New York, NY - June 14, 2012 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the acquisition of all US rights to Xavier Dolan's I KILLED MY MOTHER, the outstanding feature film debut by then 20-year-old French Canadian Xavier Dolan; Mr. Dolan wrote, directed and starred in this semi-autobiographical tale of teenage self-discovery and rebellion.
Focusing on a recently out-of-the-closet boy who has a tumultuous relationship with his mother, I KILLED MY MOTHER quickly became an international sensation after its 2009 debut. The film was nominated for dozens of international film festival awards, including the French Cesar, and won several prizes in Cannes (Best Film - Director's Fortnight) and other Latin American and US festivals.
The film focuses on Hubert Minel (Xavier Dolan), a 16-year-old Quebecois living in suburban Montreal with his single mother, Chantale (Anne Dorval). Beautifully capturing the anxieties of a mother-son relationship, as well as their inability to re-affirm their love for each other, Dolan made a movie that tackles a variety of issues including bullying, the difficulties of single parenting, and many specific challenges facing queer youth.
From the distribution side, I KILLED MY MOTHER offers Kino Lorber another chance to work with REZO, after the company released Stephane Brize's Mademoiselle Chambon (2009) and the acclaimed documentary Khodorkovsky (2011). The deal was negotiated between Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber, Kino Lorber's VP of Theatrical Distribution Gary Palmucci, and Sebastien Chesneau, the Head of International Sales at REZO.
"When we learned in Cannes that this stunning debut film by the then 20-year-old Xavier Dolan was newly available," said Richard Lorber, "we jumped at the chance to pick it up. Having also seen his latest film at the Festival, it convinced us even more of his unique talent and the importance of finally bringing this brilliant first work to screens across the U.S."
"Finally, Xavier Dolan's first feature will be soon available for the US audience. I'm really looking forward to the release. I keep in mind my encounter with Xavier in Montreal a few years ago when we first discussed that film. I quickly realized he would soon become a phenomenon" says Sebastien Chesneau.
Kino Lorber is planning a full theatrical release for the film during the fall of 2012, before making it available in all home video and VOD platforms.