMS
Celebrating 20 years of distribution, New York based IFC Films is a leading distributor of independent film in the U.S. Its unique distribution model makes independent films available to a national audience by releasing them in theaters as well as on cable’s Video On Demand (VOD) platform, reaching nearly 50 million homes. Current and upcoming releases include SWALLOW by Carlo Mirabella-Davis, THE TRUTH by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and THE PAINTED BIRD by Václav Marhoul.
Some of the company’s successes over the years have included BOYHOOD, THE DEATH OF STALIN, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, THE BABADOOK, TOUCHING THE VOID, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, CHE, SUMMER HOURS, ANTICHRIST, IN THE LOOP, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, TINY FURNITURE, and CARLOS. IFC Films has worked with established and breakout filmmakers, including Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Miranda July, Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noé, Todd Solondz, Cristian Mungiu, Susanne Bier, Olivier Assayas, Jim McKay, Larry Fessenden, Paul Dano, Gregg Araki, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, Abdellatif Kechiche, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Abbas Kiarostami, Alfonso Cuaron, Noah Baumbach, Lena Dunham, Ethan Hawke and many more. IFC Films is a sister label to IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.