Adopt Films acquires "Zurich" HOF Film Festival drama

PanARMENIAN.Net - Adopt Films has acquired U.S. rights to Frederik Steiner's feature debut, "Zurich". The film world premiered at the HOF Film Festival in Munich and follows independent-minded, twenty-year old, Lea, who has suffered from cystic fibrosis since birth, and elects to take her own life by sneaking across the boarder to a private clinic in Zurich, Indiewire said.

The film features newcomer Liv Lisa Fries as Lea, and co-stars Kerstin de Anna and Lena Stolze. The original screenplay is by Barbara te Kock, and the film was produced by Peter Heilrath, Andreas Bareiss, and Sven Burgemeister in co-production with ARRI.

Adopt Films President Tim Grady and its Executive VP, Marketing & Distribution Jeff Lipsky negotiated the deal with ARRI Worldsales’ Director of Sales and Acquisitions Moritz Hemminger.

In a joint statement Grady and Lipsky opined: “'Zurich’ got under our skin like few other films in years. Liv Lisa Fries’ performance is a revelation. Hers is quite simply an awards-caliber performance. Barbara te Kock’s screenplay expertly straddles a razor’s edge, avoiding pathos and over-sentimentality while tears stream down the viewer’s face. 'Zurich' will evoke huge empathy from female audiences and will provoke fervent discussion for years to come amid both the medical and academic communities. As life expectancy in the U.S. continues to expand the impassioned subjects of euthanasia and quality of life will be increasingly critical to address. And with ‘Zurich’ we’ll be proud to be part of that debate.”

"Zurich" is slated for a Spring 2014 stateside release.