Colette has struck gold with Lionsgate, now the official distributor of the film in the UK. The entertainment company nabbed the UK rights of the biopic out of the Sundance Film Festival, which kicked off recently.
Lionsgate is planning a theatrical release of Colette, a historical account of the French novelist who overcomes an abusive marriage to emerge as a leading writer in her country. It starts Keira Knightley in the lead role, Dominic West as Willy, who takes credit of her work, and many others, including Eleanor Tomlinson, Fiona Shaw, and Denise Gough.
According to Variety, the film premiered to solid reception on Saturday, Jan. 20, during the festival, then as a result, it locked a domestic distribution pact with 30West and Bleecker Street. Both those companies are reportedly eyeing to debut the film in theaters at some point in 2018.
"An enjoyable account of how France's most famous female author came out of the closet in more ways than one, Wash Westmoreland's Colette casts Keira Knightley as the country girl whose literary gifts (with the help of salacious plotlines) outshone those of all the male writers around her, including her celebrated husband. Skeptics may grouse that a movie about the creme de la creme of Paris is cast entirely with English actors, but this is not a film for the highest of highbrows. Taken on its terms, it is an engaging literary coming-of-age story, and one embodied ably by its star," reads The Hollywood Reporter's review.
Aside from the film itself, Knightley's performance as the bisexual novelist has reaped critical acclaim, with several claiming it's the film's highlight and that it could land the actress back in the Oscar race next year. Knightley was last nominated for the award in 2015 for portraying Joan Clarke in the 2014 film The Imitation Game.
Colette was directed by Still Alice director Wash Westmoreland, and produced by Bold Films, Number 9 Films, and Killer Content. Westmoreland also penned the screenplay alongside his late partner Richard Glatzer, with whom he also teamed up on Still Alice and Quinceanera. The film debuted in the Premieres section of Sundance 2018.
"We are thrilled that Bold's first UK production has found such a terrific home at Lions Gate UK," said Bold Films CEO Gary Michael Walters in a statement.
Aside from Colette, check out the other films we're excited to see at Sundance!
Were you one of the lucky one who saw the premiere of Colette? If so, what are your thoughts about the film, particularly Knightley's performance? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below if you have anything to share!
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