IFC buys Nicole Kidman’s “Queen of the Desert”

PanARMENIAN.Net - IFC Films announced at the American Film Market that it has acquired U.S. rights to Werner Herzog’s “Queen of the Desert”, starring Nicole Kidman, Variety reports.

The film, written and directed by Herzog, also stars James Franco, Robert Pattinson and Damian Lewis. IFC is planning a release in spring 2017.

“Queen” is the story of British explorer, cartographer and archaeologist Gertrude Bell, set against the backdrop of the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire with Bell as an attache of the British Empire who helped chart and define the modern borders of the Middle East.

The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. Variety‘s Peter Debruge said in his review that Kidman’s performance had “the kind of conviction that changes the world.”

“The entire team at IFC Films is thrilled to be working once more with Werner Herzog who is undoubtedly a modern master of cinema,” IFC said in a statement.

The film was produced by Michael Benaroya, Cassian Elwes and Nick Raslan and was executive produced by Jonathan Debin, Cathy Gesualdo, James Lejsek, Ben Sachs, D. Todd Shepherd, Shelley Madison, Harmon Kaslow, and John Aglialoro. Benaroya Pictures financed.