EOne picks up Canada Oscar entry “Gabrielle”

EOne picks up Canada Oscar entry “Gabrielle”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Gabrielle, the Louise Archambault-directed relationship drama that is Canada’s entry into this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar race, will be released this winter by Entertainment One, which has acquired U.S. distribution rights, Deadline said.

EOne is banking on strong past showings of Canadian films at the Oscars to help drive awareness: Gabrielle is the third film from Montréal-based production company micro_scope to be put up for Academy Award consideration following 2011′s Monsieur Lazhar and 2010′s Incendies — and both landed eventual nominations. (Last year’s Canadian entry, War Witch, produced by Item 7, was also a nominee.)

Gabrielle is the story of a musically talented woman (Gabrielle Marion-Rivard) suffering from Williams syndrome. When she falls in love with a fellow choir member, she seeks valiantly to prove her independence.

EOne Films International already has sold distribution rights to other key territories, and the film was released in France October 16. The U.S. deal was negotiated for eOne International by EVP Charlotte Mickie and for eOne Films U.S. by VP Worldwide Acquisitions Sejin Croninger.

“Two developmentally disabled members of a Montreal choir want to exert independence and consummate their love in Louise Archambault’s predictably sweet “Gabrielle.” Fitting into the solid market for well-made, uplifting stories about individuals with special needs fighting the odds and coming into their own, the pic can also be seen as a manipulative heart-tugger directed at self-satisfied audiences who enjoy rooting for those less fortunate than themselves. “Gabrielle” makes nice use of the expressive qualities of group singing, and Archambault generally avoids the Afterschool Special feel associated with such themes. Locarno’s public prize and healthy international sales presage popular embrace,” a review published at Variety said.

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