BLANCANIEVES to Screen in Canada via D Films

My favourite film at TIFF this year, the sumptuous Spanish film Blancanieves will be distributed in Canada by D Films. A silent, black and white film retelling of the Snow White fairy tale set in 1920s Spain, directed by Pablo Berger (Torremolinos 73) and starring Maribel Verdu (Y Tu Mama También, Pan's Labyrinth), the film is also Spain's official entry for the Academy Awards this year. It was released in Spain this past September, and was in the top 10 at the box office for several weeks there.

Rather than serving as a nod to the film industry (as in The Artist), Blancanieves is a nod to the format itself, invoking the likes of Carl Dreyer, Sergei Eisenstein, and Abel Gance, and yet remaining true to its Spanish cultural roots in its grand melodrama, never shying away from the grotesque, and creating a very brave and real heroine.

Excerpts from the press release:

D FILMS, Canada's fastest growing motion picture distribution company, has acquired the exclusive, long term Canadian distribution rights in all media to BLANCANIEVES.  The announcement was made today by President of D Films, Jim Sherry and International Sales Agent Marina Fuentes Arredonda.

Spain's official submission to the 85^th Academy Awards^® for Best Foreign Film, BLANCANIEVES is a gorgeous homage to the Golden Age of Europe's silent cinema.  The intoxicating film relocates the tale of Snow White to a sweepingly romantic vision of 1920s Spain, where a young girl escapes from her wicked stepmother to find fame as a matador.

BLANCANIEVES premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews before picking up a Special Jury Award and Best Actress prize at the 2012 San Sebastian International Film Festival.

Produced by Arcadia Motion Pictures, the deal was negotiated by D Films' Michael Robson and Dreamcatchers' International Sales Agent Marina Fuentes Arredonda. "We are very excited to bring this enchanting film to Canadian audiences" said Robson.  "BLANCANIEVES is a beautiful cinematic experience that is a perfect complement to D Films' diverse portfolio of content."

The drama is slated for a winter 2013 release.