Cannes, May 17, 2022 — HanWay Films has closed sales on multiple territories to award-winning writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s (Ida, Disobedience, Colette) directorial debut Hot Milk, based on the bestselling novel by Deborah Levy and starring Academy Award nominee Jessie Buckley, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps. IFC Films has acquired U.S. distribution rights and HanWay Films also closed a multi-territory deal with MUBI for UK, Ireland, Italy, Latin America and Turkey. Additional deals include Metropolitan Films (France), The Searchers (Benelux), Scanbox (Scandinavia), M2 (Eastern Europe), A-One (Baltics), Front Row (Middle East) and Shaw (Singapore). The deal with IFC was negotiated between HanWay Films MD Gabrielle Stewart with IFC Film’s President Arianna Bocco and SVP of Acquisitions Scott Shooman for the Bonnie Productions feature.
Hot Milk was developed by Bonnie Productions together with Film4 and is produced by Academy Award® nominee and BAFTA Award winner Christine Langan and Kate Glover. Executive producers are Farhana Bhula, Ollie Madden and Daniel Battsek for Film4. Heads of production include Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt (Emma, First Cow), Costume Designer Sophie O’Neill (The Outfit, Ali & Ava), Production Designer Maxine Carlier (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Fish Tank), Editor Lucia Zucchetti (The Queen, Ratcatcher) and Make-up and Hair designer Nicole Stafford (Men, The Death of Stalin).
Lenkiewicz delves into the complexities of a relationship between a single mother and daughter in Hot Milk where the heat and atmosphere of Almería become an epic canvas for this intimate exploration of sex, love and the bonds that tie us all together.
Rose (Shaw) and her daughter Sofia (Buckley) travel to the Spanish seaside town of Almería to consult with the shamanic Dr Gomez, a physician who could possibly hold the cure to Rose’s mystery illness, which has left her bound to a wheelchair. But in the sultry atmosphere of this sun-bleached town Sofia, who has been trapped by her mother’s illness all her life, finally starts to shed her inhibitions, enticed by the persuasive charms of enigmatic traveller Ingrid (Krieps). Sofia’s increased freedom becomes too much for her controlling mother, and as the hot sun beats down, their relationship simmers with pent-up resentments and bitterness, threatening to tear the fragile threads that hold them together, and leading them to a dramatic conclusion.
ABOUT HANWAY FILMS
HanWay Films is a UK based financing, sales, distribution and marketing company with a strong influence on the independent film market. Established in 1998 by producer Jeremy Thomas, HanWay Films offers full service and creative solutions; specialising in quality and commercially driven films from diverse, visionary and unique filmmakers around the world. HanWay Films has long-term global producing partnerships and represents films from sister company Recorded Picture Company along with projects from third party producers as well as the rights to an extensive film catalogue of over 350 feature films.
HanWay’s slate includes Jerzy Skolimowski’s EO which will screen In Competition at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Meg Ryan’s WHAT HAPPENS LATER; Stefano Mordini’s 2 WIN; Kieron Hawkes’ BRANDED; Kitty Green’s THE ROYAL HOTEL, Uberto Pasolini’s THE RETURN; Justin Kurzel’s MORNING; Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s HOT MILK; Leo Leigh’s SWEET SUE; Dania Pasquini and Max Giwa’s adrenaline fuelled BREAKING POINT; MCCARTHY directed by Václav Marhoul; EVEREST directed by Doug Liman; Paul Schrader’s MASTER GARDENER; Robert Connolly’s BLUEBACK; Alice Lowe’s TIMESTALKER; and Ruth Paxton’s directorial debut A BANQUET. The company also represents writer and director Rupert Everett’s LOST AND FOUND IN PARIS; Amma Asante’s Cold War thriller THE BILLION DOLLAR SPY; Phillip Noyce’s PEGGY JO; Kim Mordaunt’s WILDLANDS and Jasmine McGlade’s FENCER. For more information, please visit www.hanwayfilms.com
ABOUT IFC FILMS
Established in 2000 and based in New York City, IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of independent film. 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) and digital platforms.
Current and upcoming releases include Venice Golden Lion award-winner, HAPPENING, directed by Audrey Diwan.Chloe Okuno’s WATCHER, Clarie Denis’ BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE, Andrea Arnold’s first documentary COW, Jacques Audiard’s PARIS 13TH DISTRICT, and the 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.
ABOUT MUBI
MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor. A place to discover and watch beautiful, interesting, incredible films. A new hand-picked film arrives on MUBI, every single day. Cinema from across the world. From iconic directors, to emerging auteurs. All carefully chosen by MUBI’s curators.
Notebook is MUBI’s daily film publication, exploring all sides of cinema culture. And with MUBI GO, members in select countries can get a hand-picked cinema ticket every single week, to see the best new films in real cinemas.
MUBI also produces and distributes ambitious new films, which members can watch exclusively on the platform. Some recent and upcoming MUBI Releases include Sebastian Meise’s Great Freedom, Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, Céline Sciamma’s Petite Maman, Leos Carax’s Annette, Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta, Julia Ducournau’s Titane, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria, First Cow from Kelly Reichardt, Ben Sharrock’s Limbo, Pablo Larraín’s Ema, and Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria; MUBI’s co-productions include Mia Hansen-Løve’s One Fine Morning, Ekwa Msangi’s Sundance prize-winner Farewell Amor and Rachel Lang’s Our Men.
MUBI is the biggest community of film lovers, available across 190 countries, with more than 12 million members around the world. Subscription plans are $10.99 / £9.99 / €9.99 a month or $83.88 / £71.88 / €71.88 for 12 months, or $10.99 a month or $83.88 for 12 months and £14.99 a month or £131.88 for 12 months to include MUBI GO. MUBI is available on the web, Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, LG and Samsung Smart TVs, as well as on mobile devices including iPad, iPhone and Android.
ABOUT BONNIE PRODUCTIONS
Bonnie Productions was set up in 2020 by award winning Film and TV producer, Christine Langan, to produce original independent film and TV projects that tell stories with originality, humour and heart. With a varied slate currently in development, Bonnie Productions has strong talent relationships and exceptional writing at its core. HOT MILK, based on the bestselling novel by Deborah Levy, will be the first feature film to launch under the Bonnie Productions banner.
Christine’s producing career started with the multi award winning, hit TV show, COLD FEET with other notable credits including Stephen Frears’ political drama, THE DEAL for which she won her first BAFTA; the critically acclaimed, BAFTA and Academy Award winning THE QUEEN starring Helen Mirren; DIRTY FILTHY LOVE for which Christine won an RTS Award and PIERREPOINT which led to a nomination for the BAFTA Carl Foreman Award.
As Head of BBC Films (2009– 2016) Christine led on the development and production of a vast array of British independent movies, achieving record breaking BAFTA and Academy Award nominations, with films including PHILOMENA, BROOKLYN, AN EDUCATION and SAVING MR BANKS as well as Cannes Film Festival success with titles like Andrea Arnold’s FISH TANK, Jane Campion’s BRIGHT STAR and Matthew Warchus’ PRIDE. In 2016 Christine joined Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions as CEO, where she oversaw the development and production of several hugely popular programmes, including the acclaimed BBC comedy THIS TIME WITH ALAN PARTRIDGE. She also developed and produced the Pathé/BBC Film, THE LOST KING, reuniting with long-time collaborator, Stephen Frears. Starring Sally Hawkins, THE LOST KING is due for release later this year. Christine is also Executive Producer on Craig Roberts’ ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN’, written by Simon Farnaby, starring Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins and due for release this spring.